Babies pick when they are ready to be born. For Mano, this meant making his entrance on Sunday, July 27. This was when he was '37 weeks and 1 day' - babes are considered full term at 37 weeks, so he reached that milestone and was ready to go. Mano arrived one week after I had maternity photos taken. One day after I had installed the second (his) car seat in the car. One day after Ram and I had met with Heather Lyn (who would be our doula). Ideally, we would have had one more week of work to finish up a few things, but Mano picked the date, not us. Luckily he picked a weekend so Ram was in town (and not in Boston).
It began around 4:45 am earlier that day. I was sleeping, but then realized that my water had broken - not with a dramatic gush, but in small amounts. It ended around 17 hours later at 9:58 pm, and was the all natural birth that I had wanted. The best part of labor was that the last 'half' (from around 5 cm dilated to giving birth, which tends to be the most painful part) took place dramatically in the last hour! As a result of this quick movement through transition, I was in the tub when I felt the pushing urge set in, and after stepping out of the tub gave birth to Mano standing up in the bathroom (supported by Ram and Heather Lyn, with my midwife Kala ready to catch him, and after only four pushes). But let me fill you in on the in-between bits as well.
After I realized that my water had broken, I called my doula and the midwives. I hadn't yet begun contractions, but they told me to expect that in the next few hours and advised me to go back to sleep and rest. As soon as I hung up with them the contractions started. Not too painful, but regular (every 4 minutes or so) and not very long yet (just around 30 seconds). I started tracking them with my phone app so I would know their frequency and duration. Ram came over in the early morning and we had breakfast, waiting for the contractions to get stronger and longer (as advised, and doing things like walking to help them along). We even took a trip to Costco for an errand. After lunch, and knowing that second births can be much faster than first ones (my labor with Kavi was 70 hours!), we decided to head to the hospital around 2pm. The bags were already packed (one for me and one for Kavi who would be staying with Ayyamma), so we were ready to go.
At the hospital we checked in and it turns out that we had the same room that I delivered Kavi in! The nurses did their stress test (everything was good and he was a happy baby), I gave my birthing plan to them, and then my midwife came in to check how things were going. While I was only 2 cm dilated at that point, I was 80 effaced, which was more encouraging than the dilation number.
Once your water breaks, you are on somewhat of a time clock (24-36 hours), so I knew that I needed to be more active in helping labor progress than I had with Kavi. So instead of sitting on the bed, we were off to walking! Walking the labyrinth ('laborinth') outside, walking up and down the stairs, walking the halls. Mano loved the walking and being upright - the contractions got stronger and longer progressively. Though they weren't extremely painful yet, so I knew I had more to go. During this time, we had music going (Snatam Kaur) and Kala set up night lights (candle-like) and jasmine throughout the room.
Around 9pm I asked Kala to check me again since the contractions were getting a lot more intense (not transition intense, but approaching). Since lying back on the bed would feel pretty painful, I opted for a check on the birthing stool. Possibly partly because of this different position, she said I was around 5 cm. Only! That was the most discouraging part of labor. I wasn't sure I would be able to do it without pain relief of some sort. So when Kala suggested that we could run a bath, I was up for it!
While the bath was being prepared, I labored on the bed in child's pose - a very effective position! The contractions intensified to the point where I really needed to squeeze Ram's hand hard (I think it was the beginning of transition). In the bath, I continued to stay in child's pose (again, much more effective than when I was on my back with Kavi's labor). The type of contraction felt the same as with Kavi (and the pleas for help from God and use of swear words were both there again), but the number of them was much smaller thankfully. And after just a little time in the bath and feeling the urge to push, Kala checked me to feel Mano's head! I was 10 cm and ready to go. I was so relieved. Kala asked Ram if he was ready to meet his baby.
As described above, after stepping out of the bath it seemed like everyone was rushing in to the bathroom - Kala and the nurse were throwing towels and chucks on the floor, Heather Lyn and Ram were coming around to support me, and after one push out of the bath his head was out, and Kala said one more for his body. So he was born right there, with me standing. We all slowly walked to the bed, and there he gave his first loud cries.
He was small (6 lbs and 10 ounces) and perfect. He was red at first. He cried well. Then he nursed well and for a long time. He was beautiful. We are so blessed.
