Once apone a time I decided to have a home birth. My home birth had great things and not so great things accompany it. Utimatly, I think it all was great I learned much from the things I say are not so great so they are also great to me.
I recived a suprise guest in the event planned. My big brother Curtis decided to fly in with my parents to be here for the birth. I had not seen him in three years, I adore him and was excited that he would be a part of building this great memory of Gwendolyn's arrival.
The morning of October 6th I had a scheduled midwife appointment. I was 40 weeks plus 3 days. With my parents and brother in town awaiting Gwendolyn's introduction I wanted to try to get things started. So My midwife stripped my membrains and made me a super duper yummy drink which consisted of black kohosh, castor oil, and orange juice consentrate, with a wedge of lemon on the side, and the lemon totally helped. Really, I could smell the lemon as I drank threw a straw. I sucked the drink all the way gone.
The next hour was spent back at home trying to consentrate on not throwing up this yummy drink. I had a sick nausiated feeling. I kept it down by concentration and staying still. Dan was studying in my room near by as I accomplished this.
The next hour my contractions started they where consistent at two minutes apart and kept coming. I was excited but nervouse that they would stop. It came time for Azure and Corban to be picked up from school. Dan and I walked over and waited the half hour in between their pick up times. Still timing contractions they were steady at two minutes apart. It was slightly amusing to mention to friends that I was in Labor.
Back home I was feeling a bit tired from the walk and rested in my chair. Now I was visiting the potty about every half hour with the famouse castor oil response to drinking it. We called the midwife who came over to check me. I had been dilated at a two that morning (11:00am) at the visit now it was 4:30pm and I was at a three. Shortly before 6:00pm I got up out of my chair and started pacing the hallway. I called for Dan who was studying on the poarch, it was time for him to be by my side. The contractions now had brought me to the ground and I was on all fours swaying. Curtis was there assisting in comforting me along side Dan. We called the midwife who had said to call her back when there was a change in my Lobor pains. She lives down the street from me. This was defently a change. If I had a guess I would say I was dilated to a four about now. The midwife did not check me at this point. But suggested we get in the tub.
The water was drawn and I made my way downstairs to the tub. The midwife told me that my pains would regulate sometime during labor that my body would soon say how hard and how fast pains would come. At this point they where coming still steady at about one and a half minutes apart. Getting into the tub helped as a pain relief. I labored for some time turning a bit in between contractions. Cold wash clothes where held on my head and towels placed behind me apone my request. I was drinking a power aid to help me not become dehydrated from the pooping I had done. I asked for water but was told I really needed to have the power-aid. It was nice to drink during labor.
The midwife wanted to check my dialation and we had had planned that Dan would do that. he did and reported he thought I was a four and a half maybe a five. This bothered me I did not want to hear I was only half way and I did not want to be checked again. Dan's first time was painful and his practis was over by my say so. Dana checked as well and said that I ws about a five. She said I just needed my bag of water to break then baby would come down. She asked if I wanted her to break it. Dan and I agreed No we did not want it broken.
Labor Pain became very intense and I began to visit a place in side of me that holds great fear. I was sobbing in pain now. And wanted the comfort I have received so many times before in the past on occasions. I asked that the midwife and her assistant step out of the bathroom and called my father and my husband to come give me a blessing. Regretting that we had not done it before but releaved I could have it now in my time of need. Right at this time I had a break in my pains that seemed to last just long enough to recive the blessing with only one contraction. I think this was where my pains evened out. I do not remember the blessing Daniel gave to me. My father told me afterwords that Dan had given me a sweet bleesing and that the room was filled with angels. I asked him if his Aunt Gwendolyn was there, his response was he did not know. I wanted my father to stay and hold my hand for some time. I felt better having my two priesthood holders to labor with for some time.
Shortly after my father left, Dan and I where alone in the bathroom, I had wanted to get up in a vertical position, a birthing stool had been fetched for me to sit on but placed in the tub. Now I felt something pushing with so much pressure I pushed too. It was my bag of water breaking. It burst out across the tub. It was almost commical and had I been in a lighter mood would have laughed out loud and said wow ok baby wants out!
