I didn’t have COVID-19. But if you had asked me 10 hours before labor started, I would have said the chances are high.
I birthed my son Declan in the comfort of our home on June 12 after laboring for less than four hours. I was surrounded by a magical birth team consisting of four incredibly caring and professional women, plus my husband, and my toddler who joined for a part of the labor.
I knew I wanted to take a different route with this birth after experiencing the hospital setting with my first son, Levi. My doula Becky had just become a Certified Professional Midwife, and there was no one else I’d rather have deliver our second baby. (My first birth experience is a must-read if you haven’t already!)
I initially planned on giving birth at the birthing center, but I had a change of heart and knew being at home was more comforting for me.
I switched to a home birth in February and the following month COVID-19 hit and I knew I had made the right decision for me. Through midwifery care, my husband was able to join me for all appointments and ultrasounds, my toddler joined often, too. We wore masks when needed, or opted for virtual visits.
I did all of the research and never questioned my decision. I never feared it. I never discounted my body’s ability to birth naturally. I know homebirth isn’t an option for all women. But for me, as a healthy mom with a healthy baby, it was the option that put me most at ease.
WELCOME DECLAN
I never would have guessed that my second baby would come early. I was 8 days late with Levi and was mentally prepared to go late again.
To my surprise, Declan came 12 days early. Two days before his birth, I became very sick. I was extremely lethargic with severe flu-like body aches and chills.
The morning he was born, I woke up at 4 a.m. freezing with the shakes and hopped in the bath to warm up. I wasn’t sleeping well and was exhausted. I checked my temperature after sitting in the bath for a couple hours, and I had a 100-degree fever but the baby remained very active. We called Becky who told us to go to the closest walk-in clinic to get tested.
When I got to the clinic, I no longer had a fever but I was in so much pain I couldn’t help but cry as we waited. The doctor tested me for the flu, strep throat, and COVID-19. He said he hadn’t had a flu case in 6 months, and of course, the test came back negative, same for strep. But he said the COVID-19 test results wouldn’t come back for a week.
My vitals were fine, and baby kept kicking away. He suspected I had a viral infection, and told me to go home and hydrate A TON, take some Benadryl since I couldn’t sleep, and rest as much as possible.
My husband had to hold me up as we walked back to the car. I told him that if I went into labor that day, I was going to the hospital to get an epidural. There was no way in that moment that I could birth on my own.
I cried on the way home and prayed that I would not go into labor.
I popped some Benedryl and passed out for about 3 hours. I woke up to the feeling of a powerful pop sensation in my uterus. I knew the baby had just moved down and into birthing position. Minutes later my water broke.
By the grace of God, I woke up feeling like a new person! Matt came in and I was smiling from ear to ear. “We’re having a baby today,” I said. He was shocked, but so relieved to see my excitement.
My contractions kicked in quickly, so I called my birth team and they headed our way. Becky said from day one I was going to have a “butter birth,” meaning my birth would be as smooth as butter. She was right. (After being my doula for Levi’s birth, she knew my body well.)
Becky arrived around 5 p.m., my doula Eshelle was right behind her, then our birth photographer Cassie, and shortly after, the second midwife Bethany arrived with her student midwife Kim. The ladies began quietly moving into action. They all had preparation jobs: charting, monitoring baby via doppler, helping me labor, keeping me hydrated, and more. (Read my Q&A with Becky on out-of-hosital birthing.)
Because my group B strep test results were inconclusive, and I tested positive with Levi, we went ahead and administered the first round of antibiotics as I breathed through contractions. (I never got the second dose because Declan came so fast, but in the end, he and I were both fine! I’d rather be safe than sorry, which is why I took the antibiotics without knowing if I was GBS positive.)
In my living room, my in-laws were busy taking care of Levi and my messy house that I hadn’t touched in days. I had no clue until the next day that my mother-in-law was folding my laundry, my sister-in-law was cleaning my kitchen, my brother-in-law ran to Sonic for ice chips, and my father-in-law was entertaining my son. Their help that night was appreciated more than they know.
