« The water birth story of Annika

Beautiful story of Annika's home water birth, told by her mother Jill Colpitts.

My daughter was born in the water right on the cusp of the Greek zodiac signs Aquarius and Pisces – a true water baby. While I am not a follower of astrology, I can’t help but believe that she was holding out for that birthday. She was 9 days overdue, and I had been begging and pleading with her to be born for quite some time.

It all began on Friday, Feb.20, 2009. I had woken up early that morning, and mozied on down to the acupuncturist on the first floor of our building. I could feel that something was up, during the acupuncture, because whenever the practitioner turned the pin in my hand, the pins in my belly would start randomly quivering like crazy. However, when I went to the hospital later that morning for a non-stress test and ultrasound, actual labour seemed very far away. (As a side note, I was told I had moderate oligohydramnios, low fluid, and an induction was suggested. I took a pass on that one).

Funny enough, labour started on its own around 3:30 that afternoon. I was thrilled and excited! I spent my early labour with a tens machine strapped to my back, watching Phantom of the Opera, and decorating my daughter's birthday cake. My midwife came over around 10pm, and assessed me at about 5cm. Because I was more than 4cm dilated, my midwife decided stay at our place. We had some tea, and when things started to pick up around 1 or 2, we called our fantastic doula, Jenny.

Labour got more and more intense as the evening progressed. I spent some time in the birth pool, but it was still a little on the hot side, and my contractions started to space out. I then spent time on the birth ball and shower, and then back and forth between the bed and the pool (I was so tired that I didn't want to sit up in the pool, but I couldn't handle the contractions lying down in bed. I would switch back and forth about every 3 contractions.)

After a long and tiring night, my midwife reassessed me around 8 or 9am. I was still around 5 cm. I was pretty choked, to say the least. From assessing the baby's fontanels, the midwife determined that the baby was in a posterior position. I got down in the knees to chest position, and my midwife roughed up my belly a bit with my doula's rebozo. I then had to get dressed, go walk around outside, and do lunges on the stairs around my building. It wasn't pleasant, but my doula was just bossy enough that I did it.

Shortly after, I REALLY felt the urge to get back into the birth pool. The water was the perfect temperature, and it felt AMAZING! At some point, I turned to my midwife, and informed her that I had reached the top of my threshold. I wanted to know how far along I was. I had decided that if I still hadn't made progress, it was hospital time. Lucky for me, I was 8cm, with just a little lip left on the cervix. I was thrilled, and suddenly felt a surge of new energy. It wasn't long until I eradicated that lip and was feeling an urge to push. I just went with it.

I actually really enjoyed pushing my baby out. My husband, doula, and midwives (a second attendant was called for the delivery) just sat there and held the space. No one told me what to do. It was silent, sacred, and serene. The lights were out, but the bright sun poured through every space between the blinds. I was so relaxed that I dozed against the back of the pool between urges.

After about an hour and half of pushing, at 2:47pm on Feb.21, my daughter flew out into the water, arm raised like Superwoman (according to my husband). I reached between my legs and lifted her to the surface. She was so calm. She didn't cry. She just wiped her eyes with her fist, and looked up at Paul and I. It was the most precious moment of my life. Still, a year later, my memory seems vignetted. Hormones are a wonderful thing.

 
 
 
 
The superwoman hand was good for a few stitches, so after I delivered the placenta and the cord was cut, I got out of the water to get fixed up a bit. When I looked up, my fantastic doula had already drained and removed the birth pool. What service! After a first feed and a shower, Paul and I settled into bed with our new little wonder, Annika, and large bowls of pasta that my doula had made while I was pushing. Pasta with jarred sauce has NEVER tasted so amazing.

 
 I was so proud of myself, and I felt very transformed. My birth experience really gave me the strength and self confidence to help me through the challenging weeks ahead with many breastfeeding difficulties. Looking back on the experience, I wouldn't have changed a thing. I felt completely in control of my birth and my body. I felt listened to and respected, and I knew that my whole support team believed in my ability to give birth the way I wanted to.

  
Jill Colpitts is a Mother, DONA Birth Doula, First Aid Instructor and owner of Midwifery Supplies Canada. 

Thank you so kindly for sharing your story with me and my readers Jill! I'm so pleased that I was able to use your story to start off my empowering birth stories on my website. You are such a lovely woman, and I look forward to learning more from you soon.