Paul Henry Olson's Birth-Day
I awoke at 5:00am having contractions & thought this might finally be it! They kept happening so I timed them at 5 minutes apart & called Patrice at 6:30 am to let her know this was the day! I called Andy at work to let him know & he arrived home at 7:30. The birthing pool was set up in the kitchen and he began filling it.
Patrice and Barb arrived around 8:30 am. The kids were all upstairs playing quietly, waiting to meet their baby brother. My contractions were getting more productive, I was leaning against the wall & breathing through them & would sit on the toilet through them too. My mom came at 9:30 to video birth & help with kids, Andy went to catch a nap. Contractions getting more uncomfortable – wanting to know how dilated I am – I get into pool at 11:00. WOW! That took the edge off. 11:30 Patrice checks me for dilation – 7cm. Back in the pool & getting more uncomfortable & wondering if I was getting close to pushing. The sensation of being in water during labor was “different” for me; comfortable as in taking the edge off, yet difficult to feel like I was in a productive position for giving birth. I needed Andy to get up, it was getting close (11:45).
By 12:20 it was time to push. I was semi-sitting/laying with Andy supporting me under my arms. (He was outside of pool.) Pushing was extremely hard for me because I felt like I was on my back, which I know is not the best position to be in, yet I didn’t feel like I could get into a better position either. I was just trying to focus on letting my body relax & “open” to get his head born. His head was born & I hoped the kids would get down the stairs in time to see the birth. I gave another push & out he came! I opened my eyes & all of the girls were there with excitement all over their faces! After 4 girls, a boy! They all gathered around to meet their new brother.
