12/10/2025
✨This is baby Norah Joylynn’s birth story.✨
“It didn’t happen like I planned, but this birth was so joyful, sacred, protected, empowering and peaceful.
My first birth was a 3 day induction and it wasn’t the most enjoyable experience. Last time I was very rigid with my birth expectation, which I believe led to months of anxiety thinking about how birth went.
This time, I wanted a different experience. I wanted to trust my body. I wanted it to be joyful and peaceful. I wanted to leave room for plans to change, and to leave this experience feeling as though I was the one making the decisions.
I had my 41 week appt on a Wednesday morning, and I didn’t even want to talk about an induction yet- we said we would plan next steps at my 42 week appointment. Around 3 pm that day, I started cramping while at a friend’s house. Contractions picked up in the evening and even woke me up a few times. At 5:30 am Thursday, I got up. I was disappointed that they stopped around 10am. I talked to my doula about home induction methods, and she reminded me the best thing to do is just let the baby lead, do nothing and go about your life. The same thing happened Thursday night! Contractions kept waking me up, but by the time I was headed out of the door at 8, they seemed to be on their way to stopping. I remember tearing up getting in my car, hugging my husband. “This is going to hurt, very soon.”
Friday I continued having one contraction every 45 minutes, so I assumed it wasn’t actual labor, but signs it would come in the next day or so. I spent the day with my toddler and niece- tidying up, playing in the pool, napping, watching a movie, resting.
About 6pm I decided I wanted to go for a walk. My neighbor had told me there were pony rides at the county fair… so I figured this would be perfect! My toddler gets to ride ponies and I stay distracted. As soon as I stepped out of my car, I said to myself- “this was a bad idea” as my feet hit the ground and I had the longest, most painful contraction yet. I continued having contractions the whole walk to the pony rides (all the way in the back of course) only a few minutes apart, and heard someone whisper “that lady is having contractions!” as I was noticeably pausing, leaning over the stroller, and breathing through them.
I was still trying to say it wasn’t labor, thinking “it’s just the heat. As soon as I go home they will stop.” A lady even asked me if I was going to give birth there at the petting zoo!
As soon as I got my toddler got off the pony we headed straight to the van- a stranger even helped me push my stroller back to the van, as contractions were every few minutes and I was tearing up, having to focus through them. I called my husband, and told him to thaw some peanut stew, I think I’m hungry and need some nutrition in me before this really starts.
We got home at 8:30pm, and contractions definitely did not stop once we were inside. They slowed a bit, from 7-10 minutes apart. My doula suggested trying to lay down to rest, but i immediately hopped back up during my first contraction, and this is about when I realized yep- this is labor.
By 9:30 contractions were 3-5 minutes apart. We had planned to take our toddler to the birth center with us, but since it was bedtime we called my sister and they headed to come get him. At this point, I was having my husband hold my stomach during contractions, as having pressure seemed to really help the pain. At 10pm I had called the Midwife to let her know we would probably be needing to come in at some point tonight. But, she suggested we come in ASAP after hearing me over the phone breathe and moan thru a contraction and now they had been 2-4 minutes apart for 35 minutes. I never did eat that stew.
I had planned to labor at home with my doula as long as possible, but I called her and told her to meet me at the birth center.
10:30 pm: We arrive at Tree of Life Birth Center, intending to have an unmedicated birth. I did some contractions over the toilet, which was very painful. I tried some over a ball as well but quickly got in the bath and immediately felt relief to be able to rest and talk between contractions.
I don’t know how long I was in the water, and kind of lose track of time here. I know I used my husband’s hands and arms to squeeze as I breathed thru the contractions, resting and sometimes napping for a few minutes.
To try to get things moving, I attempted sitting backwards on the toilet, but could not get myself to sit on that dang dilation station! We tried a few more positions. My body began shaking between contractions, and was unable to really rest between contractions. I could feel my body and mind reaching the point of exhaustion.
I kept saying, “I can’t do this.” My doula reminded me, “You CAN do this. But you don’t have to.” Internally, I was thinking of my goals: “joyful, peaceful.”
2:30 AM At this point, I chose to transfer to the hospital for pain relief. My birth team helped dress me (I was about to walk through the hospital naked at this point, haha), and my husband pulled up the car for the drive across the street. I felt like I was sprinting up to the hospital room, where I waited on my hands and knees for an epidural.
3:30 AM After I received the epidural, I realized my mucus plug had finally came out on the walk over. My husband rested in the chair, and I attempted to rest in the bed.
4 am: My water breaks. I continue to try to rest.
4:45 I’m starting to feel a little pushy, so I get on all fours and do some practice pushes while the lights are off, no one around me. I’m thinking it’s time. I tell my doula.
5 am- My husband stands by me, the nurse walks in, kind of surprised I’m on all fours. (I had complete ability to move, even with epidural) I remind the medical staff to please not touch the baby after the birth.
5:15 am: The lights are dim, no music is playing, everyone is pretty quiet. I start pushing, I try a few different positions, until finally, squatting feels right. I feel the head, and am energized like nothing before, pushing even after contraction was over because I wanted this baby out!
5:43 am: Head is out, but with one more push out they come, and baby is placed right on my back.
I look at my husband, we did it, they are here! I’m laughing.
I get turned around and sit on the bed, and they hand me my baby. I embrace that squishy baby, and I rub them to get them to cry.
I lift them in the air to announce their s*x, “It’s a Girl!” I say with excitement!
I hug her. this child, who just led me on this journey, “She is perfect.” I sob, as the hormones rush my body. “She is perfect.”
After a few uninterrupted minutes, I look at Jamie, the midwife, and say, “well that wasn’t that bad!” Clearly having forgotten about almost feeing like dying only 3 hours previously. We all chuckle.
I look over every inch of her, her nails, her hands her feet, her toes. Husband right by me, no one bothering us.
It didn’t go exactly how I wanted it to. I wanted to give birth at the birth center unmedicated. But you know what- it was okay. I was confident of my choices. Our desires were respected the whole time, our time together as a family was honored. it was joyful. It was peaceful. It was the perfect birth of our Norah Joylynn- which means Light and Joy- when she very much is.”
