All about how I gave birth to my ten pound baby at home
Towards the end of my pregnancy, I was huge. So big that no one believed I wasn’t overdue or not arrying twins. My midwife and I were actually bullied by my backup OB over the baby’s size, so I fired him and we found another OB. After all, ultrasounds are notoriously innacurate this late in pregnancy. My first was supposed to be 10 pounds and was 7.5.
Born at home: a home birth video
Georgia Brizuela recently filmed the home birth of baby Oliver — and she’s sharing the video with Offbeat Mama readers today.
Yay for midwife mamas!
I’m not sure how many Offbeat Mama readers know about my mom. She wrote a few guestposts back in Offbeat Mama’s early days, but for those who weren’t around back in early 2010 here’s the backstory: my mom Therese is a retired midwife who was first the founding president of the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA), and then the Academic Director of Seattle Midwifery School. In high school, I grew up grading midwifery tests.
Anyway, MANA just celebrated their 30th anniversary, and my mom went to a big gathering they had in California. I was tickled pink when she shared this picture of some of the past presidents, and thought some of you midwifery fans might be as well.
Kaiya Sol’s home birth that brought in rainbows
Thanksgiving Monday: it was a cool fall day, the streets wet with rain and scattered with the crunchy, crimson leaves that mark this time of year. The sun would peak out from behind the clouds, chasing away their dark heaviness, and briefly reveal the liquid blue hidden behind. My partner Vibhu and I spent the day hunkered down inside, him working on Tutors Nirvana and me, folding clothes, tidying the house, and compiling a digital version of my pregnancy journal. By the middle of the afternoon, I had had enough of being inside and craved a long walk through our neighborhood and along the waterfront.
I didn’t think home birth was for me until I had one and it rocked
I was always intrigued by the idea of home birth, but I always thought it was for people who were spiritual or connected to the universe — or something that just wasn’t me. I’m agnostic, sarcastic, and my husband and I laugh at super inappropriate things. My fear of hospitals was a big push into me doing the research and realized it really was the most logical course for us. It really ended up being the best choice I ever could have made.
Luna’s blissful and emotional home birth
I started having symptoms of labor at 38 weeks — a few weeks before I actually gave birth to my daughter, Luna. Experiencing labor signs early was one of the hardest things to go through emotionally, but I can say that I am so glad it happened. The experience taught me a much needed lesson in patience and in trusting my body. It was very frustrating to be on edge for those next few weeks, but there was also a lingering peace that I would know when it was happening. The next few weeks were very intense, emotionally and physically.