LEIGHA BUTLER YOGA

My Labor & Delivery Story

Hey there.

I’m writing on a personal note today to share the story of how my little family came to be. It’s not a yogini’s mystical tale of a birth so magical it bordered on orgasmic. It’s not even what you might call a “positive birth story,” except that, in the end, my baby landed on my chest healthy and oh-so-loved — so in that way, it’s positive beyond measure.

I share because the experience required that I put my yoga into practice. Without it, the journey would have been a lot tougher to process.

The “PLAN” was to have an all-natural home birth tended to by my midwife and my partner Joe using hypnobirthing techniques and a birthing tub. I use the term “plan” loosely because I have lived long enough to know that the Universe chuckles at plans. All along, I kept saying, “I plan to have the baby at home — if that’s how it works out.”

One or two people noticed that I’d been qualifying the statement and thought it was maybe a little cynical. “You’re so healthy.” “You’re in such good shape.” “You’ll have exactly the birth you envision….” were sentiments I was hearing regularly. Deep down, though, I knew that doing yoga has absolutely nothing to do with the way a labor will progress. Sure, it has the potential to keep you in great shape (not just physically of course, but mentally/emotionally. Some would go so far as to say karmically) before and after the labor. And yet… some things are entirely out of our (rad mudra-holding) hands.

Anyhow, the plan was to have an all-natural birth at home. Some time in the third trimester, though, my midwife and I realized that baby was reclining in what’s called the occiput posterior position AKA “sunnyside up.” It’s not the ideal positioning because it prevents babe from tucking his chin in the birth canal and presenting the smallest part of his skull first.

While it is definitely possible to have a vaginal birth with baby in the posterior position (and many have successfully with no complications), the position is notorious for causing back labor, which can be excruciating beyond the usual intensity of labor and delivery.

(If you’re a first-time pregnant momma, btw, I’d recommend bingeing on positive birth stories. They’re abundant!)

Given the positioning, my midwife, who is a strong advocate for drug-free and intervention-free birth, actually recommended that I labor within reach of an epidural. Stubbornly, I didn’t take her up on it, instead persisting with my plan to labor at home.

For months, I did all of the “spinning babies” techniques I could find on the internet, diligently giving my little one as many opportunities as I could to spin around to the optimal position. To no avail.

I finally went into labor on a Saturday night. Contractions, or surges, in the language of hypnobirthing, began manageably enough and allowed me to fall asleep between them. I thought it wise to let Joe keep sleeping, thinking that this could be one of the last long slumbers he’d get in a while.

On Sunday, instead of growing in intensity the surges grew farther apart. Then late Sunday night, they came back full force about every 7 minutes, more powerful than the first night. Sleep was nowhere near as sound as it had been the night before.

An Exercise in Releasing Expectation

Fast forward to late Tuesday night, after three+ nights of halting labor. This night’s contractions were the strongest yet and closest together. Both Joe and I were beyond fatigued and a little fearful that the labor wasn’t progressing in the usual fashion. The midwife had even called the labor “dysfunctional,” not a dis from her but an honest assessment.

The turning point, eventually, was when labor became full-on back labor without relief between contractions. As you mommas out there well know, active labor can (and everyone’s experience is different) feel like your pelvis is being pulled apart. My experience was that my pelvis was being pulled apart and that my sacrum was being torn from my body. I might have managed if the pain had gone away for little moments in between surges, but that’s not what was happening. The intensity just wouldn’t relent, and I had few energetic reserves remaining.

All my life, I’ve felt this internal barefoot, mystical, earth-lovin’ natural mama vibe that feels right and true and authentic to my core. My own mama had five children vaginally and drug-free, and I suppose part of me assumed that that’s what would happen for me.

In the end, now Wednesday morning, I phoned my midwife for guidance. She advised that I meet her at the hospital. It turned out, baby’s heart rate was dropping dangerously low with each contraction because the cord was wrapped around his leg. Little boo hadn’t been able to descend deep enough into the birth canal despite my dilating — in part because of the cord, in part because of positioning. The doc team, along with my midwife, recommended cesarean section, the last words I wanted to hear.

Seeing the look of genuine concern and fear on the nurses’ and my midwife’s faces with each heart deceleration made the decision a no-brainer for Joe and me though. We wanted our baby to be born alive and healthy.

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Joe suits up for the OR.

For a brief moment, while my midwife held my hand, I had a sob. Despite having been open to the idea that things could take a thousand different directions, I had taken a vaginal delivery for granted and needed to mourn the loss of that reality. I swiftly saw that I’d been harboring a vague impression that c-sections were somehow less earth mama than vaginal deliveries. This wasn’t a conscious impression but a culturally gifted subliminal program that had been embedded into my conditioning. It was time to let it go.

