Free Birth of River Gabriel

completely unassisted home-water birth after cesarean of 9lb 21 1/2 inches baby boy~ This is my 3rd boy. The first was 16 years ago, an induction in a hospital that ended in my having an epidural for the pain. (That 16 yr old boy was filming this birth you just watched) My second son was 3 years ago and due to vesa privia and other pregnanacy complications, he was delivered via cesarean at 35 weeks and was in an incubator for 11 days (the first 5 of which I didn't get to even hold him) After that delivery I was told that all future pregnancies would be delivered cesarean....so I began my self education! This pregnancy was going to be different...I convinced my husband that an unassisted home birth was right for 'us' and that an unassisted pregnancy was right for 'me' :) I did my homework and had herbal tinctures on hand for 'worse case' events of bleeding or stalled labor or retained placenta etc... I had been taking large amounts of red raspberry leaf, partridge berry, nettle, & alfalfa to prepare my womb and up my vitamin K for baby...I also took evening primrose oil caps the last month of my pregancy to prepare the cervix. At 38wks 4 days I went into labor and after a total of 12 hours labor (6hours active labor) River was born in a birthing tub in my bedroom caught by his fathers hands and brought to my chest. River was born 'in caul' or with his water bag still intact. We stayed in the water for about 20 minutes and then got out to deliver the placenta... I took 2 doses of angelica root to help expel placenta after the birth and 45 minutes after baby I delivered the placenta with the ambilical cord still attached to baby... We cut the cord about an hour after birth and then my husband blended me a fruit smoothie with a piece of my placenta in it! (good medicine for mama)
River nursed right away and was brought into this world by the hands that went into creating him, being touched by no other :) Now thats a great feeling! We had the water temp at about 100 and the bedroom was heated to a comfortable 85-90 so baby never got 'cold' ....no suction was needed as I gently suctioned his nose with my mouth. The only people in the house were my husband and I and our 16 yr old (filming it) and 3 yr old...both kids witnessed and were touched by the birth in unique ways and I wouldn't change a moment of it for anything. We are planning one final pregnancy and would not concider having a baby ANY OTHER WAY than naturally and at HOME! (having had 3 kinds of births I really know what I'm talking about here:) The most amazing, transformative, life altering event I've ever had the pleasure of experiencing! I have deep hopes that this video will encourage other women to TRUST their own bodies more fully and trust the process of birth and pregnancy too! Bless :)