Mr. Magoo, Yoda, and Elmer Fudd Part II

Part II

Trav unpacked the car while I walked around the birth center and got comfortable sitting and shifting my hips on a big birthing ball.

Side Note: Throughout my pregnancy I had been doing HypnoBabies. It's a selfhypnosis course that prepares you and helps you focus and relax for when the baby comes. We ordered the 6 CD self taught course online and I started it at the 26th wk of my pregnancy. I gotta say it totally helped me stay positive while I was pregnant. The course teaches you to enter hypnosis during your pressure waves and generate anesthesia so that you can remain totally relaxed.

Trav kept encouraging me to enter hypnosis, but I couldn't seem to focus. The contractions were getting more intense and closer together. There was a special Hypnobabies CD that I was supposed to listen to during the the active labor portion, but whenever I tried putting the headphones in my ears I would pull them out two seconds later from me moving around on the birthing ball.

There was a point in time that I told Trav that I didn't think I could do it. I didn't think I could make it through and I was beginning to see why so many women elected to have an epidural. Trav looked into my eyes and said that I could do it, that I was doing it right at that instant. The baby was coming he told me. I refocused and during the next contraction I told myself outloud "baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby." I can't tell you how many times I said it, but it helped to get through that one contraction.

The later the time went out the more vocal I became. So vocal in fact, that there were no longer words that came from my mouth, just yells. I'll call them yells, because that sounds less deseperate than screams (even though some of them could be classified as screams).

12:30am
There was one contraction in particular that I remember that I began to push. I grunted and bared down as hard as I could. One of the midwives (I believe it was Clarice) came in the room and said "That sounded like you were pushing." I confirmed that indeed I was and asked if that was ok.

Myself: "Baby's here."

She checked me and I was 9cm dialated.

They started to fill the big whirlpool tub.

I entered the tub when it was half way full. Trying to get into a squating position and not having much luck because there wasn't enough water to help me support my body, I elected the knees and shins position.

Myself: "I feel like my butt is going to fall off."
Clarice: "Shanna, I haven't lost a butt yet."

The head came.

Push.

Then the shoulders.

I couldn't see and neither could Trav because of how I was positioned.

12:52am
The rest came out.

I layed back in the water waiting for my baby. I was totally relaxed. Knowing it was a boy, before anyone told me. Just had that feeling I guess.

The tub was finally full.

It's a boy!

Just totally relaxed and enjoying every moment.

I pushed the placenta out and Trav cut the cord. Tiny little cord.

Barend Mayer Brack was born on September 8th, 2005 weighing a big 5lb 14oz.
19inches long with blonde/brown hair and deep blue eyes looking just like Mr. Magoo with his hat just barely over his eyes and his forhead wrinkled, just like Yoda with his lips tensed in just a certain way, and just like Elmer Fudd with his eyes wide and his round cheeks.

Thanks to everyone for all your support, meals, and prayers throughout the pregnancy and after. You've all been such an amazing help! Love You!