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A TWIN WATER BIRTH
The birth story of twins Davi and Teja is a remarkable story as seen through the eyes of a mother/midwife. Attempting twins at home is controversial and adding water as the medium of birth may raise more than a few eyebrows. This story is told by a woman who knew what she wanted for her birth, as a professional, she was aware of the taboos of twins at home. She also knew in what parameters to work; what things were safe and when, if necessary, to go to the hospital. Her story is full of strength and empowerment, dispelling many of the fears surrounding giving birth to twins.
I had known for years that I wanted to birth in the water. As a midwife, I had witnessed the water helping women relax and be more comfortable. For myself, I remembered that when my first three labors began, I immediately got into the bathtub and did not want to get out, so I knew that water was my ally for birth. In May, near the beginning of the third trimester, I finished with the births I was to attend before my birthing. I had planned to take those last months and focus on my own pregnancy. With a due date of August 13, it meant being able to stay home during the summer heat. I was so glad that I had made this plan from the beginning because events were about to show me how necessary it would be to nurture my pregnancy.
I participated in my prenatal care, but had regular check-ins with the midwives with whom I work. At 27 weeds, I had a growth spurt of 8 centimeters in one week (1 centimeter of growth per week is average.) {Author’s note: Peggy is speaking of the measurement of her fundal growth per week} There was so much amniotic fluid it was impossible to palpate well at all. {Author’s note: Palpate means to feel the mother’s belly in order to feel how the baby is lying.} I waited a week until our next midwifery meeting. I had a strong sense of well-being and waited for the truth to reveal itself in its own right time. Then the day I turned 28 weeks, when the uterus is more clearly available for palpation, and which happened to be the full moon in Gemini, there they were - - two babies—one head down in my pelvis and one seemingly smaller breech, with his head under my heart, a good birthing position. Two midwives listening with two fetoscopes simultaneously confirmed what hands had felt—two beings with two very distinct heartbeats growing within.
I was strongly supported in my birth plans by my husband, Will, and our midwifes, who saw twins as quite acceptable for homebirth. We worked together as guardians to this normal experience. With twins it is optimal that the first baby he head down, and larger. A smaller, second baby being breech is not a huge concern because the birth canal is opened by the first baby, providing plenty of room for the next baby who is often born quickly.
The babies’ positions were palpated often and never moved out of optimal birthing position, an affirmation to us all. I was also glad to hear that my hematocrit at 32 weeks was 43.0! {Author’s note: The hematocrit is the volume of erythrocytes in a given blood volume. A safe hematocrit for a home birth is 36.0. Lower than that may mean anemia} This was a good sign that I could carry them in a healthy way until they were full term, as anemia can cause premature birth. My goal was to intelligently evaluate all the information I had, clinical and intuitive, and everything pointed to a safe homebirth. I was not drawn in any way to consider other birth plans, and was convinced that these babies wanted to be born in the sanctity of our home, in the water.
With increased growth, my pregnancy became more physically taxing, but never debilitating. I surrendered my activity level, staying home more and giving up even routine household tasks. The love and support of my family and fiends helped make this possible and relatively smooth. I was never on bed rest, but naturally found I needed to lie down more and more for energy and comfort’s sake. The truth was that during the last month, I couldn’t drive because I did not fit behind the wheel of my car with the seat all the way back. Also the last time I drove, I experienced strong Braxton-Hicks contractions that distracted me. Although I did not fear I would have a premature birth, I knew I needed to be wise to help these babies mature to full term. It was time to be home. I measured 54 centimeters at 38 weeks. (Forty cm is normal for a single pregnancy at full term of 40 weeks.)
My labor started August 1 at 5:00 A.M. I was delighted. My goal, set the day after I found out about the twins, was to get my pregnancy into August when they would be 38weeks. I had actually predicted the birth being August 1 two months earlier. I awakened Will to help me go to the bathroom (that process sometimes needed help by then) and I felt a pop and slowly leaking waters. Two of my three previous labors had started this way with contractions beginning within minutes. Will went to get the midwife who was staying on the land. She took heart tones of both babies which were good, and the three of us walked to the house. I knew I was in labor – there was so much energy my teeth were chattering and I was shaky all over. The midwife got the tub ready as I wanted to get in the water as soon as possible. Contractions were getting strong.
