Kym could not have asked for a better birth experience. She planned and hoped for a natural unmedicated birth but knew birth can be extremely unpredictable, so she was open and ready for anything. Kym was able to achieve her goal of bringing her son into this world without medication and she could not have done so without her midwife team, support from her husband, and the cooperation from the star of the show, baby boy Travis.
Kym’s husband left for the Pendleton Roundup that weekend and it was a running joke that the baby better not come until Dad gets home. Coincidentally enough things started the evening Dad returned. Contractions started the Sunday evening of September 19th, 2021. Kym thought it may have just been indigestion since it was very minor and inconsistent, and she was only 37 weeks and 2 days. The cramping/contractions continued through the night. She was able to sleep through the contractions but would check her phone after each one to know they were hitting on average every 20 minutes. She was able to breathe through them and fall back asleep. The next morning, she woke up and showered and clocked into work (at the time she was working remotely). She checked emails with contractions still happening and her husband went into work. She lasted only about an hour and a half when she told her manager she wasn’t feeling well and might be in labor. She called her husband, and he came home immediately.
Panic started to set in, so they were quickly googling what to pack for the hospital bag since the baby wasn’t expected for another 2 ½ weeks. The unopened car seat box was even thrown into the trunk of the car since they had not set it up yet. The on-call midwife was on the phone and calmed the two of them down since contractions needed to be a minute long and they were only about 15-30 seconds at the time. Kym labored at home for the entire day. Four showers and two baths were taken. Things started to get intense after 5pm and Kym was feeling as though she needed some sort of relief. She decided to take another bath and contractions stopped and she felt as if she could finally relax and breathe. Those ten minutes of tranquility was just what her body needed. Things started to become very intense, and contractions were now lasting 45 seconds-1 minute long, so it was go time. It was 7pm and Kym remembers the uncomfortable drive to the hospital and peeking through her sunglasses and seeing the most beautiful sunset she had ever seen. She remembers thinking in her head “I’m about to meet my baby.” It was the most idyllic moment.
After arriving at the hospital, the midwives asked if she wanted to be checked and sure enough, she was 7 cm dilated and fully effaced. Kym was at the hospital a total of 90 minutes until her son was born. Kym was exhausted and checked out, but one of the midwives got eye level with Kym and gave her a pep talk that she will never forget. Once in a room she pushed for a total of 25 minutes. Pushing was done mostly on the toilet which is where her water broke and her baby started crowning. The midwives suggested she transfer to the bed where Brett and a nurse helped escort her to. Kym pushed a couple more times and her son came out and hit her husband’s leg. Kym remembers hearing his first cry and getting to hold him on her chest. It was the most magical moment that she never wanted to end. Once the umbilical cord was done pulsing, Brett cut the cord while the midwives took a couple photos. The midwives then helped the mom and baby nurse for the very first time. It was the most wonderful day on the most beautiful fall harvest moon.
Kym Dove Bio
Kym is a local Pacific Northwest girl who has been living in Portland for the past 6 years with her husband Brett, her one-year-old son Travis, and her pit hound mix named Raynie. She met her husband back in 2013 in Portland at a mutual friends’ house. Life decided to speed up for the two of them starting in February of 2021 when they unexpectedly found out they were pregnant. All the major live events then followed. They became engaged May 2021, had their baby boy September 20, 2021, got married June 2022, and bought their first home August 2022. You could say 2021 and 2022 were big years for them! Brett is a Salesman at Tec Equipment in North Portland and Kym use to work for the medical school program at OHSU and is now a full time stay at home mom. The Doves love the outdoors and spending time with family and friends. Kym can be contacted on Instagram at @kym_dove
Resources
- Ina May Guide to Childbirth
- The Birth Hour Podcast
- All About Pregnancy & Birth-Nicole Rankins
- Pregnancy Podcast by Vanessa Merten
- Evidence Based Birth -Rebecca Dekker
- Devi Prayer-Craig Pruess & Ananda-Hindu Prayer (21 min long)
BabyIt from Fairhaven Health
This episode is sponsored by Fairhaven Health. Fairhaven Health offers a wide range of products for fertility, pregnancy, breastfeeding and women’s health. Today, we’re highlighting a product from their vaginal care line – BabyIt Perineal Massage and Postpartum Gel. BabyIt is a water-based, isotonic and paraben-free gel designed specifically for perineal massage during pregnancy, and to soothe sore tissues postpartum. Fairhaven Health is generously offering 15% off of all products with the code BirthHour15 at www.fairhavenhealth.com