Jasper’s Free Birth Story

38+4

TOB:2136

W:2.47kg

“The day started like any other Wednesday, I dropped the girls at kinder + headed to my TCM appointment. When I got there I felt some pressure in my pelvis, but at 38 + 4 I wasn't surprised. I had a gorgeous session with Sarah + acupuncture felt great. I always felt so safe under her care. I had a contraction as I was leaving + told Sarah I think the baby is coming today. We laughed together as she said "you've got this" I drove to the shops as I wanted coconut water. I ended up filling a whole trolley + clearly nesting instinct kicking in for birth I stocked up on everything. I wobbled my way through the checkout + made my way to the car with the help of a kind man who helped me get the trolley to the car. Drove home + unloaded the groceries. I felt a bit of pressure but nothing serious. I had a quick video call with my folks + told my mum I think the baby is coming. I remember my dad saying " you look fine, not like a lady who's having a baby" I felt so strong + just getting on with the day. I headed to my chiropractor appointment + Stas met me there as he was also getting an adjustment. I giggled my way through my adjustment + also told my chiropractor the baby is coming today. We all laughed + he added "You're a pro Rima, let me know the good news" Both my practitioners knew my plan to freebirth at home. It felt so safe + supportive that they knew I was capable. I was starting to feel a little tired. I hadn't really eaten or rested. Both Stas + I picked up the girls from kinder. He took the girls home + I got drive through for dinner for the family. Once home I told Stas to blow up the birth pool. He got it started while I did the dishes, swept the floor + kept tidying up. Light contractions, not regular or painful. The girls loved playing in the birth pool, no water in it yet. I texted my birth support team letting them know the baby is coming. We needed support for the girls just in case I had to be transferred to hospital. Children were not allowed at LGH. They all gave me the thumbs up + said "you got this mama, you're so brave, good luck" I knew luck had nothing to do with it, so ready, so prepared, so excited.

Knowing the baby was coming meant I also messaged my friend + birth photographer Sheridan. I sent her a text giving her the heads up that tonight was the night. Sheridan was also on board + respected our decision to freebirth. She was excited for us + let me know "don't text, call when you need me!" It was only the day before another one of her clients had had their baby + things escalated so quick she didn't make it in time. I felt so steady, not much pain, just some pressure + continued spending time with my girls before another sibling was about to emerge + rock their worlds. The house was tidy, I prepared my birthing towels, soft blankets, pillows + fresh clothes laid out. The birth pool was set up in our lounge room. Right by the fireplace. The fire had been lit for a few hours so the house was warm, cozy + just how I envisioned it unfolding. The firelight danced around the dim room as I swayed in small circles in front of the embers. Stas always checking in, hugs, kisses + excited giggles. I could sense he was a little nervous but had complete faith in my abilities so we laughed + fist pumped "we got this!" We've always done things our own way, on our terms + in full support of one another. It felt so special to be birthing our third babe in our home, on our soil, our future. It was powerful. All my love hormones were doing their thing, oxytocin flowing + I was cruising, floating, getting ready to meet our new babe. I noticed it was 8:45pm on our microwave clock. I wasn't pressured to label my stage of birth. There was no need to check dilation. I felt safe, all things just moving along. Still not much pain, just pressure below. Birthing at home was a choice for me as I wanted my girls to be there, to share the experience. To see birth from another light. A positive place of deep wisdom + intuition. I had planned to wake them once the baby was really close. That hadn't happened so we put the girls to bed

Stas lay down with River + I beside Juniper. We all bed share. It had been about 10 mins + I experienced my first real surge. My body moved onto all fours to allow baby the space to do what they needed. The pressure was so low now. I breathed through the intensity, gave Juniper one last kiss + rolled off the bed. I immediately got onto the phone to Sheridan + told her to head on over as I was going to have a quick shower before things really ramped up. It was 9:06pm. I wanted a few photos of me in labour this time around. I missed not having any from my other 2 births. Stas was filling up the birth pool + had a few pots on the stove boiling. I had never birthed in water before. I was so keen to experience it + had read it was a good idea to have hot water ready to add as pool water can cool quite quick. I was in the shower, water as hot as I could handle. It blasted such relief on my lower back. I hunched over as another surge came through. I took a deep long breath + sighed out the pressure. I was vocal. I wanted to sing. 'Lightning Crashes' by Live played in my head + I released "Oh, now feel it coming back again. Like a rolling thunder chasing the wind. Forces pulling from the centre of the Earth again. I can feel it" I welcomed the next surge as I continued to sing + felt deep strength in myself. I was doing this. My baby + I were doing this. In the next painfree moment I got out of the shower, put on a bra + headed to the lounge room. I danced again by the fire, swaying in circles. I looked over at Stas as he was still guiding the hose into the pool. The baby felt so low now + I asked Stas to help me into the pool. Another surge + I looked down to see a single drop of blood fall to the towel beneath. I felt it all. My body surrendering to every sensation. Elated that I was so close to meeting my baby. This was transition. I felt so safe, empowered + calm. As I lifted my leg over the edge of the pool I lowered myself into what felt like heaven. A pool of warm honey delight. I had only just got both my knees into the water as I was upright at the edge of the pool. In one last surge I felt no pain + my body expelled my baby. Fetal ejection reflex!