I was so glad to get into the water. I immediately felt more relaxed and able to move. I was huge with these babies and found moving awkward in full gravity. For me, the water was an incredible gift. The other midwives arrived. Our daughters were awakened. The room was filled with love – love for one another, love for these two beings who came to be with us. This love truly sustained me as labor proceeded.
At 8 centimeters dilation, the contractions got farther apart. New positions in the water applied the head to the cervix better, but did not increase dilation. I had been feeling short of breath. My lungs were fairly compressed and I longed for fresh air. With much help I walked outside into the yard. It still seemed that I could not get enough air, but I loved being outside and standing up. Walking and rocking my pelvis aided dilation. It was hard to walk up the stairs to the house, but once I was in the water, I felt better again, like transformation. The anterior lip of the cervix melted away in a few contractions and I was ready to push.
This labor was quite different from my others; two babies and the over-distension of my uterus made for less effective contractions than I had ever had before. My other labors had always had steady progress, and pushing contractions were efficient and effective. Now as I was ready to push, the time had I had been awaiting, my pushing contractions did not seem strong, and pushing on two babies felt awkward, like I was pushing on the top baby to push out the bottom one. I needed gravity and found that getting on my knees, leaning on the tub and on Will, then pushing worked best. Each contraction was an act of will, not an uncontrollable urge. My uterus felt like it was working at about 50 percent, although that is just my perception. The water definitely helped me be in the optimal birthing position. I was so heavy, I am sure I could not have maintained it without the buoyancy. I affirmed “I can” as each contraction began and put all my strength into each push.
It was a very conscious labor for me as my contractions were not sweeping me away for the birth. I worked hard pushing and put my finger in my vagina between pushes to feel how far the head had come down. Then I realized that the head had moved behind my pubic bone and I resolved to move it past the bone with the next contraction. I called on the Angels of Birth and drew on the strength of the ritual of my Blessing Way. I remembered all the mothers who have given birth and found the power coming through me that could do this work. With that contraction the head came from behind the pubic bone and was birthed. I marveled at the thought of my baby being partly born and partly still inside me. Yet still in the water, his familiar environment. It seemed so natural and optimal for him.
Three minutes later the next contraction brought the shoulders and Kavi was born, an 8-pound baby! He was born at 10:23 A.M., five hours and twenty-three minutes after labor began. The midwife caught him and brought him out of the water immediately. We had agreed to this ahead of time because I wanted to hold him and give him the full grace of gradually experiencing breathing while still receiving oxygen from his cord. He was left with his umbilical cord pulsing for only one minute and then it was clamped and cut in case his twin sibling shared some circulation, and he was not allowed to nurse in case it would cause inappropriate contractions for his twin. Kavi came out of the water and breathed within moments—they seemed so short—and then our oldest daughter, Melissa, rocked him by the woodstove as we prepared for the next birth.
It was a lot of surrender for me to let go of Kavi so soon, but I was amazed how fast I turned my attention to the birth of the next baby. Our midwife was his guardian, carefully monitoring his heart tones, and after Kavi was born, she used her hands on my belly to guide him straight down into the pelvis to prevent a transverse lie. I felt that he and I were very safe in her caring, competent hands.
The midwife did an internal exam—an extremely uncomfortable experience, even as gentle as the midwife was, because of the stretching and bruising of the tissues of the cervix and birth canal from the first birth. I remember saying, “I can’t believe I have to do this again.” But I also had much conscious determination to birth the second baby as soon as possible. The midwife’s exam discovered a bulging water bag around a head! We had been prepared for a breech. I thought it was fine either way.
My labor had essentially stopped. I was only having slight twinges for contractions and pushing with them did nothing. The head was high and my tired uterus was not bringing it down. I tried homeopathy, sitting up for gravity, and even allowing Kavi to nurse a bit. I felt totally normal like I wasn’t in labor, and only slight contractions resumed.
