A Magical Mystical Underwater Birth

Posted in Parenting & Family, Uncategorized

Life can be magical and change you forever. Water birth was a gateway beyond pregnancy that opened doors to deeper joy and fulfillment. The moment my little one arrived planetside, I was forever changed, full of joy, possibility, and bliss. I am forever beyond living in fear.

Birthing is a deeply personal choice. The way a woman gives births her child must match her personality, level of comfort with risk, and personal convictions. Cultural, spiritual, and medical factors impact birth options. Those factors added up to one decision for me. The Huff Post explored the rich culture of water birth, which became my personal gateway to bliss.

This was not my first birth. I knew what to expect. I had labored in water before, and had gotten out of the water to birth. I doubted stories of underwater birth reducing labor pain … until that moment relief as I sank into the warm tub in our livingroom. The water became my personal doula.

Once in my soothing doula bath, the birthing pain eased up so much that I wondered of my labor had stopped. After a few moments, I was surprised to realize that I was still in active labor. My birthing pains were reduced by at least half.

Must before the birth, my husband supported me, freeing my hands so I could catch our baby. I was in the safe hands of my midwife who had a doctorate degree. My focus was to create a magical passage for my baby into this planetside dimension.

I caught her just as she shot out from my body, the midwife helping guide her to my breast, checking her health. After a few moments of overwhelm and afterbirth, I pulled back the warm towel and discovered that I had a beautiful baby girl.

Waves of ecstasy moving through me, I gently offered my breast that was filled with milk as I had recently nursed with my toddler. My daughter was just 10 minutes old and latched on and drank. My baby was so strong, alert, and capable … just like she is today, now an underwater birthing mother herself.

I held my daughter closely to my breast as my husband helped me step out of the water. I was clean from the water. I settled into a comfy recliner where my newborn nursed for three hours before drifting off to sleep.

The waves of joy and pleasure were more intense than an orgasm. The bliss transformed to a pulse of energy, with my heart so full of love that I wondered if it might burst. As my daughter slipped into sleep, I placed her next to her father and went to cuddle with my son.

I had allowed my son to enjoy a popsicle from the local ice cream truck a few days before. It had been a rare treat in our family’s attachment parenting (not called that back then) and natural living household. I had saved the rest of his lovely red, white, and blue popsicle in the freezer.

My beautiful son and I sat on the front porch while he enjoyed what was left of his popsicle. We blew bubbles together and sang songs. A neighbor child visited and marveled that I had given birth at home. After his naptime, I folded laundry in a state of continued ecstasy. The house was quiet as my new baby was still sleeping with her daddy.

As exhaustion and hunger eventually hit me, a wonderful friend arrived with a pan of homemade cinnamon buns. Those freshly made buns with sticky frosting … and that whole day … were the sweetest and most blissful of my life … so far.

Darleen Claire is a Parenting Expert with a background in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Exceptional Student Education, and Brain-Based Strategies to promote Learning and Development.