The magical moment of giving birth at home.

Sometimes you get all the things that you wished for but not as you expected.

When we planned the home birth there were things that I visioned I would like to happen. Those were : having pizzabuns, fruits and juice available for us and the midwives, a cup of chai, candles, lavender scent, fireplace, music, pictures of the event and giving birth in the bathtub. Well it did not go as I thought I would like it, after all it was just a thought.

It went so much better!

25th of november we had our friends over for a visit. I had been experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions for a week, even informed by the midwives that I was already at the 21st, 2 cm dilated and could expect having the baby with in the next two weeks. So in the morning I send our friends a message that I was not in labor so it is safe for them to come over .  We had already made everything ready for the home birth were I had the hunch that the baby would be arriving soon. Brian had gone grocery shopping and there were fresh made vegetarian pizzabuns in the freezer. I was really excited, even trying out different methods of starting the labor just for fun, knowing that it would first happen when our little angel would be ready. Our friends arrived around 14:00. We talked for hours, about everything and nothing with the truth in mind, best described as a satsang. Then we shared with them delicious homemade cup of chai.  In the evening Brian decided to offer them to stay over for a dinner. They sat in front of the fireplace while me and Brian started making a dish containing rice, lentils, vegetables and soy sauce. Suddenly I felt exhausted, the clock was around 19:00 and in the middle of making the dinner I sat down in the corner of the kitchen and got a little bit teary. I thought to myself, it is so typical that exactly when I feel exhausted and not ready for the birth, then it is going to happen. After sitting for 10 min I stood up again and continued helping out and serving the food. Having a little bit in the stomach helped and I felt more energized. We said goodbye to them around 20:30 and later in the evening I decided to give Brian a head massage in the bedroom. I turned on some candles, put lavender scent on, heated up the room and invited him in.

At 1:30 I woke up by a contraction, I felt it was different then the ones I had been experiencing the past week, the pain was mostly located in the lower back. Then I felt the urge to go to the toilet and I am not used to needing to shit in the middle of the night so I knew right away that I was in labor. Went back to bed where the next contraction came around 10 min after the first one. Brian woke up by my grunting and I told him that I think this is it. He was so fast at turning on the lights, putting on some clothing and starting to prepare!

Then the third contraction came 5 min after the last one and wow it was starting to hurt a lot. Brian got the phone after a contraction or two more and called the hospital to inform that we were in labor and were going to have birth at home. He described the situation to the midwife and then handed me the phone to talk to her. She asked if I would be okay with to call back in one hour or so and then we would look into how it is going and send one midwife out to check up on me. I had no idea how long this could take so I just said okay. Brian got really surprised that I was okay with that where he saw that it was going pretty fast. I put on some clothing and between one of the contraction we took the last belly photo. By then we had figured out that it was best for me to be moving around during the contraction. It was unbearable to be still, where it hurt sooo much. So Brian was supporting me during those 1 min contractions each 3 min and then running around, putting on the fire, getting me something to drink, heating up the house, making the bathtub ready. I was truly amazed by his focus and speed, a true hero he is . Only half an hour after calling the midwives we called them again, informing that they better send one out here cause this is going fast and I am having a lot of pain. She said that there was already one on the way (it would take her around 1 hour total to get here but where she was already on the way, it would be 45 min until she would arrive). I am not so sure about what happened in which order, but I was on the toilet a lot having a total clean out!, feeling like I was going to pass out each time I had contraction, Brian was helping me and encouraging me to take deep breaths and then I went into the bathtub as well to see how that would feel. It helped a lot between the contractions, where it gave me a total relaxation but as soon as the contraction hit I knew I was not going to have another one in there, I needed to move! Up I went and now I had no idea if I needed to puke or to shit. It was both! so there I was sitting on the toilet and puking in the sink, eventually puking in a bucket which Brian was holding, still sitting on the toilet! Wow, I was in a mess! Must have been awesome to see . Then we could hear that the midwife had arrived and the clock was 04:00.  Brian welcomed her while I was moving again during another contractions. (I was sweating a lot, feeling totally numb in the legs and thinking I was going to pass out) She came  and asked me how I was doing and said that she would like to check how far I was in the dilation. I told her that she needs to hurry up then, so off she went on full speed and made the bed ready. Meanwhile I was sitting on the toilet again when I felt the body needing to push. I informed her about that and then I laid down and she checked after the next contraction how far I was. I was 9 cm dilated and she could see very well the amniotic sack. (My water had not yet broke) The look on her face was priceless! Her voice raised up in surprise and said WOW you are doing so well! You are doing super! I asked how much longer will it take and she answered that she would not know, it could take and hour or longer even so she does not want to put any time on it. Brian responded that I can just give birth right now. Right away the pushing started (04:15), I was laying with my head on Brian´s stomach and him holding my hand while I was making these incredible noises that I have never heard before, much better then any music! lol. I looked down and saw this big ball coming out of my vagina and historically asked what is that! Pushing again feeling the tear and expressing to Brian that it just hurts so much. Meanwhile the midwife was just amazed, continuously expressing how great I am doing and I was thinking like what are they talking about! Then another push started when she all of a sudden she told me to continue pressing (my thought was, why? ) then the water broke and the baby came out fully in the same push! There she was laying on my chest our little girl and Brian making even more incredible noises of excitement and happiness. (sounded like WOOHOOOOOWW VOVOVO). So joyful and so fast the whole birth was!

Isabella Líf Briansdóttir was born at 4:30 26th of november, only 3 hours after the first contraction. She gave a little cry which brought me a warm feeling of compassion. The second midwife finally showed up 5 min too late for the action, but did witness the mother cake being born though .  Brian took some photos and then cut the umbilical cord which was easy and quickly done .  The midwife didn’t even manage to catch it on the camera . I refused the local anesthesia for the stitching, where they were only going to make 1 stitch and refused as well the medical interventions for helping the uterus to contract. The whole pregnancy and birth had been natural so I wanted it to proceed in the same way.  Shortly after, Brian went and  turned on candles in the windows to inform the neighbours that our little light has been born and took out some pizzabuns to be offered. Then we three had some alone time in the bedroom where Isabella latched on perfectly and had her first sip. She was measured to be 52 cm long and 3100 gr in weight.  The whole birth went so well, it was truly perfect in every way and I am truly greatful for the love and support from my partner in life.