We all wanted the second baby born and I really wanted the membranes ruptured. I thought I would be most comfortable for this procedure on a nearby futon. I was wrong. I forgot about gravity after being weightless in the tub. Lying down was excruciating for my back and ligaments. This made me realize how fortunate I’d been to birth in the water. I finally got onto my knees, leaned on the window seat, and the membranes were ruptured. I immediately went from no contractions or birthing energy to pushing as the baby’s head came down onto the cervix’
I thought the baby was coming out. The tub was only a few steps away, but getting there seemed impossible. I didn’t want to move. I feared getting into an awkward position halfway there with the baby coming out. This fear was more based on my precipitous birth of Padma five and a half years before than on present circumstances. I birthed Padma in less than two hours without pushing at all, an extremely intense experience.
Our midwife and homeopath said to me “Where do you want to birth?” I replied that I didn’t think I could get over to the tub. Then she said “Peggy, where does your baby want to be born?” I immediately said, “In the water.” Will, who shared my strong belief that our babies wanted to be born through water, helped me get into the tub before the next contraction. Once there I felt light again and as comfortable as one gets under the circumstances. What a blessing.
Once again my contractions were only semi-effective, but pushing a smaller baby through an already expanded birth canal was easier. Again I pushed out the head and then was between contractions. Another baby was in those timeless moments between two worlds and embraced by water. After three minutes, I had another contraction and pushed with all of my strength, but he was not moving. He needed the midwife to help birth an arm before his body could be born. I was elated when Teja finally birthed five minutes after I reentered the tub. I could see he was another good-sized baby, seven pounds, birthed at 11:28, one hour and five minutes after his brother. Fifteen pounds of baby in all! He was also brought out of the water right away in deference to his brother, so I could finish the birth and be with both of them as soon as possible. Teja was given to our 12-year-old daughter, Rohanna, to join his brother by the woodstove during the birth of the placenta.
I got out of the tub to walk the few steps to the futon to birth the placenta and hemorrhaged half was there. Our midwife skillfully and gently held my uterus and I stabilized. I experienced a partial separation of the placenta that proved difficult to deal with for a while. We tried herbs, homeopathy, and nursing. I bled again and was getting shocky.
I strongly felt that there was an Energy that would help me birth the placenta, but I did not know how to access it. At first I kept trying to find it within myself, but it seemed elusive. Then in my shocky state, I was actually visualizing it as being in the cupboard where I kept my homeopathics. We were certain that a large part of the placenta was still attached to the uterine wall. Finally, as hope of birthing the placenta without medical help was diminishing, the midwife gave me a new remedy, and the placenta was released and fell out in my hand. It was amazing how the remedy changed the energy. I went from being shocky and stuck to delivering the placenta and my mind cleared immediately. I am so grateful.
I write this nearly three months after the birth. The postpartum time has been blissful, exhausting, and very blessed. Twins are literally two handfuls, and to care for them requires group effort. A family with twins needs a lot of support, and we have been blessed with meals, love, and helping hands. The first two nights I don’t remember sleeping at all, as Will and I handed babies back and forth to change, nurse, and rock. Days and nights seemed only slightly better than this for two and a half months. Just now is life looking realistic again.
I am grateful that they are healthy, vibrant babies and I have been able to nurse them totally. I have to be conscious of supporting my milk supply with food and fluids as I am not particularly well rested. It seems like I nurse the babies all the time, sometimes individually, sometimes at the same time. I want them to have the quality of care I gave my singleton children, and I forgive myself daily for those times I must put one baby down to care for the other and for those things I cannot do for other family members because of the twins. But, all in all, Kavi and Teja are getting their needs met in a loving way. Our children and friends help tremendously, and it has served to make our family and extended family ever closer.
I am grateful for this beautiful birth experience. I give thanks that Teja and Kavi were able to make the sacred transition from womb to earth in an environment filled with love and with an absence of fear. I am grateful to my sister midwives who facilitated the sacrament of birth for us in a holy and loving way. I write this in hope that by sharing this experience it will contribute toward demystifying twin births so that it will not be routinely considered “high risk” and in need of medical intervention, but instead will be seen as a normal healthy condition that can be greatly enhanced by birthing in water at home.
Taken from: Water Birth/ A Midwife’s Perspective
By Susanna Napierala
The Birth of Simon St. Jevin
You took your time in coming down your mama’s pelvis. Your hormones were stimulated on Feb. 7th which caused your mama to slowly loose her mucous plug and, the next day, gradually start her contractions. In fact, this went on for three days until you were approaching the narrowest part of your journey and she was 5cm. dilated. This was at 8h30 Feb. 11th and that’s when I arrived and connected with you.
