The Birth Story of Casey Aurelius Stein
I am so excited to have finally finished writing Casey's birth story. It's long, but if you are looking for a positive birth story, here's one for you :)
Waves of pre-labor anxiety...
On Wednesday night, August 21st, I had a dream that I was in labor. I got up to go pee and was WIDE awake. I started to feel a little anxious, experiencing a flood of mixed emotions. I lay in bed awake, and all of a sudden, I felt like I had to poop (which happened right before both of my births). So, I went downstairs, used the restroom, relaxed on the couch, and listened to some wholesome stories on this podcast, SMOSH, that I like. I kept getting these random waves of nervousness that things were about to start. With each previous birth, I had waves of anxiety before things got going, so I was certain this was it. I had a few super light contractions, but I fell asleep, and nothing happened after that.
After Wednesday night, I kept thinking something might happen on Thursday and Friday… and nothing. I started to feel discouraged and antsy, even though I hadn’t even hit 40 weeks yet, and I had never had a baby before 40 weeks. Friday evening, I had an acupuncture appointment, followed by a chiropractor appointment on Saturday morning. After those two things, I felt so much more grounded and in a good headspace. I felt ready for the birth but also prepared to wait.
Waiting for labor
I spent the rest of Saturday hanging out, eating ice cream, and relaxing, but I ended up with HORRIBLE indigestion and acid reflux. I couldn’t sleep because it was so bad. Around 2 a.m., I went to pee and saw some slightly bloody mucus. I prayed that labor wouldn’t start until later Sunday so I could get some sleep and rest up.
Sunday morning came, and I had a few super mild contractions—nothing that even made me pause mid-conversation. I was convinced it was the day because, I mean, I was losing my mucus plug, so of course, the baby was coming. I had never lost my mucus plug before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I texted a friend who had just had a baby two months before me and asked how long it was from when she lost her mucus plug to when the baby came. She said two days. I thought, "OMG… two days!?" I thought this baby was coming today. Looking back, I’m so glad the baby didn’t come Sunday. I was not well-rested.
The rest of Sunday, we just relaxed and went for small walks. I turned on Sunday football, which I never watch, but I wanted something on in the background that I wouldn’t be attached to.
I went to bed Sunday night and woke up feeling super rested on Monday morning. I had a prenatal appointment with my midwife at 1:30 p.m. We texted that morning, and I mentioned I had a few super mild contractions, but again, nothing that caused me to stop and think twice. They were much less tight than Braxton Hicks, but I knew they weren’t Braxton Hicks because they had a slow onset, peak, and descent.
Eric took Blaire to preschool while Rory hung out at home and played at the grandparents' house (who happen to live next door).
I took a shower, blow-dried my hair, and got ready for the day while timing these mild contractions. They were anywhere from 20-45 minutes apart and lasted 30 seconds to a minute.
And so it begins
Around 11 a.m., I texted Rachael and told her it seemed like things were starting to pick up a bit. She texted me to download a contraction timer app and invite her to the livestream so she could watch them in real time (thank you, technology, for making this so easy!). About an hour later, she could see they were staying consistent and told me she would head over when they were five minutes apart—which, ironically, had her arriving at my house at exactly 1:30 p.m., the same time as my prenatal appointment. Eric called Claire, our photographer, to come and also had her notify Zoe, the videographer, to head over.
At that point, I was still feeling very present. Up until then, I had been eating watermelon, drinking coconut water, and my last meal was scrambled eggs and rice (the same thing I had before Blaire’s birth). When Rachael arrived, I still felt content. I did have to pause and breathe through each contraction, but in between, I carried on normal conversations.
Rachael went downstairs after checking in with me to meet the birth assistant and get set up. Eric was filling the pool downstairs while I relaxed upstairs in our bedroom, embracing each wave on my knees and leaning over the bed. At this stage, the TENS machine and combs were making a huge difference and helping SO much.
Claire arrived about 30 minutes after Rachael and came to say hi and snap a few pictures. Blaire stayed upstairs with me for a bit while Rory played downstairs. Once the pool was filled, Rachael encouraged me to come downstairs and get in. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to because I’d have to take off the TENS machine, which had been helping so much. Chelsea, the midwife helper, checked the baby’s heart tones, and then I got into the pool.
