My Positive Home Birth Story of Marcus James Rhodes

My water broke

It was about 4:30 in the morning. I went to the bathroom and my water broke. About 10 minutes later I decided to call the Midwife and let her know that my water had been broken and I may be giving birth soon. I informed my Midwife that the amniotic fluid was a greenish color so she then informed me that that means the baby had been starting to poop in the amniotic sac. She wasn’t concerned about that so she told me to just rest and keep her updated.

I went back to bed since it was about 5:00 in the morning to try to get some more sleep. At 1 day shy of 29 weeks pregnant, I didn’t have the best sleep. Between tossing and turning and frequent bathroom breaks, I wake up a lot. So, I wanted to get as much sleep as I possibly could.

Contractions eventually start

My contractions didn’t start for another couple hours after I talked to my midwife. Once they did, they weren’t too consistent. Though it’s been so long since I had him, he’s 20 months now so I can’t remember exactly how long my contractions were and how often they were coming. They started roughly 2 to 4 hours after my water broke. They stayed steady for a bit then slowed down as the day progressed and as the morning slowly went by they started coming sporadically.

I think it was about 10:00 that that my contractions started to pick up and progressively speed up. So I called and notified my Midwife that they were getting closer together and shorter so she started to head over to my house and she’s about an hour drive from where I live.

During this time I attempted to do the Bradley Method where you lay a certain way to completely relax your body in attempt to relieve the intensity of the contractions aka “surges”. Though I don’t think I practiced this enough so I didn’t have success with this method. I first heard about this method from Lisa Bass from Farmhouseonboone.com, her story HERE.

Her assistant got here first a little after 11:00 a.m. and started getting things ready and set up for when my midwife got here. Once my midwife got here around 11:15-11:20 she got everything situated and ready to go.

I needed to push

At this point Adaline was out in the living area with my parents and Nathan was in the bedroom with me for support somehow if I needed it.
I eventually I had the need to push and baby was in a good position so there wasn’t any need to have him turned as far as I remember. It went smoothly for a while for the most part. I just kept pushing but I had the hardest time making any progress at one point.
At one point she was telling me to really push, that I need to push and that I need to get this baby out now. She wasn’t saying why, I think not to make me worry, but I was trying so hard but I just still had the hardest time pushing that baby out. I’m not sure if I just haven’t figured out the best position to be in, because I’d sit up and squat but always end up laying down on my back.

She called for an Ambulance

Apparently, his heart rate was dropping, and she was starting to get a little concerned. So, with me having a hard time pushing the baby out, she ended up calling an ambulance to start heading our way just in case they needed it.
I remember hearing an ambulance going by, and it sounded like it was stopping at the house. Maybe that was the breaking point for me. I knew I did not want to have to get in that vehicle and spend a 20-minute ride in pain trying to push through several contractions and then go to a hospital. Thankfully, shortly after that, within seconds or a couple minutes, I was able to push him out and all was done. She checked my blood pressure, bleeding and everything and I was perfectly fine so they sent the ambulance away and thankfully I did not need to take a ride in an ambulance to the hospital. I am thankful they were there if I needed them but I am glad I didn’t.

Marcus James Rhodes was born at 12:30 in the afternoon on June 4th 2022. Wow, did he have a full head of dark hair. We were quite surprised with how much hair this little baby had compared to our first baby girl. She had no hair and when she finally got hair, she was blonde and that was after she turned 6 months old.

A little on the name

I’ve had Marcus on my list of boys names for years and we both liked the name and as far as the middle name we could not find one we both liked. We’ve been trying to use a relatives name for our child’s middle name and we were having a hard time finding one that we both liked and/or sounded good with the rest of the name. Both my parents and his parents used a relatives name in one part of theirs kids name, we wanted to keep going with that tradition. So we settled on James after Nathans middle name because it fit well and really was the only one that we could both agree on.

Deciding where to have my baby

After we moved to Maine and found out we were expecting, I no longer was able to use my midwife in Vermont. So when it was time to decide where to have my baby it was a no-brainer for me that I was going to have another home birth. I found a midwife doctor that was close to me and got it all set up. Once again, it took some convincing of my parents that me having a baby at home was fine and that they didn’t need to worry. Not to mention, we had moved into their house temporarily, so I would most likely be having the baby in their house. So when the time came for the baby to come it was a bit nerve wracking to have that happening in their house.