The midwife was called back in and after seeing one more contraction come over me announced Elaine, you are pushing. You are pushing, Elaine, your baby is ready to come. Dan was told to come from supporting my back to come get in position to catch baby. I said I need support where Dan had left me. And called for my MOM to come. I remember tearing at her shirt to push baby out. My mom put her leg up behind me to support me. I had no strengh to hold myself up, yet I felt I needed to be upright to push baby out. Baby Gwendolyn was born at 8:30pm. She was Delivered into Dan's hands. She was put into my arms. I think my eyes got big as this big baby girl was now in my arms. I could hardly hold on to her becouse of exhaustion. Others had their hads on her as well helping hold her up she was beautiful she did not have all the white verasomethen all over her. Even though she was not born in the water. Dana the midwife was suctioning her as we all waited for a cry from her. I could feel her in my arms sort of fade off like she was fading more than falling asleep.
Things moved FAST. Dana told me to get out of the tub onto the floor as the cord was not cut yet and she needed to take baby to the floor NOW. Dana begain CPR she was baged and Dana was giving her compressions. I was watching her and trying to accept either outcome. I had a calm feeling about me and knew all would be well whatever was to happen. I was hoping she would make it and thinking come on Gwendolyn you just got here, STAY. I watched her change colors she was now blue but there was still pink in her. I could still feel her there. Dana got her breathing and we all breathed in relief as. . .
EMS had been called the moment we had got to the floor. They now came into the bathroom annoucing themselves with a declare of HOLY SHIT! I looked at what they where looking at; a tub full of blood, a half naked, wet, bleeding, woman with a cord hanging from her to a baby in the arms of a woman in pink scrubs smeared with blood. Blood all over the floor.
Gwendolyn had been resuscitated by Dana and was now breathing on her own. EMS wanted to load us then and NOW! I announced that where not going anywhere. We explaned this was a planned home birth. I told them they could check the baby out and they could check me out. We cut the cord and delivered the placenta. Dana checked to see if I had torn, I had and would need to be stitched up.
EMS continued to push to have us taken to the hospital. Dad said his advise would be that Gwendolyn needed to go to be checked out. Dan and I talked about it and decided we could go in for peace of mind to see if they would find any reason that she would need further care. So into the ambulance Gwendolyn and I went. My first and hopefully only ambulance ride. Gwendolyn would be admitted to the St. Louis Children's hospital. I to Barns Jewish Hospital. The two hospitals are next to one another and I would be able to walk to and from the NICU. Walk I did it was about a seven minute walk and I was doing it without a wheelchair my first full night of our stay. Gwen was poked after every diper change and had to have an IV and was filled with antibiodics incase she had any infection in her lungs she was on oxygen. Getting aditional information from the midwife we could have had her checked by a pediatrition and put on oxygen for as long as she would have needed it which was about 40 hours. I guess that is just information now. With all the cords Gwen had it was a challange to feed her. after 48 hours of the test results coming back negative, it was then a challenge for the NICU to let her be released based on the facts that they where unsure how much she wa eating. I had done my best to prove to them that even though my milk was not in that this 8lb plus baby would be just fine nursing happily in a day or so once my milk came in. I think the NICU just was not used to releasing a baby who had nothing wrong who was 100% heathy after 48hours of being born who had not been given a bottle. I fought hard to help them see that they needed to show me they where pro breastfeeding. They did listen to me, but I give thanks to the prayers I offered to assist and that I was not a first time mother or a first time breastfeeder. Had these two things been in play with this senerio I belive we would have had to be there for a another few days and that Gwendolyn would have had to be given a bottle before we left.
So home after the hospital was sad because we did not get our planned home postpardum like we had imagined. It was difficult to know I had spent the first few days of Gwendolyn's life fatigued, standing for my own beliefs and none of it in the safty and comfort of my own home. My husband had tests at school for those two days after she was born and I was there by myself with a unwanted burden. Did we make the right decision, yes, but it was a hard desicion and I have regrets that I did not know more about home birth before doing it. I do however look at it the same as a hospital birth. I wish I had known more about breastfeeding before My hospital stay when Azure was born. But, there is no way to have that knowledge before as I do now after having succesfully breastfeed Corban. My mother stayed for another week to help with the children and where needed. I could not have done any of this without her. I am glad she was there. I think planning for a fourth well I just don't understand how to do it without a mother. What will I do if I can't have her?
