Cortlynn Diane

Say "hello" to the new little addition to the Thompson family!

My home birth story... On Thursday I woke up feeling "crampy" thinking it was a result from the castor oil that I had downed the day before. The "cramps" were coming and going all morning but nothing to unbearable so I cleaned the house (because the midwives were coming for a visit and hopefully get my labor started) and sewed a few things for Cammon. At about 11 the midwives showed up and decided to check me (this would be the first internal I had ever had with the midwives) and they were shocked to see that I was at 6 dilation and 90% effaced with no outside signs of labor. I still was a little skeptical about the whole thing considering I was 41.5 weeks and felt like I would never go into labor. We all decided that the crampy feelings I had been having all morning must be contractions and they left me with a breast pump and told me to get to work on that and hopefully I could get some of them really started. In less then an hour my contractions were down to 5 minutes apart and incredibly manageable... I was busy laughing and talking with Stephen in our room only stopping momentarily for each contraction. At about 2:30 I was moving into the serious stage of labor so I turned on some Jack Johnson and began focusing more on my contractions which were coming closer together and more painful (I would pace back and forth and drop to all fours once a contraction started)... I absolutely loved being able to move around and do what I wanted and not be tied down to anything. The midwives would occasionally come in to check the babies heartbeat and ask how things were going but mostly they just stayed out of me way. Very quickly I knew that I was moving into the last stage of labor and had everything turned off and laid down on the bed and began having very intense contractions. After about 6 contractions which made me want to die my body took over and it was time to push. This was the most incredible part of the entire labor process which only took about 15 minutes and was the only time I was actually vocal. At this stage I did not have to do anything because my body just instinctly knew exactly what to do to get the baby out. It was a perfect delivery with no complications (even though she was born at home... for all you skeptics) and was practically born in her sack of water... which really excited the midwives. I honestly imagined a home birth to be so different then what I experienced... I thought it would be a little more intense and serious and instead it was so calm and free and relaxing and felt wonderful to be in my own environment. Stephen commented on how much better the whole process was for me and felt so much more involved with the whole birth. For all those wondering... the mess was so minimal (I don't have stains on my sheets or carpet) the midwives took care of everything and made it look so easy and perfect. I am so happy with my deicision to bring Cortlynn into the world this way and am so grateful for a husband and midwives that supported my choice and kept me sane through my whole pregnancy.

Here we all are right after the birth...

Daddy and his little girl...



So happy shes finally here...




Baby Cortlynn getting weighed in... 9 lbs. 9 oz.




The wonderful midwives and our chubby baby girl...