So– they wheeled me in, performed one of the most common surgeries in the country, and within minutes placed my 8lb 8oz, hairy headed, hungry, beautiful little baby boy on my chest. He promptly found my nipple, has barely let go since, and is precious to me beyond all expectation.

The manner and method of my son’s birth weren’t what I would have written for us. But not having the ideal birth story to relate is a miniscule price to pay for the life-altering joy of gazing at him and holding him, alive, fierce, delicate, dynamic, vulnerable, vital, potent little being that he is.

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Today I write while Jovian sleeps, 3 weeks old. I look over at him every minute on the minute to make sure he’s still breathing. The immensity of this love feels out of body. I’d even call it mystical.

Moms, I’d love to hear a nugget from your story. Anyone out there have a posterior birth? Or a birth that made you shift your expectations? Or a birth that went exactly according to plan? Do share!

Grateful for you all. Cheers to you and be well.

with love,

Leigha

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My Labor & Delivery Story

16 Responses

  1. I appreciate your birth story. I too did not have things go as I hoped. I was never able to conceive . My kids were born to someone else, but my heart has chosen them and the love is just the same. I am delighted my story took this turn—I cannot imagine my life with out L&C. I leaned into my practice and it held me through.

  2. Wonderful story about your daughter and your family’s birth and triumph…. Good luck in the next phases –raising her…Whewwww… I have daughters and they are the joy and challenges in my Life…but it is an extraordinary passage through this Life.
    Enjoy a book…. also the children grow up so fast….

  3. Thank you for sharing your story and especially debunking the myth that being a yogi, fit and healthy, will result in a dream birth…. Giving birth is such a MASSIVE massive event in any woman’s life and I think many women carry trauma from less than ideal labours. Somehow this seems something that’s not always acknowledged enough….
    I gave birth t my daughter 6 years ago and like yours, mine was far from ideal. I had felt really positive about giving birth all along, I felt strong and embodied, I wasn’t afraid and I wasn’t going to need pain management; I was ready for it! Can you hear the universe’s chuckle there? Of course things didn’t go as planned,,. I had what’s called a contraction storm (sounds similar to what happened to you), baby’s heart rate was going down, so we had to go to hospital. I took an epidural because the pain was unbearable, I couldn’t feel my legs when it was time to push, so I couldn’t squat which was the only thing that made sense to me at the time, the bed I was on was rickety and I hated being on my back with y feet in brackets. At some point, the room was filled with nurses and doctors who, when I had a contraction, jointly shouted: ‘PUSH! PUSH!’ I felt really stressed with all of it and I’m sure that there was so much adrenaline in my body because of it, which must have made it only worse. I’ve never felt so lost and helpless. Not being able to hold my daughter for two days after that, as she was in an incubator, especially knowing how important touch and breastfeeding are in these first days….
    The whole experience was really traumatising for me and it took me a long time to process it. Writing helped.
    But just like for most, after that came the bliss. And raising a beautiful daughter.

    1. I have the chills and tears in my eyes. And the best part of this is hearing that your daughter is well. Thank you, thank you for sharing your story.

  4. I love reading this Leigha, and loved the way you wrote. Your attitude and outlook inspires. I am a Midwife and see women on this journey all the time, I am also a mother who was fortunate enough to have a very straightforward, fast birth. Like you, I kept an open mind, because you are right, the universe does indeed “laugh at plans”. Births are so unique and all are special.
    Your baby is beautiful and I hope you are recovering well and enjoying this precious time.

  5. Thank you for your honesty. My story is almost identical. Initially, I felt a strong sense of disappointment in myself. However, the moment my son was safely in my arms all was forgotten.

  6. Thank you so much for sharing. So important that all kids of stories are shared and honoured. All the very best to you all. We are incredibly grateful for all that you offer to the world!

  7. Thank you for sharing your birth experience! Way to go Momma, you did it!! I had been thinking about you and wondering how everything went! Having given birth to two beautiful children, I know it never turns out the way you think it will….ever! But like you said, the most important thing is that your baby is here, healthy and growing. He is absolutely beautiful, so sweet and precious! Isn’t it crazy how long you can sit and stare at them?! Enjoy every blessed day you get to spend with him. Thanks again for posting your flows and practices. You are truly an inspiration to me and have changed my life. Congratulations!!

    1. Thank you for this. Yes, I am still staring at him and marveling at the miracle of having this perfect little boy in my arms. I feel very lucky. Looking forward to every stage. Have a wonderful day, Momma.

  8. Wow, thank you for sharing. So many emotions awakens in me when I read it. I can really relate to some parts of it. I had a two universe parallel birth story. One in which my experience was that everything was fantastic and the most magic experience I’ve ever had. The other one where the last part of it and my worry for this tiny human being was too overwhelming and took a year or two to have a more balanced look at. think I am still processing it ❤️

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