The Homebirth of EllieMae Hope Kersey

In the days leading up to the birth of EllieMae, I had been having contractions irregularly that would, right on time, wake me in the middle of the night, as well as my husband, Jeremiah. They would last for a few hours and then flitter away as if nothing had happened. I was sure I was going to be pregnant forever. I had never been this pregnant before! With my first baby, Oliver, he had made his appearance into the birthing pool in our home at 37 weeks and 5 days after a long but peaceful 3 day labor. So as I headed into the third trimester of my second pregnancy, I fully expected to be holding my beautiful baby girl in my arms by at least 39 weeks. I was absolutely positive that I would go into labor early. 

Contractions came and went...along with my due date. It was at 40 weeks and 5 days that I woke up from an afternoon nap, exhausted and feeling as if the room and my body were on fire. I could tell that my blood pressure was high and decided to check it out. Looking at the numbers on the machine, I was sure it was wrong. There was no way it was so high! I checked it 3 more times... Then I called my midwife, Debi.

She asked me to run over to her office and we would see what was going on.  By the time we got there it had settled and was much lower. I was so uneasy and was ready to have a cervical check to see what was happening. To my surprise, I was already at 4 centimeters! I asked her to go ahead and do a sweep and let's try to get things to progress. My husband and I hopped in the car and ran to grab some food before heading back home to tuck our little boy into bed for the night.

Once home, I put on some music and began to pick up around our bedroom. It was now close to 10:00PM and we were getting ready for bed. My son and husband laid in bed watching cartoons and chatting while I danced around the room to music and did some light cleaning. It was then that the rushes started to come over me. They were light at first but within minutes they became heavy and hard and I was finding it difficult to speak through them. My beautiful 22 month old son came to my feet and asked to dance with me to the music. He swayed with me holding my hands as I moved through the contraction.

After my husband laid my son to bed in his room, my husband made me a bath so that I could relax and get through some contractions easier until it was time for the midwives. Once I was in the water, I knew I couldn't stay there long. I twisted and turned and wiggled and cried  out... Nothing made the rushes ease. They were coming quickly and they were intense. My husband sent texts to the photographer and the midwives, as my contractions were coming 2-3 minutes apart. 

"Surely this will slow." "It can't be happening this fast." "This isn't how birth happens!" 

I told my self these things as the contractions kept coming. One after the next. No breaks. No breathing. This was a battle I had never felt before. Not like this. My previous labor had been so long and gradual that I had time to catch my breath and talk myself through each contraction. This was a different ball game. 

By a little after 12:30AM the midwives had arrived and were setting out their things. Debi looked at me and asks "Are you feeling like you need to push?" With the most fierce voice I had ever used I shouted, "Yes!"

Moments later a contraction began and I bent over the bed to rest my arms and find some form of relief. My eyeline came up and I saw the face of my wonderful photographer, Rebekah, peering through the crack in the door over her camera. She was videoing this moment in time that I was feeling so broken. I was glad to see she was here for this. and after the split second I thought of this, I felt a gush. I knew I had peed myself on camera!!! It wasn't until after the birth that I realized that it was my water breaking.

As politely as a woman in labor can do, I excused myself to the bathroom. Once I sat down, the rush that came... It took me somewhere else. I was looking down on this violent scene that was so quickly pulling my baby down. I felt the most intense pressure and my body took over where my mind couldn't function. It wasn't until I reached my hand down and felt my baby's head that I knew she was really coming. This was it!!! It was almost over and the pain would leave me! I felt so much relief. I was about to meet my baby girl and this was all with it. I shouted, "She's coming!"

Debi asked me if I wanted to deliver her on the potty. The only thing I knew I wanted was for her to be out here with us! Debi and Jeremiah grabbed under my arms and helped my to the bed. The room was buzzing. People were moving and grabbing things and preparing for the birth that was moments away. As my husband put on his gloves I asked where my mother was. One of the midwives ran to the living room to get her. My mother later told me that the midwife had shouted, "if you want to see this you better get in here!"

I continued to push as the room was spinning around me. I reached down to feel my baby's head slide out of me and I laughed out loud shouting, "That's my baby!" In what felt like a mere second my husband lifted my baby girl up and into my arms! 

She was here! A short 3 hours after the contractions started! A tailspin of emotion filled me and I was taken back at her beauty and the unbelievable similarity between her and her big brother. She was perfect. I was filled with an unspeakable joy!

We spent the next couple of hours nursing, snuggling, taking an herb bath, and getting to know our newest family member. 

She is the perfect addition to the family we are building. Everything we didn't know to ask for and more. She is peaceful and patient and perfectly on time.