Your mama was tired and a little less confident then when she started four days earlier. So you just hung out and waited for her to come around. I think at 11h, when she was standing in the doorway and leaning her back against the wall, that you squeezed through the ischial spines (tightest part). It took you 2 1/2hrs. to get through the 10cm opening because you presented your head a little to the left side so your bones took a little longer to mold. But your mama was working so hard to relax and breathe for you to come out of the cervix. She even broke her own amniotic sac with her fingers at 12h05 on the toilet! You should have felt a release of pressure at that point. Your heart tones reminded us that you were working hard also, until you slipped out of the cervix at 13h50 while mama was on the toilet again…
At 14h you were coming down the birth canal and it didn’t take you long because mama was blowing instead of pushing. At 14h20 we first saw your head then mama went back into the pool. At 15h your mama was well in control of your coming with her hand on your head and squatting in the pool. Seven minutes later your whole body emerged and you swam up to meet us. There was your mama’s sister and their mama, your papa and me. At 15h10 you took your first breath and sixteen minutes later papa cut your cord. Ten minutes later your papa held you against his chest so you could feel his heart beat. At 15h50, just 2hrs. since you slipped out of the cervix you were cuddling with your mama in bed! And you latched on to her breast five minutes after that. The last thing we noted was your first poop at 16h40, 50min. after nursing.
I believe you are very prepared for life in the 21st century because you had no trauma whatsoever. You were left to swim for 2 minutes before feeling the air. You never cried, in fact, you arrived asleep and we had to wake you up!
I was honored to have been able to assist you in your coming.
March 30, 2008
Francoise Souverville
C.C.E./Elder Midwife
THE BIRTH OF FAVIO ANGEL (NOURISHING SPIRIT)
This woman experienced what a lot of women fear at the end of pregnancy. Premature rupture of membranes or PROM.
My wish is that by this story women might learn to trust nature and babies as their guides to childbearing.
Unlike most women, she was able to touch base with her intuitive rhythms long before labor started! And with good reason! Her water broke at 5AM, Oct. 3rd but active labor finally started at 2AM, Oct.10th. This being her first pregnancy and thinking (believed) that she was carrying twins; she was already making a statement desiring a water birth at home. Furthermore, it was her parent’s home, where she was born. No, she did not allow the pressures of society to affect her.
From Oct. 3rd and through the seven days of waiting for active labor to begin, she soaked three to four night pads per day and still had plenty of fluid remaining to deliver.
(I mention this because I’ve heard erroneous stories about “dry births”. But, in fact, every morning her body had made up the water she had lost the day before!)
Several unique events took place during those seven days. Her occasional contractions were so mild that she was reminded of them by leaking fluid. She was getting plenty of rest at night, eating good and taking long walks during the day. On the second night (Oct.4th) she rubbed equal parts of geranium essential oil and coconut oil on her sacrum before retiring. In the night she heard and felt her sacrum pop! Like many birthing women, she had clock patterns, 5AM being hers. On Oct. 6th (3rd day) at 5:10AM she awoke with two strong contractions 5 min. apart following with one hour of 3 minutes apart.
This woman was a firm believer that her own home and surroundings were the safest place for her to be because she was exposing herself to her own germs. But she felt responsible, after the third day, to take extra precautions like sterilizing the toilet paper and washing with antiseptic herbs. Heart tones were 135-140 throughout the seven days.
On the 7th night (Oct. 10) contractions were strong enough to wake her at 3 minutes apart around 2AM, followed by a good bloody show around 7AM. At 10AM we decided an internal exam was in order. My findings were 4cms, 70% effaced at -2 station. Contractions were still fluctuating from 3-5 minutes apart so an enema was suggested. This finally allowed her body to do the work it was designed to do! Having established active labor, the woman got into the birthing tub around noon. (Among midwives familiar with water births, this is the accepted standard for a woman with PROM). Contractions soon got longer and stronger. Lasting one minute but still three minutes apart. At 2:10PM there was a change of energy, contractions increased to 1 min. 5sec. long and 2 minutes apart. At this point she was loosing stamina, having been up most of the previous night. She drank some fortifying herbal tinctures and chlorophyll to boost her oxygen level. From then on only heart tones were taken (and were a continuous 140), as this woman was well into the birthing energy! She was admired and supported by her father, mother, three sisters and her 4yr. and 2yr. old nieces for the remainder two hours and 47 minutes when the baby emerged among us weighing 6 lbs. and measuring 18 inches.
