I had my second son at home with a midwife.  We didn't know he was footling breech, but I would do it over again in a second.  Because I was already dilated to ten cms an hour after the FIRST contraction, my midwife speculated that if I had been in a hospital they might have let me try to vaginally birth him.  But my OB (who I was seeing simultaneously) told me that in the hospital I would have an emergency C/S and never be able to vaginally childbirth again.

[This is] his birth story.

I woke up a week before my due date, having "piddly diddly" contractions that I had been having everyday.  My sister-in-law, who was due a week after I was, called and mentioned to me that she was having regular contractions and wanting to deliver first, I sat down at about 1:30 pm, determined to go into labor.  Well I was in luck, the contractions increased in intensity and length.

I called everyone (midwife, mil and sil) to come and started my relaxation.  I was handling the contractions pretty well until about 2:00 when I told my mil I felt like pushing.  She freaked (just like last time) and told me to pant.  The midwife got there at 2:15 and because I dilate fast, she checked me.  "Complete," she said, "but the baby's head is high".  Like I cared, now I could push!!

Pushed for a few minutes...  She checked me again.  She looked worried.  She told me that nothing was happening and the reason was that my water hadn't broken.  But Dh and I sensed there was something else to tell.  "What is it?" I demanded to know.  "Well I can't feel the baby's head."  Come AGAIN?!!!  Mil remarked that she knows the baby has a head because we all saw it in the ultrasound.  Midwife checked me ONE more time.  "Well I have some bad news," she said, "your baby is breech.  I don't know if the body part I'm feeling is a hand or a foot."

I screamed and DH hugged me.  I cried while Dh talked with the midwife about our choices.  "Well, we can keep on trying this (pushing)."  I shook my head vehemently.  There was NO way I wanted to keep pushing with no pressure to push on!  I asked her if she could break my water.  She said she didn't want to.  "Too risky," she commented.  She reminded us of cord prolapse and such dangers that can occur with breech births.  I did not want to go to the hospital.  She said she understood.  She then proceeded to break my water and checked me yet again.  "Its a heel," she said slowly.  The silence was unnerving.

I got on the birthing stool (same one I delivered my first on) and sarted pushing in earnest.  After ONE push his leg came out.  My mil told me that it was white, but then turned blue.  Everyone in the room was praying to whatever higher being they believed in.  I pushed and pushed and he slowly came out.  I noticed that he wasn't breathing.  They tried to make him breathe, but he wouldn't.  They handed him to me.  "Come on baby, breathe," I begged him.  Just as we we're about to give up hope, the little newcomer coughed and gave a hoarse whine.  All who witnessed this gave thanks and laughed as we could all breathe easier knowing he was fine.  He and I got into the birthpool, with his older brother following closely.  The calm atmosphere was in stark contrast to the earlier frantic scene.  My precious bundle and I were glad that was over..

Sincerely,

Nama Best