**All photos taken by Birth Unscripted unless otherwise noted!
Archer is now a year old as I finally sit down to write this. (And he’s 2 years old as I finally sit down to add photos and get it posted on our family blog!) Life has been so busy lately, even with being stuck at home because of things going on in the world. We have been burying ourselves in chicken chores, gardening, and outside projects. But this rainy morning I am making time to document Archer’s birth. Or at least, to turn all the notes that I have jotted down into a cohesive story. I am grateful for this rain and the downtime.
My due date was April 24. Sometime in the beginning of April, I jokingly started saying baby would be born on 5/6 because the number 11 is my favorite and those numbers add up to 11. Also because 5/6 was a Monday and Atticus and Lorelei were both born on Mondays. I never in a million years thought I would be right. I guess my intuition is stronger than I give it credit for! Logan was 41+3, Atticus was 41+1, and Lorelei was 40+6. I thought for sure that Archer would be here earlier than Lorelei, just because each time it had gotten shorter. Boy, was I wrong! But I was okay with it. Yes, there was the anxiety about not knowing exactly when I would go into labor and fear around going to 42 weeks or longer. That’s a normal part of the end of pregnancy for me, but I was totally okay with still being pregnant. I wasn’t ready for the pregnancy to be over even with all the sleeplessness, pain, and discomfort. Not knowing if he’s our last or not, I wanted to savor every moment. Every little kick and flutter— and even all the painful jabs to the cervix.
On Sunday 5/5 we went to Hatcreek to get burgers and milkshakes and then headed to The Heard Museum to go on a hike. I was 41 weeks 4 days and trying to keep the anxiety about getting closer to 42 weeks at bay. While we were hiking, Logan got bitten by a horsefly and was angry about it the entire hike. It still makes me giggle thinking about it. That kid can hold a grudge! When we got home, we rested and then got ready for the series finale of Game of Thrones. Chris, Julie, and I all sat in our bed to watch it and I could not focus! I wound up getting up half way through the episode to go to the kitchen. I was so nauseous and tired, but couldn’t sit still. I just wanted everyone out of my room so I could go to sleep! I remember standing at the kitchen sink doing dishes and crying. In hindsight, it’s because I was in early labor. I had been having contractions for months at this point, so I didn’t even pay attention to them most of the time. Finally they finished the episode and I was able to lay down and go to sleep.
I woke up at 1:45 am with contractions that felt different than the ones I had been having for weeks. I laid in bed for a while timing them and mentally preparing myself for the day ahead. I knew that this was probably it— Atti and Lorelei’s labors both began the same way, but I still struggled with when to wake everyone. I always have this fear of inconveniencing people— of getting the birth team to my house and then things not progressing or it not really being time. At 2:30 I got up and walked the house a bit, read and reread the “When to call the midwife” sheet that was hanging on our fridge, and had bloody show a couple of times. I woke Chris when I was getting back into bed. We laid there talking for a bit and contractions were coming every 3-5 mins by this point so he urged me to text Jamie. At 3:33am I texted her that this was the part that I unmistakably, undeniably hate! I love our little inside jokes. She immediately headed our way. I got up and took a shower while Chris got the birth tub set up. At 4am things were starting to get painful to walk and talk through. I was thankful that Jamie was already on her way! I was still piddling around the house… nesting. Tidying. Making sure that there was bottled water out and available for the birth team. Forever people pleasing. I popped my head in and told Julie that things were getting going. She was on big kid duty for when they woke up.
Jamie got to our house right before 5 am. We started with getting vitals— hearing baby through the doppler and finally getting checked, my first time during the entire pregnancy! I was at a 7. I had contractions around the room while the rest of the birth team arrived and everyone got set up. Jamie helped me through some contractions with hip squeezes, Chris helped through the rest with lower back rubs. 
Around 6 the birth pool was ready and I got in immediately. With each contraction I focused on keeping my breathing slow and my moaning low. I am very vocal while in labor— I’m pretty sure the poor kids across the street heard me while they were waiting for the school bus! Right after I got in the water, I felt like I needed to pee, so I got out to use the bathroom. While I was on the toilet I had another contraction that sent me to the floor, on hands and knees. I remember crawling through the bathroom yelling about how much it hurt and vowing to never ever leave the water again. It’s really incredible how much relief the warm water brings!
After a few contractions in the water, I started getting waves of nausea again. Chris did too. A combination of exhaustion and adrenaline made him get super nauseous. Maybe it was also a bit of sympathy nausea, haha. We worked through contractions in the tub, each one more intense, with Jamie and Chris taking turns rubbing my lower back. I tried to stay in the moment focusing on keeping it together. When I started to lose it, Jamie’s calming voice was there to guide me back. At some point the boys woke up and peeked their heads in to say hi. Luckily, this was in between contractions so I was able to say hi, but since I was in the middle of transition, I didn’t invite them in. They sat out in the living room with Julie, apparently listening and giggling at all of my crazy noises.
At around 6:40, I started pushing and about 10 minutes later his head was out. With my first 3 births, as soon as baby’s head was out, the body slid right out after it. That didn’t happen with Archer’s birth. I reached down and felt that his head was out, which is such an incredible feeling. I was ready to push the rest of him out and bring him to my chest but he wasn’t coming. I started to freak out, but luckily Jamie’s calm voice kept me grounded as we waited for the next contraction. At one point he started wiggling around and I cried out for him to stop moving because it hurt so bad. It reminded me of when Lorelei was born and I could feel the fingers of her nuchal hand moving around as I pushed her head out. As the next contraction began, I tried pushing and he wasn’t coming out. I started to panic. Jamie’s calming voice was there yet again to keep me centered. He still wasn’t coming despite me pushing, so Jamie had me change my position a bit to open my hips up a little more. With one last big push, he was born at 6:55 am. 
I brought him up out of the water to my chest. He was a little tangled in his cord so I worked to get it off his arm while the midwives listened to his heart and lungs. Jamie had me lay back on the little stool portion of the birth tub and blood gushed out of me. At this point, the midwives determined that it would be best to give me pitocin to stop my bleeding. I also decided that I wanted out of the bloody birth tub immediately.
Once in bed, the kids were able to come in and meet their new brother. Chris cut the cord while they watched. Logan was so worried that it was going to hurt the baby.
One of the perks of having a homebirth, and an amazing midwife like Jamie, is that inspecting the placenta can turn into a homeschool lesson, haha.
The moment of truth… this chunky boy weighed in at 8lbs 15oz. The biggest of all the babies… so far. No wonder he had trouble getting out!
Biggest brother looking on during the newborn exam to make sure everything was okay with the baby. Logan is a fierce protector of his siblings… and also the one who picks on them the most.
Then it was time for the herbal bath. As much as I didn’t want to get out of my bed, the herbal bath is one of my favorite parts. 
Finally, Lorelei decided to wake up. I still can’t believe she was able to sleep through all of the commotion in the house. It’s not like I was quiet or anything!
She was very interested in putting on baby’s first diaper.
