A Shower, A Spontaneous Homebirth and a Whiskey Glass - Lily's Birth Story

Like we so often do, I knew that today was The Day before I actually knew that it was.  My inituition nudged me a little bit and I hesitated as I sent Derek to work but, ultimately, the sensations that I’d been feeling the last hour were so mild that I wasn’t even convinced, myself, that they were the real deal.  Carter, who was not even two yet, and I had walked Derek to the door to say bye – something not typically part of our routine.  It was unspoken but the prolonged good-bye was like we all knew that today was our last day as a unit of three.  We closed the door behind him and I looked down at Carter and thought: “well, whatever this day brings us, we’re going to do it together.”  And so, my little partner and I, we got busy with different activities and distractions to encourage whatever was happening inside to continue.

We pulled out our “birth balls.”  Mine, a large blue exercise ball and Carter’s an oversized ball from the dollar store that was actually just the right size for him to sit on.  With surprising amount of balance and coordination, for a two year old, we sat there him and I, on our birth balls.   Him doing an equal amount of bouncing up and down and toppling off and me rolling my hips from side-to-side and forward and back as Paw Patrol played in the background.

Once the birth balls had run their course (I was working with a two year old so, yeah, we move quick) we decided on a walk outside.  For some reason, I’ve always been really hell bent on going for a walk outside during labour.  I wasn’t able to make it through during my first birth but I thought I was still early enough this time that it was a plan that made great sense.  We made it exactly one driveway over before it became really clear that, while this was a great idea in theory, the execution was more than I could handle.  And you know what?  That’s okay.  I wouldn’t have known unless I tried!  Sensations were closer together now and I had to pause and focus during them.  If I had to focus, it was probably best to stay in the house as opposed to on a sidewalk, next to a busy street, with a two year old who could dart away from me at any moment.

Next we tried the bath.  It became exciting for Carter when I said we could go in Mama + Dada’s “big bath.”  Again, sharing a bathtub with a two year old during labour (and while removing Kinesiology tape) was really one of those things that truly sounded much better in theory than in actual execution. Hint: it was not at all the peaceful, relaxing experience I’d envisioned.  As Carter belly-flopped from one side of the bath to the other and I riiiiiiipped the Kinesiology tape from my belly, cursing whoever’s idea it was to apply it, I started to lose patience.  Not necessarily with the process but with the external factors at play (*ahem* yeah - the toddler).  It was time to bring in the reinforcements.

Once Derek was home and on Carter-duty, I went upstairs and ended up in our shower.  It was pure instinct that got in me in there but, ended up being a wise move, as this is where I would stay for the next four hours.  In between sensations, I was vaguely aware that our doula had arrived and also our midwife.  Although, I’m not sure how exactly a midwife ended up in our bathroom – homebirth wasn’t in the plan so we should have been meeting her at the hospital.  Whatever the reason, I’m thankful for it because, inevitably, her showing up there changed the course of the birth altogether!

After her initial check, she sat back on her heels and said: “If we’re going to the hospital, we need to go right now.”  I nodded my head to show I understood while simultaneously climbing back into the shower.  Even though hospital birth had been our plan – a decision made as a result of months of blood platelet issues – I couldn’t wrap my head around leaving.  Around getting out of the warm shower into the cold air, around having to lean over to dry myself off.  Around having to put clothes on.  Around having to sit in the car for the 25 minute drive. No. Hard no. All of it.

Derek stopped, in his tracks and slowly turned to look at me, nothing short of pure horror written all over his face, when I said: “I’m not going.”  Our doula and midwife met the same statement with little squeals of excitement at the promise of a coveted homebirth.  Derek knelt down beside me and the pleading to go to the hospital, like we’d planned, began (what can I say, the guy loves his plans).  Seeing he wasn’t making much headway with me, he switched tactics and tried to appeal to our doula.  I repeated what I’d told Derek: “this is working.  I’m staying here.”  She nodded in agreement because, this really was working. It didn’t make sense to shake things up and potentially derail the good thing I had going on.  She left the bathroom and I could hear her say to Derek, who was in full-blown crisis mode: “Derek, she says she’s staying.  Now pull yourself together, man, it’s your wife who’s in labour, not you!”  Just kidding, she didn’t really say that last part – although, pretty sure she was thinking it.

A short time passed where it was only my doula and I in the bathroom.  Me, still in the shower, towels on the floor to provide a bit of cushion for my hands and knees and my doula crouched beside the shower door.  I had a moment where I became panicky that I would have to get out at some point but my midwife just laughed and said I could stay wherever I wanted but she wouldn’t be joining me in the shower.  Hearing that allowed me to further relax and accept what was to come – and come it did.  Almost instantly after receiving permission to stay where I was, I began to feel pushy sensations.  Our doula left to go collect Derek who, in what I can only assume was a bid to ward off his nervous energy, had been kept busy by the midwife and doula – they had him finding old sheets and towels and then making up the spare bed (which was really quite comical because I was in the master bathroom with no intention of ever moving to the spare room down the hall and around the corner - they just knew that what he needed was to be kept occupied).

