The Homebirth Free birth of Chantry Luella Gray

The Homebirth Freebirth of Chantry Luella Gray: 

I knew after the birth of Annestyne, that our next baby would undoubtably be born at our home. I also knew, that I wanted no medical professionals around. I wanted a birth my way, in my own home, and I knew we were fully capable of that. 

I began prenatal care at 14 weeks, and extinguished it at 40 weeks. The office I went to was very welcoming, and honestly I rarely ever had to go in. I wasn't considered high risk by any means, so I was able to get on a program called baby scripts. Baby scripts allowed me to skip the appointments that weren't really "necessary". The basic come in, check your weight, check your blood pressure, pee in a cup, and check your measurements, and be on your way. Through baby scripts I was sent my own scale and BP cuff, and as long as I was checking those once a week at home, it allowed me to come in less. The equipment was paired to my phone via Bluetooth and an app, and the info was synced and sent straight in to my midwife. So it was nice, and I got to get around a lot of dumb appointments. 

My whole pregnancy was completely different with Chantry, so I didn't expect ANY different with her birth. So when 40 weeks hit, and she wasn't here, it was to be expected. All of my babies have hit 40 weeks plus more. 

I went to bed Monday night (41 weeks), and all night I tossed and turned. I couldn't get comfortable, and I was having more contractions than I had been, but they weren't consistent enough to time. Around 5am I hear Hasting get up to go potty, so I figured I would get up myself and go to the bathroom. Maybe I would see a change, maybe not. Sure enough, hello bloody show. Not a lot, but for sure bloody show. So I decided to stay up and time my contractions for the next hour and see where they were at. They were coming roughly every 6-7 minutes. So I text Chad, and told him what was going on, and that i felt like today was going to be the day. We were out of orange juice, so I asked him to run by the store when he got off and grab some, and then come on home and get in the bed so he would be well rested. Chad text his mom and asked if she would come and take Hasting to preschool, that she at she would be here if I were to go in to labor while Hasting was at school and chad were sleeping. 

So Chad got off, got OJ, and came home. He hit the bed around 8am or a little after. His mom showed up and took Hasting to school, meanwhile I continued normal daily stuff (like cleaning and laundry). I had text my friend Mandy, who is a doula, and was to be a big part of my labor. I also text my friend Katryna, who was coming to photograph, to let her know I would keep her in the loop. 

Early labor overall ran from about 5am when I started timing, until about 10am. 

Mandy got to our house at 10:40, and between then and 1pm instead of focusing on timing contractions I was focused on keeping them coming. I sat down for a small snack, then we headed out the door about 10 minutes later for our first walk. We walked A LOT, all day, leading up until the birth. Our first walk was the longest, about a mile and a half. When we started our walking for the day, I could walk pretty well, and not stop, and I could talk through contractions. But by our last walk that day, I was stopping for contractions and not talking. 

We got home after walking for an hour, and had a small snack. Mandy also pulled out the amazing rebozo to help relieve some pressure. 

Chad's mom was very helpful with the kids. She picked Hasting up from preschool at noon, and came home and made them lunch, so that we could continue to keep things rolling with labor. My sister-in-law also showed up after Hasting got home from school, to check in, and to see if it was time for her to hang out, or if she had time to get a few things done she needed to take care of. 

Around 12:30 my chiropractor messaged me on Facebook to ask if I wanted to come in for a labor adjustment. I had messaged her early that morning letting her know I was in early labor. So Mandy packed me up in her car, and took me to the Chiro. I got an AMAZING adjustment, and I could just feel my body responding so well. While we were gone, chads mom laid both of the kids down for their afternoon nap. 

We returned home at 1:08 (yes, I know specific times because Mandy was hella awesome and wrote a timeline down for me during the day 🙌🏼). I used the bathroom, and we massaged clary sage across my uterus, and applied a tension blend to my back. We headed out for another walk at 1:15, and returned home at 1:44. Chads mom had went to Walmart after dropping Hasting off at school and picked up a few things to bring back. She had gotten a whole chicken for lunch for everyone, so I made some chicken and strawberries, and Mandy and I went out to eat on the deck. I sat on my ball and bounced, and moved side-to-side, and Mandy brought the rebozo out to help relieve pressure. I also had some honey sticks because I started to feel a little nauseous, and Mandy brought out a small container of peppermint cotton balls for me to sniff on 🙏🏼💜 

From 2:15-2:50 my contractions had started out timing every 2 mins 30 seconds and dropped to every 2 minutes. 

At 2:23 we went out for our last walk. By this last walk, I could feel the contractions really getting more harsh. I was hot, sweaty, and walking the speed of a sloth. I was stopping for contractions, and they were taking my breath away. Talking during them wasn't an option. We made it home at 3:03. We pulled the rebozo back out immediately and Mandy applied hip pressure during each contraction. 

By 3:15 I decided it was time to have Mandy contact Katryna to get her to the house, and that I needed to wake Chad up. I wanted my pool filled up. Contractions were at every 1 min 30 to every 2 mins. 

Chad woke and immediately started filling the pool at 3:30. Katryna arrived at 3:50, Hasting and chads mom woke from their nap, and Annestyne continued to nap for a little longer. 