Still in absolute shock + bliss I asked Stas if my waters had broken into the pool. He readily replied with "Nope! It's the baby! The whole thing!" He scooped up our baby from the shallow waters + he passed me our son. It all happened so quickly, yet seemed slow. A few seconds felt like a lifetime. There was no time to wake the girls, no time to get the emerging head shot on camera. Our son burst into the world in one involuntary motion. No pushing, no ring of fire + no pain. None of the things my mind was prepared to experience all over again. I was not in control, but in the best way. His emergence was ethereal. We were in utter ecstatic shock. Stas added "Wow mama, you were made for this" I held his tiny body in my hands. Both his arms shot up into the air, open palmed + he took his first breath with the freshest newborn cry. It was at this exact moment Sheridan our birth photographer was knocking on our front door. It was 9:38pm. Exactly 32 minutes since I had spoken to Sheridan calmly, telling her to head on over. I thought we had plenty more time but our baby had his own plan. Stas let Sheridan in + without hesitation she started doing her thing. We had a small exchange of quiet congratulations + she continued to take photos. His umbilical cord was short, just like both my girls so it was hard to move around. I leaned my back into the birth pool + he lay on my chest. He was slimey + slippery covered in vernix. His cries soon softened to gentle gurgles as he made the sweetest little bubbles with his lips. He was a gorgeous pink, squishy human. He was perfect. Girls had only been asleep for half hour so we let them rest. Their love + energy was around but it was actually so wonderful to focus everything on our boy. The whole process of birth for me was to go with the flow so all was happening the way it was meant to. I was so high on the oxytocin + adrenaline. I felt lush, so feminine, so powerful + ready to birth a baby all over again. This is what birth could feel like. Spiritual, connected + calm. We all soaked up the beautiful silence, all eyes on bub. Stas added "It would have been the shortest time lapse if we recorded it" We all laughed.

It didn't feel too long + baby boy was feeding at my breast. It was a tricky few latches at first, slippery + disjointed as I couldn't lift him very far still attached to his placenta. He nursed + landed a little more earthside. It was so potent birthing with the new moon. I was still very dreamy when a contraction grounded me with such force. I had heard afterpains were more painful with each baby + it was not wrong in my case. I needed to move. Breastfeeding had stimulated my uterus + his placenta wanted out. Stas helped me out of the pool + I sat on the rugs in front of the fire. I had another painful surge + knew I'd be delivering the placenta soon. I was holding our son in his new golden towel as I squatted + out came the placenta in one contraction. It was so juicy, intact + I placed it in the bowl. It was very primal. Birth is messy + I loved being in control. My body had it's own timeline + was allowed to just be. There was no rushing, no checks, no intervention. I didn't need saving. I wasn't sick. I felt elated + deep relief after this stage. I felt such a deep profound respect for all woman who go through birth. I felt invincible. We just enjoyed our time together as a family by the fire. Stas held bub while I got dressed in warm clothes, fluffy socks + my postpartum undies. There was hardly any bleeding but I knew it would flow as I nursed again. Now looking at the time, 2 hours had passed + we clamped the umbilical cord. It was white, limp + just like calamari. I held my boy + Stas cut the umbilical cord. We still sat by the fire + just enjoyed the peace. It was all I ever imagined. I knew I'd take this power into everything I did. Midnight came + my firstborn baby River walked into the room. She snuck in close to us + met her little brother. She was so curious, excited + alive from that contact high. It was magical to witness, truly beautiful. We all moved together as a family to the couch + snuggled. Sheridan left us in our golden hours + we spoke all about how all our lives had changed that night. Stas took River to bed about 2am + I nuzzled my sweet boy on the couch until sunrise. I cried as I kissed his little hands, I bloody did it.” Rima