Once the two midwifes, doula and Derek had gathered in the bathroom, I started pushing.  Doula, right beside me.  First attending midwife behind her.  Second midwife perched on the countertop recording notes and Derek – my dear husband – sitting inside the bathtub, face completely ashen, rocking back and forth with head in hands.  I’m not even joking. It was… dramatic. I remember glancing up at him one time – one time – and thinking: “NOPE.  Weak link!”  And I went back to focusing my gaze on the bathroom tile floor – focusing on the mesmerizing hexagon print and wondering how I hadn’t noticed before (probably because I’d never spent that long staring at it… because why would you?!) how it looked just like a beehive (the ‘a ha’ moment, ya’ll!).

One push.  Two push.  I’m not sure if it looked like I needed someone or if her experience told her to just get in there with me but she said: “Well, if no one else is going in, I am.”  And the shower door opened and in came my doula, fully clothed.  She sat on the shower bench, somewhat out of the direct water stream but still, getting wet was unavoidable.  I was still on hands and knees.  But when she came in, I raised my upper body so that I could hold her hands.  As I raised my upper body, I took one knee off the ground and planted that foot on the ground, almost in a half-squat.  One easy push in that position and the midwife was right behind me, hands out.  She caught the baby, for just a millisecond, before placing it on the shower tile in between my legs, immediately backing off. For, maybe a full minute, it was just me and the baby.  My body was blocking it so no one else could get a look.  Baby’s eyes were open, staring back at me as I started at it.  We hadn’t found out what this baby was – boy or girl – although we all assumed it would be a boy. And full disclosure, we were just a *little* (read: a lot) desperate for a girl.

As I stared at the baby’s lower half, I began to feel perplexed.  I looked up, quizzically, at Derek, who was now trying to peer into the shower to get a glimpse.  I looked back down at the baby.  Looked back up at Derek.  Looked back down at the baby.  Glanced over my shoulder at the midwife, thinking that this baby’s testicles were either really small or that was just swollen lady parts.  But, it couldn’t be. Could it? The midwife didn’t seem concerned - like you’d expect a midwife to be if, say, it was a boy baby with missing or super small testicles.  So, I looked back down at the baby.  Until finally Derek said: “What is it?!”  Locking eyes with him I said, almost in a questioning tone due to my complete disbelief: “We have a…. girl?  WE HAVE A GIRL!”  Cheers erupted in the bathroom from all of us - midwives, doula, Derek. It was a moment. A really good one. Number one on my life’s highlight reel.

After the placenta was delivered, I stood up on shaky legs and showered everything off.  The baby was passed over to Derek for skin-to-skin.  I came out of the shower and slowly padded to Derek and the baby in the bed, noticing on my way out, an empty whiskey tumbler on the windowsill (later learning that there had been a lot going on behind the scenes upon my decision to stay home. The whiskey tumbler was the result of a pep-talk gone awry between Derek and his sister – exasperated at how her reassurances that everything would be okay were falling on deaf ears she lamented that maybe he should “just go have a drink and chill the ‘F’ out!”  I’m not sure she expected him to actually take her up on that idea but before coming back into the bathroom when I started pushing, that’s exactly what he did in a, fruitless, last-ditch effort to compose himself).  Would you even believe that the first thing Derek said to me when I got into the bed was “That was AMAZING!  It’s SO much better being at home!”  While we all laughed at the irony of that statement and how easily he’d been converted. Coming from the husband who needed more doula’ing, coaching and reassuring than most birthing people our midwives have ever supported (yes, you’re reading that right - ever supported), it certainly says a lot about the magic of homebirth!

Looking back at this birth, there are some takeaways that are worth pointing out, especially for those of you who are reading this as part of your own birth preperation:

• Don’t be afraid to try different activities during your birth. Be proactive and come up with a list of things to try, before you’re in labour. If something doesn’t work, at least you tried and you never know until you try what will work

• Good support is key. It truly can make all the difference. Choose your support wisely.

• Be flexible. Sure, we had “planned” to go to the hospital - but, sometimes (a lot of time!) birth changes our plans.

• When you find something that works, stay with it! We had no idea I would spend 4+ hours in our shower or that our hot water supply would last that long but thank gosh it did - because once I figured out that the shower was what was working for me, I was not getting out!

This birth resulted in our little girl being born.  But the trickle-down effect was about so much more.  It’s hard to put it into words but to have someone, essentially a stranger, trust you and your body’s ability more than maybe even you did prior to that moment, is an incredibly powerful thing and an amazing gift to give.  That’s what this midwife did for me.  In every sense, she just sat back and let me do my thing. She was a bystander which, in theory, is exactly how it should be.  Her confidence and trust in me facilitated – gave me the opportunity – to have this lifechanging experience, one that I hope more and more women are provided.

