The Reader's Digest Version of Ocoee's birth is that we had a lovely home water birth and Ocoee arrived at 10:30 am on Thursday February 17. Sheila guided Ocoee's head out and has decided that his head as it was being born was the most awesomely soft thing she had ever felt and that that moment will forever stand as a highlight of her life. Pete quickly joined the action and helped guide Ocoee's the rest of Ocoee's body out. All of our children were present and our midwife arrived about 1 ½ hours after Ocoee was born. We were totally thrilled with Ocoee's birth - and Ocoee and Sheila are both doing very well! Ocoee weighed in at 12 lbs 8 in and measured 23 ½ inches.

The Birth Junkie's version of Ocoee's birth follows:

I awoke with an intestinal virus about 3:30 am Wednesday February 16. One of my first thoughts was if I didn't feel so bad I would think this was pre-labor.....and my second thought was I hope I don't go into labor until I get feeling better.

By the time Pete left for work at 7 am I was convinced I had a virus and not per-labor so I spent the day trying to rest and recover.....just doing little stuff like laying around, reading, sleeping when I could......I even chose not to go to our homeschool potluck group - which my pre-natal appointment had been arranged around. Zoe (age 6) took advantage of the warm day and learned to ride a 2 wheel bike. I went out in the yard to watch her - but felt so weak I could only stay out about 5 minutes.

Karen, our midwife, arrived at 4 for the pre-natal and thought I might be in early labor....Ocoee's head was well engaged. I chose not to have a cervical check. Karen was fairly sure I would deliver before my 41 week appointment but we set one up anyway.

Pete took the kids off to Wednesday night church and I slept.....when he got home we watched a TV movie until 11 p.m. and then went to bed. We were awakened by the older kids a few minutes later with the announcement that 4YO Mariah had thrown up all over her bed. Finally we all got to sleep and I awoke about 3:00 am feeling like my head and body had been reunited. I had enough energy that I knew it would be okay if I went into labor.

By 3:40 am I was aware that I had been waking up with contractions about every 8 to 10 minutes for the last 40 minutes - so I woke Pete up and told him I needed to sit in the rocker as I was very uncomfortable in bed - and didn't know if I was in early labor or just plain uncomfortable. After a few minutes I asked if he would mind filling the labor pool so that I could sit in it....

He decided I was probably in early labor so he woke out 3 older kids up to help set up our bedroom for the birth - put plastic on the bed, plug in the crockpot etc..Amazingly Rowan (15 mo) slept though all the activity. She sleeps in our bedroom in a toddler bed.

After all that was done - they went out to watch a video with the younger kids who had also woken up. Actually 9YO Sean woke instantly when his older brother Seth (11) was awakened. Then he went awoke Zoe (6) and Mariah (4). We had not planned to wake them to labor was well established - but Sean's enthusiasm got the best of him.

I sat in the glider rocker for a while in our bedroom....Pete put some loud praise music on the CD player - which I had him switch to a nature CD as I was in more of restful mood.....We called our midwife Karen around 5 am as she had asked that we call her when we thought labor had begun. She said she had just gotten back from a birth about 2 hours from her home and wouldn't mind getting a bit of sleep before heading out again if we didn't need her right away. That was fine with us. She made a plan to call us around 7:30 am (unless we noticed a change) I had an egg and some juice for breakfast.

After a bit I decided more distraction would be good so we joined the kids in the living room to watch the video.

By then it was just about dawn and I wanted to take a walk around the farm before the "guys" came to work at 6:45. It was about 25 degrees out and clear... We first walked over to the lamb barn so that I could look at the newborn lambs. It was inspirational seeing the moms and babies - but the smell was a bit much in the barn - so off we went down the cattle lane toward the creek. The sun was just rising in the east coloring all the hills and spilling across the fields some of which still had the remnants of last week's snow.

