Teen Mom's Beautiful Birth at Home

Joshua David Born: September 30, 1999 at 2:27 p.m.
Weighing: 6 pounds, 12 ounces Standing: 19 inches

The decision to have a homebirth was not a hard one. When I first started thinking about being a mommy as a little girl, I wanted to be in control. I have never liked doctors or hospitals. So when I found out I was pregnant, there was no doubt in my mind that my baby was being born at my parent's house where I lived.
My boyfriend was happy with my decision because he was born at home and his mother was a midwife and she would soon become mine. My mom was a little concerned at first because I was only 16, but she knew that my boyfriend's mother (my midwife) wasn't going to let anything happen to her first grandchild. My dad leaves most decisions up to my mom, so he was fine with it. My younger brother and sister loved it because they were able to be present at the time of my son's birth and felt included. My boyfriend's parents were upset that I was so young when I became pregnant, but they both loved the idea of having a homebirth and that my boyfriend's mother could be my midwife. My boyfriend's younger brother and sister were happy to be there too.
I first started experiencing practice-labor about two weeks before Josh's birth. They felt a lot like menstrual cramps. After that, I stopped going to school because we knew it could be any time. I started home schooling with my mom. Over the next week and a half or so, the cramps began to worsen.
Finally, after going to bed the night of the 29th, I woke up when my water broke. I woke my boyfriend up and told him I had wet the bed. He just looked at me and I practically screamed at him that I was in labor. Well, that woke my mom and dad up and they called my boyfriend's parents to get them over ASAP. They arrived about 20 minutes later at about 3:15 a.m. My contractions were about seven to eight minutes apart and about 30 seconds in length. My midwife checked me and said I was about 2. She told me I could get up and move about if I wanted.
Our younger brothers and sisters were upstairs in the living room watching a movie, half-asleep, waiting for some news. So Gabe and I went up to see them. They all jumped up immediately hoping to see a baby. I just laughed and said, I only wish it was that easy! We then went into the kitchen and Gabe got me some O.J. (my favorite) and then I went downstairs to get into our Jacuzzi tub. The warm water and jets felt wonderful.
About 4:30 a.m., I got out and went into the family room where the pullout sofa had been prepared for me. My midwife checked me again and I was about 3-4 centimeters. The contractions had gotten a little longer and stronger. The sun was getting ready to come up and I wanted to go outside to watch, so Gabe and I went out and walked to the end of the driveway. It felt really good outside walking in the fresh air so I decided I wanted to take a walk around the block. I ended up deciding to take a stroll around the neighborhood. When we got back around 6 a.m. and my midwife checked me again, I was still at 4 centimeters.
I decided to rest a while and let Gabe get some more sleep. I called a few of my friends that were supposed to be there when I gave birth to let them in on what was going on. They said they would come over in a couple of hours unless I called first to tell them otherwise. I turned on Little House on the Prairie and watched about two hours of that and MTV with my mom. Gabe woke up then and wanted to know if I was any further along. So I told him to go find his mother and ask her to come check. I was finally to 6 centimeters and almost completely effaced.
My mom then called our grandparents to come over. They came over around 10:30 a.m. followed almost immediately by some of my friends. I wasn't any further dilated, but my midwife said that I was in active labor. FINALLY! I felt like I was getting somewhere at that point. A little later, my contractions were getting a lot worse, so I got back in the tub. WHAT A RELIEF! My friend Ticia sat with me, while Gabe and Heather lit some lavender candles and incense and pulled the curtains in my laboring rooms (basically the whole walkout basement). I had decided long before that I had wanted it to be peaceful when I gave birth and I hate bright light when I'm lying down.
My mom brought down a fruit and cheese tray for me around 12:15 p.m. I got out of the tub and dried off. I went upstairs to sit on the deck and look out at the lake for a little while. It didn't last too long. The sun was too bright for me, so I went back inside and downstairs to candlelight. It was almost 1 p.m. and I was exhausted and ready for my baby to come out. I lay down and my midwife checked me. I was at 8 centimeters and completely effaced.
Gabe and I began working on my breathing and relaxation exercises that we had practiced. I was having some trouble finding my inner strength until my grandma said, Just wait until you hold your son and all of this will be forgotten. That was all I needed to refocus on the fact that all that pain was going to bring my baby, my son, into this world.
Around 2 p.m., my midwife told me I was fully dilated and could push anytime I wanted. About 10 minutes later I was ready to push. Fifteen minutes later, after five small pushes and three really big ones, Gabe caught our firstborn son in his arms. It was 2:27 p.m. on the most beautiful day in my life. Gabe laid him on my stomach. I kissed both my son's and my boyfriend's heads and helped Joshua David latch onto my nipple and start his first meal provided by me - HIS MOMMA!