Positive Home Birth Story: The Birth Of Noah Sol [Part #2]

7 min readJun 8, 2022

This is a continuation of Part #1 — if you haven’t read that yet, check it out here.

Doula Arrives

Our doula Amy came over at 930am, + she could tell that I was already in it. I was still in bed [+ had no desire to get out of bed]. We turned on my “relax” playlist + I drink a bunch of electrolytes + coconut water. I ended up eating nothing the entire time I labored [just a honey stick] — I couldn’t even fathom food.

Basically, I would say “CONTRACTION” + Amy would do hip squeezes, Hypervolt, or electric stim [which I quickly realized I did not like]. Once the contraction was over, she’d massage me while I rested. Isaac always had his hands on me, too. That’s what I loved best — hands on pressure — to help with pain management.

My chiropractor was on her way over… but my pain was picking up so much that I couldn’t even think about getting out of bed. Isaac told her unfortunately not to come anymore. Isaac was also in communication with our photographer… who I also said I didn’t want to come anymore… I was just in so much pain + I didn’t want anything documented.

Eventually, after laboring in bed for hours, our doula encouraged Isaac + I to take a shower together. She thought the water would be soothing + hopefully help ease my contractions a bit. She set up the birth ball in the shower + put our speaker in the bathroom… turning the music up. During contractions, Isaac would give me hip squeezes + I just did a lot of low moaning. The moments in the shower were very intimate + I remember just thinking… wow, we’re doing this.

For some reason the birth ball wasn’t comfortable at all for me — I know a lot of people love it during labor, but I think because Noah was so low, it felt excruciating when I was on it… so we got out of the shower relatively fast, even though the water did help calm down my contractions.

Back to bed we went… lol.

“The Zone” + Contractions Explained

The thing I was probably most curious about with labor was wondering: What does a contraction feel like?

First of all — “labor amnesia” truly is a thing. I remember that contractions were the worst pain in my entire life — but I can’t quite remember the feeling. The best way to describe it, for me, was like period cramps on steroids… but only in my lower back/sacrum.

A contraction would come on STRONG + I would feel so much pressure + tightening in my lower back/sacrum. I would stop whatever I was doing, brace myself, close my eyes, + breathe/moan until the painful sensation was over. I remember feeling a dull ache in my back even during the “rest” periods. At one point I remember telling my doula, “I don’t feel like I’m getting a break.”

Looking back, I can only smile thinking about my “birth intentions” — there was absolutly nothing I could do during all of labor other than focus on getting through every contraction. Everything that I thought I would *care* about — I didn’t. I could care less what music was playing, I didn’t want to read our letters, I had zero thoughts on journaling, I didn’t even want our photographer to come!

When I say I was “in the zone” — I was truly in a different realm. There were a few moments when my mind would notice something in the room + I wanted to speak up, but I didn’t have the energy to say or do anything other than breathe. I could not get words out of my mouth. All I could do was follow instructions… I was willing to try any position to help progress labor. My entire being was laser focused, desperately wanting to get. this. baby. out.

An unmedicated birth is no freaking joke. Was it hard? Absolutely. Is it possible? 100%.

Midwifes + Photographer Arrives

Isaac sent this video to our midwife, Abby — immediately, Abby responded: “I’m going to start heading in your direction.” Prior to that, our doula had me get out of bed + walk up/down the stairs… which made my contractions turn on even stronger. Isaac had also texted our photographer Zoe to come over [even though I told him I didn’t want her to come anymore because I didn’t want anything documented — I was in so much pain + didn’t think I would want to remember it]… + when he told me she was here he said, “I think you’re going to regret it if we don’t let her inside. You have always wanted this birth documented.” Finally, I just said okay.

Zoe, + the midwifery team [Abby, Johanna, + Emily] all walked in together around 2:30pm. The next couple hours of laboring are a bit of a blur. They checked vitals. They noticed that Noah was still super low as he’s always been, but there was something a bit off about his positioning + it wasn’t optimal.

I remember being on my sheepskin + just feeling so exhausted. I heard someone say, “Elisabeth, can I pray for you?” I said YES. A beautiful prayer was said out loud. After the prayer, Isaac said, Thank you Zoe. Immediately, my mind was like THANK GOD Isaac did not listen to me + instead, told her to come to our house. Multiple times throughout the next few hours I asked Zoe to pray out loud for me + it was some of my most favorite memories from the birth.

My Lowest Point

I did cat/cows to help with positioning. I did the stairs again. I honestly could not handle anymore hip squeezes… my hips felt so sore + bruised from being pushed on every couple minutes for hours upon hours. Johanna asked — “Do you want me check to see how far dilated you are?” I said YES.

I had felt such an intense pressure for so long, surely I was close? However, both my doula + photographer highly encouraged me not to get checked. They were worried about my reaction if I was only 3cm dilated, for example. Would I want to go to a hospital? They didn’t want to risk it. I listened to them.

A lot of people have asked me if there was a point in labor that I wanted to go to the hospital. There never was. I didn’t even have a hospital bag packed. However, my lowest point was that moment when we decided not to check my dilation. I remember asking Abby what laboring position would help me progress + she told me to listen to my intuition. BUT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT MY INTUITION IS SAYING?! I don’t remember if I said that out loud or if I just screamed it in my mind. I was extremely exhausted, + she could tell.

My midwife looked at me + said: “You’re exhausted, aren’t you?” I’m pretty sure I just nodded my head. She told to get back into bed with Isaac + rest — I would need energy to push, whenever that time came. Back to bed we went…

“I Think I’m Ready To Push”

I went to bed to labor with Isaac. The midwives did a few pressure points on my lower back + massaged my neck, which I remember feeling so good. Then, sometime later our doula + photographer came into the room to help me. I had six hands on me, putting pressure in different areas + just holding me. Isaac asked me if he could read the cards that we wrote to each other, which he did. It was a sweet gesture, but I was just not in a coherent headspace to absorb the words.

After laboring with excruciating pain for an hour or so… [side note: from 930am until 530pm my contraction pain felt the exact same: absolutely terrible], I remembered a “push position” that my friend who gave birth 5 weeks early told me about. I wondered what would happen if I got into that position + told people that I was ready to push. There was nothing that had changed physically for me, however mentally I was DONE. I was so exhausted + just wanted to move forward. How would they respond if I said I was ready to push?

The midwives came into the room, + I said: “I think I’m ready to push.” Abby told me to get on the toilet, stick my finger up my vagina + tell me if I could feel his head… + if so, show me on my finger how far up his head was. I did that + I said… I think 1 inch? She checked to confirm + immediately said: BLOW UP THE TUB! + then looked at me + was like, “Okay you can start pushing!”

… yes, on the toilet.

They put a garbage bag underneath me to “catch the baby” in case he came out before the tub was blown up. Here we go!