The Birth of Dixiella

It all started on the 2/5/22 I was 41 weeks and 5 days.

I found it hilarious I was in labour on Labour Day. I had my first surge at 6:30am but it felt just a strong Braxton Hicks. It kept happening every 10 minutes. I didn’t feel uncomfortable. Then at 8am I woke my husband Alex saying

"Today is the day".

My surges were still 10 minutes long and last 1 minute but still felt like period cramps.

I messaged my midwife Meg to let her know what was happening. I kept her posted all day. Then I messaged my photographer Kirby from Olive Juice Photography to keep her in the loop as well.

By lunch time after I put my 20 month old son Benji down for a nap, it started to get a little bit more intense, so I ate ice cream to help. My husband Alex thought it would be funny to make a joke right when I was having a surge, it made that contraction very easy but the one immediately after was twice as intense 😅

Benji woke up from his nap and he was a little silly and crazy. I thought I wanted him there for the birth but he was running around too much and kept asking me to follow him around the house, even though I couldn’t. So I called my mum to pick him up, my sister came and before I knew it, he was in the car and happy to go to his grandparents place. I messaged Meg to let her know that, and she said she was heading to her course she was teaching. I was still fine not having her there yet, so I said you go and I’ll call you when I need you.

By 5pm my contractions were intense enough that I had to really breathe through them, so I realised it was nearly time; I called the photographer Kirby, and then the Midwife Meg to come over. Both of them arrived around 6:15pm. I was still talking and laughing though my whole labour. Then I said to Alex and Meg I feel like I have to poop {like actual poop} so I went to the loo while still having surges, which worried me 😅 OMG such an uncomfortable thought. After going to the loo, I went back to the couch for a bit before wanting to get into the pool.

I was not in there very long before I started bearing down and my water released. I was unsure and said "I think my waters released, how do I know?". At the same time Alex said "Did it feel like a gush?" and Meg said "Did it feel like a pop"? and I said "Both" 😂.

I continued bearing down and I remember baby coming down, almost out, and then just shot back up like "I’m not coming on earth yet mum" and I was thinking I had the baby asking "Meg is the baby out?"

Meg laughed "no sweetheart" but it definitely felt like it. Then the next push or 2 baby shot out. Alex thought I had a leg twitch but no I was just catching the baby. I pulled baby up slowly out of the water and as I did it, I sobbed as I looked up and asked "Where’s Mae't?"

Meg said she on her way. "She missed it! 😭" I was a little upset she had missed it. I pulled baby out of the water and before I could even see the gender Alex said "It’s a girl!"

Omg my face when he said that was like 😩

I was over the moon! For 9 months I kept saying it was a girl.

After about 5 minutes maybe I asked Alex to come into the pool to hold her because I had the shakes and felt weak so he jumped in. I was still having surges and I had to birth the placenta, which I felt took so long!

After I had birthed the placenta I was helped to my room and it felt so amazing to hold my sleeping little beautiful girl in my arms.

Midwife It Takes A Village Midwifery (itavmidwifery.com)

Photo credit Olive Juice Lifestyle Photography

Hypnobirthing Practitioner Mother Moon Hypnobirthing