Why do I share my positive home birth stories?

I like to share my home birth stories to help encourage women that may be looking into having a home birth. Maybe someone that is expecting a baby and give them encouragement that not all births have to be at a hospital. That they can be easily taken care of in their home when necessary and be completely left alone until needed.

I love that I can eat as I please and rest as I feel the need. If my contractions happen to subside I can move on with my day instead of them checking me out of the hospital because it was a false alarm or something and having to get a ride back home. Once baby comes I can lay comfortably in my own bed and rest in peace.

Some woman like to read positive home birth stories to keep them positive when they need encouragement about having a baby. That the midwives are there if needed to help and always look ahead to prevent negative things that may happen.

I hope my story helps you in your journey to having your baby and gives you encouragement that your body is a wonderful creation that God designed perfectly to do this very normal thing. That if you do your research and come prepared to your birth, things will work out. I know not all women are able to have a home birth for medical reasons and that’s understandable.

More Positive Home Birth Stories

Read about the home birth of my first child HERE

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This Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution is so simple and quick to make. With only three ingredients, you can make this with what you already have in your kitchen in a minute. It’s made with all natural ingredients, so you can feel safe using this on your baby’s sensitive skin.

Why I use a Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution

I love making my own baby wipes. I’m all about saving money and making my own products where I can. It does mean one extra thing I have to do but honestly, it takes a minute to make and I don’t even notice it anymore. If I need more I can go to the kitchen instead of the grocery store and keep my money in my pocket and not in the trash.

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Reasons to make your own baby wipes

Making your own baby wipes means you know all the ingredients that go into it.

No mineral oil/baby oil or petroleum jelly are added to this recipe. Unlike disposable wipes, these don’t include any chemicals or alcohol which I certainly do not want on my babies skin or mine.

This recipe has ingredients that you can find in your pantry. I prefer to use natural items in my home, especially when it comes to my baby.

With their sensitive skin, this solution gently cleans and keep their skin baby soft. The oil used is gentle and helps keeps the skin moisturized. The soap is gentle and cleans the skin without stripping it of the natural oils.

You’ll get to keep more money in your pocket instead of in the trash. No more running to the store to buy a plastic package of disposable wipes. You use them once and toss them in the trash.

Material to use with your Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution

The wipes that are sold in most packages of baby wipes are typically made with polyester or polypropylene. I wouldn’t want to use that as toilet paper for myself, why us it on my child. If I have a choice as to what I can use, I’d much rather make my own.

You can use your own choice of material to clean your baby. I don’t know about you but I prefer to use cotton on my baby. From her bonnets down to her baby wipes with the exception of a wool diaper cover. With their delicate skin I feel it’s best to have natural fibers against their skin. If possible I’ll try to use organic material.

I use some receiving blankets that were cut up into some 6×6 squares. Then just toss them in with the diaper laundry when dirty.

If you would prefer not to use cloth, you can use a heavy duty paper towel for the baby wipes. You may need to make more solution if you prep the paper towels ahead of time with the whole roll.

Oils for Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution

There are many options when it comes to the oil you use. I prefer to use fractionated coconut oil. This is just coconut oil that doesn’t solidify. While Virgin Coconut Oil is great for so many things it is solid at room temperature. Unless you plan to use a wipe warmer this wouldn’t be a very good oil to use.

Some other oils that you could use are grapeseed oil, olive oil and avacado oil.

Can I add essential oils to this solution?

You most certainly can. I don’t add any essential oils just to keep it very simple.

As long as you are using any of the oils mentioned above you should be fine. You only need a few drops of essential oil in the bottle so that it is diluted in a carrier oil properly.

Some essential oils that you can use are Lavender, Cedarwood, and Rose just to name a few. HERE is a great source on essential oils for baby and mothers.

Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution for Diaper Rash

When my daughter was born I first started using only water with my cloth wipes and she ended up getting a rash. I have heard some people having good luck with using only water on their cloth wipes. Though, for me, it just didn’t get her clean enough.

My friend then told me about this recipe and my daughter has not had a diaper rash since. She is currently 8 months old.

Is Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution safe for cloth diapers?

This solution is perfectly fine for cloth diapers.