EllieMae Hope Kersey

Born 10.23.2015 at 1:12AM

6lbs 14oz

Please feel free to view the video below created by the wonderful Rebakah of Growing Wings Photography!

https://vimeo.com/145570772

The Birth of Jeremiah Oliver Kersey

As a mom who fully believes in the power of birth and the power of females, I felt sharing our story would be a good way for me to inspire other women to believe in their bodies. So here it is, the story of how our first born son came into the world. Peacefully, beautifully, comfortably.

On the morning of December 12,2013, our wedding anniversary, I had been having timeable, repeating contractions quite regularly. I went into my midwife's office covered in sweat and hair a mess from driving with my windows down (I remind you, it was December).... 

The appointment began as it always did...

Pee in cup, blood pressure, chit chat about the week.... Then blood pressure again. It was abnormally high. It had been on an upward slope but I had managed it with a good diet and exercise. My midwife, the wonderful Debi Church CPM, was concerned and wanted to check out dilation to see if the birth of our boy was nearing. I was at what Debi called "almost 4" so she felt it would be best to sweep the membranes and try to bring on heavier contractions to prevent having to go to the hospital with high blood pressure. 

We did the procedure and I went about my day as planned, celebratory anniversary lunch with husband, chiropractor visit, shopping with husband for our dear sons wardrobe (because until 2 weeks prior we had been told our dear son was a dear daughter)! All while having intense and labor like contractions.

This went on for 3 long and intense days...

All the while, my midwives came back and forth unloading and loading gear for the impending birth! 

Finally...

Sunday night around 5pm dear husband and I decided to get out of the house and get this ball rolling! We went out to dinner and I had a nice salad and a nice long fart in the local Zaxbys during a contraction ;) you're welcome, for that insight, it is my husband's favorite moment of our birth story! We then went to kmart and walmart to walk around and buy wrapping paper for the Christmas gifts I had been working on. During this trip multiple people told me to go to the hospital. I, of course, refused that advice. :)

Around 10 that evening the contractions were close together and STRONG. I labored quietly in my recliner in our living room all through the night, while dear husband was irritated that I wasn't sleeping, let's face it, he was tired from all of my fake outs :)

Around 4am I decided to go downstairs into the baby's nursery and rock in my rocking chair. I sat there for a while talking to my baby, contracting, and crying out to God that he would bring down my baby and allow him to be born, because I could no longer take the waiting game. Within the hour I began to climb the stairs and suddenly there was a shift in my labor. With each contraction my body naturally tensed, as I resisted the urge to tighten every muscle in my body, I took deep breaths in and breathed them out with loud cries of agony. My dear husband awoke from his clueless slumber to find a sweaty wife that was very much in active labor. He began to time the contractions and found them to be 1 minute apart and nearly 2 minutes long at times. He insisted on calling our doula and midwives. After about another hour of contractions I agreed that it was time and the doula arrived at almost 6am. We then began some relief exercises and prepared to move downstairs to the birthing tub.

I took a few moments to catch my breath and lie down for some relaxation before we really started the rotation of labor. My midwives and doula lovingly massaged and whispered encouragement to me to let me know that I was going to meet my baby, I was about to bring him into the world! 

Over the next several hours we rotated between sitting on the birth ball, to sitting in the birthing tub, to sitting on the

 toilet. Below is a moment that my mom caught on camera of me and my husband in the bathroom while I was laboring. To me this photo represents all that our family strives to be. Love. Support. Kindness. Encouragement.

At around 12 o'clock that afternoon, my husband and I were in the birthing tub laboring and I felt a gush of water. I insisted that my water had broken and we got out of the tub to move to the toilet. As I sat in the toilet insisting that my water had broken, There was another gush and we confirmed that it was my water breaking! I was so relieved! The end was near :)

I began to enter into transition shortly after this, while sitting on the toilet with an audience of 3 midwives, a doula, my husband, and my mother! I began to let out deep breathy growls as I pushed down on my tummy with my muscles! Everyone shouted and cheered, knowing that this meant things had picked up and were moving fast now! We moved back to the tub to begin active labor! We were so close!

After holding my pushes long enough to dilate fully and allow my body to catch up to my urges, I began to push! I groaned and growled, I even sang melodies up and down with each push and contraction! I cried out to the Lord and asked him to give me strength and to stay with me, I cried out to my "little bird" to come down for his mama and come out and meet me! And after just 20 minutes of pushing and praying, groaning and singing, believing and trusting....

My beautiful, magnificent, loved, wanted, prayed for child... Came into the world.

I reached down with my own two hands and felt his head, touched his shoulders, and pulled him up to my chest. I caught my baby and decided in that moment, that I would catch him forever. I would always be right there to lift him up. To pray for him. To cry out to him when he needed the encouragement. To love him more passionately than words can express. 

My sweet boy. Finally in my arms!

12/15/2013

2:06pm

Jeremiah Oliver Kersey

Born at Home!