So thankful during labor for:
- Hubby, who knows and reads me better than anyone else in the world. After so many labors, I hardly have to ask for anything. He seems to know instinctively when I need a back rub, when I need a gentle hand or an encouraging word, and when I just need some privacy.
- Liquid calcium, still my drug of choice for labor pains and after pains.
- Birthing pool, filled to the brim with very warm water. The deck ended up being a great place, as we didn’t have to think twice about spilling and sloshing. As the water cooled, we just turned on the hose (hooked up to the hot washer valve in the house) and let it overflow, slowly heating the water.
- The shade that Hubby set up, using stepladders and a blanket.
- My frozen frapuccinos to sip – they sit so nicely in a nervous, laboring tummy!
- The fact that the computer was right between the pool and the bathroom. This certainly made blogging easier!
- A beautiful south Texas day. Warm and dry, but not blistering hot – perfect for an outdoor delivery.
Wish I had thought of:
- A tennis ball for massaging that same spot in my back that (as Hubby reminded me) has plagued me with every labor.
- Something to sit on in the pool during the actual delivery. The cushioned bottom was comfy for laboring, but a low underwater stool of some sort might have been more practical for pushing and delivery.
- More practical pool attire. I wore a short gown of cotton/polyester. This worked, but a lighter fabric would have held far less water. Mom joked that I should wear a negligee next time.
- A birthing ball. The more I think about this, the better it sounds. There were several times during labor when it seemed like the perfect idea. I want to remember to have one on hand next time around.
- The acoustics of our hilly neighborhood. Sound can sometimes carry in amazing ways here. I wonder how many neighbors heard me yelling during the last moments of delivery? And how many of them didn’t assume it was just our girls playing loud girly games? Gulp.
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