MashaAllah , SubhanAllah. I still smile to myself thinking of the events of this past Saturday. I was privileged to attend a home unassisted birth of a first time mother. I had missed a few births in the past few months because of home commitments and other issues, but somehow this birth was perfect timing. In fact, I was supposed to have a class that morning, but the mother had to cancel because she was not feeling well.
I got up in the morning thinking it would be an uneventful day, relaxing with my kids. My phone had gone flat in the night and so I charged it and got this mama's SMS at 7am, when she had already texted me at 6am. I rushed to get my kids fed and left them at my mother's house. Her husband was texting me to hurry as he was excited:) "No stop in surges for last 30 mins. Sorry to rush you".
When I got there, mom was on all-fours on her bed riding her surges. Rocking her body back and forth in silence. Her waters had released at 4am and apparently she had wanted to drive herself from her mother's house to her house to birth, but her husband didn't allow it. *chuckle*
I knelt by her to let her know I was there. She acknowledged my presence and returned to attending to her surges. She was quiet, breathing through her surges. She would occasionally scrunch her eyebrows and her fists and moan.
We reminded her to relax and release the tension in her body. "How do I do that?" she asked. "Smile" I ventured. And soon enough she started to relax.
"I'm comfortable in this position but my hands are tired". So we piled a heap of pillows against the headboard of the bed and she leaned on it, slightly elevated. This seemed to be her position of choice.
Her surges started to patter out and not long after, the tip of baby's head could be seen. Dad was excited by the sight and rushed to get towels. Mom's sister arrived to give support. Mom was still on all-fours breathing and smiling between surges.
"But every time I relax I can feel his head go back in".
"That's fine", we said smiling quietly, excited at this point.
A few relaxing surges later, baby's head slowly emerged, almost all the way.. and then stopped just at the lips, like a turtle-neck sweater that didn't come down all the way.
Time stood still.
Dad steadied his hands under baby's head.
"Mancungnya hidung dia!"
Dad and aunty couldn't contain their excitement.
Another smile from mom..
After a couple more surges, baby slithered out wearing his cord around his wrist and with his hands against his chest... as if making du'a :) SubhanAllah.
Dad received baby, and after mom turned around and sat back down, Dad put baby on her chest.
What a beautiful moment.
We helped mom take her shirt off for skin-to-skin with baby. Then her sister and I left the room to let the new family bond and enjoy their magical moment together.
The mother was ecstatic and incredulous. Baby was alert and taking in his new world with bright eyes. They were both tired and enjoyed a good sleep. I left soon after and learned that the placenta came a few hours after that.
Mother went to the clinic at night and got a few stitches (which she didn't appreciate) and was so happy and grateful for her beautiful birth and baby.
Alhamdulillah ala kullihaal! What awesomeness HE creates everyday in birth, through the simplest yet most profound moments.
I don't usually blog about the births I attend, because its the family's story to tell and not mine.. but it would be a shame not to share the sheer awesomeness of it.. plus mom gave permission.. hehe.
Congratulations and Mabrook to the amazing mother and father! May your son be the coolness of your eyes, and may you live to tell this wonderful tale to his children :)
Note: I do not promote unassisted cildbirth. This family decided they wanted an unassisted childbirth because they believed that it was the best for them. They are well-researched and informed and they made and informed decision. They were going to birth unassisted anyway, whether anyone was with them or not. I was just a companion.
I got up in the morning thinking it would be an uneventful day, relaxing with my kids. My phone had gone flat in the night and so I charged it and got this mama's SMS at 7am, when she had already texted me at 6am. I rushed to get my kids fed and left them at my mother's house. Her husband was texting me to hurry as he was excited:) "No stop in surges for last 30 mins. Sorry to rush you".
When I got there, mom was on all-fours on her bed riding her surges. Rocking her body back and forth in silence. Her waters had released at 4am and apparently she had wanted to drive herself from her mother's house to her house to birth, but her husband didn't allow it. *chuckle*
I knelt by her to let her know I was there. She acknowledged my presence and returned to attending to her surges. She was quiet, breathing through her surges. She would occasionally scrunch her eyebrows and her fists and moan.
We reminded her to relax and release the tension in her body. "How do I do that?" she asked. "Smile" I ventured. And soon enough she started to relax.
"I'm comfortable in this position but my hands are tired". So we piled a heap of pillows against the headboard of the bed and she leaned on it, slightly elevated. This seemed to be her position of choice.
Her surges started to patter out and not long after, the tip of baby's head could be seen. Dad was excited by the sight and rushed to get towels. Mom's sister arrived to give support. Mom was still on all-fours breathing and smiling between surges.
"But every time I relax I can feel his head go back in".
"That's fine", we said smiling quietly, excited at this point.
A few relaxing surges later, baby's head slowly emerged, almost all the way.. and then stopped just at the lips, like a turtle-neck sweater that didn't come down all the way.
Time stood still.
Dad steadied his hands under baby's head.
"Mancungnya hidung dia!"
Dad and aunty couldn't contain their excitement.
Another smile from mom..
After a couple more surges, baby slithered out wearing his cord around his wrist and with his hands against his chest... as if making du'a :) SubhanAllah.
Dad received baby, and after mom turned around and sat back down, Dad put baby on her chest.
What a beautiful moment.
We helped mom take her shirt off for skin-to-skin with baby. Then her sister and I left the room to let the new family bond and enjoy their magical moment together.
The mother was ecstatic and incredulous. Baby was alert and taking in his new world with bright eyes. They were both tired and enjoyed a good sleep. I left soon after and learned that the placenta came a few hours after that.
Mother went to the clinic at night and got a few stitches (which she didn't appreciate) and was so happy and grateful for her beautiful birth and baby.
Alhamdulillah ala kullihaal! What awesomeness HE creates everyday in birth, through the simplest yet most profound moments.
I don't usually blog about the births I attend, because its the family's story to tell and not mine.. but it would be a shame not to share the sheer awesomeness of it.. plus mom gave permission.. hehe.
Congratulations and Mabrook to the amazing mother and father! May your son be the coolness of your eyes, and may you live to tell this wonderful tale to his children :)
Note: I do not promote unassisted cildbirth. This family decided they wanted an unassisted childbirth because they believed that it was the best for them. They are well-researched and informed and they made and informed decision. They were going to birth unassisted anyway, whether anyone was with them or not. I was just a companion.
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