The Birth of Oliver Harvey (RI Birth Photography)

Here is the birth story of my lovely friend's son... Many people ask me why they don't see images for every birth I attend right away. For some families I feel that creating the space to digest their experience is in line for my reverence for the process of birth. When and if they are ready to share, we get to enjoy the beautiful moments their family had as they welcomed a new member of the family. My friend has also chosen to share her birth story. Much thanks, and happy first birthday to her beautiful baby!



On August 7th 2011 I was laying in bed and I could hear myself  moaning and I think I felt contractions while I was sleeping but I just stayed sleeping.  I woke up with bloody show at 6:30 which I had been looking for in my undies for the last 2 weeks- hooray dilation! As soon as I started walking around I felt the waves come on, I texted my birth team and Mary who was running a marathon in providence until 10am in the rain. She asked if I'd be okay until then but I wasn't sure if this was really it. I got up and cleaned and made the kids breakfast and they kept getting stronger with every step. By 9am I knew this was it ! The boys were jumping off everything and playing Peter Pan, I was getting very frazzled at that and knew that I had to settle into the labor. By 10 am contractions were 1-2 minutes apart and john and the boys set up the pool. John and I managed the contractions , John rubbed my back , put pressure on it and just held and kissed me which made the contractions go wild . At 12 Merav and Lisa came over and I was really uncomfortable. I tried sitting on the toilet and I screamed how much I hated it !! I decided to get in the pool to get a break and it was amazing , it felt so good and and the waves slowed down to a tolerable pace.

Then I was getting hot so I got out of the pool and was slammed with contractions very close and almost no break . I tried to labor on the futon but ran back into the pool and got naked. Just then Mary arrived then Camille. I said I would have  a baby before dinner and I knew it. I hung in there for a few more hours through the extremely intense contractions.

Soon I cried and moaned while hugging the side of the pool. Everyone was either encouraging me , putting ice on my head , cold cloths on my back or doing counter pressure.  At about 2pm I started pushing and it helped ease up these contractions. In between an awful contraction I gazed through my window and thought to myself , wow this really hurts but I'm so comfortable just being in my home and surrounded by amazing energy that the pain doesn't  even matter, I'm going birth my baby and its going to be amazing ! 

 They felt like my hips were breaking apart! Then finally I felt the urge to push and put my hands down to feel the baby. I had John get in the pool and sit in front of me and I felt this huge urge to push and some burning . I put my hands out and yelled wait! I got myself together and geared up . I pushed another 2 times and his head came into my hands and then his shoulders were there. It was so intense I yelled to Mary to get them out but then pushed and out he floated into the water to his daddy.

 Who said its a boy , and I said are you sure?? It was beautiful Oliver August Harvey was born !