11/15/2025
(part 4 of my why…)
Unplanned unassisted.
At 42 weeks of pregnancy.
A normal day, except the ultrasound the midwife requested, so I could have a few more days to wait for baby.
Older kids tucked into bed, a quiet house, feeling like “maybe tomorrow” would be the day, a hot shower before bed. Laying down the realizing these “warmup surges” were getting stronger. A trip to the bathroom. Then straight to the floor.
Membranes release. A quick hose into the tub and filled just enough.
The quickest labor. A water birth only made possible by the long gestation that gave ample time to have everything in place days/weeks earlier.
A quiet and peaceful entry, breathed out straight into mom’s hands. Witnessed only by dad and big brother. A nuchal cord. Skin-to-skin.
Out of the tub and waiting for the placenta. The arrival of a grandma. This is where found me a quick 30 min after the “you should come soon” text, thinking she’d catch labor + birth. And minutes before the homebirth midwife arrived.
It couldn’t have been more perfect.
After surrendering, doing the mind and body work, eating all the dates, etc…the only thing left to do was welcome baby’s choice in their birth. They have a voice and it often can be heard if we listen 💕