Usually, the only thing you need to avoid using with cloth diapers is Zinc Oxide. This can reduce the absorbency of the fabric in your cloth diapers. Zinc is typically found in diaper rash creams.

I go over the types of cloth diapers I have tried and how it worked out for me in the first 6 months. You can read about that HERE.

Can I use the soap I have on hand?

It’s best to stick with a gentle and uncented baby soap or shampoo. I prefer Dr. Bronners baby unscented castile soap because it is an all natural soap. I like that it is only made from vegetables like olive, hemp and coconuts.

How to use Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution

I found that it is easiest to keep this in a squirt bottle. I use a peri bottle that I had gotten from my midwife from my home birth.

You can read all about my natural home birth story HERE.

You can also use a spray bottle but I find that it takes a lot longer to get the baby wipe wet enough.

I prefer to keep my wipes separate from the solution. Then I don’t have to hurry and use up all the wipes before they get moldy.

How to make Homemade Natural Baby Wipe Solution

This recipe is simple and effective. It will only take a minute to make and it will leave your baby soft and clean. Refreshing!

Supplies

• A bottle (squirt or spray bottle)
• 1/2 TSP Dr. Bronners Baby Uncented Castile soap
• 1 TSP Fractionated Coconut Oil
• Filtered or Distilled water (I like to use my Berkey water filter)

Directions

Fill your bottle with the filtered water leaving about 1 inch head space at the top.

Add your oil and soap to the bottle.

Slowly top off the bottle with the filtered water if necessary.

Gently invert a couple times to mix together prior to each use.

Tip: Don’t add the soap to the bottle first. This is to prevent the soap from foaming up when you add the water in on top of it.

Generously apply it to your homemade baby wipes and wipe away!

Have you made your own baby wipe solution before? What did you add in yours?

Leave a comment below and let me know!

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This minimalist baby essentials list is a great starting point if your a first time mom. I now have a six month old baby and before I had my baby I had no experience with babies. I want to fill you in on what has worked for me on a minimalist level for the first 6 months after she was born.

Minimalist Baby Essentials 0-6 Months

Before I had my daughter I did a lot of research on what I would need for a newborn. A lot of videos and websites stated a lot of things that I didn’t feel we needed. I know everyone is different and it can also depend on what time of year you will be having your baby.

Our daughter was born late October, so I knew that I would not be spending much time outdoors. Since the weather would be getting too cold for a newborn baby, I wouldn’t need things like a stroller.

Now my husband and I live in New England, so our winters get pretty cold. I planned to get things that were easy to use but kept my baby warm.

I also tried to keep everything gender neutral, there are 2 reasons. Firstly, we did not know if we were having a boy or a girl, we wanted to be surprised. Secondly I wanted these clothes to be able to be worn on our second child when the time came whether we had a boy or girl and not need to buy more clothes.

So just with planning for the season we were expecting our baby, I was able to drastically decrease what I needed to get.

Another thing I kept in mind was to only get what I would need for the first 6 months after she was born. I didn’t want to get things that I thought she would need after that because she may or may not fit into it and it may not be weather appropriate.

I may also find that when she is older my preference in clothes and other items may change. For example: I used a lot of footed sleepers when she was a newborn and now I use more long sleeve onsies with leggings.

Minimalist Baby Essentials -Diapering and Feeding

Diapers

Of course the first thing on my list is diapers. There are too many options to count. You could go with disposables, there are many different brands, from Huggies and Pampers to organic brands like Honest and Seventh Generation.

Then there are options like cloth diapers. There are many styles when it comes to cloth diapers. You have flats, that’s what your grandmother probably used. There are “All-In-Ones”, these are most similar to disposable diapers.

There are options like Elimination Communication, you can find a lot of information and groups that go into the how to’s of this method. I have been using this method with great success starting about 2 weeks after she was born. I use a Top Hat Potty for all her potty breaks.

You also have the diaper free option – There are many countries that use this option. I personally haven’t tried diaper free for longer than 30 minutes at a time.

You can check out my post HERE, where I go over the diapers I used and how it went for me.

Diaper Cream

Every other day or so I will use some diaper cream on her little tush. She didn’t always need it, I mostly used it if her skin was a bit dry down there. I used Earth Mama Organic Diaper Balm. You can also make your own, there are many tutorials online.

