Zeon Kiyaan Aylward
Born 14th May 2022 10:43am
38+5 weeks
Freebirth at our home in the mountains
I woke up at 5am to a big gush of waters. I flung myself out of bed so I did t get any in the sheets. I went to bathroom to clean up. My partner Shayne was up. He said 'are we on??' I said, no just waters releasing, no surges yet.
It was still dark, so I sat on the couch by the window and had a coffee, just listening to the sound of the rain outside. It was so peaceful.
It took about an hour for surges to start and they were very mild crampy feelings. I timed them and they were coming about every 10 minutes. I messaged my friends Kayla and Sarah that were coming to the birth that labour had started.
I sat on the couch for quite a while. At 8:45 I decided to have a shower. When I was standing the surges got closer together but shorter. The water felt really good. I stayed in the shower until the hot water ran out.
At 8:13am I txt Sarah & Kayla to come
I had lemongrass oil in the diffuser next to me, my birthing candles, a photo of me and Brooke and my birth talisman. My birth song playlist that I made for Zephyr's birth (that I never got to play) was playing next to me too.
I noticed how I breathed out affected how I experienced the surges. If I blew out it was more painful, if I did an ahhhh sound it was less painful.
Also calling the surges expansions also lessened the pain. Every time I would have one I would say in my head I am expanding to the universe and o would picture myself expanding into the universe.
I had some sacred geometry visuals as well when I closed my eyes.
It was all so calm and relaxed. Just sitting on the couch, every 10 mins having an expansion. So quiet.
Shayne was sitting in front of me and as they got more intense I would squeeze his hands.
Sarah arrived and started taking photos and helping keep Ziggy and Zephyr occupied and quiet-ish.
Once Kayla arrived I felt everything speed up. I knew this baby wanted her here as he had given me her name 20 years ago when he visited me in a dream.
I knew if I stood up the expansions would get stronger. So I stood up with Shayne holding me and we swayed for a little bit. I released some more waters.
I say back down and the expansions were stronger. Eventually I started to feel a strong pain in my back and I knew I needed to get onto the floor.
We had the futon mattress on the floor in front of the couch and I got down on it, on my knees, leaning over the couch.
The expansions got a lot stronger and I realised I could feel his head coming down! I hadn’t even felt pushing sensations like my last births, his head was just there!
His head started to come down and I started making lots of noise on my out breaths. This felt really good. I called on my ancestors to give me strength. I knew the only way to get through this part was to just let it happen.
Shayne was leaning over the back of me so I could squeeze his hands. As Zeon started crowning, Kayla swapped with Shayne so that he could catch the baby.
I remember thinking oh wow here’s the ring of fire, in a calm way, just observing what was happening.
I roared as loud as I could. His head came out and I felt so much relief. I actually thought his body had come out as well. But then realised I still had the shoulders to go! There was a pause as Zeon turned, then next expansion his body came out into Shayne’s hands.
Shayne saw straight away he was a boy, but didn’t want to be the one to tell me. York said another brother!
I caught my breath for a few moments then Shayne passed him through my legs so I could turn around and sit. I put Zeon on my chest.
The after pains were intense this time. It felt like I was still in labour. I wanted to birth the placenta quicker this time. My last birth it had taken 4 hours. I knew we just needed to keep everything quiet and calm. I lay on the futon with Zeon and he latched straight away.
Kayla put some blood on the soles of my feet to help prevent heavy bleeding. I had 1 dose of arnica homeopathic remedy. She estimated that I only lost about 50ml of blood. After a little bit longer I got up and tried some traction on the cord. Kayla brought over the release oil and I had a few big sniffs. I decided I wanted to sit on the toilet so Kayla and Shayne helped me to the bathroom. Kayla put my sitz bath on the toilet to catch the placenta. I sat in the bathroom for a few minutes on my own, just me and Zeon, and his placenta was born. This time it only took about 1.5 hours.
We moved into the bedroom and got into bed. Kayla and I checked the placenta. I asked Zeon permission to cut a small piece off to consume. Kayla cut a small peice off and put it in the fridge for me for later.
After a few hours it was time to prepare Zeon's placenta for lotus birth. I put a herbal blend and salt on it and put it in a special lotus birth bag. Then we went back to bed.
This birth was so different to my other two boys. Their labours were so fast and intense, but this one was so slow and calm. It was everything I had envisioned. The perfect birth to end on. Now my family is complete!