Steven with Sarah Kate and Elyse, Lisette with Baby Grace,
and Jessica with Bobby soon after Grace's birth.

Ok....here is the story: (somewhat graphic....so do not read if easily offended....)

As you all know, I was so happy last Monday because I had finished all my gardening. I had planted that flat of vincas, then I did my usual running around with the kids, fixed dinner, Steven went to some meetings that night so I bathed the kids, then we all went to bed around 9pm. He and I stayed up for about an hour to watch TV. I was definitely asleep by 10PM. I had been having ctrx's all day and night as usual....but just blew them off as normal cranky uterus. (Also remember that just the day before on Sunday, the MW said I had a very soft cervix that was 2 cms, 25 % effaced and baby at -1)

Well....I woke up around 12:30AM and couldn't get back to sleep. So... I woke Steven up and we were back to sleep by 1-1:30AM. Then at 3:33AM I got up to go to the bathroom for probably the 4th time that night already. I was sitting on the toilet (really pretty much asleep....you know how that is...) and I was thinking to myself....hmmmmm...I sure am peeing a LOT. So, I sat there for another minute, then I started to get up...then sat down again for I was peeing again. (Or so I thought...DUH...remember I was really half asleep!) FINALLY.....I said to myself....WAIT a minute....and I put my hand in the toilet under myself an said....THAT is NOT coming from my urethra!! I called to Steven and said...."honey....you had better call the MW....my water broke." He then said....ok...and started to roll out of the bed and said..."there is a big wet spot in the bed!" I guess I never noticed in my sleep stupor when I got up. Then he said another funny thing....(now remember, he is half asleep as well so he is getting his info mixed up a bit...) "Ok...now, since your water broke, we have like 24-48 hours right?" I said "NO....(pant gasp pant as the ctrx's really kick in) we have *6* hours MAX!!" "Oh right." he says.

I then grab a towel off the rack in the bathroom and we call the MW. She says that her phone rang at 3:39AM.....it was a brief call and I told her to hurry. She left right away. I then laid down on the floor and started directing Steven. I had him remake the bed with the waterproof sheet, I had him set our clock to the exact right time, I had him call my doula, and I had him tidy up the room. It had been my intention to get in the bed after it was all made up, but it turns out that I never got up until I had to push because the ctrx's were coming strong and furious. I still can't believe that I had the presence of mind to keep telling Steven what to do that whole time! LOL! I had him get the birth stuff from the other room and look up phone #'s of the kids advocates, etc.....

My friend Judy arrived (about 4:15AM) and rubbed my shoulder...I told her to please not touch me and she said..."My goodness Lisette...you are in transition!" I don't think I was quite there yet...but it certainly was close!

Steven laid on the floor with me and did labor support for the next 45 minutes. He laughed at me at one point because he was encouraging me and telling me what a great job I was doing etc...when I said to him "You know...it really stinks now that this is my first birth since I became a doula....because I know all that stuff you are saying to me is such bullshit." It really isn't...but you ladies know what I mean. While we were on the floor I had Judy go get Noelle, our "surrogate" daughter and A#1 babysitter. She is almost 15 and was going to watch and be there for my two older daughters. I also had Judy call my friend Teri because she was going to be my doula while Steven was going to deliver with (we THOUGHT) the MW's help. Also at 4:30AM we had someone call the back-up MW because she only lives 35-45 minutes away whereas our primary MW lives 2 hours away. It seems that we knew by then that we were in trouble. Again while we were on the floor, I had to go to the bathroom, but I would NOT get up because I just KNEW that the baby would come even faster if I even stood up. I tried peeing on the towel inbetween my legs, but with the ctrx's coming every 30-60 seconds or so...I would just get relaxed when I would have another one...so that never worked. I have to tell you this as well....(this was a SAVING grace.) Even though the ctrx's were one on top of the other....they never lasted too terribly long. The longest were only like 1 minute. The pain was so intense and I could hardly catch my breath, so I am SO glad that they didn't last too long otherwise I don't think I would have made it.

Again at one point I looked up at Steven with my big blue eyes and I said..."Honey...I am scared." He said.."What are you afraid of?" and I said..."I am afraid that the MW's are not going to get here in time." He was very calm and told me to STOP fighting the ctrx's and that we could do this and that HE was not worried, so why should I be? That DID make me feel better. :o)

At about 5:05AM I told Steven that with the last ctrx I had just had that I had felt the baby move down and through my cervix. He and the other ladies then convinced me to get up on the bed. Noelle went and woke up the 2 older girls. Jess came in and said..."Mommy! You are having the baby now??" It was really cute. Steven later told me that when I told him that I was going to start pushing that he did not believe me at first...he thought I was fantasizing or something, but when I got on the bed, he went to check my cervix and found that he couldn't because the baby's head was right there....

So...I started pushing, but I was still fighting a tiny bit....I didn't want to open my legs etc. I was just still in shock that no MW was going to be there....but...after that first ctrx I gave up and told Steven to get ready. He was of course. He was MORE than ready. He stared massaging my perineum very gently and he used gentle counterpressure on the head as she was being born. Then he suctioned her nose and mouth (*my* preference) If I believed in reincarnation, I swear he was a MW in another life. :o) Her head came out in about two pushes and then he delivered her shoulders and the rest of her body on the next push. She started crying right away. She was born at 5:13AM. Even though the scene sounds kind of hectic...it really wasn't. It was actually incredibly CALM. The sun was just coming up over the horizon...the birds were chirping...the one light was on low in the room and the walls were just turning a sunny yellow. She was/is PERFECT. We put her up on my belly and I just held her and talked with her and everyone in the room ooohed and aaahed. She had a lot of vernix, but I guess that is to be expected from a baby 11 days early. The MW's both got there at the same time at about 5:25AM and then they delivered the placenta. Both MW's were shocked because they said I had NO bleeding. They both had never seen such an UNbloody birth. They (and myself) attribute it to the fact that I had been taking chlorophyll the entire pregnancy. Even though they couldn't get there in time...(not their fault at all!!) my primary MW is still the best MW in the state of Indiana I am sure. *SHE* gave me the confidence and the knowledge that I needed in order to do what we had just done! Without the preparation we had gotten from her, we would definitely have been been panicing!

ANYWAY...she was my longest baby ever....21 3/4 inches long. Her head was 14 3/4 inches and she weighed 7 lbs 14 oz. I guess if she had been on time or a bit late then I certainly would have had my 9 lb baby. Oh well...next time.

In retrospect, we are both absolutely THRILLED with our first HB. Steven even later admitted that given the positive outcome that we had....he was GLAD that the MW's weren't there and that it was an unassisted! IMHO...I still don't believe in PLANNED unassisted HB...I think too many things can go wrong and that it is irresponsible....but I am glad with our outcome. I am especially happy for Steven. He is STILL glowing. :o) Anyway...that is our story. And we all lived happily ever after. :o) My friend has a scanner and she will be scanning in some of the birth pictures soon. When I get those up on my website I will let y'all know. Thanks again everyone for all of your support. Even though it was all long distance, I don't really think I could have done it without you. Each one of you in your own way gave me the support and encouragement that I needed to do this and to believe in myself.

Take care everyone and thanks again! Love, Lisette

Wife of Steven, part-time Doula and SAHM to Jessica age 8, Elyse age 6, Sarah Kate age 4, Bobby age 2, and FIRST HOMEBIRTH baby Grace born 5/11/99!! (*UN*planned *UN*assisted!)