The Birth of Ewan

I was 42 weeks and 5 days with baby #6.  Stares, leers, heads shaking with sympathy were abundant, as well as the occasional questions of when I was due and if I were having twins.  Seriously people?

At any rate my anxiety was getting high and I continued to battle IBS and Prodromal labor.  I prayed, I stewed, I paced and texted my fabulous and very patient birth team (Midwife and Doula), way more then was acceptable.    Being the fabulous people they are, they reassured me, gave me strength and helped me gain confidence.

You see, I had suffered my second miscarriage before this baby and was completely shocked when I discovered I was pregnant as I had endured infections as a result of the miscarriage.  I was happy and terrified all at the same time.  I also felt the affects of being 10 years older then when I started and while my pregnancy was healthy it was tough.

As August came and went, I started to pray that this little guy would come on a special day in September and he most certainly did.  I went to bed around 1am on the 7th and awoke later to intense pain which were my contractions gearing up.  After so many false starts, I finally "knew" that this was the real deal, and with a history of fast births, my husband quickly started calling our birth team which consisted of a Midwife, Doula and Photographer.

All my kids were thankfully asleep and miraculously everyone got to my house. The bed had already been prepared for the pending birth, and I found the most comfortable and bearable position for me was on all fours, hanging onto a pillow while Bill rubbed my back.  Tifanny my Midwife checked me and I was at 6cm.  My Doula Candace helped me relax through each contraction while my Photographer Lindsay caught these raw, painful and beautiful moments of labor.  My husband was a constant assuring presence, quiet, gentle, strong, solid.

I vocalized with each contraction and let my body do its thing.  Finally I was ready to push and could feel a loss of control so to speak, it was happening so fast!  Candace and Tiffany helped me regain control and guided me, (he was coming fast!) and with a few pushes, Ewan's head was out and the there was a pop and a big splash!  Poor Bill and myself were soaked but our beautiful, big baby boy was on my belly.  He was finally here on the Feast Day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in my home, in our room with people who cared for us. The rest of our beautiful children woke up one by one to meet their baby brother. I felt such joy!  (I had another handsome rainbow baby.)  We all gathered on our queen-size bed to admire and love our new gift from God.
 

Ewan Gillivray Michael Shea was born on September 8, 2015 at 4:54am, at home. Weighing 9 pounds, 8 ounces, 21 inches long.

He is a beautiful. sweet baby who likes to eat, be cuddled and is adored by everyone.  Welcome to our family Ewan.💙