I was reluctant to stray too far from the board fencing along the cattle lane as it was the perfect height for leaning on during a contraction. But Pete convinced me he could support my weight during a contraction so we entered one field and walked out to some rocks from which an bald eagle perch is clearly visible. The eagle wasn't present but it was fun to look for him!

The walk back to our house seemed incredibly long and I didn't really care if the "guys" saw me having contractions by the time we got in sight of the house..Contractions seemed to be about 4 minutes apart.

After taking the requisite photo of me walking in labor we came back in and I sat in the pool again. The contractions seemed much less intense and they started to space back out which was fine with me. I was getting overheated so I climbed out of the pool and settled in the glider rocker....At some point we spoke with Karen again. She had not yet gotten a chance to sleep - Pete said she come down here and sleep in the one of the older girl's rooms. I said that we didn't really need her yet and I wasn't sure if the labor was going anywhere or not . (Karen lives about 1 hour 45 minutes away) We decided to touch base again around 10 am and reevaluate -unless my labor changed tenor.

Pete laid down on the couch near the computer. I decided to go online for distraction. I also ate some yogurt. This was about 8 am (we had covered up or removed all the clocks at my request so my sense of time was a bit foggy -but the clock on the computer was working) I checked the February Expecting Board and read some birth stories that had been posted overnight and then spent about 20 minutes looking at the new baby photos on Andrea's page. I had very few contractions and the ones I had were quite mild. I was thinking about suggesting that Pete go onto work (he works on the farm w/i a couple minutes of the house)- but I knew he wouldn't go.

Instead I suggested we try catching some more sleep while the older kids did their chores and such... Pete tried to work my pillow nest around so that I could get some sleep between contractions. I think I may have gotten a couple minutes of sleep - mostly I just rested.....After a bit my back was hurting too much to stay on the bed so I got back in the pool thinking maybe I could lean against the side and put my head on a pillow and sleep for a bit between contractions (they were still about 10 minutes apart) if Pete watched me so I didn't drown or something.

It was very relaxing....We changed to a Northwoods Night instrumental tape with lots of loons and frogs and other animal sounds.....But again I got overheated so I got out to sit in the glider rocker and then I would jump back in the pool and kneel during contractions. I kept looking out the bay window at our backyard, the pond, the woods and cattle fields....The sun was streaming in the window...I knew if I was going to have a sense of what labor was doing when Karen called back at 10 am that I would need to go outside again to see if labor picked up. Besides I felt the outside beckoning.

Pete helped me get ready. He was such a good sport as the temperature was still below 32 degrees - not exactly sunbathing weather. I suggested Zoe come out and play in the sandbox while Pete and I sat in the cushioned redwood chairs watching. For some reason Pete had started cooking a pot of rice. I found the smell rather offensive. It reminded me of eating rice in the first trimester of pregnancy! He went to take care of the rice while I headed out into the yard. Walking down the deck stairs I wondered if my water was going to break....but I remembered feeling the same way when I walked down the deck stairs when I was in labor with Mariah - and she wasn't born for several hours after that.

Several of the kids got excited about going out - and decided to ride bikes. Heather (16) stayed in with Mariah (4) but Laurel (13), Seth (11), Sean (9) and Zoe (6) all went off to ride bikes with Rowan (1) going along in the bike seat on Laurel's bike. I cautioned the kid's stay in close to the house so I guess I *knew* at that point that I was *really* in labor.

After several contractions out in the yard - and some nice conversation in between I told Pete that I wanted to make more noise during contractions than I felt comfortable making outside with the "guys" working on fencing within earshot. We waited for one contraction to end so that hopefully I could make it all the way in and into the pool before another started.

As we were on our way in Heather called down that Karen was on the phone. Out of habit, Heather locked the glass door (it only keeps the breeze out when it is locked tight). Pete rapped on the door hard and his wedding ring hit the glass making a really loud noise. I was concerned that Heather would think we were angry with her -actually she thought my water had broken and that we were trying to get back in the house before the birth!