Loving welcome to our little Manohar. Manohar means beautiful one, beautiful lord, or one who wins over mind. It is an ancestral name and was Ram's father's name. (And in case you are wondering, you pronounce it like Mah-noe-har). We call him Mano for short, and Kavi calls him 'tambi' (little brother in Tamil).
It began around 4:45 am earlier that day. I was sleeping, but then realized that my water had broken - not with a dramatic gush, but in small amounts. It ended around 17 hours later at 9:58 pm, and was the all natural birth that I had wanted. The best part of labor was that the last 'half' (from around 5 cm dilated to giving birth, which tends to be the most painful part) took place dramatically in the last hour! As a result of this quick movement through transition, I was in the tub when I felt the pushing urge set in, and after stepping out of the tub gave birth to Mano standing up in the bathroom (supported by Ram and Heather Lyn, with my midwife Kala ready to catch him, and after only four pushes). But let me fill you in on the in-between bits as well.
After I realized that my water had broken, I called my doula and the midwives. I hadn't yet begun contractions, but they told me to expect that in the next few hours and advised me to go back to sleep and rest. As soon as I hung up with them the contractions started. Not too painful, but regular (every 4 minutes or so) and not very long yet (just around 30 seconds). I started tracking them with my phone app so I would know their frequency and duration. Ram came over in the early morning and we had breakfast, waiting for the contractions to get stronger and longer (as advised, and doing things like walking to help them along). We even took a trip to Costco for an errand. After lunch, and knowing that second births can be much faster than first ones (my labor with Kavi was 70 hours!), we decided to head to the hospital around 2pm. The bags were already packed (one for me and one for Kavi who would be staying with Ayyamma), so we were ready to go.
At the hospital we checked in and it turns out that we had the same room that I delivered Kavi in! The nurses did their stress test (everything was good and he was a happy baby), I gave my birthing plan to them, and then my midwife came in to check how things were going. While I was only 2 cm dilated at that point, I was 80 effaced, which was more encouraging than the dilation number.
Once your water breaks, you are on somewhat of a time clock (24-36 hours), so I knew that I needed to be more active in helping labor progress than I had with Kavi. So instead of sitting on the bed, we were off to walking! Walking the labyrinth ('laborinth') outside, walking up and down the stairs, walking the halls. Mano loved the walking and being upright - the contractions got stronger and longer progressively. Though they weren't extremely painful yet, so I knew I had more to go. During this time, we had music going (Snatam Kaur) and Kala set up night lights (candle-like) and jasmine throughout the room.
Around 9pm I asked Kala to check me again since the contractions were getting a lot more intense (not transition intense, but approaching). Since lying back on the bed would feel pretty painful, I opted for a check on the birthing stool. Possibly partly because of this different position, she said I was around 5 cm. Only! That was the most discouraging part of labor. I wasn't sure I would be able to do it without pain relief of some sort. So when Kala suggested that we could run a bath, I was up for it!
While the bath was being prepared, I labored on the bed in child's pose - a very effective position! The contractions intensified to the point where I really needed to squeeze Ram's hand hard (I think it was the beginning of transition). In the bath, I continued to stay in child's pose (again, much more effective than when I was on my back with Kavi's labor). The type of contraction felt the same as with Kavi (and the pleas for help from God and use of swear words were both there again), but the number of them was much smaller thankfully. And after just a little time in the bath and feeling the urge to push, Kala checked me to feel Mano's head! I was 10 cm and ready to go. I was so relieved. Kala asked Ram if he was ready to meet his baby.
As described above, after stepping out of the bath it seemed like everyone was rushing in to the bathroom - Kala and the nurse were throwing towels and chucks on the floor, Heather Lyn and Ram were coming around to support me, and after one push out of the bath his head was out, and Kala said one more for his body. So he was born right there, with me standing. We all slowly walked to the bed, and there he gave his first loud cries.
He was small (6 lbs and 10 ounces) and perfect. He was red at first. He cried well. Then he nursed well and for a long time. He was beautiful. We are so blessed.
Loving welcome to our little Manohar. Manohar means beautiful one, beautiful lord, or one who wins over mind. It is an ancestral name and was Ram's father's name. (And in case you are wondering, you pronounce it like Mah-noe-har). We call him Mano for short, and Kavi calls him 'tambi' (little brother in Tamil).
