Liam Carter
Holdaway’s Birth Story
We were so blessed to welcome little
Liam into this world on July 24, 2012. Our birthing experience was wonderful!
Our little family felt so close and there was so much love in that room. I’d
been having practice contractions that would last for a couple hours then
disappear since around 36 weeks. My estimated due date (July 15) came and went.
Clarke and I walked all over farmer’s markets, the mall, and the cemetery and
ate some delicious (but ineffective) eggplant parmesan to try and “induce”
labor. Babies truly do come when they’re ready. I think natural induction
methods really only work if you and baby are totally ready.
Clarke
and I went to a midwife appointment on Monday July 23 at noon. I was 41 weeks
and 1 day so the midwife asked if I wanted her to check me and see if I was
dilated enough to strip my membranes. I was 3 cm and 80% effaced! They stripped
my membranes and did a non-stress test (which was perfect) and we went home.
By the time we got home I was already
having pressure waves (contractions) about every 15 minutes. They told me to
take a nap when we got home so I got in bed and slept until 4 when I woke up
with much stronger pressure waves. I still hadn’t said anything to Clarke, not
wanting to get his or my hopes up. By 7 pm the pressure waves were every 6-8
minutes and very strong and spreading into my back. I told Clarke that I
thought this was probably going to happen in the next day or two (ha!). I’d
heard so many stories of first time moms birthing for 24 hours or more so I was
preparing myself for a long labor and telling myself to stay at home as long as
I could. I decided to get in the tub to see if it slowed down. The tub really
helped me relax. Clarke read me some hypnobirthing scripts and really helped me
stay calm, happy, and relaxed. By 9 pm the pressure waves were every 3-5
minutes! I finally called the midwife and she said she’d meet us at the
birthing center in an hour. During that hour I started having back labor so I
spent some time on my hands and knees and Clarke REALLY helped me by applying
counter pressure to my back and hips. I was so excited when it was finally time
to leave…until I got in the car. Luckily the birthing center is only about 15
minutes away and we arrived at 10 pm.
When we got there our midwife Shemin and
two other midwives (Karly and Aundria) were waiting for us. They checked me and
I was happy to hear that I was 6 cm and fully effaced! We decided to go outside
and walk around for a little while. We were walking for a total of 15 minutes
when I felt a really strong wave coming on and my water broke! After that the
pressure waves were a lot stronger and even closer together. I decided I wanted
to get in the nice big, deep, jetted tub and it was sweet relief! Being in the
tub allowed me to change position so much more easily and the water really
helped me to relax my muscles and progress more quickly. Clarke stroked my arms
and read me some more visualization scripts. He did a great job supporting me
and helping me stay calm and relaxed. At about 1 a.m. I told Clarke to get
Shemin because I was starting to feel “pushy”. She came in and checked me. I
was at 8 cm and in transition. Liam’s heart rate was a little bit high and so
they asked me to get out of the tub and into bed because they needed to monitor
him for an hour. I really recommend NOT lying in bed during labor. They said
that if his heart rate didn’t slow down they’d have to transfer me to the
hospital…It seemed impossible to get in the car at this point. I couldn’t
imagine how I could handle that so I really started praying that everything
would resolve itself quickly and we could stay. I got nauseous at this point
and threw up a couple times during that hour. I so appreciated all the support
from my wonderful husband and my amazing midwives Shemin, Karly, and Aundria. I
discovered that I am a clingy, touchy person during childbirth. I was always
wanting someone to hold my hands, stroke my hair, apply counter pressure to my
hips, etc. and I was so grateful for all the support I had. I started feeling a
lot of pressure in my hips as the baby descended and continued to feel the urge
to push. I pushed through several of the contractions during transition and
while I think it wore me out a little bit, I also think it helped Liam descend
faster. After monitoring Liam’s heart rate for an hour it was normal again!
This was such wonderful news! I really started wanting to push so they checked
me again and said I was complete! That urge to push really is uncontrollable!
When you gotta push, you gotta push. I got back in the tub and started pushing
at about 2:30 a.m. Shemin massaged my perineum with oil and helped me stretch
and Clarke was there washing my face with a cold wet cloth and holding my hand.
My focal point was Aundria who I felt such a wonderful connection with. I would
look into her eyes as I pushed and she would tell me “you’re so strong, so
strong.” I can’t tell you how much that helped me. The support I felt from
Clarke, these women, and my Heavenly Father was so amazing and I’m so grateful
to them all.
Soon after I began pushing Shemin told
me to reach down and feel the baby’s head! It felt so soft that I couldn’t
believe it was his head, but it gave me the motivation to keep going. Soon I
heard Clarke say, “Look at that hair!” They could see his head! I felt like I
was so close! I felt like I just needed to do one more push to get him out…but
unfortunately he was pretty stuck at this point. Clarke said with each push
he’d come down a little more and then go back up a bit. I knew this was the
“ring of fire” I’d heard so much about. The pressure was very strong and there
definitely was a burning feeling. At this point I was loudly vocalizing with
each push. I was SO loud! In between contractions I’d say, “I’m sorry! I’m so
loud!” And they’d laugh and say it’s fine and normal. I remember asking Shemin,
“He’s coming out with this push right?? He has to!” And Shemin would calmly
reassure me that he might but he might not and it’s ok. That it would be soon.
The pressure kept getting stronger and
stronger with each push and then during one I heard Shemin and Clarke say,
“This is it! Big push and he’s out!” I was SO determined to get him out with
that push so I bore down with all my strength. Suddenly the pressure and
burning was gone! His head was out and the rest of him just slipped out. The
relief was instant! They placed my beautiful baby boy on my chest and I felt
the most love and peace that I have ever experienced. Liam was so calm that he
didn’t even cry for a few seconds. Then he started quietly whimpering. His eyes
were wide open and he was so calm and alert. I looked at Clarke and we both had
tears in our eyes. We were a family and we couldn’t believe Liam was finally
here! We let the cord pulsate for a few minutes before Clarke cut it and took
Liam. He was so sweet holding his little boy for the first time, just staring
at him in awe and quietly talking to him and calming him.
My midwives helped me get out of the tub
and into bed to deliver the placenta. The placenta was much easier to get out than
the baby, but I was so tired that it took me a few pushes to get it out. I had
some labial tearing so Karly stitched me up while they checked out Liam. My
parents came by and we spent a couple hours talking and staring at and cuddling
baby L. It was wonderful! My parents left after a couple hours and we had some
family cuddle time and some breakfast. At 9 we decided we were ready to get
ready and head home. We got Liam dressed and put him in his car seat. He looked
so tiny in there! We went home and enjoyed the day resting and enjoying our
sweet beautiful baby boy.
Liam
Carter Holdaway was born July 24 2012 at 4:05 AM at Bella Natal Birthing Suites
in Orem, UT. He weighed 7lbs 5oz and was 20 inches long. I was in active labor
for 12 hours, transition for about 2, and pushed for 1.5 hours.
We
had an amazing natural, spiritual, birth. It was the most wonderful way to
begin our lives together as a family. Daddy, mama, and baby Liam couldn’t be
happier. :)
Our room at the birthing center
Loved that tub!
Meeting Liam!
Beautiful baby boy
Proud daddy!
Grandma and Grandpa
So in love with him...
Happy Family :)
