Ajala's homebirth story
I love reading birth stories. Each one is so unique and amazing. I don’t think any two births are alike. My son Ajala’s birth story was like no other. His due date was July 28, 2012. Luckily, I was laid off from my job, so I used that time to prepare for his birth. This preparation was not just for getting baby items, but for preparing my mind, body and soul. I consulted a Prenatal/Birth Doula and began my quest. I had a well planned diet including fresh organic fruits and vegetables, pregnancy massages, prenatal yoga, chiropractic adjustments, pool exercises and meditation. I was conditioning my body like a runner prepares for a marathon.
My first birth in 2001 resulted in a C-section after 16 hours of labor leaving me traumatized for many years. I had done a lot of healing and researching to prepare for this birth. I knew my body was completely healed and it would know exactly what to do if given the chance. I had no doubts. As a matter of fact, I never let the idea enter my mind about not being able to have a vaginal birth at home. I never used the term VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean) to label myself. I had regular visualizations on what my ideal birth would be like. According to my midwife/sister-in-law, a woman should envision the birth she wants in order for it to manifest.
I started feeling slight irregular contractions on Sunday, July 22nd, but I was able to walk around with little discomfort. The next day I started having contractions again at 9:00 am. They started off very regular, but soon became irregular. That evening I got in the birthing pool for what seemed like hours. Eventually, my contractions stopped and I went to bed. The next morning, I got up and it started all over again. My Midwife and Doula instructed me to walk around the neighborhood since I was only 2cm dilated. I eventually walked most of the day and night. I spent time in the pool that evening, but still no baby.
The next day, I used the birthing ball and walked around the house in an effort to get things moving. Late that afternoon after my request to be checked, my water broke. We all thought that birth was soon to follow, but I ended up going to bed still pregnant. The next day started with mild contractions, but I noticed that I stopped urinating. Upon inspection it was confirmed that I had bladder distention. After correcting the bladder distention it was back to labor. I started having contractions again, but these pains were a little more intense. I spent time in the pool that evening, but grew more and more uncomfortable. That night, I had difficulty sleeping and I vomited. I kept feeling the waves of contractions. The first and second waves were tolerable, but the third wave was intense rectal pain.
On Friday, July 27th, I woke up to my 3 wave contractions. They started off very far apart, and then became very regular. The day seemed to come and go with me still having contractions. That evening the pool felt great and the midwife could see my baby’s head with a flashlight. I was encouraged to try several positions, but none of them seem to work except my comfortable side-lying position. It was when I felt the baby inching down. After getting up to the bathroom, I knew it was time to push. While standing up with the support of my husband, I got in a squatting position to deliver. On Saturday, July 28th Ajala helped me help him out of the birth canal. There was no screaming or crying, just laughter and love. Ahhh, Ajala means “victory at last”.
