My Midwifery Care and Home Birth

By Teri Rouleau Click here for pictures!

January 2004 My husband leaves on a 14 week long work term and we have just found out we are pregnant with our first child. Having home birth was a dream for both of us and when Louise told me she would gladly see me I was thrilled. I visited her for the first time not knowing what was going to happen and I have to admit was very nervous she would think I was to young to hve home birth. Our first visit was great her energy was reasuring to say the least and for the first time my anxiety about the birth was gone.

Over the weeks she saw just me and it was a great relief for my husband to know I was in good hands if I needed anything or had any questions or problems. For me everyday was a blessing I had a great pregnancy and always felt safe and secure.

When my husband returned we went to see Louise together and I think that was the first time I felt truly blessed to have Louise, and the first time I saw how much anxiety the baby and birth was for my husband. Louise always kept a cool head and answered all his questions and smiled as all my husbands remarks.

Coming close to the birth we had a visit with her assistant and for the first time I felt nerrvous about the birth. We were seeing Cheryl Hartlin for our prenatal classes and I had told her about my nervousness she told me I MUST tell Louise and that it was not a big deal that we just had to fing the right person we felt comfortable with. She also told us that she was working with Louise again and would be happy to assist the birth. I was so glad to hear that and when I told Louise she was so supportive and said that she would love Cheryl to be there. So for only one breif moment in time was I ever worried about the birth and after that my mind was at ease and we were back on track.

My due date was Sept 10, 2004 and I was bent not to be overdue but come Sept 10 I felt nothing all day until 9 pm when I had VERY mild cramps and when I told my husband he insisted on call Louise. They felt so mild I didn't want to bother her but she was very glad we had called and she told us to go to bed early. The next morning around 6 am the cramps started to wake me up so I decided this was it I was in labor. My husband called Louise at 7am and I talked to her and told her what I was feeling she assured me she would be ther around 10 am after some breakfast.

My husband set to work doing dishes, making the bed for the birth, trying to fill the birthing pool and holding my arms for each contraction. I had found 2 places I liked to be 1. the toilet, it was a perfect hieght for me and 2. my excercise ball with pillows stacked on the couch to lean forward on with my husband on a stool behind me. Louise got ther at 9:30 am and they brought all the stuff from the car and she got settled and wtched a few contractions and the checked me for the first time. At 10:30 am I was 5cm dialated and I can't tell you how being told you are half way there helps the moral and gives you inspiration.

Just as I was done being checked Louise phone rang she had a client in New Brunswick go into labour just then and I must saw I felt awful I thought she would go and help her but just as always Louise reasured me she was stying. I think I wanted to be checked again and I asked her "Will you check me if you have time?" and she replied "I'm not leaving until this baby is born and well after that!!" I think both my husband and myself were forever greatful at that moment. She professionaly arranged a Midwife to be on standby to go to the other birth if neccesary and returned her focus to us.

So while I am back and forth from toilet to couch my husband has tried to get the pool blown up several times. During each contraction Louise looks on and rubs my back, with miracle oil, gently to easy the pain in my lower back. I remember during one rest around 12 pm I asked Louise if she thought I would have the baby today and she said we would be going to bed with the baby that night and I remarked "Before 4 pm" she told me not to get my hopes up. Around this time I remember Luoise sending my husband for something to eat for 10 minutes and I wanted to scream NO that is 2 contractions but I let him go and i could smell the amazing spegetti he had cooked. But i was not holding anything down so I didn't try to eat any.

Finally around that time they figured out what was wrong with the pool and after 5 or 6 attempts they got the pool blown up and started filling with water. As soon as the pool was half full I jumped into it and never left. The pool was great cause you weight nothing and i could get up for contractions and lay back down in between with no effort at all. Louise called Cheryl the assisstant around 1 pm and then checked me I was 8 1/2 cm dialated and happier than ever that I was progressing so quickly. Cheryl arrived and her energy filled the room I was glad to have her there so is so inspiring and caring. Then around 2pm I could feel the baby coming down and streching me so I asked to be checked again and I was 10cm and Louise told us we would have a baby in a few minutes.

During the pushing I kept asking what my position was and later how much of his head you could see and Louise would measure it in quarters each time for me. My husband felt the head while you could see it and said "it's so soft" I think that was my favourite moment before he was born. Between the pushing I would think of relaxing so I could let my tissue rest, my biggest fear was tearing, (we had been doing streching massage for 6 weeks prior) and finally Louise said to bring my legs up closer to my chest the next time. The next contraction his head was born and I waited a minute and then the next contraction the body was born and he was placed on my chest in the pool with a towel at 2:42 pm (before 4pm). They then filled the pool with more warm water to keep us warm.

The cord was rather short and after laying there for 5-10 minutes I decided to cut the cord and he was taken out of the pool and i delivered the placenta. I then got out and ate some lasagna and we weighed the baby and I breastfed him. My favourite part afterthat was going for a nap in my own bed and Louise put an ice pack (a roll of cookie dough) on my back and I slept for what seemed like a day. Louise stayed until 9pm having a nap and then travelled to New brunswick for her next miracle to happen.

The following 6 weeks we saw Louise regularly it was so nice to have so much care for me especially and the baby as well. Even Cheryl would drop by to see us and we appreciated every time we get to see both of them. You both are more than welcome here anytime I want Joseph to know who helped bring him into this world.

Thank you Louise for the safe feeling I had throughout my pregnancy and still have to this day and thank you Cheryl for your openess and caring you give me a smile eveytime I think of you. You both are truly angels and will never leave my heart. I have sent pictures of that day and the most recent picture of him taken at 8 weeks old. It is hard to believe he is already 2 months old.

Happy birthday Louise I am sorry we will not be here to attend Dominique is gone again and we are going to visit him in the caribbean on the ship and then going to Joseph's Grandparents down in the sun as well.

This was the most rewarding experience of my life and I know this was a relatively easy birth but I give the credit to my caregivers including my husband I could not have done it without them.

With love to all of you!

Teri & Joseph Rouleau

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