So will I have another home birth? It is hard to say. I definitely belive I can make more effort to learn more and I can be better prepared in many ways. The natural birth I had was AmaZING I still can't belive I DID IT! But, I did the memory and the feeling are fadding but parts of it will always be inside me. I don't think I could have done the natural birth in a hospital. It's becouse of the way the birth was for me I was screaming and crying and I just don't think I could have ever really felt it all and let go the way I had to the same way I was able to in my own home. The sort of spaced outness or consumed inside my caccon of childbirth just makes me vunarable. I would be unsettled or afraid to let myself let go completely the way i needed to in a hospital. Now, could I make the desision to do natural in the hospital with a midwife or doctor I belived would support me completely? Well, The future doc or midwife that will be aranged for next time I will do my best to check them out completly to have a natural chldbirth in a hospital setting becouse I don't think i can risk my child fadding away in my own bathroom again. A hospital where there is more able bodies and minds that can give help if needed will most likely be the route next time around. Although, I know I can become better educated and take different precausions. Time will tell.
Baby Gwendolyn second day in the world. Her poor little arm with an IV attatched.
Here she has her oxygen tube on. The oxygen levels needed where never more than a whisper.
Here I am Mommy of Three! I have a look of confidence huh! That's the natural childbirth shinning threw!
This Skirt is a recycled tank top of mine. the headband was also part of the skirt. I am not in love with this skirt for Azure but it gives her another skirt to wear in the closet and it was good practice for me in making skirts. 
I can say I have now had my first set of contractions with Baby number 4. I recognized them from my Labor with Baby number 1. I was excited and joyful as I had 2, then 2more, then lost count after 6 or so. The strongest feeling I was left with was a feeling of wanting more.
Found this picture while looking at Little Girly things today. I want it as Inspiration. I have been doing a little school shopping for Azure and I LOVE buying her skirts to wear. I only found one skirt that was afordable and what I like so TODAY I would like to encourage myself to make some. Really how hard can they be. I am willing to try it. So I guess monday morning I will have Dan drop me off at PLATOS CLOSET to cash in the pile of clothes that does not fit me anymore. With that $$ I will walk over to HANCOCK FABRIC (they are within walking distance from each other for me) and I will buy some elastic. WISH ME LUCK!
I love my husband. I want to let the world know how special I am to have him. When he asked me to Marry him I did not know what to think. I asked my Heavenly Father who told me a very special message which I will never forget. He said" I have many worthy sons this one I have prepared for you" I trust my Heavenly Father with my whole life and am so glad I listened to what he advised me about Dan. Daniel is truly my HERO I can not imagine a more Happy life with any other man. The gospel teaches we will be together forever. I am so grateful he is the one I get to share Eternity with.
After being sealed in the Temple we where told to Multiply and Replenish the earth. I feel a sense of Joy that we are obeying our Heavenly Father. Although it is not easy to be a parent. Daniel and I are learning together. I am blessed with Daniel as my husband. My children are blessed to have Daniel as their father. I know our new little Gwendolyn will be happy to finally be in Daniels arms. He is a sweet father and will make all his little girls dreams of a father come true. 
October 6th will be Dan and I's 9th Wedding Anniversary. As we get close to this date I am excited to say we have been married for nine years. Although there have been times I wondered about our pairing. Times that I believed things where just to hard to keep going. Times that I have been discouraged because of the lack of $. The facts today that we have been faithful to one another, we have been faithful to our Heavenly Fathers the best we can and we keep trying to do better. After all this time without spending money on dates and scrimping to have vacations. It has been wonderful. I have loved the journey these past nine years and will love saying 10 years next year, 15 and 20 when they come. I love being married to Daniel T Duree.
He's too cute in a baby pink ring "silly BOY"
Here's his "buddy" Kelly again, he wanted to be just liek him! Where always on the prowl for good role models. Buddy Kelly may be Uncle Kelly, we'll cross our fingers for you Heather.
This snake always reminds us of the snake in Harry Potter.
Dan wants you to think he's the exhibit. Corban thinks he's funny!
Here's Kelly. Corban and him became good buddies. He now points to this photo and sayes, He's my Buddy."
Azure found a perfect tree to climb.
Grandma Bonnie, Austin, Azure & Corban all rode the Carusel. This was the only shot we got of Corban on a Deer. 
Becca Sure knows how to surf on her DADDY.
Azure is grateful to have an Uncle like her Uncle Ed. she thinks he is alot of FUN!
John did a great JOB of schooling Corband in the art of going under the water. Now Corban needs to master how not to swollow so much water and how to swim while being under water.
Becca and Azure played washers while Uncle Ed starts up the grill another gift from Jen & Ed. We trully are being spoiled by family. It has made school life so much easier. THANKS JEN & ED FOR ALL YOU DO! YOUR FANTASTIC<>
If your in the neighborhood, come over for a swim! We would LOVE to have you.
