I wanted to share this here so others may be encouraged! I found out my baby was in breech position at 41 weeks and 5 days pregnant. At first I was scared and unsure if I still wanted to go through with my homebirth. It was stories from other women that ultimately influenced my decision, so hopefully my story can bring peace and encourage some of you.
I was in early labor for over a week (3-4cm) with start and stop contractions. I called the midwife to my house at one point, only for it to be a false alarm. I was super impatient so we did a membrane sweep. That’s when my midwife felt my baby’s feet- not her head- right at my cervix.
I went in for an ultrasound where the doctor confirmed my baby was breech. He was very stern with me and told me to get a c section right away. It didn’t feel right in my spirit so I told him I’d think about it. My midwife had trained extensively on breech birth and was totally on board with proceeding as planned. So we decided to wait for the baby to come and try for a natural delivery. My husband and I prayed and he fasted for the Lord’s protection and continued clarity on the situation.
At 11:50pm on August 19th, my water broke and I knew without a doubt my baby was close. We called the midwife and my mom and dad. I labored upright on the ball, in the birth pool, and on our bed for 10 hours. I was able to move about freely, play worship music, and eat a couple bites of food.
At around 10:00am on August 20th, we had two midwives and two birth assistants ready to deliver the baby with us. My midwife asked if she could do a cervical check, and I said no, I know my baby is coming NOW!
I pushed for an hour and a half before I could see her little feet start to emerge. I surrendered to the contractions and thanked Jesus for each of them aloud. I didn’t need any coaching- my body was fully on autopilot. I was upright holding tight to my husband for support. When I got tired, a birth assistant helped me onto my back and massaged my legs. In another half hour, we saw her body.
I got on my hands and knees to continue pushing when the lead midwife realized the baby’s head was stuck with an arm pressed against her face. She sprung into action and pulled the baby free at 12:55pm.
I was in pain, but the pain was completely outweighed by the feeling of euphoria when I saw her little face. I immediately knew she had my nose, and the most perfect lips, ears, and eyelashes I had ever seen.
She was having trouble breathing, and the midwives were working fast to clear out the fluid in her airways and administer oxygen. Within less than 5 minutes, I was helped back into bed with our precious baby on my chest.
We were both relatively unscathed, with some bruising on baby’s feet and one superficial tear on myself.
Baby weighed in at 8lbs 6oz- surprisingly small for a so-called “post term” baby. We are confident she took all the time she needed to grow- no more, no less.
Mamas, trust your intuition!! Birth on your own terms! So many people were telling me I was being reckless and irresponsible for not obeying the doctor. But as soon as I had come to terms with the situation, God made the path forward completely clear. I know my body. I know what I am capable of. And now I have the greatest gift to show for it- my healthy baby girl. 💕
Breech is a variation of normal. Women have been doing this for thousands of years. You’ve got this! 🙌🏻
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