We sped on into the bedroom and Pete helped me out of my clothes so that I could be in the water before the next contraction....I kept saying get my socks off. (I'm not sure why I didn't just get in the pool with them on. LOL). I decided we needed a breather to calm down before we called Karen back.

After a few minutes Pete tried to call Karen- but her line was busy - so he had to try again a couple contractions later. We both spoke with Karen - Pete let her know that he thought I was in active labor. I was still unsure but told her I had never had this much labor and had it "go away". I also empathized with her dilemma of knowing when to come - particularly after being at another birth all night. I told her that Pete and I had decided it needed to be "her call" and she should come when she felt that she wanted too. I think she said she would finish a cup of coffee and then come. As Pete was hanging up the phone he told Karen she would probably make it but that we would be fine if she didn't. I shook my head and said "no way is she going to make it"....I had just gotten my first light urge to push.

On the next contraction my water broke. Pete chose not to answer my question if the water was clear - but after the contraction I looked and saw that there was just light meconium - nothing that alarmed either of us. Seth had come in and begun videotaping. I suggested we call the other kids and they came thundering up from the bike room in the basement.

The contractions had spaced back again - so there was a bit of time for everyone to get situated and get cameras or younger siblings in hand.

I parked myself sitting with my back against the pool and the sunlight streaming in through the window right where I was sitting. It was lovely. (The only unfortunate thing is that our video camera did not like the intense backlighting and the video came out a very poor quality with these wide, annoying black lines all across the image.....at least our voices are clear - the video is watch able by us - but looks like something with the tracking gone wrong....I imagine the photos will all be sort of dark too - but the birth was lovely so we have that memory!!!!)

I had a couple short rather mild pushing contractions and was a bit frustrated not to feel the baby's head when I checked - as my usual pattern is the water breaks and then the baby is born on the next contraction. I commented that I must need to stretch more.

Then I got one whopper contraction that sent me into a loud "birth song" of moaning and dinosaur noises....it seemed to have peak after peak after peak. I checked again - still no head. I hadn't felt any descent internally so I wasn't surprised.....just frustrated. I asked Pete if "it always hurt this bad." (meaning in my other labors)..... Good man - he said "I don't know". I wasn't thrilled at the thought of having another several contractions of that intensity. Pete suggested I get more upright.....which I knew I needed to do - but I was concerned the water wasn't deep enough for a water birth -plus the baby's head was right at my pubic bone making it difficult to move. (Pete knows I like to follow my body and that I don't like anyone making suggestions but he could see I was shifting around trying to find a more upright position)

Together we managed to maneuver me into a kneeling position with my head on the side of the pool. My perineum was still well under water. When the next contraction started to build I had a momentary thought that I might bite a hole in the top layer of our inflatable wading pool. Heather thought the same thing and was looking for a bit of clothing or a washcloth for me to bite..

Then I said "Head is coming"......and Ocoee's head was slowly born into my hands. His head was the most awesomely soft thing I have felt in my entire life - and I think that moment will stand forever as one of the highlights of my life.

Pete asked if I could feel the head yet. And I sort of laughed and said it was all out. I couldn't believe he couldn't see it. He said he ducked his head underwater to look and still couldn't see it....By then the kids were saying they could see the baby's face. Pete found Ocoee's head with his hand and he was able to join me in feeling its awesome softness - something we have talked about endlessly for the last few days.

He checked Ocoee's neck for the cord and said it was not wrapped.

I felt another contraction building and said the shoulders were coming.....then they seemed not to come as fast as expected so I asked Pete if he could help a bit. He gently rocked Ocoee back in forth and very soon I felt more pressure. "Here they come" I said.....and one shoulder then the other was born....."Shoulder is out! Whole baby is out!" I said.

Pete sort of one handed Ocoee to the surface while I turned around to sitting. My first view was Ocoee's genitals so I said "It's a boy". Seth began shouting "We've got a brother! A brother! A brother!!!"

