Introducing...

Maxwell Graham Moore

7 lb. 10 oz. 22 Inches

My labor started about 10:00 p.m. Friday night , slow and steady, but I knew it was different than the annoying Braxton Hicks contractions I had the entire pregnancy. It was about every 20 minutes the entire night. I had plans to take the kids to a Fall Festival at a local farm Saturday morning- I tried hard to convince James to take them! But he insisted on me going to be walking and moving... which actually stalled the labor a little. Thanks James!

So most of you know that I had planned a homebirth, and are curious to how things went. They went fantastically smooth! This was actually my hardest labor of all 3, my water never broke, which made for really intense contractions- I don't recommend! My midwife broke the cal as he was crowning. I definintely could have dealt with the contractions better if they were not accompanied by intense pressure from a full sac of water. There was never a time where I thought "I don't want to do this at home" because I had a wonderful company of midwives assisting me, and a supportive husband like none other. He dealt with the labor process along with me from about 8 p.m. until Max arrived at 1:29 A.M. He put up with the short temper and bouts of irritation and fury like a champ! I think there was only twice I blurted explicits at him ;-P 27 1/2 hours of labor could have been shorter if I had not been forced to go to a farm! And if my mind wasn't aware and hearing my kids in the other rooms all day. As soon as they went to bed for the night, things got going much quicker. I was able to move around and try different positions- of course none of them made labor feel good- but the change of scenery made things feel less eternal! My midwives listened to the baby's heart rate here and there to make sure he wasn't in distress. And he wiggled around enough to let me know he was getting in position too. James was my solid rock the entire process, letting me set the tone and doing whatever I yelled at him to do! I hadn't really planned out what position I would birth in- but the way it happened ended up being the only way I had actually pictured in my mind when I thought in advance about it. Which was, in James's arms with him supporting me up and giving me confidence and comfort. I know that he truly is my other half, things don't work without him. And I could not feel at peace or be confident in some of the paths we walk if it wasn't together with him. I think as women we tend to fear childbirth in general (especially our first experience with it) and consider that all of the risks experienced from some are going to happen to us. And the part we fear the most is actually pushing a baby through what seems like an impassible port of entry! The laboring part is much more difficult than pushing the baby out. The last part of transitioning the baby out is actually a 'hurt so good' type of adrenaline which produces an insane amount of oxytocin. This was my first birth without pitocin (synthetic oxytocin)- which overrides the body to naturally produce oxytocin. (If you've had an epidural, you've had pitocin hand in hand even if your labor wasn't induced.) To actually experience natural oxytocin makes the maternal experience a thousand times better- I had no idea what I was missing out on.

I hope you enjoy the pictures! We'll be up for visitors soon, I look forward to showing off my handsome little man. My fantastic bunch of ladies! Lisa, my main midwife (center, with Max) her partner Mary-stewart (also a certified midwife, on the left) and their assistant Jenny (on the right.)

James assuming the tradition of the first diaper