What followed is a good observation of a medical term, “slow starter.” His head emerged and waited one minute to restitute (turn). As his body emerged, his eyes opened wide.
Within one minute he grimaced and the next minute he was gently swimming. (This was noted as slow reflexes). The next minute the new mom brought his face to the air, then to her chest. He spent one full minute staring into her eyes, and then took his first spontaneous breath! He was peaceful and calm.
What followed this smooth entry into the physical did not surprise me as it corresponded to the seven day pre-labor. We waited 24 minutes for the separation gush of the placenta. (Average time is 8-10 min.), then it took three minutes to detach. I found this very risky, with her particularly, and immediately suggested an herbal tincture to prevent a hemorrhage. The after birth was delivered seven minutes later with a small amount of blood!
On the third day Favio, like many newborns nowadays, was faced with the challenge of not being able to latch on to the breast. But with persistence and patience, mama, papa and baby became very bonded with this new relationship of survival. It took almost 2 weeks for Favio to nurse sufficiently from both breasts. His mom felt that her seven day pre-labor experience had prepared her to bare the immense patience and perseverance needed for her 2 weeks post partum. She was competent and strong, listening to her baby’s needs and doing the best she could for him. She had the support of a large family who respected her wishes and gave her space to do what came natural to her.
I choose to believe that Favio’s struggle to be nourished physically confirms his chosen name Nourishing Spirit. Right from the start he had a lesson confronting him that, with the support of his family, he accomplished on his own time. This, along with being born in water and being allowed to acclimate himself slowly to life, has already made him (at 3 weeks) a conscientious and strong human being.
This woman's labor was a good example of slow to start labors often ending at a faster pace than usual; her dilation averaged 1cm per hour until she reached 9cms. Then only 20 min. to full dilation and 22 more min. to the birth of the head!
This birth has affirmed my continuous message. Women are given no more, and no less than what they can handle on their childbearing journey! If they are able to totally trust this belief, they will experience tremendous growth and a healthy start with their baby.
Francoise Souverville
C.C.E./Elder Midwife
Monica and Alan Miller, baby Alizah Jordan
Monica is a very active and willful woman. But she also knows when to “let go and let God” by believing that ultimately He is in control.
Due to a mistake in her conception date, we anticipated this delivery for six weeks. She refused any examinations to find out for sure what was going on because she wanted to leave it in God’s hands. When labor finally started it was very challenging for me because her attitude was far different than the average woman. I felt like an amateur guessing at the stages of her progress!
The onset of labor was November 23rd as she expelled her mucous plug throughout the day. She went to bed that night and awoke at 4am with surges nine minutes apart. This was the first phase, the cervix effacing and maybe dilating Throughout the day of the 24th she was anxious with surges fluctuating from nine to five to two minutes apart. She ate quite a bit from lack of having anything to do! Towards evening I suppose she was fully effaced and 3 or 4 centimeters dilated because the only thing I could rely on was the frequency and length of her surges and those weren’t very average either. They were continuously two minutes apart, which is usually after six centimeters or second stage. I can say with certainty the onset of second stage was around 9pm November 24th because that’s when she really had to focus. That’s also when she got in a big Jacuzzi hot tub that she had bought for the occasion. She claims she couldn’t bear it outside the water. Around 11pm I needed to check heart tones so I suggested she go to the toilet ( in case the bag of waters should break).
I believe that was her transition phase only because she was asking for drugs (her weakness prevailed, her father is a pharmacist!) I say “only” because her surges had changed to 45 seconds long and two minutes apart and she was sleeping between them! (Transition is usually 2 minutes long and 45 seconds apart) She definitely needed a boost of energy for what was ahead. I made her my special oxygen power drink and said “here is your drugs!” She drank it down and within minutes she practically ran through the house headed for the tub which was out on the balcony. The temperature outside was now 12 degrees but her father had hung plastic sheeting around the tub from ceiling to floor so we were protected from the outdoors.