My next comment was "He looks great. He is perfect" and Pete commented that "his reflexes look good". He looked quite strong and alert to both of us. His eyes were wide and taking every thing in and already he was trying to hone in on our voices. His color was purple and as soon as he drew a breath he turned pink. I also noticed how stubby his fingers looked compared to the girl's when they were born. Pete said he thought Ocoee was bigger than Rowan (who was 11 lbs. 3oz)

The next half hour passed in a haze of loving Ocoee. The pool was messier than after Rowan's birth but the little girls all wanted to get in with Ocoee. So they got their swimsuits on and came over to sit near him and touch him. Rowan (15 months) had the widest open mouth when she touched him - she was very excited but also a little fearful when he moved and cried.

Very soon I realized the placenta had separated. This was a thrill as it had taken 45 minutes to an hour with our last 3 births. Pete held "Grandma's" bowl - the bowl from a china dry sink - which had belonged to his mom - who had died the month before.....I stood with Ocoee in my arms and pushed out a big clot - and commented that it was a really small placenta for a baby the size of Ocoee. Seth noted that the umbilical cord was still inside me - oh well back to the drawing board....one more big push (remembering that placenta's do not have bones) and out squashed the placenta. I sat back down in the pool and Pete passed the bowl to Heather.....(who was quite a sport also as the bowl had some cracks in it and blood was leaking out down her pants - she said she didn't care) I suggested she place the bowl on the bedside table but Pete didn't want that placenta that high above the baby - as we didn't want all the blood to drain back into Ocoee (That can cause polycyphemia - too many red blood cells - a condition we encountered when Sean was born)...so we decided to clamp the cord long and cut it - then recut it later. All the kids who wanted to put their hands on the scissors while Pete cut. Heather dumped the placenta into a 5 gallon bucket that we had for bailing the pool. With those jobs done we just enjoyed Ocoee.

Ocoee cried whenever his body touched the water - so we decided the pool was a bit too hot for him and by that time I was ready to get out anyway and get some ice on my perineum. It had been stinging since right after the birth so I was thinking I might have torn. Heather settled into the glider rocker and Pete placed Ocoee on her lap - wrapped in the special organic cotton baby towel our friend Nancy had gotten us prior to Mariah's birth.....

I went in for a shower and when I came out the kids had organized themselves into a circle on the floor of the bedroom. They passed Ocoee around the circle so that each of them got a turn to hold him. Pete gently sped the process up so that Ocoee could get nursing. He wanted to make sure my uterus was contracting well.

I got situated comfortably sitting up in bed and he brought Ocoee to me. Ocoee latched on fairly well - he had only licked and nuzzled in the pool.....soon he made a big meconium poop - so he got a clean up and then back to my arms....

Karen arrived around noon and did a newborn exam on him. Several of us guessed he would weigh in the low 12 pound range. He ended up weighing in at 12 pounds and 8 ounces as best we could figure. Karen's scales only went up to 12 pounds so we had to guesstimate the extra.

I asked her to exam my perineum and she pronounced it quite intact.....a couple minor skid marks on my labia - which explained the stinging sensation and a minor tear in another spot the would heal well on its own.

Ocoee had a bruise on his shoulder which we decided came from Pete bringing him to the surface one handed.....otherwise he was prefect!

After Karen left we ate lunch and Pete posted Ocoee's arrival on the Feb Expecting Club and the Monocacy Canoe Club website. (We wanted to let everyone know why the Family Paddling Chairperson's weren't going to be at the meeting that night. LOL!) Later that evening I posted to rec.boats.paddle and the Mason-Dixon Canoe Club board. We enjoyed reading all the congratulations coming in!!!!!

Ocoee is doing great as is Sheila. We can hardly put him down - of course with 9 other people in the house there is no reason to be without a set of arms to place him in!