I was on the phone...
when I saw a call coming through from Caitlin, a clients midwife. I hung up on my grandmother (yes I really did) and took the call. 'It's time' was all I heard and I raced home to pick up my gear and head to this stunning home-birth.
When I arrived Emi's mum was looking after her daughter; Emi laboured on the lounge room floor aided by the TENS. It is so hard to be able to close our thinking brains off at the best of times, but Emi did such a beautiful job at remaining centred while there was a soft flurry of activity around her.
Caitlin and I quickly set up the birth pool and started to fill it, while Emi laboured with the help of her small firstborn as the music quietly played in the background. We lit candles in the fireplace, and tried to block the winter sunlight that was streaming into the room.
Once Emi's husband arrived home, she said heartfelt goodbye to her daughter knowing that once she saw her again, it would no longer just be the three of them. These moments involving older siblings are so bittersweet, you know you are (hopefully) providing them with lifelong sidekick, but feel terribly sad that they will have to adjust to not having your full attention anymore. Your heart swells with happiness, while quivering with the sadness of moving on from the previous chapter of your life.
Emi was incredible at listening to her body and initiatively moving into positions that helped her babe descend into the birth canal. Her amazing midwives Caitlin and Emma from It Takes a Village Midwifery held Emi while she moaned and breathed through her surges. Emma stroked her hair, poured water onto her back, while Caitlin applied gentle counter-pressure and aromatherapy for Emi. Water was offered.
Gently, they watched as Ben nurtured Emi's oxytocin with gentle massage and kisses. Never leaving her side, holding her hand, right there with his wife during her most vulnerable moments.
Hallelujah took its turn to play, while the midwives softly sang and hummed the room felt ethereal and relaxed. The room filled with love, and it was an atmosphere like no other.
Emi's waters burst into the pool and her beautiful baby was born not long after. Moving into a squatting position, she breathed, and touched his head as he crowned feeling his head of hair. Within the next surge the babe was earthside, born gently into his parents loving hands.
Emi, Ben and Lenny retreated to the bedroom in a haze of oxytocin to enjoy those blissful moments of their new baby life.
