New mama Sally worked so hard through several days of on-and-off contractions before heading to the hospital with her doula and husband. She soon started pushing in the water birth tub, and writes, “It’s amazing how it’s like the animal within takes over and you just know what to do.”

She credits her prenatal and birth support team, staying home as long as possible, and all her prenatal yoga for her birth outcome. Congratulations, Sally, and thanks for sharing your story with us!

Love,

Alisa, Sarah & the women of Blooma

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Hi Bridget,

I can’t tell you how much prenatal yoga and all the women at Blooma helped me through my pregnancy.  It felt like a support group that served my physical and emotional wellness.  I will miss being there and I hope you will send my love to the ladies still anticipating the arrival of their beautiful babies…

So where to start… on Sunday night for the first time I had contractions that actually started to hurt, they came about once an hour overnight. During the day they went away and about the same thing happened Tuesday night with them leaving Tuesday morning.

Tuesday afternoon the contractions started again and as I left work, I wondered if this might be my last time at work…Tuesday night we were up all night with contractions that at the peak came every 7-8 minutes, so it was really frustrating when they slowed down Wednesday morning.

I didn’t go to work because they were still coming every half hour or so and they were painful enough that it was difficult to talk through them.  I went on short walks and did yoga poses and by the afternoon they were coming more frequently.

I kept a prenatal massage appointment I had that afternoon which was not exactly the most relaxing massage with contractions now coming every 10 minutes!   That evening my contractions started to finally speed up and get more powerful.  It felt like it was real labor at last.

Hands and knees was by far the most comfortable position, especially when I was draped over an exercise ball.  By later evening, the contractions were coming more often and more intense and I was getting discouraged, tired, and frustrated.  Because my contractions had started so early in the week, it felt like I had been laboring for such a long time!

At midnight we asked our doula to join us.  It was incredibly helpful having a new burst of energy and encouragement.   She helped us try some different things for comfort and we continued laboring at home while my contractions came more frequently.

At about 3 a.m. they were coming every 4-5 minutes and I felt ready to get to the hospital.  Once we arrived, it all is sort of a blur because it went so fast.  I was dilated 6 centimeters and they started to prepare the water birth tub.  My contractions were so powerful, I wondered if I would be able to keep doing it all naturally.

Once we got in the tub, it felt so good to let go of my body and let it float.  My legs had gotten so tired from laboring at home that they were literally shaking, so being able to relax my body and just focus on making it through each contraction was really helpful.

I don’t think I was in the tub for longer than an hour and all the sudden on one of my contractions I felt my body start pushing.  They had to try to get me to slow down because I was only 9 centimeters dilated, but thankfully within a couple more contractions it was okay for me to push.

It’s amazing how it’s like the animal within takes over and you just know what to do.  I pushed for 17 minutes and Madeline made her arrival!  It was only 3 hours from when we arrived at the hospital.

It was a totally surreal experience.  I’m so thankful for the support of all the people around me because there were many times I felt discouraged and like I couldn’t do it anymore and they helped me stick it out.  I’m so glad I stayed at home as long as I did, I don’t know if I could have resisted the pain medications had I been at the hospital much longer.

The staff at St Joe’s was amazing and I think having a doula was a great choice for us.  I think the strength my body had from the months of yoga helped me stay strong and power through.

Now I have a beautiful, healthy, baby girl!  My bottom is pretty sore and my boobs feel like they are about ready to explode, but when that little face looks at me, it feels totally worth it.

I’m looking forward to a week from now when my body starts to feel more normal and I can bop around the house as opposed to having to sit around so much and rely on others for help.  Regardless, it’s just such a wonder to think I have this baby in my arms that was in my belly just a week ago doing downward dogs at yoga!

My very best to all the beautiful Blooma ladies, your support has meant so much to me!

Sally

*{A little note from Blooma: We joyfully share birth stories sent to us by Blooma families, however, Blooma does not claim responsibility for and does not endorse individual choices made by families or their care providers. We seek to share any array of birth stories to showcase a wide range of experiences.}