Stories

Layla Katherine

Layla Katherine is here! She arrived around 8:00 am on January 3rd, 2008. She was delivered by Kris and me at home on our bathroom floor. We are both still in shock but she is very healthy and I am also doing well. She weighs 9 lbs and 1 ounce, she is 22 inches long and her head is 37cm.

I was due on Christmas day, but because I was over 2 weeks overdue with my first, I didn’t think I would go then. I was induced with my first so wasn’t really sure how labour would progress “normally”.

My labour started Jan. 2nd around 9:30pm. We called the midwives around 1:30 and they came around 2:30 to check me out. I was 80% effaced and only about 2-3 cm dilated. After they checked me they decided to go home. I tried to rest but the contractions were getting too strong. I had a long bath for about and hour and a half around 5, by the time I got out contractions were coming every 3 minutes or so. I could still talk with them so I figured it would be another couple hours, even though they were really strong and painful. We live in the country and I’m stubborn so I didn’t want to call the midwives again, but now realize that I should have! We called Kris’s parents to come get Jordan and they arrived around 7:30. I was in a lot of pain and Jordan wanted to be with me but was having a hard time seeing Mommy.

Just after they left we called the midwives. They were on their way out. I screamed at Kris that I couldn’t do a homebirth. A minute later, I felt something come out of me and went to the toilet. The next thing I know I had a head coming out. Kris called the midwives back and then called the ambulance. Kris lifted me off the toilet as I have Layla’s head in my hands. I was trying to get to the floor and out she came. She landed on the floor. At this point Kris was on the phone with 9-1-1. He grabbed blankets and we got her wrapped up. About 15 minutes later the ambulance people showed up. Layla and I were on the bathroom floor as I was afraid to move. About 10 minutes after that the midwives arrived. Layla and I were healthy so there was no need for us to go to the hospital. The midwives stayed with us till about 11:30 that morning. Jordan came home a little after 4 to be with us. I think he is shocked as well that he now has a sister. I am tired and sore but doing well. I only needed two stitches. The whole labour lasted about 10 ½ hours. I still can’t believe that Kris and I did this by ourselves!