My contractions started 7 minutes apart about 9pm. This was nothing unusual since I had been having steady contractions for 3 weeks. I was 6 days past my due date, huge, ready and assuming this was just another night of contractions that disappear as soon as they get to the magic “5 mins apart” point. At 10 pm they were 6 mins apart and I decided to go ahead and go to bed. At 11:11, I woke to a very strong contraction. I timed the next couple and they were almost 5 mins apart. At 12:30, I decided to wake my husband Scott up. I told him, “I don’t know if this is it or not but go ahead and get up and sit with me."

At 1:00 Scott suggested that we call Cori. Contractions were strong and 5 mins apart. Green light! I got on my yoga ball and we called Cori. She there by 1:30 am. Around 2 am Cori checks me and I was dilated to 5 cm. We put in a movie and wait. At 4 am my contractions were 4 mins 30 secs apart and I was at 7 cm. I was still on my yoga ball, drinking water, watching movies and dealing pretty well with the pain. Tina and Amanda came around 5 or 5:30. I was so excited because I knew it wouldn’t be long. The contractions were starting to get pretty intense and I moved to the bed. My four year old Seth woke up at 6 am and climbed into the bed with me for a few mins. Everyone explained to him that I was OK but that the baby would be here soon. Cori asked me to try to give a little push on the next contraction to see if it made it feel better. It did feel better but not for long.

I pushed while on my side for a bit but we weren’t really getting anywhere. Cori broke my water to help Wyatt move down. I had expected a relief but didn’t really find one. Next Cori had me get off the bed and have Scott hold me up and let gravity give me some help. Wyatt wasn’t moving to a better position this way either. Hugging the yoga ball and sitting on the toilet weren’t really giving me any help. I remember at this point deciding that I needed to just lie down so I was half in my water closet and half in my bathroom. This was not my shining moment. I was exhausted and frustrated and screaming. I couldn’t imagine that I could push any harder than I was. I had read tons of birth stories. Gravity was supposed to make him move into position! Cori suggested I move back to the bed. With the help of Cori, Tina and Amanda I was able to get back into bed. I would guess that this was what finally helped Wyatt move down into position. Once I got to the bed Cori and Scott had to hold my legs since I could no longer hold them up on my own. Finally! Wyatt Scott was born after 90 mins of intense pain and pushing. He came out screaming his little bruised and mis-shapened head off.

Our road to meeting Wyatt had been a long time coming. We had tried for years to get pregnant w/o assistance. Finally we had to have a team of doctors along with months of self injections, acupuncture, patches and pills to get pregnant and stay pregnant. I knew that after such a medical start, I was done feeling like a science experiment and wanted something beautiful and natural. The pregnancy certainly didn’t start out the pregnancy of my dreams but the baby and home birth experience certainly were. I can’t imagine doing it any other way. I always felt confident in Cori even when the confidence in myself was lacking. After he was born I felt like I had finished a marathon, climbed Mt.Everest and stopped a speeding train. I don’t think there is anything I couldn’t do now. I had a home birth, hear me roar.

Wyatt Scott...9 lbs 9 oz, 22 3/4 inches long.