Baby Wipes

My mother made me a bunch out of some cotton material that I use and toss in with her diaper laundry. I probably have about 40 wipes, that lasts me until I wash her diapers about every other day.

I also make my own baby wipe solution and I just keep it in a standard peri bottle.

Diaper Bag

I had a canvas backpack that had many pockets to hold all her little baby things. A backpack I found was a lot easier to use when already holding a baby, to help keep your hands free. So I was happy to re-purpose a backpack that didn’t get used very often.

Diaper Pail or Large Wet Bags

I have a Ubbi diaper pail that I add a large wet bag to. I did not want to keep purchasing plastic bags when I can just toss the reusable wet bag into the wash with the diapers.

Reusable Underpads

I used these whenever I did diaper free time. They are great to absorb number 1 or 2 if it should happen in that time. You will be glad to save your carpets, wood floors and cute blankets while you can. These are also great as a changing pad.

Muslin Burp Cloths

I have about 4 of these, they worked well for the times she may spit up or just to wipe the boogers from her face. With a couple in the wash and 2 to spare I found I didn’t need more then that.

Nursing Pillows

I used nursing pillows constantly. I have tried the Boppy pillow that is a horse shoe shaped pillow. Though my favorite was the My Brest Friend nursing pillow. I liked that I was able to tighten or loosen it as I needed.

Breast Pads

Not necessarily for my baby but it comes with having to nurse a baby. Reusable bamboo breast pads are a must have for me. I like Kindred Bravely brand and I’m still using them even 6 months in. I don’t have to use them since my milk has regulated but when I have a let-down I’d prefer it didn’t end up on my clothes.

Now bottles are not on my list since thankfully I am able to exclusively breast feed. I did get bottles though, just in case I needed them. I got the Mason Bottle brand and I did used them a couple of times. This brand of bottle allows you to add a nipple to the top of an 4 ounce or larger mason jar and use the ring that comes with the jars to hold it in place. They also make covers that can snap over the nipple right on the jar and silicone sleeves for an extra grip. You can find those bottles HERE.

Breast Pump

I did need to use a breast pump temporarily in the first 2 weeks of having our baby. She had a lip tie so nursing was quite painful for a little bit.

Nursing Cover

You may want to have one but you don’t need to use one if you don’t want to. I wanted the privacy for myself and my baby when we were away from home or had company over. I just used a trusty swaddle blanket and draped it over my shoulder.

Minimalist Baby Essentials – Clothes

Cotton Footed Zipper Sleepers

These were a must for me. Middle of the night diaper changes go so much more smoothly with a zipper. Having to fiddle with buttons was not going to happen. I wanted to keep baby as sleepy as possible and the less time spent changing a diaper the better. I had about 2-3 of these for each age range.

These are also easier because I did not want to fuss with a lost sock. These were also handy because they had built in mitts to keep my little one from scratching her face in those early days.

Sleeper Gowns

Sleeper gowns were another clothing item I used besides the footed sleepers. These are great at night for quick diaper changes. I used these a lot in the first couple months. About 3-4 of these was plenty for me.

Cotton Long Sleeve Onesies or Footless Pajamas

These are on my essential list once she started to become more mobile. I had done some reading and found that it would be best to have her feet exposed since she was starting to stand around 3 months of age. So I wanted her to have a better exposure to the floor beneath her feet without fabric in the way.

These are also good so little one has a little extra to keep her warm on those winter days under her sleepers. I rotated though about 3-4 of these from months 3-6.

I did use cotton leggings when I had her in the onesies during the day. Since it was still winter I wanted to make sure her cute little legs stayed warm. The reason I didn’t just use pants was because we were practicing elimination communication. When doing this you need to be able to get the diaper off sooner rather then later. So instead of having to fuss with pants you just have to unbutton the onesie and remove the diaper.

Hats

I had some cotton newborn hats that I would use when we had to take her to a doctor appointment.

Once she started to grow out of those my mother knitted a hat for her that I was able to use for a few months.

When the cooler months of spring arrived I started using bonnets, these had been made my grandmother and my mother. So adorable!

Socks

I know I said I don’t like to mess with socks but I only used these though when we go outside and I want an extra layer on her feet during the winter. They also were typically used mostly when she was 5-6 months old going outside, because I’d quickly throw on a pair of pants for added warmth and to keep her pant legs from sliding up. I only had 2 pairs and thankfully did not loose them.

