sienna.mahina :: birth story

After nearly four days of the stomach flu or what felt like could have been food poisoning ... Intuitively I knew it was my body's way of detoxing what no longer served my higher good ... making way for baby sienna.mahina's journey to this beautiful earth plane.

A little after midnight. Thursday, jan 19, 2012. I had just finished watching a movie called "I don't know how she does it," starring Sarah Jessica Parker. Super cute chick flick romantic comedy about a multi-tasking working super mommy!! Perfect for the occasion. ; )

After the movie, I remember feeling pain and discomfort. But wasn't sure if it was the Braxton hicks contractions/practice labor or the real thing. Was this really happening?!

I would feel bad making daddy stay home from his first day back to work on Hawaii 5-0 after being out sick for 3 days, especially if it was only a false alarm.

At this point, the waves of contractions were coming every 10min lasting for 30sec.

I was still uncertain if this was really it?! So I decided to try to get some rest. Right after I cooked me up some spinach + eggs on toast - I was hungry!! ; )

So tired, but I cant sleep. Even after hours of playing mahjong, solataire, reading up on astrology ... I still couldn't sleep.

Then around 2:30am I remembered something from my TO DO LIST: write a journal entry reflecting on my hapai with baby.sienna.mahina journey. In my entry I surrendered and released any need to control time. It didn't matter if my baby was going to be an Aquarius/dragon or a Capricorn/rabbit. All that mattered was that I have a beautiful, natural smooth sailing birth. And that my baby be born happy healthy strong and normal.

By 5am the waves of contractions were getting closer and closer. About 3-5min apart lasting 30-45sec. Daddy lie next to me sleeping peacefully. It was almost time for him to wake up for work. I whispered to him that this could be the day, and to stay close to his phone.

In the meantime, I texted papa chuck, our doula (birthing assistant aka baby.sienna.mahina's chosen God papa/grandpa) and explained to him what I've been experiencing. Waves of contractions. Brownish discharge. He said "it's a great day to have a baby, thanks for letting me sleep through the night, I'll gather some herbs and be over after a shower."

By this time daddy was getting our things ready for the hospital and heading out the door for work. Brother zen must have felt our energies because he woke up earlier than usual at around 6am. Papa Chuck had just arrived.

He was definitely sent from Akua. I felt safe, supported and my soul felt at ease knowing that papa chuck was there by our side. He wore multiple hats that morning: carry bags into the car, get zen a banana, make me tea, help me through the waves of contractions, prep the warm compresses. I don't know what I would've done without him!?!

Zen was a sweetheart. He played quietly. And even rubbed my low back softly with love during a couple contractions after watching papa chuck use pressure points to help elongate my spine and loosen everything up making way for you my sweet lil love - baby sienna mahina.

Gma finally arrived 2 hours later. I swear I texted her at 5:20amish around the same time I texted papa chuck. But she thought I was going to labor for hours again, so decided to shower and take her time.

Papa Chuck said if she hadn't arrived when she did, we would've brought zen with us to the hospital. Lol

The time is now 7:30am. Aunty Niki + Uncle Nick are heading to castle hospital to meet us there. Papa chuck + mommy are making our way to the birth center during peak traffic. All I remember was the song "unchained melody" playing over and over on repeat, and trying my best to breathe through one contraction at a time. I told papa chuck to make his own lane in the shoulder lane, but he didn't listen. He just tried to keep me focused. Told me to breathe low so baby can descend. Try to squat so my pelvis can open up and drop with ease. And stay hydrated with a sip of water after every wave. Once we got on the h3 it was smooth sailing. I can remember seeing pockets of light beaming on my forehead and skin after we got out of the tunnel. I could feel Akua's love + light. It brought me peace and kept me focused.

We got to the hospital around 8:15am, Aunty niki helped us with our bags and uncle nick parked the car. Papa chuck walked with me to the birthing center to check in. Stopping to assist and help me through any contractions along the way.

The check in nurse was a little rude. She didn't believe me when I said my contractions were already about 1-4min apart. She said 37 weeks was not considered full-term. And was very surprised that I was already dilated at 6cm.

I continued to do my best to breathe deep through every contraction and take a sip of water to stay hydrated. Luckily, our labor nurse shawna was very helpful and nice. She walked us to our room. Daddy arrived a few min later. Work let him off early, yay! Aunty Jeannette was also making her way over to see your birth. ; )

Everything I had wished for on my birth plan was honored. Dim lights. Peaceful music. Minimal talking. Aunty niki film + take pics, and give me iced water to drink and cold wash cloths on my head. Aunty Jeannette to assist Aunty niki and give me Chapstick when my lips became dry. Daddy to send love, and help me through contractions. Papa chuck to assist as well, and use warm compresses and herbal poultices to help me open up and help you descend. He also knew the right massage pressure points to help me get through each waves of contractions. I kept reminding myself that every wave brings me closer to my baby, and that my body and my baby know exactly what to do and all is well.

By the time dr b had checked I was already fully effaced. Now all I had to do was feel a sudden urge to bear down, and then I'll be ready to push. I did a lot of squatting during labor. Gravity was my new best friend instead of an epidural. I was doing it!! We were doing it!!! ; )

Papa chuck + daddy tag teamed in helping me through each wave. We tried different laboring positions both on and off the bed.

I was getting tired. My vision was slightly blurred. And I felt really hot. When I finally felt a sudden urge to push, I was squatting on the bed, using papa chuck as leverage to hold me up. After 3sets of waves and maybe 15min of pushing ... you were finally here!!! You were born on thurs. jan 19, 2012 @ 11:25am. Your western/Chinese astrology sign is a Capricorn/rabbit. ; )

It was really nice because we got to have immediate skin to skin contact. You latched on right away. We waited until the umbilical cord to stop pulsating before daddy cut it. I could breathe you in. And could totally feel your love, beauty, wisdom and positive mana. Me, you + daddy all shared a ha - breath of life. We said mahalo Ke Akua. And sang pupuhinuhinu, like we did for brother zen when he was born. ; )

It was so nice to finally hold you in my arms. You were like a breath of fresh air. My beautiful peaceful sweetheart. My sweet lil love !

We did it, all natural too!!! It felt so empowering!! So wonderful. Amazingly beautiful. The oxytocin encompassed my entire being. I felt great, and it was so nice to be able to walk right afterwards, talk story w/everyone, take a shower, and on some light makeup. ; ) I even had enough energy to order a turkey cran avocado sandwich from Food co in Kailua; )

Mahalo Ke Akua for blessing us with a beautiful, natural smooth sailing child birth + recovery ... A strong, healthy, happy baby girl! ; ) ... And such an mindful + loving birthing team. All is well in our world. And we are so very blessed. Mahalo mahalo mahalo, amene.