After 4 hours of labor, including 20 minutes of pushing, our little girl started to crown. I was sitting in a pool, so her head was submerged underwater while the rest of her body was still in my love tunnel.
My contraction had just ended, so in that brief moment I pleaded with our midwife, “can you please just pull her out?”
She politely responded, “you’re going to push her out.”
She explained the back-and-forth motion of birthing prevents tears and other injuries to our delicate lady parts.
And, she was right.
I waited for my next contraction, pushed with all my might, and our little one came tumbling out.
Yes I was stretched wide open, and yes my lips were skinned post-delivery, but the recovery was something my body could naturally do on its own.
I was super proud of what I (and our little one) had accomplished together — an unforgettable experience and peaceful transition earthside.
Not rushing the process was such a valuable lesson to me that I applied to multiple areas of my life (especially breastfeeding).
Learning to honor the natural rhythm of nursing, helped me to slow down long enough to avoid common breastfeeding issues like mastitis and thrush.
My homebirth reminded me to prioritize collaborating with our daughter because we are on a new journey together.
I was also reminded to take deep breaths, embrace my love handles and her never-ending cuddles.
To recognize the holistic benefits to both me and our child, and to feel undeniable confidence that these many months attached is an extremely important part of the lactation process.
Did you have a home birth? Which life lesson had the biggest impact on you?
Until next time...
Love The Journey,
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