There I was, laboring in the water at my house during my third birth, surrounded by people who loved me. Feeling the sensations of birth overwhelming my body with the necessary strength to give birth. As each sensation came into my body, my mind repeated the mantra “open” while my breath continued taking me on a journey into the depths of surrendering. Oh the beauty of each sensation, I thought to myself. Knowing that the strength that my body received was a gift I received on my way to holding my baby. The breathing remained steady, repetitive and focused on the continual letting go that happened in each moment. Gratitude became the theme for this birth. As each contraction started to let up, I simply said thank you to myself and to the forces that brought the strength to me. For everything I feel physically brought me to deeper levels of gratitude because I knew that the strength increasing meant I was closer to holding my baby in my arms. As I continued repeating my open mantra, I began feeling this little boy inside me slip further into my birth canal. Birthing without any vaginal exams but with sheer confidence in my body, I announced to the room that the time was getting close. All that was left was some vomiting and then pushing was coming next. The quiet room let a small laughter out as they began anticipating the closeness of the birth. Within a few contractions, the vomiting came next. Again, I knew this was a blessing because it meant we were very near the end. Pushing started the moment the vomiting ended and quickly the baby’s head descended into my birth canal and released into the water. Within a few minutes, he entered this beautiful world without a sound. His eyes opened in the darkness of the night, looking around to see those in the room. His peacefulness was something I cherished. The moments before my labor began, I went into the shower and welcomed my newest baby into the world. Telling him that we all loved him and we ready for him to come into our family. Labor began the moment I stepped out of the shower and he was born three hours later.
My third little boy who graced us on April 8th, 2008 brought me the opportunity to take a blissful journey into a birth experience that I didn’t know was possible. One that taught me gratitude could change everything about birth. Shifting into a state of gratitude brought me a sense of peace that welcomed EVERYTHING that I felt, regardless of its strength. Resistance and pain were not present with me and this completely changed my mind about what I thought was possible about childbirth. In changing my mind, I knew that the opportunity existed to help others know there was yet another way…. A few months later, Pure Birth was born.