It was 11:45pm as she squatted in the water. She felt the water bag break within her as the next surge was peaking. I finally had a confirmation that this was transition so I proceeded to coach her with confidence! Upon hearing my declaration that her baby’s head would soon slip into the birth canal, Monica’s face exposed an indescribable power! She took control of birthing her baby! Her coaching was clearly expressed; me in her face helping to blow through the pushing urges and her husband’s fist pressing on her lower back, which he had been doing for three hours previously. Monica did have the “irresistible urge to push” so we worked hard to resist. Several times during the next 45 minutes (that’s all it took) she said “This is really hard?!”, not complaining but rather acknowledging the reality. She refused perineal support as the head started to show. Monica was still squatting and supporting her own perineum! She asked one question for reassurance. “Could I feel what was presenting and tell her if it was the head?” For someone who has never felt the squishy folds of a protruding head, it can be deceiving! After the head had emerged she asked me to aid in birthing the shoulders. She was anxious to see her baby!
Being the woman of God that she is, she never once faltered but accepted the fact that He would not give her more than she could endure. I saw her as a beautiful warrior in labor bringing forth her first child in agony and ecstasy! There are not many women who refuse to be checked for progress and rather be left to labor in faith.
Alizah joined us at 12:45am November 25th 2003. She pinked up within a couple of minutes and everything was perfect. As soon as the cord stopped pulsating Daddy cut it and took her in to the warm house. The afterbirth was delivered about 20 minutes later and we also went in to get warm. Monica, with daddy, bonded wonderfully in the herb bath. Alizah weighed 8 pounds 4 ounces and was 21 and a half inches long. She did not latch on for two days. Monica says “she probably was stuffed” because she had eaten so much the previous day. Once more the planet had to shift a little for a new living soul to fit in.
Francoise Souverville
C.C.E./Elder Midwife
Birth of Meica, January 1st, 2002 and her brother
James Dorian, December 1st, 2004:
Nikalia Lee Kyles, age 20 second delivery: this is a woman whom I assisted when she was born. Her mother, Carol Lee, was a beautiful and very naturally minded
woman who raised her to be very aware of her own strength and beauty. Nikalia's first labor at age 17 was only seven hours long with the support of her mother and several other women. I'll never forget the energy in that room when I arrived to see little Meica crown and emerge into life! She was surrounded and held like a cocoon by all these beautiful women. All I had to do was “catch” the baby. She weighed 7 pounds even.
This second pregnancy was a little different in that she wanted a water birth, had a husband/coach and this baby was a little over a pound bigger. Nevertheless, she was expecting this delivery to be as easy, if not easier.
Labor had been anticipated for over a week because there had been a good gush of waters breaking at 2am on November 22nd and a mucous plug a week before that!
Finally on November 30th at 9am with contractions strong along with loose stools, labor was established. Active labor progressing at less than one centimeter per hour throughout the day and into the night was a bit frustrating for her. Getting into a irthing tub at 6:15pm helped, but around 10:30 she began to get weary physically and motionally. She just hadn't prepared herself for this! After thoroughly assessing and communicating the circumstances and her condition, we decided that I manually upture the membranes (yes, despite the rupture a week prior, the water bag was very intact and tight at 9cms.!)
I cannot remember the last time I've done this because I do not believe in it! But with Nikalia I knew it was right. I did this at 12:40am. Baby slipped in the birth canal with
two surges and everything became powerful and wonderful. In the tub she had three or four surges, blowing to prevent pushing, leaning back against her husband then said
“Move out of the way, I'm going to get this baby out!” and squatted. A few surges more and James emerged in the water into his father's hands at 1:35am, December 1st (less than an hour from 9 cms.!) His cord was around his neck twice. He weighed 8 pounds 6 ounces and was 19 inches long. I had to use manual compression with the afterbirth (placenta), as he did not nurse. All was stable and bonding was good. Again the world had to shift a little to make room for two more living souls.
Francoise Souverville
C.C.E./Elder Midwife |
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