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{ Free-birth } Ciel Kate – January 16, 2014

Your Birth – Ciel Kate – January 16, 2014

As I crawled into bed for the night, I caught sight of the full moon and wondered if it really had the power to affect birth.  Maybe I would meet you soon.

At 4 am I woke to some occasional mild cramping – nothing different than what I had been experiencing on occasion over the last month.  I couldn’t sleep.  As morning neared I had the thought to call our midwife, but like a good doula I waited until 7:00am to let her sleep.  I told her it was no big deal, that the sun was up, and your 2 ½ year old brother was also up, so surely that meant these occasional cramps would peter out.

Within minutes of hanging up the phone, birthing waves hit me out of the blue, one on top of another.  This was the real thing.  Your papa and I quickly set up our ‘birthing oasis’ upstairs in our bedroom.  As a birth doula, I knew what order the layers and sheets on the bed needed to be!  It was perfect.  Little did I know we would never get there.

I headed for the toaster, knowing I’d need some energy.  I took a minute to send text messages to our family and our doula.  At 7:38am I messaged your great uncle and 91 year old great-grandma to say that today was the day…thinking I still had a few more hours of this.

I felt I needed to use the bathroom, and as I sat down I heard a “pop”.  My water had broken. It was 7:55am and suddenly I was caught in a birthing wave that didn’t stop at all.  With each tightening I could actually feel your head accelerating down the birth canal.  I knew I couldn’t stop this and I couldn’t move.  There was no pain. There was no pushing.  It was overwhelming and beautiful.  I yelled to your Papa to call the midwife and doula. I fell forward onto the bare floor on hands and knees, vocalizing with the intensity.  I reached between my shaking legs to confirm what I already sensed.  My hand firmly cradled the top of your wee head.  I felt like I had to hold you in and slow you down.  “The head is coming out!” I screamed to your Papa, who was buttering toast in the kitchen for your brother, “Get a towel for the floor!”  I knew what to do to safely birth this baby.  Everything I ever knew, both primally and as a birth worker was there.  Again I called – I imagine Papa didn’t think it was possible to happen this fast!  I heard your brother’s voice at the bathroom door say, “Why is mama making a funny noise?”  Your papa crouched behind me just in time to receive your head into his hands.  My body released you into Papa’s hands at 8:12am.  He passed you up to me through my legs.  As I clutched you to my belly I felt ecstatic and overwhelmed.  I cried and laughed at the same time. You let us know you had arrived with a small cry, which was answered by a distant “Congratulations you guys!” from the phone laying on the floor.   Our midwife was on the phone in her car listening to make sure you were okay!

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings
                       This image was taken by Leanne’s husband moments after birth, just before I arrived.

We had free-birthed you our daughter – Papa, your brother Kir, and I, as a family on our bathroom floor.  Your brother left briefly and returned saying, “Mama I got a present for the new baby”.  It was a wooden block from his toy-box bearing the letter “C”.  And thus he chose your name “Ciel” – French for sky – from our list of possible names.  We were huddled as a family when our doula/birth photographer, and then midwife arrived, about 10 minutes after you were born.

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

I birthed your placenta easily while you cuddled in my warmth still attached to your source of oxygen by your umbilical cord.

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings 

We then carried the placenta in a bowl over to the living room sofa where our doula had prepared a comfy nest of homemade patchwork quilts.  About 1 hour after your birth, when we were sure you had all your blood from the placenta, Papa cut your cord. You weighed 5 lb 14 oz, exactly the same as your brother did.

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

We were cuddling and breastfeeding and I was hungry.  Papa went out into the foggy sunshine morning to get freshly laid eggs from our chickens for breakfast.  While Kir played cars with your uncle, we all soaked in the pure joy of birthing our daughter into the world ourselves.  You were born into peace and familiar voices… and maybe with a little help from the moon.

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

 . . .

Note by Morag: As Leanne and Davids birth photographer and doula I knew there was a chance things would go super quick. As soon as I got the text that Leanne felt a “pop” I ran out the door and drove as fast as I could. When I arrived this next picture shows the moment I walked into. Her son welcoming me and Leanne beaming with joy holding her new baby. I may have missed the actual birth but I got to document the next few hours of Ciel’s life and bask in the beauty of this new family – I am blessed.

 

Vancouver Doula Apple Blossom Families- Vancouver Birth Photographer Morag Hastings

 

To read another inspiring home birth story here.

 

Morag Hastings is a Doula and Birth Photographer located in Vancouver, BC Canada. Come check out more of her work on her facebook page at www.fb.com/vancouverbirthdoula or feel free to email me at moraghastings@gmail.com.

 

Morag Hastings

Morag Hastings is an Educator, Doula and Birth Photographer located in Vancouver, BC Canada. Come check out more of my work on my facebook page at www.fb.com/vancouverbirthdoula or feel free to email me at moraghastings@gmail.com I would love to hear from you.

This Post Has 15 Comments

  1. natasha

    Love beyond words!!

  2. Nicole

    The most amazing, beautiful and precious birth I’ve read.

  3. jenn

    Wow, what a great story! Great pics too. <3 this one.

  4. Heather mccrae

    Such love. I so admire your courage and faith in what your body was made to do. Absolutely beautiful Leanne. Xo

  5. Kerri

    Absolutely beautiful! Tears to my eyes..

  6. Katia

    Tearing up here, Morag! Such beautiful images that they will cherish forever. And I absolutely adore how this is written to Ciel, and not about Ciel.

  7. Karen

    Wow I love this, amazing and beautiful.

  8. Raeanne

    Thank you so much for sharing! It’s simply beautiful!

  9. Leah Grace

    Weeping here. Such a lovely birth, and clearly such insanely lovely people. Thank you for this.

  10. Amy Barger

    Amazing. So beautiful. Xoxo many blessings to you!

  11. Sandra Moeggenberg

    Gorgeous. What a powerful story. Thank you for sharing!

  12. Miri

    Wow, amazing. Thank you so much for sharing. You are blessed!

  13. Justina van Baal

    tears in my eyes, what a beautiful birth. Hope mine wil be as good.

  14. Kaylee

    What an absolutely breathtaking story! Warmest wishes for you and your family!

Comments are closed.