Pants

Same as the socks, I didn’t use them much. For going outside or those extra cold days. I only used about 1 or 2 different pairs for months 3-6.

Jacket

I got a couple jackets to use from the house to the car, going to the grocery store or more doctor appointments. The Burt’s Bees brand has cute jackets that are reversible with the cutest prints.

Blanket

I have a couple cotton blankets. I have a smaller blanket that I keep in her diaper bag and use to cover her in the car seat. A larger blanket as well that I can use now and later when she is older and needs a larger blanket.

Cotton Muslin Swaddle Blankets

I used these daily when my little one was put down for her naps. She was so comfortable and happy in them. Six was plenty for me and even then, I had extra.

Minimalist Baby Essentials – Carriers and Car Seats

Car Seat

We got the Graco 4-Ever all in one car seat. I like this option because I won’t need to purchase multiple car seats depending on her weight and height.

Baby Carrier

This was a must for me. Tending to the animals and cleaning is a lot easier when you have two hands. I got the Moby Wrap and the Solly Baby Wrap. The Moby Wrap is a thicker material that I find good for the winter months and for my husband when he used it. The Solly Wrap is thinner and I found that to be good on warmer days so we didn’t overheat.

Swing/Bouncer

This is good for when you just need to place your baby down for a little bit. Whether its to make dinner or go grab a quick shower. I like the bouncer and swing combo because it’s one less thing to keep in the house. I tend to prefer items that are multi-purpose.

Crib or Bassinet

I actually did not get either a crib or bassinet. My husband and I ended up deciding to bed share when we had our baby. So at the moment it’s not something that we need. Though whatever arrangement you plan, this may be on your list.

Disclaimer: I know this is a controversial subject, we did extensive research and take all the recommended precautions. We find that this is what works best for us.

Minimalist Baby Essentials – Bath and Laundry

Baby Bath

I ended up getting the Blooming Bath. I liked that it can fit in my kitchen sink, no bending over the tub and its soft in the warm water instead of the bulky, cold and hard plastic of most baths. Another key factor was that I can quickly toss it in the wash and dryer then fold it up to store it until the next use.

Uncented Baby Soap

I love using Dr. Bronners Castile Baby Unscented Soap. I use it for dishes, hand soap and baths and occasionally shampoo. It’s gentle on my baby’s skin and has great multipurpose uses with out over powering smells.

Note: If your a breast feeding mama you may want to steer clear of Peppermint scented soaps. This scent/oil can decrease milk supply. Source.

Baby Friendly Laundry Detergent

I use Tide Free & Gentle Unscented. This worked well with my cloth diapers and the general whole house laundry.

Minimalist Baby Essentials – Miscellaneous Items

Thermometer

I have a rectal/armpit and a temporal thermometer. I haven’t needed to use either thankfully. Though I did want to have it on hand just in case since we were heading into flu season.

Sound Machine

Not necessary but it helps a lot in my house with having many animals and they are not quiet when I need them to be. They can be extremely loud.

Baby Monitor

If she was not asleep in the baby wrap she would nap on a safe sleep surface. I liked the monitor so I could keep a close eye on her while she was napping in a darkened room without constantly opening the door to check on her. I like the HelloBaby video monitor it has a built-in thermometer and night vision.

Toys

When it came to toys I seem to lean more towards Montessori style. I prefer the wooden toys instead of plastic, musical and overstimulating toys. They don’t need much for toys in the first 6 months so I stuck with just a handful of items for when she was around 2-3 months.

Wooden rattles, Natursutten natural rubber teether toy, Crinkle Paper, natural rubber bright multi colored ball and a Baby Safe Mirror (she LOVED to look at herself in the mirror). I also had a wooden play gym, it had assorted shapes hanging from it that she could lay on her back and practice grabbing them.

I also had a few black and white plush toys and a black and white baby book with baby animals in it. Since black, white and red are the colors they see best in the first few months she loved these toys, especially the book.

I have a Zany Zoo Activity Cube, this is great to help her learn how to balance herself when she is sitting or standing and keeps her entertained for a little bit.

Thats about it

I tried to keep it pretty basic and minimal. Less things to organize and clean and keeps more money in my pocket.

Anything else you would add to this list? Let me know in the comments below.

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