Scenes from an at-home pool birth 🐬
Shortly after I got into the pool—around 2:30 p.m., I’d guess—Zoe arrived. I remember seeing her come in, but by then, I was starting to go inward, focusing more through each contraction, so I didn’t acknowledge her right away. The present, logical part of me was thinking, “Say hi to Zoe!” but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
The kids got into the pool with me, and Blaire poured water on my back. I stayed in the pool for a bit, and at some point, Rachael reminded me to pee to keep my bladder empty. I tried to pee in the pool, but I think I had stage fright because I couldn’t! I got out and went to the bathroom. Afterward, I came back into the room but didn’t feel ready to get back into the pool yet. I leaned over the couch on my knees, and that’s when things really started to get intense.
The vocalizations became loud and deep. My kids continued playing in the pool, splashing around like they were at a water park. I was so deep in the throes of labor that I didn’t care. I later heard stories about my dog trying to eat my watermelon and Rory lighting candles, which Claire thought could cause a fire. So much chaos was happening around me, but I didn’t notice any of it. I was completely present and focused on each wave. The only thing I noticed was how sore my knees were from being on them for hours, leaning over the bed, couch, or pool. It was the position that felt best, but my knees were definitely paying the price.
While leaning over the couch, I had my first grunt-like contraction that felt like I was throwing up downward. Rachael got excited and said, “Ohhh, that’s great!” I knew things were moving, so I asked her if it was almost over. She replied, “You’re getting closer,” which I knew meant “not quite yet.” Rory was taking pictures with an iPad and even set the self-timer to get a selfie of him and me with my face buried in a pillow.
I felt like I needed a change, so I stood up but immediately got back on my knees, leaning over one of our dining chairs. The contractions became more guttural, and I was just ready for it to be over. It was so hard at this point. Between contractions, there was no break from the intensity or cramping. It felt similar to Rory’s birth—painful even between waves.
I stayed conscious of my words, saying things like, “This is really hard,” “I can do this,” or “I don’t want to do this anymore,” instead of, “This hurts” or “I can’t do this.”
Rachael came over and said it was getting much closer. I asked her if this was transition, and she confirmed it was. I felt relieved. She encouraged me to pee again, and afterward, she suggested I get back into the tub. I really didn’t want to, but I did, and oh my gosh, the hot water felt SO good. Rachael poured water on my back, and it was glorious. Rory and Blaire had gotten out of the tub and were playing nearby, but they stayed present with the process. Rory brought me sips of water, and the two of them were grounding and comforting in their own ways.
Things intensified quickly. My groans turned into loud, primal screams—Rory later joked that I sounded like a gorilla. Eric hopped into the pool because the baby was almost here, and we had planned for him to catch the baby. For our first two births, he planned to catch the baby but ended up staying by my side because I couldn’t let go of his hand. This time, Eric didn’t ask—he just got in the pool. I’m so glad he did because I probably would’ve told him not to let go of my hand if he had asked.
Blaire had gone into the kitchen because the screaming noises scared her, but Rory grabbed her just before the baby was born. I was on my knees, leaning over the tub with Eric behind me. I heard Rachael say the baby’s head was coming. For the first time, I didn’t push at all—I just let my uterus and the baby work together.
They said, “There are his ears, his head is almost out!” It felt like it was taking forever—like how was his head not out yet?! After his head finally emerged, the rest of his body flew out, and I swear I can still remember exactly what it felt like—like a slippery hot dog!
Eric caught the baby and lifted him up while his back was still to him. Rory and Blaire were standing outside the tub, and Rory exclaimed, “It’s a BOY!” Casey was born at 3:59 p.m., just two and a half hours after our midwife arrived.
After Rory announced the gender, I lifted my leg over the umbilical cord, and Eric handed Casey to me. That’s when everyone realized he was born en caul. His head had come out with the sac fully intact, which broke as the rest of his body emerged.
We waited for the cord to stop pulsing—about 15-20 minutes—and then the placenta came out. Afterward, we moved into our downstairs guest room to relax.
We weighed Casey (8 lbs, 5 oz), measured him (20.5”), and spent time together as a new family of five. We shared this special moment with our midwife (who had been with us for Rory’s birth too), Claire, one of my best friends, Zoe our videographer, and Chelsea, the birth assistant.
The birth high is unlike anything else, and with each baby, it’s only gotten better. Zoe and Claire left, and Rachael and Chelsea helped me upstairs and got me settled into bed.
It was truly the best birth out of all three.
If you’re preparing for your own birth or supporting a mama-to-be, our resources page has guides and recommendations to help the birth experience and postpartum process be as smooth as possible. They’re filled with tips and tools to help you embrace this sacred time with ease and confidence.
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Because you deserve to be cared for as much as the new life you’re bringing into the world. 💛
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