my dearest Lily, (a birth story)
four years ago today, you were still in my belly
your pai, avo Carmo, Avo Joao, avo Hayes and i were all together anxiously waiting for you
you were by now four days late past your due date (ironically enough this year we had a party for you on your due date)
on the day of november six two thousand and nine, after i spent the day walking around southbeach with avo Carmo and avo Hayes, after everyone had gone back to their own spaces to relax a bit, i was finally alone at home
i ate a bowl of cereal for dinner and then i got an ice cream craving so i walked to the nearby bodega to buy some
on the walk back home, there was still the remainder of a full moon out
i held my belly and i talked to you about what a beautiful night it was and how you should come out to see the moon
at around nine thirty pm, once home, i put the ice cream in the freezer and then, my belly got really hard and i began to bleed
i got so scared and paralyzed
what was happening was not the regular water breaking i had heard about and watched in movies
i quickly grabbed my phone and called Mary, our midwife
she advised me to keep calm, stay where i was and not clean anything up
i then called pai who was near by having a drink with avo Joao and avo Hayes at the standard
as i stood there by myself, but not really because you were with me, i tried to remain calm, to breath and i wished on every star for everything to be ok
soon enough pai was with me. and then Mary also
she checked me over, checked the blood, checked you and said that it was time
i was three centimeters dilated and you were getting ready to meet us and the world
i took a shower, quickly got my bag ready, grabbed your bag that i had ready and we picked up avo Carmo on the way to the birthing center
the car ride was quiet and fast. i had no contractions yet
once at the birthing center, at around ten thirty pm, avo Joao, avo Hayes, D, auntie K and Michael met us there
as Mary looked me over in the birthing room, everyone waited in the waiting room right outside
except for pai. he was with me at all times
after some testing, the contractions slowly started happening
and oh boy did they happen
never in my life have i experienced anything like that!!
Mary left pai and i together alone in the birthing room. we slowly walked back and forth from a walkway to the room. breathing, feeling it out
when a contraction would hit, with him behind me, holding me by my waist, we would rapidly walk to the bathroom where i would hold onto tightly to the towel rack
the contractions were strong and fast
and not to gross you out too much but i seriously did not know if i was going to vomit, faint or shit all together. all at once
no epidural. this was a natural birth mama was going for
after about fifteen minutes, Mary came back in the room and checked me over again
i was now the full ten centimeters dilated and we were ready. you and i. it was go time
we called avo Carmo, avo Hayes and Mary’s assistant into the room
we tried a few positions to birth in but your heartbeat and you were happiest with me on the bed, on my side, with my left leg up on Mary’s assistant’s shoulder
with avo Carmo holding my left hand, with pai holding my right hand, with avo Hayes with the grandest of views, after what seemed to have been five grand pushes during some strong contractions and the craziest and burning ring of fire, you came out
at two thirty seven am
you came out and Mary put you on my left breast right away
and with no problem you started breast feeding
and in that very moment, in that very instant, i looked at you and fell in love
all seven pounds, seven ounces and twenty one inches of you
pai and i looked at each other with tears in our eyes and we knew that our lives had just changed forever. for the better
with you on my breast, us both still connected by the umbilical cord, i had yet to push out the placenta
at this point i just wanted to look at you, enjoy you and not be touched. but the birth was not yet over
Mary and her assistant rubbed and pushed hard on my belly. after a lot of bleeding, a very healthy placenta came out (which by the way, we still have in a freezer in west virginia)
once the placenta was out, pai cut the umbilical cord
by now everyone was in the room. they pretty much came in once they heard your cry when you came out
with you on my breast, with everyone cheering around, with auntie K holding a flashlight so i could get a few stitches, your life began
surrounded by so much love your life began
and i hope it will continue to be just so as you grow
happy almost birthday Lily
i love you,
mama
ps- by six thirty am, after some food we were leaving the birth center and on the way home to our little apartment
pps- thank you for taking it easy on this mama. you were a wonderful pregnancy, a wonderful birth, and so far a wonderful daughter
mel
November 6, 2013 @ 5:35 pm
wow oh wow… every birth story is just such a miracle! Happy birthday to the lil’ bundle of dynamite and sweetness – LILY!!
xx
mel
needle and nest
Claudia
November 6, 2013 @ 7:47 pm
@Mel,
thank you Mel. when is your new bundle due? xo
mirari
November 6, 2013 @ 9:29 pm
you made me cry… wonderful text.
by the way, i understood as if you returned back home the same day lily was born, was it like this? because i was required to rest for 5 days at the hospital!
Claudia
November 6, 2013 @ 10:02 pm
Mirari,
thank you Mirari. i gave birth at a birthing center with a midwife. not in an hospital and not with a doctor. so yes, we left the birthing center 4 hours after Lily was born. my midwife did daily visits for the first two weeks.
mirari
November 7, 2013 @ 4:05 pm
it sounds so magic to give birth like this.;;
happy birthday to lil tiger lily!!!
Claudia
November 7, 2013 @ 4:10 pm
@Mirari,
i must say i was very blessed with a wonderful birthing experience. thank you Mirari, she is having a great birthday so far.