Back in my bedroom, Eshelle had me working through labor positions to get that baby out. I really wanted to labor in the water this time since I wasn’t able to do that with my hospital birth.
My husband was behind me in the bathtub, pressing on my lower back and hips as my contractions came on. He had us all laughing in between contractions. Eshelle and Becky had me moving throughout the water doing squats and other positions.
My son later came in and was the best distraction ever. He knew something was going on and was very calm and quiet (for a 21 month old, that is a rarity). He offered me his puffs and gave me kisses.
My two cats, who typically avoid people, were also watching on, pacing our bedroom, and sitting near my side. Animal instincts are amazing.
After about two hours in the tub, Becky had me get out to keep working through contractions. Water can often stall labor and we wanted to build on my progress. I moved to my favorite position, sitting backward on the toilet with my head on a pillow as Matt and Eshelle alternated pressing in on my back and hips.
At this point, my groans were getting louder and louder and Becky knew it was time to get me into the position that moved me into transition with Levi – lunges with one foot up on my bed frame.
By this time, my son was sleeping and my house was quiet, except for my deep groans that echoed throughout my home.
Transition hit like clockwork and I said, “I feel like I’m going to poop,” (the evident sign!) as I felt my son make his way down the birth canal. His head surfaced and Becky said, “You have 30 seconds to decide where you want to birth.” So I climbed on my bed and got into the same position as I did with Levi – on all four hands and knees, relying on gravity to help me push him out.
I pulled him through my legs and onto my chest just a few minutes later. The room was filled with cheers. My husband and I laid back in our bed, admiring our newest son.
Declan Wayne Stubbs was born on June 12 at 9:28 p.m. It was a short, beautiful birth. My mind remained clear and focused, and my body knew what to do.
My birth team said I was very quiet and calm as I labored, although I thought I was roaring as loud as a lion. 😂
I had no tearing with this birth, which was one of my top goals. YES! (Shout out to the perineal massages we did!) I also had little bleeding during the birth, which my midwives said was because of the NORA tea I was drinking in my third trimester. This was also another goal since I had a lot of bleeding during Levi’s birth (nothing alarming though). Read about my birth preparation tips!
After I delivered my placenta, Becky put it on ice to be encapsulated into pills. Then she administered Declan’s newborn exam, and she told us to guess his weight. We guessed way under. He was a healthy 7.8 lbs. at nearly two weeks early, which shocked us (photo proof below) because Levi was 6.7 lbs. at 8 days late. Wild how different babies can be.
My mother-in-law put out a huge spread of Greek food and Chick-fil-A for the birth team, and I had a random craving for an Impossible veggie burger from Burger King. Eshelle had it delivered via UberEats. Holding my baby in one hand, I scarfed down the burger.
The team swiftly cleaned up my bedroom, washed the sheets (we had two sets on the bed with a plastic mattress cover in between and chux pads on top to collect the majority of the after birth.) You would never know I birthed in my bedroom. They also set up all of my postpartum essentials in my bathroom for easy access. These ladies were the ultimate caretakers.
Matt and I cozied up in bed, with Declan on my chest, and fell asleep just hours after birth. It was pure bliss.
The next morning, Becky and Eshelle both checked in on us. Declan and I were doing great. Becky came back two days later to do an in-person check (and again at two weeks and six weeks).
Oh, and for the cliffhanger, I didn’t have COVID-19. I later learned that sometimes women report flu-like symptoms before giving birth. I guess it’s an odd way that our bodies prepare for delivery. I’m not a fan.
I was initially very cautious about who I told that I was planning for a home birth, wanting to avoid opinions and judgments. Thankfully my inner circle was very supportive (if they were nervous, I never knew it, so thank you for that). We also live less than a mile from the hospital, which was reassuring but again, I had no fear going into this.
So if you’ve ever wondered about taking a different route for your birth, I hope my story has brought you a new perspective and some reassurance. Birth is such a magical experience, and for me, my surroundings and my trusted team made it the most beautiful experience of my life.