“When I was pregnant with my first, I had originally wanted to have a home water birth. It was our first baby and the first grandchild so my parents and fiancé were scared. I felt like I didn’t have support from anyone so I ended up having a hospital birth instead. It was an amazing hospital birth but I had to wait in the waiting room for three hours in active labor until I had a room. I told myself that I wouldn’t let anyone’s fear stop me from having the birth of my dreams the second time around.
When we found out we were pregnant the second time I was set on having a home water birth. We originally went to my OB-GYN and had our first ultrasound there when I told her that I was going to be transferring to a birthing center and having a home water birth. The doctors all tried to convince me otherwise. I found a birthing center called Inspiration Family Birth Center in Orlando, Florida, and we took a tour and I met the midwives who were all absolutely amazing. We didn’t have any more ultrasounds scheduled and I didn’t mind because we wanted to be surprised with the gender with this baby. I was convinced it was a boy, but Andy thought it was a girl.
I had hit my due date and wanted to give birth because the pressure she was putting on my back was unbearable. My sister came over and we walked around the block about six times when I finally started feeling contractions. We hadn’t done the belly cast when I told Andy to hurry up and do it because I knew I was going to go into labor in a few hours. By the time we were finishing up, the contractions felt stronger.
I texted my midwife and told her they were five minutes apart, and she said she would start heading our way. We were supposed to give birth in a kiddie pool we had purchased, but I went into the bathtub to start laboring in the water. By the time the midwives came they said there wasn’t any time left to finish blowing up the pool. I had lost track of time and Angelique (my best friend), my sister and India (my poodle) were sitting on the bathroom floor, timing my contractions with an app. I had incense on and instrumentals playing and I was in my element.
Andy calmed me down when I felt like I was losing control. He rubbed me, and told me that I was going to do this and that I needed to trust myself.
My son Leonardo, who was 4 years old at the time, was in the bathroom with us and watched the entire birth. He was holding my hand and telling me how I needed to stay relaxed. He was showing me how to exhale and inhale and reminding me that I could do this.
I pushed for exactly 45 minutes before Felicity came earth-side. It was such an insane and intense sensation. I felt such a sense of relief and accomplishment in that moment.
Waiting to find out the gender was one of the most amazing experiences I have ever experienced in my life. When Robyn opened up her legs and showed us she was a girl, I just started crying tears of joy. We had got our little girl, and she was so perfect and so beautiful. We had conquered something that day, and there wasn’t a dry eye in that room. I was so surprised and filled with love.
It was probably one of the most exhilarating and intense things I have ever done in my entire life. The things that our body are able to do are amazing beyond words.
I couldn’t have done it without my partner. We made a great team, and for so many parts of that birth, I didn’t see anyone there but him. I was a warrior, but he was my army. I didn’t just give birth to a little girl that day, I also gave birth to a new woman who let go of doubt, insecurities, and went after her dreams.
I’m so happy that I got to experience the birth of my dreams, and I’m so blessed to have shared it with the people I love the most.”
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Diana Yeidi, 28, of Orlando, Florida. Submit your story here, and subscribe to our best love stories here.
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