Last thoughts: Derek wanted me to “go easy” on him with this story. When we look back at this birth, we laugh a lot - the nerves, being kept busy with those really random jobs, the rocking in the corner, the shot of whiskey outside the bathroom door. It added an amazing element of comedic relief which, if you know me, you know I love. It worked in this situation because I didn’t need anything from him. I was conquering this birth thang all by myself! His reaction to my game day decision to homebirth is understandable. He’d had his mind set on things unfolding one way and, at that time, he felt safer in the hospital. He’s since become a seasoned homebirth partner, since we welcomed our third via homebirth a year after Lily’s birth - with, to the great surprise of that same team of midwives, Derek acting solely as my “doula.” And, you know what? He did great and I use his experience with homebirth often when discussing options with my birth clients.

Five Reasons to See a Naturopathic Doctor for Prenatal Care

A few weeks ago, Dr Carley reached out to me to see if I would be interested in “talking shop” over Zoom. Would I? Would I ever! For a few reasons. One, a Zoom call is a great excuse to close the office doors, effectively muting the noisy children - my noisy children - behind them. Two, it meant I would get to talk to another adult. One who, like me, is mom to three young kids while simultaneously stoking (juggling?) her passion for helping women achieve their wellness goals as they relate to pregnancy, birth and postpartum. And three, I’m a big believer in naturopathic care, myself having used a naturopath during pregnancy, postpartum and for infant ailments. My experience with naturopathic care has been overwhelmingly positive - in other words, I’m a huge fan! There’s a use of creativity and a real desire to problem solve, in order to find a lasting solution to your issue, that I just haven’t experienced in the same vein with a GP. One of the things Dr Carley and I kept circling back to was our feeling that many women just didn’t know that naturopathic care could help them during this phase in their life. So, I asked her if she would be willing to put down, in writing, some of the top reasons a pregnant person might turn to a naturopath for prenatal care. I’m so thankful that, despite her extremely busy schedule, she said yes!

Dr. Carley Akehurst, Naturopathic Physician, pictured, with one of her three children

Top Five Reasons to See an ND for Pregnancy Care by Dr. Carley Akehurst, ND

So you just found out you are pregnant – congratulations! You likely want to do everything you can to make sure that you and your baby are on the right track. These days, it’s not uncommon to receive unsolicited pregnancy advice at almost every turn. But how do you find reliable and trustworthy information? Adding an ND on your pregnancy health care team can help you sort through those details and create a solid approach. Here’s how:

To Manage Early Pregnancy Symptoms

Early pregnancy can be a challenging time. You may feel nauseous or tired, have headaches, feel bloated or constipated, and have varying degrees of interest in eating. As a Naturopathic Doctor, I have multiple options to help with those early pregnancy symptoms. Acupuncture can be a nice way to address nausea and calm the nervous system. We have several options available to manage digestive symptoms such as constipation or loose stools, bloating, heartburn, or lack of appetite. A dietary plan can help ensure you get the nutrients you need without worsening your symptoms.

To Know What Health Products are Safe to Take While Pregnant

You might have heard that it’s good to take folic acid while you are pregnant, but what about other nutrient needs? What is the best form of folic acid and do I need a whole prenatal vitamin? How long do I need to take it? These are some of the most common questions I get regarding supplements in pregnancy. As well, many people want to avoid pharmaceutical medications in pregnancy and try something ‘natural’ instead. Unfortunately, ‘natural’ doesn’t always mean safe. A Naturopathic Doctor who is familiar with pregnancy can help you decipher what products are best for you.

To Get Answers To Your Questions

Feeling informed and empowered is incredibly important in pregnancy (and in parenting!) This is a time in your life where you will be faced with many different choices, and ensuring that you have solid, evidence-based answers to your questions is one of my favourite parts of being an ND. What does genetic testing look for? How do I protect my microbiome if I need antibiotics in pregnancy? What will it look like if I require a caesarean? While NDs don’t actually catch babies, an experienced ND can help you decipher common pregnancy concerns and prepare for your delivery in an educated way.

To Prepare for Post-Partum

Our culture in North America doesn’t do a great job of supporting women after having a baby. Typically, a perinatal care provider will see a patient until six weeks post-partum. Six weeks is still very early post-partum! Many patients can feel a little bit lost after this time. As an ND, I help families navigate these early weeks by providing well baby checks, helping with breast or bottle feeding concerns, providing nutritional support, checking on birth recovery and referring to other professionals when needed, running lab work to assess post-partum recovery, and more.

To Optimize Your Baseline Health

Your midwife or OB/GYN will often run screening bloodwork in pregnancy, but NDs usually interpret them differently. We want to make sure that nutrient levels are optimal – not just sufficient. This not only helps prevent pregnancy complications (such as ensuring you have enough iron to deliver vaginally), but it also protects against post-partum complications as well (optimizing vitamin d can protect against post-partum mood disorders).

Dr Carley Akehurst, ND is an evidence based Naturopathic Doctor living and practicing in Vancouver, BC. She has a primary practice focus on women’s and children’s health – including pregnancy, birth, and post-partum care. With over a decade of clinical experience as a Naturopathic Doctor and doula, Dr Akehurst brings a common-sense approach to healthcare. When not in practice, she can be found enjoying time with her husband and three young children. She practices at both Mint Integrative Health and Crossroads Naturopathic Clinic in Vancouver. You can find more information on her website here.