And without even pushing… he was out after 3 songs….
TODAY, WE WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO Mariagracia (MG) and share her birth story in a little bit of a different way than we have done before.
I hope you feel the love and empowerment while you read through her birth story, because wow. I have so much love for MG and admire her determination to have the birth she desired.
And without even pushing… he was out after 3 songs….
“You know… you don’t get a golden medal for having an unmedicated birth…”
“I’m not sure if you’ll be able to do it…”
“Are you sure? There’s no need to…”
When I considered and eventually made the decision to transfer out of my OBGYN practice to a birth center, I heard it all. While well meaning, the concept and idea of having an out of hospital birth sounded odd and scary to everyone I knew- my husband (Mark) included.
I had been stalking Chanel’s instagram for a while… between everything I watched on there, read online, and having less than ideal experiences from my OBGYN practice, I decided to transfer to a birth center. My husband was still skeptical, but decided to support me.
Fast-forward to starting Chanel’s class during my third trimester. Mark watched every video with me, took notes, and sat on every Zoom session. Each week, we became more educated, more empowered, and felt 100% ready and EXCITED to experience labor.
Which brings me to April 7th. My due date was April 9 and I did not feel the “Ugh- please get this baby out of me!” dread… but I was ready to meet him.
That whole day I was losing bits of my mucus plus and had my uneventful 39 week appointment. Since I took off work. I do not do well with not being busy, I decided to book a foot massage appointment with the hopes acupressure would encourage Baby Reeves to come. I made the appointment for 3:00 PM and decided to rest and watch TV.
However… at 2:30 I began having contractions. They were mild, similar to period cramps, and because I had been having Braxton Hicks on and off all week, I was not convinced labor was actually starting. By 2:45 they increased and I decided to push my appointment to 3:15. Surely enough… the contractions (while spaced out) became more prominent and mid-massage before they even touched those specific acupressure spots, I had 3 intense contractions while lying down.
Now… I had a very clear idea of what my early labor would look like: Thai food, snuggling Mark, and watching Bridesmaids or Friends… and none of that happened. Mark was still working… but my Thai food arrived at 4:00 PM… I took a bite of a spring roll and immediately vomited.
Not only could I not keep food down, but my contractions increased QUICKLY. By 9:00 PM, they were one minute apart for more than an hour. The environment was great: Sitting backwards on the toilet, affirmations taped up everywhere, Mark squeezing my hips, our birth playlist on, and we were both in the ZONE. We called the midwife and while they were skeptical to let us come (as first time Moms are known for having long labors) because I was their first client with hEDS, and because my contractions were intense, they approved us going. It’s important to note I was 100% convinced my water had broken (while I vomited) when I was on the toilet.
During the car, my contractions slowed down. When we arrived to the Birth Center at 10:45 PM, we had the building to ourselves. Just Mark, our doula Creavery, midwife (Nancy), a RN, and me. Everyone set up my birth affirmations everywhere but Nancy noticed I was oddly calm. She asked to do a cervical exam and I refused. Because I had not eaten much since contractions started, they gave me fluids, which allowed me to nap. When I woke up at 3 AM, however, Nancy recommended we do a cervical exam and I complied. Everyone knew I did not want to know the dilation and just station. She told me baby was still at a negative station she did not believe my water had broken, and my stubborn self told her it had.
Between 3 AM and 10, I was up doing ALL the exercises to encourage baby to descend and made sure I rested. Then Nancy asked for second exam to test if my water had actually broken. Low and behold- it had not. This is when she said I could be experiencing prodomal labor and suggested we go home. Mark and I refused to go home. We thought we were having that baby on the 7th- why would it be different hours from now?!
So Nancy gave us options:
We go home (or nearby hotel) and come back every day if need be.
We sweep my membrane to start labor
Do a holistic stim kit which included castor oil and homeopathic drops.
#3 would encourage baby but was not promised. I was torn and decided to contact Chanel. Her words still resonate with me as she told me, “Why are you chasing labor?” While still giving me the control, she discouraged the membrane sweep out of all options and I opted for option #3. Now let me tell you all- castor oil with ice cream = delicious. I could not eat that FAST ENOUGH. I was excited again. Contractions were strong but sparse and I started playing my “Birth Hype” playlist while bouncing on a yoga ball.
With every contraction, Mark dropped to his knees to squeeze my hips. When standing, he held my belly. He was and is my everything and I have never felt closer to him. The RN gave me a wonderful massage. Creavery our doula also supported me. And I was heard and seen every minute of that labor.
Now it was 7:00 PM. Mark mentioned that something shifted in me and I was no longer speaking. Nancy suggested a third cervical exam as we were reaching hour 30 or so of contractions and she was afraid I would need to rest. The exams were painful but I agreed. I put on “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto (the song I practiced breath work and Chanel’s ice-holding exercises with) and completely relaxed my body.
Next thing I know, Mark gives me a thumbs up based on the conversation Nancy and he had. My contractions were SO intense at that point, I could no longer lay down but I KNEW in my heart, I could keep going. At 11:30, my water broke. No… exploded. Like the movies almost. I waddled to the bed, played my “Birth Chill” playlist I had been listening for HOURS now and put it on shuffled.
“Knees in, feet out.” I thought and rocked back and forth. “La Espera” by Simoney (a song about motherhood) began as it all began. “My baby will deliver him or herself,” was my next self-reminder. “Go the Distance” from Hercules was next as my baby’s head began crowning. A little burning… a little pain… but he’s almost here!
“It’s been a minute, Mariagracia,” I hear Nancy say. “Time to start pushing soon…”
“Hold on,” I replied. “He’s coming!”
Then “Dos Oruguitas” began playing and before I know it, my sweet baby delivered himself as I felt burning followed by relief. Without even pushing, he was out after 3 songs- born to THE song. Mark caught him, passed him to me and I began crying. After that, we snuggled as a family of 3 and enjoyed our Golden Hour.
I have been so obsessed with my birth-story, I (almost immediately) have told everyone I know I can’t wait to get pregnant and labor again. And I stand by that.
To learn more about how you and your partner can become prepared for birth, check out my virtual birth coaching here.
If you have been a part of my Werk Your Birth program and want to be interviewed fill out this link.
If you have a desire to join our community and become empowered during your pregnancy and birth, join here.
Looking for more information? Take a look around because we have so many resources available to you (and your partner) on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and of course here on our website.