Holland - Our Miracle Breech Baby

With our fifth baby, we sure had a lot of firsts. First time our baby was breech. First time my water broke on it's own. First time to not deliver in a hospital. First time to deliver a breech baby. First time to come home the same day I had my baby. First time to snuggle for an hour or longer before they even cleaned her up. First time my throat hurt so bad from screaming for so long and for so loud. First baby to sleep really well during the night. (Knock on wood). First time to have midwives deliver and not a doctor.

Every birth is a miracle. I mean, truly a miracle. I don't care how these little ones get here, it is down right miraculous what a female body can endure to get them here...safely. When we found out a little over two weeks ago that Holland was breech, we went right to work on how to safely help her to turn. My options with my doctor were, get her to flip, or prepare for a c-section. I had true anxiety at the prospect that I may have to have a c-section. Sure, maybe I'd be one of those very very few lucky ones that have an amazingly quick recovery and I'm up on my feet in no time, but the chance was WAY too high! How could I care for my other children and allow the recovery time to heal from a c-section? True anxiety people! So, when I was talking to a friend who has home births, she told me I needed to talk to her midwife about my options. It was my first glimpse of hope that things would still be ok. Talking with her midwife, led me to talk with several other midwives as well. They all said I could deliver her breech, especially because this was my fifth baby. Huzzah! I was not doomed for a c-section after all. Aaron and I made the necessary changes with my doctors office, canceled my version/induction date at the hospital, and went to work on trying to help Holland flip on her own. The midwives tried to flip her with a version, but Holland flipped right back upright. I laid down on an ironing board upside down each night for days. We hung pictures all over the house of head down babies in the womb, and even tried an ancient Chinese medicine called Moxibustion that has a 98% success rate of flipping the baby. Nope! Holland wanted to stay put, so we prepared to have her breech.

When my water broke Monday morning at 5:30, I was surprisingly calm. This was it! I felt like we were having our first baby all over again because I did not know what to expect, but I was calm. And so was Aaron.
On our way to the Birthing Center

In between contractions...until they became unbelievably unbearable.

Born at 9:56 am, October 28th, weighing 6lbs. 9oz.

Meeting her new family.

No pictures of Joe yet with her. He just likes to point and grunt at her right now. Hannah is making up for the lack of attention Joe is not giving her.

Traditional first bath given by Dad.

Two days old and simply perfect!