Butt First! Kolton Elias' Special Delivery

Sunday, June 30 (my due date), was a normal day. We went to church, came home, fed the kids, and we all took naps… Which was good, because it would be our last day of rest for a while. After naps we cleaned up the house, played with the kids, ate dinner and I got the urge to really scrub the bathroom down! I should've expected it since that was my burst of energy (which usually is a sign for me that baby is coming VERY soon). Around 11:30 that night I started having light contractions. I didn't take them too seriously and just went to bed. I then woke up at about four that morning with more regular contractions, but still not painful, and so I went back to sleep. Woke again at eight, I knew it was the real deal. Told Chris to stay home from work and I started timing them. They were about every five minutes lasting about 30 to 40 seconds. I called all the midwives, Doula, and the photographer and told them to just be on guard and it was going to happen today, but that I wanted to labor for as long as I could without anyone here. I then set to cleaning up around the house, made some homemade jelly, did some laundry, rested, took the kids for a walk and of course showered. The contractions stayed about the same all day long, around 4 PM they started getting more painful, but still manageable. They were starting to get more serious, but I held out calling for the Doula and midwives. Around six they were lasting about a minute long and I called the midwives to tell them the progress. My husband did some quick errands while I labored at home. My neighbor helped me blow up my birthing ball. Once I sat on it, it felt so great to sway back-and-forth on it. I lingered around this phase for another hour and a half before I called my Doula and ask her to come. She got here around 8:20 PM as well as my mom too. They fretted over me and helped me through the next 10 painful contractions… Then my water broke at 8:45 and everything went very quickly from there. My husband, by this point, was filling the birth pool with hot water that he had on the stove. We called the four midwives who were coming to assist us and the birth photographer. The midwives got here around 10 PM and they checked the baby and got things ready for the birth. My contractions were getting extremely painful by this point. I was already in the pool but was not laboring too well in it. The midwives wanted to check the position of the baby since we knew he had flipped breech the week before. I got out of the pool and laid on my bed. It was extremely difficult to lay on my back. Just as suspected, baby Kolton was still breach. At this point I did not have any doubts in my head that I could do this. I knew I could do it! But I was only still 7 cm and needed three more to go. I got back in the pool and suddenly felt the urge to pushed. A sound came out of my mouth that I have only ever heard in the wild, I roared like a lion. An extremely loud roar! Everyone did not expect it because I was laboring so well before this. They told me not to push since I was not dilated enough, but it was uncontrollable. I had to push. So I did! To everyone's amazement a butt started to come out. My three-year-old who was currently sleeping really wanted to see the birth so my mom quickly ran into her room and scooped her up and brought her out. Lilly was so excited and watched very intently and excitedly. I again roared and screamed with every push--our poor neighbors! Within seconds, I had pushed the butt and one leg out. Chris and my Doula Beth held me up in a squatting position for me to push the rest out. Within minutes, another leg and his torso was out, then his arms came out… All that was left was his head. As I squatted there, I could feel his squirming body dangling between my legs. I was determined to have his head out at the next push since I had read that the head has to be birth within 10 minutes of the rest of his body. I remember hearing Diane quoting, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." The next agonizing push I screamed and pushed with all my might and out popped his tiny little head. I scooped him up into my arms and the midwives helped me get the mucus out of his mouth and nose. He came out pink and screaming! He stayed on me for the next few minutes as the midwives tried to get the mucus out that he was struggling with. Finally, they cut the cord and took him aside to help him breathe easier. I then sat there and birthed the placenta. We made our way into the bedroom where I would nursed him for the first time. It was such a peaceful and amazing experience to have been able to birth a  baby breech and to know that I did it; I gave birth to a baby vaginally when all other doctors told me I couldn't and I would need a C-section. I found an amazing midwife who is trained in delivering breech babies vaginally and I thank God for bringing her and her other midwives into our lives. I thank God for an amazing husband who supported my needs and wants for natural birth at home. I thank God for all the wonderful people who helped me through it; whether it was physical help, mental help or even financial help. Giving birth naturally is very empowering; giving birth to a breech baby at home makes me feel like Superwoman and like I can do anything! I loved my homebirth and would not change anything! Kolton is now almost 2 weeks old, he was born at 7 lbs. 14 oz. and now weighs 8 lbs. 15 oz. He is such a good baby and an amazing breastfeeder--he has quite the appetite! Lilly and Kylan both love him to pieces and are constantly loving on him. We thank God for blessing us with this new addition to our little family.

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