Everything was just as I wanted it. Exactly as I had envisioned it. My oil diffusers were started, my labor plays list was streamed through the sound bar. I was surrounded by my people. My tribe. 

At 3:53 I hit the yoga ball. Contractions were rough. Chad provided support while I was on the ball. I realized I didn't have my labor necklace on, so Chad helped me get it on. 

I got really cold, and walked around with a fleece blanket on me for the longest time (and everyone else was burning up). At 4:25 I hit hands and knees and rested over my yoga ball with a hot rice pack over my lower back. I've always had severe back labor, and this labor was no exception. After a while, while still on my knees with my upper body over the ball, Mandy pulled the rebozo out to help relieve pressure. BEST THING EVERRRR. 

Also, I think I peed more than ever that day, despite the fact that I was pregnant and felt like all I had BEEN doing was peeing... it felt like it was MORE when I was in labor 😂 So I went to go pee, and at 4:40 I put my butt in that birth pool 🙌🏼🙏🏼

Honey sticks were also a life saver. Anytime I felt weak, I asked for a honey stick. And it was almost an instant gratification to my body. 

Once I got in the pool, things started getting a little bit blurry. Hasting and Annestyne were just amazing. When Annestyne woke up from nap, she immediately came to me and asked to hold my hands. 💜 Hasting made me a card, and handed it to me while I was in the pool. 

At 4:58 while in the tub I felt a rather large POP, and a bubble fluttered up. My water broke! 

I had asked Mandy at one point to not let me hang out in the pool for longer than 30 minutes, and once 30 minutes hit to have me get out and walk, get on my ball, go pee if I needed to... whatever. So at 5:20 I got out with the support of Chad and Mandy. Immediately a contraction hit me. I leaned over chad, and Mandy gently reminded me to sway, keep my hips moving. I started swaying and then it hit me. I got sick. EVERYWHERE. Not just a little sick, but projectile vomit sick. 🤢 And I felt the immediate need to crawl back in my pool. 

I got back in the pool, and the intensity of the contractions was there. The need to push was there. My baby was coming. I was going to meet our daughter soon. Pushing was HARD. I remember thinking to myself at one point "I can't do this". Every time I felt defeated I would look up at my affirmations. The two biggest that stuck out to me, and that my eyes kept looking for were "Each surge brings my baby closer to me" and "breathe baby down". I would talk to her. "Come on baby girl. Come on Chantry. Mommy is ready to meet you". As I began pushing, the song that I labored to with Fischer hit my sound bar. "Oceans" by Hillsong united was the song that I sat in our tub to and labored and delivered our sweet Fischer. I was a little uneasy about adding it to my labor list with Chantry, but something kept leading me to.. so I did. And now I know why. Fischer was there with me as I began pushing her sister out. Undoubtably. Literally as the need to push hit me, the song came on our sound bar. It was my sign. 💜🌈🙏🏼

I'm not even sure how many times I pushed, but for 3 or 4 pushes my body would push, and Chantry's head would crown, but by the end of the push she would go back inside my body. It was one of the most painful things I've experienced. It was reassuring to hear my family and friends say "your baby is coming", "there she is", "you're doing great". 

FINALLY, her head came, and then the majority of her upper body (from her waist up). While waiting for her booty and legs to come out, she was laying sunnyside up in the water. She opened her eyes, and looked straight up at her daddy who was holding on to her, waiting to catch the rest of her. It was probably one of the most amazing parts of her birth. With the next push she came out, straight into her daddy's arms. He laid her up on my chest, and a towel was thrown over her. A wave of emotions hit me, and I cried. I cried hard. 

I sat in the pool for a while (not sure how long) hoping my placenta would expel. But I was ready to get out of the pool and get more comfortable. So with no sign of it coming, we got out of the pool and moved to the bed (which Chad had prepped for us during the pool fill up). Mandy had put a huge flannel blanket in our dryer and got it nice and warm, and came and laid it across Chantry and I. Chantry must have been extremely comfortable, because she pooped all over me 💩😂 

7pm my placenta finally arrived. Chantry and daddy got some skin to skin time, and I was able to get some clothes on for the time being. Once I got dressed, we were able to do the cord burning process with the kids (and chads mom and Katryna's help). Once separated, the placenta was covered and put in the fridge, and we weighed and measured baby Chantry. I'm still in shock that my tiny little self delivered a 8lb 9oz baby 😳 

Chads mom cooked us an amazing meal for dinner (meatloaf, Mac n cheese, deviled eggs, mashed potatoes), and my sister-in-law helped the kids bake Chantry a rainbow birthday cake. 🌈❤️

Having our baby at home, with no pushy, annoying medical professionals present was amazing. My other babies were present. I got to take a shower later that night in my OWN shower. Get in my OWN bed. My whole laboring process was incredible. I got to walk outdoors, and not in hospital hallways. I got to eat what I wanted, when I wanted. My day was completely normal, I was just preparing to meet our baby 👶🏼.  We were surrounded by whoever we wanted there, and had such a deep connection as a family with our new baby girl. 

I couldn't have asked for a more perfect birth, nor a more perfect birth "team". I am so thankful for the knowledge I obtained while planning a freebirth, and I am so thankful for our 8lb 9oz tiny rainbow... who is now about to turn a week old 💜🌈🙏🏼