Welcoming Luca

For seven months or so, I was anticipating Halloween week. Not because I was excited for the actual holiday but it was the week that my first baby was due. Around the 3rd week of October I had already packed my bags and bought all the last minute things for my little one. My husband, Berto had to stay home and miss tour with his band to wait for our son to arrive. Berto and I were so thrilled to meet our son. Every night we pray for those last few weeks we anticipated his arrival.

Around the third week of October, I lost my mucous plug. Although I wasn't sure what that was, I knew that the day was getting closer and closer. everyday after that, we waited and waited and waited. The midwives kept telling me that everything was in my favor as I was super effaced and 3cm dilated. My due date had come and gone and still we were waiting. After my due date had passed, I was visiting the midwives every three days or so. I was verty frustrated as my family was putting so much pressure on me to induce. All along we had such specific birth plan and I knew that inducing my labor would tale that experience from me but two weeks had passed and still my baby wasn't out yet.

On Monday, November 9, Berto and I decided that it was probably best to induce my labor since our baby was already 2 weeks late and I was getting very uncomfortable. We had scheduled for the midwives to break my water that Wednesday in the morning during their close hours. I was very sad about this as we looked forward to an "all natural birth" for 8 months. The next day Berto wanted to cheer me up so we tool a trip to Land of Nod to get more last minute things for Baby. When we got home around 9:30pm., I felt very sick. I hopped in the shower hoping that my discomfort would go away but instead it continued to progress. By 10:30pm we decided to call the midwife. I thought that I was going to be able to sit it out at home until the next morning but an hour after the phone call I was in so much discomfort. The only thing I remember after that point was vomiting all over the hospital entrance. Apparently I was 6cm dilated and 95% effaced so they transferred me to the ABC room.

My recollection of active labor was a blur. It consisted of several hot showers, aimlessly walking, getl on my tummy every half hour, naps in between contractions,and me repeatedly asking to the other midwife, Cynthia, if I can go in the tub already (I was fortunate enough to have 2 midwives attend my son's birth). Around 6:40am Amy decided that it was time to get in the tub to push. At last! I had been waiting for this moment for what felt like eternity. I thouhgt that it was going to be fast and smooth sailing from there but I couldn't really tell when I was having contractions. Throughout the whole pushing phase, my contractions stayed around 6 minutes many different positions accompanied by gallons and gallons of coconut water, my baby's head finally crowned. I remember feeling his head with my hands kept me going and shortly the rest of him easily came out.

My baby boy Luca was born at 10:11 on November 11, 2009. He was 8.5lbs and 21.5 inches long. I remember holding him up to my chest in awe with his coned little head and little hands and feet. I couldn't believe that this little guy just came out of me. I had so much emotions. I can't even describe what I was feeling at that moment. I was overjoyed that I forgot I still had to deliver my placenta.

After all the good stuff, it was time for what I felt was probably not the better part of my experience: stitches, recovering and trying to get baby to latch on my breast. But... This is my birth story not my recovery story so I won't even go into that. Overall I had a pleasant experience with the midwives and the ABC room. I was fully satisfied with choosing an all-natural birth. I'm not going to say that it was a piece of cake because it definitely wasn't. It was a lot of work but having the ability to feel everything and make your own decisions was very rewarding in the end.