The Birth of Austin Carroll

The Birth of Austin Carroll

8 pounds 9 ounces

21 3/4 inches

at

1:21 am
Unassisted home birth

07/19/2006

This journey stared our like so many. Couple finds out they are pregnant they find a doctor/midwife they feel comfortable with and they continue their journey. Our journey was like this until I was 17 weeks pregnant. I was admitted for pre term labor due to getting the rodo viruses. Between 17 and 29 weeks I had different strands of that viruses 4 times. Each of these times I was admitted to the hospital. By the time 30 weeks came around my midwife told me that I was to high risk and I would have to find care else were. Unfortunately none of the ob/gyn's were excepting new patients. My only alternative was to go to the health department. That is where I found my saving grace. My midwife was knowledgeable lovingand best of all she trained under the world renowned midwife Ina May. At my last appointment she told me that she would see me tonight (but she winked at me) She knew we weren't going to show up at the hospital because of our convictions of natural labor and delivery. Ryan and I had prayed about having an  home delivery since I was opted out of care. We felt a peace that passed all understanding. This was going to be our last child (by birth) and we wanted it to be intimate and special.  Ryan knew how to deliver a baby from his experience being a fire fighter, I also was well knowlageable in the birth process...being a duola and studying the process so I could become a midwife myself. We also had a dear friend that we trusted to come up after the delivery to help us and answer any questions we had.  (winkwink,lol)

I started feeling contraction (mild) around 4 or 5 in the evening. I called the appropriate people to let them know things were starting to roll along. I fell asleep for about one hour when I was woken up to the waves getting stronger. As I let my body do what it needed to do, Ryan drew a bath, lit candles and put beautiful classical music on. I sat in the bath for over 2 hours riding the waves (contractions). As I moved into transition labor I began to doubt my strength. Ryan was amazing he talked me through it and we prayed for this baby to have a gentle entrance into the world. After a bottle of wine and a few laughs I felt the pressure that I have felt before. So I got out of the bath because we were not trained in water birth. As I sat in bed laboring my parents showed up. They were the nervous energy I was dreading from the start but the comfort I was longing for. My Dad kept on say "Melissa lets leave now, get in the car and go to the hospital." Ryan told him unless he wanted to have a baby in the driveway or in the car we were staying right here." Ryan then told my Mom to turn the video camera on. As I pushed I had so much power in my body I know this was the right choice. As my Dad said the same thing over and over again, I took a deep breath after one of my last wave and said in a calm voice " We have trusted the Lord for a great outcome and He will not fail us. He has brought us to this place and he will deliver us...literally." With that said I push Austin into this world into Ryan’s hands. (1:21 am)

As my Dad panicked, my Mom cried and Ryan did a ounce over at what he just did, I was calm and at peace holding my crying baby. Just then the door opened and my friend and her daughter came in. She helped my Dad to calm down and my Mom to cut the cord and she did the newborn exam. I told her before she weighed him he must be the smallest baby we have had because he was by far the quickest and easiest to deliver...seconds later she told methat I was wrong he was 8 pounds 9 ounces!! Wow we were all shocked!
Wrapping the birth up my friend cleaned up and monitored Austin and I, Ryan got ready for bed and my parents left. As everyone feel asleep I stayed up thanking God for his hand being on this process and admiring the handsome gift He had rewarded me with.

As I look back on that experience I would have not changed anything. Ryan and I had faith the size of a mustered seed and we moved mountains! There is no other experience in life that compares to this!!

Riding the waves at 10 pm

Ryan and I trying to slow labor down by sharing a bottle of wine.

Austin came out screaming!

Suctioning

At peace and in love!

MyMom cutting the cord.

Proud Daddy

Trying to get the cord blood.

Newborn Assestment

We did it!!

Now Tyler and Travis will see their new brother...

Proud grandparents

Up and about after 1 hour and 30 mins. What a great feeling!!

Finally time to sleep! 5am

7 am 6 hours old

On a side not the video camera was really never turned on so was only have the memories that are in our minds.