I started having regular Braxton-Hicks contractions about three weeks before Aeryn was born. They would happen nearly every night, so I wasn't surprised when they kicked in again on Tuesday, the 20th. But this time, it just felt different. They seemed a bit more intense, and I just had a feeling they were more than simply practice, even though they weren't real labor surges. A lovely breeze was blowing, so I opened all the windows and even the doors to get some fresh air moving through, and it brought such a wonderful energy in with it. It felt like a gift from the Goddess since it had been so still and stale.
I put on a Tom Petty CD and started cleaning the house a bit to get my birthing nest in order. The previous few days I'd had a different Tom Petty song in my head every morning when I woke up, and then earlier in the day I'd seen a kid wearing a Petty racing t-shirt, so I figured Aeryn was trying to tell me something. Everyone was in high spirits, and I convinced Dave to call into work and stay home with me the next day. I called Jill, my midwife, and Melissa, my doula, just to let them know what was going on. I went to bed at a decent hour to rest up for the work ahead.

Wednesday, September 21st: Aeryn's Birth Day
I woke up at 8 o'clock and got out of bed. Immediately the contractions started, but very mild, so I got up and blogged and read my email while I waited for Dave and Rhiannon to wake up. By 9, the contractions were still coming regularly and were starting to build in intensity. I knew today would be the day. Jill called about 10 to see how things were going. I told her the contractions were regular, but that I thought we still had a while yet to go, so she decided to run some errands. I made some phone calls to announce the news, while Dave took Rhiannon to the grocery store to get stocked up. After calling some friends and family, I finished preparing my labor space. I set up a small alter in the living room, where the birthing tub would be. I placed my Gaia statue, a small Willendorf statue, my ritual necklace from my aunt Roz, and 3 malachite stones on it, all surrounding my Birth Empowerment candle. I burned a blend of white sage, frankincense and myrrh on a piece of charcoal and smudged the birthing area thoroughly. I smudged the rest of the house to purge it of any negative energy, as well as promote wellness and positive energy. It left a lovely scent on the air, and the whole house felt very peaceful.

Just as I finished up with the smudging, Dave and Rhiannon arrived back home. I gave Rhiannon her new big sister necklace that Barb had made for her, and I put on my anklet that my friend BoJo made for me. Then I called Melissa, and she said she would be over in an hour. When she arrived around noon, she made me a chicken salad pita, which I ate while she helped me relax between contractions. By the time the sandwich was gone I was very uncomfortable on the hard kitchen chair, so we went into the living room and I got on the birth ball. That felt much better, and I was really able to relax during the contractions. Barb arrived then, bearing a single pink rose which was very sweet. I was laughing and talking with them during contractions at this point, and felt really great. It was around 2 pm that I started getting uncomfortable and not as able to relax, and I really wanted to get into the birth tub.

Melissa called Jill then, and apparently the contractions were already 1-2 minutes apart. I got into the water, and they started coming very fast. Melissa was wonderful helping me through them. She would stroke my hair or my arm, and when I started having some discomfort in my back she had me get on my knees with my arms on the side of the tub while she or Barb applied counterpressure to my lower back. It made such a big difference. Since I wasn't having back labor per se, that pressure was Aeryn Rayn making her way down. I was handling the contractions so beautifully that I thought I was still in early labor at this point. Instead of focusing on the discomfort or pain, I would simply work to relax my whole body, and especially my pelvis. It helped so much that the surge was over before I knew it.

I wasn't coming out of the relaxation as much to talk anymore, and Melissa realized I was already in transition (although I was oblivious). Jill was stuck in traffic, as she'd gone across town for her errands. My other midwife, Sandy, had to come all the way from Henderson, which is a 45-minute drive anyway, but there was an accident on the interstate, so she was held up as well. Melissa started getting worried that she'd have to catch the baby! She was getting me out of the water occasionally to use the bathroom (even though I didn't really have to go), but she wanted me to break my relaxation in the hopes it would make my labor last longer, at least long enough for Jill to arrive. She had me get on the toilet one last time, and I was there when Jill came in. I started feeling the urge to push already. I got back into the water and Jill tried to check how far along I was. I figured I was about a 6 or 7, but she couldn't tell since my bag of waters was bulging and in the way. She said she would check again with the next contraction, but with the next contraction I was pushing! I tried to stop, since I thought there was no way I was that far already, but there is just no stopping your body when it knows what needs to be done. So I told Dave to turn on the video camera (I couldn't believe it wasn't even on yet!), and in 5 minutes and 3 pushes, Aeryn Rayn was brought into this world at 3:50 pm. Jill got to the house about 15 minutes before Aeryn was born, just in time to catch.

Rhiannon had awoken from her nap in time to see her little sister be born. She laughed and squealed as Aeryn emerged - part joy, part fear, I think. But once Aeryn was brought up and out of the water, she was just amazed. I am so glad I got to give birth on my own terms, in my own home, with just close friends and family around. I feel so blessed to have had this experience, and I can't believe it was all over in just a few short hours. My labor lasted less than 6 hours once things got rolling. What an amazing experience!