Easton Wayne Fenter was born March 19, 2009 at 10:46 PM. He weighed eight pounds five ounces and was twenty one and a half inches long. He was born at the Birth and Women’s Center in Dallas, all natural.
I went to the midwife for my weekly appointment and she said that my bag of waters was bulging and that I could go into labor at any time. Jeff and Sydney surprised me (it was spring break and they left his morning job early) and met me at the birth center. We went out for breakfast at Cafe Brazil (my favorite!!) Before Sydney and I left for home and Jeff for work, I decided to try to go to the bathroom again. I felt funny. My water broke in the bathroom!
I followed Jeff to STAGE so that he could leave a note about why it was closed. He also had to call his friend to set up their March Madness brackets. We headed home to wait for the contractions to start.
We walked around, packed, watched TV, called everyone we knew, finished some work and then decided to head to the Birth Center around two in the afternoon. I wasn’t having strong contractions, but wanted to be there in case things started moving quickly. Jeff’s family met us up there a couple of hours later. My parents had just left for an out of town meeting and their plane just landed when I called to tell them that my water broke! Mom thought I was kidding.
We walked around the park and hung out until my contractions really started up at about six that evening. I was told to walk more and squat during the contractions. That was not fun! I was not progressing past five centemeters and the contractions were the same degree as the worst ones I had with Syd. I was getting a little anxious about not progressing.
The midwife manually helped to dilate my cervix. I have never felt so much pain in my life!! She made me yell out. I could handle contractions and pushing out a big headed baby, but that part was unbearable. After not progressing for a couple of hours and having intense contractions, I was getting tired and asked to take a bath to relax. I was also give a pill to help me dialate further.
I got into the bath some time after 9:30 and felt so good that I didn’t get out until Easton was born at 10:46! The warm water felt so good. The contractions were so hard that my stomach looked like something from the movie “Alien.” It was pointy and weird looking. Jeff was a wonderful coach except for the constant beeping from his phone. He was texting everyone during the whole thing. If I wasn’t trying to find my “happy place” I would have reached out and drowned that damn phone! He really was good about being there for me and talking me through the tough parts.
Jeff’s mom and sister were in the bathroom with us. I don’t remember much, but I do remember Tiffany asking the midwife about what was causing me to grunt. I was pushing! I pushed maybe fifteen minutes and could feel the baby almost come out then slide back up. It was a little discouraging, but he was out in no time. After the fourth or fifth push, the midwife told Jeff it was time. With the next push, Jeff pulled out the baby (I was still in the tub!) and put him on my chest. Everyone had to ask what we had. Jeff forgot to look! He was so excited, but then lifted a leg and yelled out “it’s a boy!”
Jeff cut the cord and took to be dried off. Sydney had come in right before I started pushing to give me support and then came in immediately after I had the baby to meet her new brother. They left and I finished the after birth process in the tub. I was then transferred to the huge bed where I had planned to give birth in the first place. Under water births are for hippies. I guess I am officially a hippie! I will not give birth any other way, now.
I got into bed with the baby, Jeff and Sydney. The midwife and crew measured, weighed and all that good stuff while we got to know the little man. We moved to the upstairs bed after about an hour so that another mom could use the tub. We stayed the minimum four hours and left for home at about 2:30 AM. We would have stayed the night, but poor Beans didn’t have dinner.
It was an awesome experience and I can’t wait to do it again (obviously it has been awhile and I’ve healed!)
