Mar 15

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Stephanie R | Preparations

As time gets closer to the baby’s arrival everything has been changing. Up until lately everything baby has been in boxes and unopened.  We were living in a one bedroom apartment and there was no space for a baby. So we found a place with a ton of space and a backyard, so now baby Zion will have his own room. The new place is perfect; the nursery was even already painted the colors we wanted and it made setting it up a lot easier. Moving while pregnant is not fun I was only allowed to carry the pillows and drive one of the vehicles.  I felt a little useless during the whole move, but it got done without me.

To prepare for the baby I have been enrolled in the prenatal care plus class at the birth center where I plan to deliver. The classes are pretty cool, few moms with due dates all around the same time meet with the midwife and discuss the topic of the class, they ranged from healthy pregnant life style to giving birth. and that weeks appointment happens either before or after the meeting, so it like getting 2 things done at once.

I have been slacking a bit when it comes to packing the bag I have picked out a bag and put a few of the required items in there but other than that, it still needs some work.  My birth plan so far is to go with the flow.  I don’t want to lock myself in to any plan because I know things can change at anytime, something I think I would hate now might end up being the one thing I want most.  You never know.

You can read more of Stephanie’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read more about the where she is finding encouragement… Birth Encouragement

…reading the next page, how she feels about her growing belly… Growing Anticipation 

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Posted in Preparing for Natural Birth

Feb 29

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Stephanie R | Birth Encouragement

When I told my family about having a natural birth, I got a bunch of different responses. My mom told me that I was gonna want whatever I can get to take the pain away, but she would always go on to say that epidural only numbed her half way and she still felt the pain on one side and she got through it . My Nana gave me the best response ever (if you can imagine her with a thick southern Mississippi accent), “Girl do you know they got stuff to where you won’t feel nothing?”  I laughed my head off when she said that!  But most of the men and the younger women in my family would say if anyone could give birth naturally it would be you.  My older cousin who was like my brother and best friend growing up said, “If you wrestle on the  boys team in high school, and beat some of them up, then having a baby will be nothing for you!  You’ll probably pop him out and go on about your day not hurting at all.”  My husband was a little on the fence about the whole thing and he still keeps asking me, “You sure you want to do this, if it was me I would want all the drugs and a c section, I glad I’m not the one pregnant.”  But other than that he has been mentally preparing and practicing on how he is going to help me deal with the pain.  I love it so much, all the extra practice means more back rubs.

Overall the reactions I get aren’t that bad, but when I do get the comments that shake my confidence, I just reassure myself that there are people all over the world who have natural unattended births and their babies come out fine, and women have been having babies since the beginning time.  And if it was that bad I don’t think the human race would have survived.  I have also gained a small bit of confidence after seeing my dog give birth to 10 puppies, and she did perfect and all she had for support was my best friend and  a terrified me, if she can labor through 10 babies  I think I can have 1, with the support system I have in place.

I think the biggest encouragement and back up when I’m having doubts is from my best friend. She is pregnant with her first too, and we get to go through everything for the first time together.  She calls me when something is going on and I call her and we compare what we go through. She is also planning to have a natural birth, but she is going the doctor and hospital route, we are always comparing how are prenatal care is going. It’s almost a once in a life time thing to go through a pregnancy and have your best friend there to go through it with you.

You can read more of Stephanie’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read more about the decision-making process… Decisions, Decisions

…reading the next page, what she is doing to prepare for this birth… Preparations

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Posted in Natural Birth Encouragement

Feb 14

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Sabrina S | Reflection

One thing I would definitely change is we forgot all the food I had planned to bring and purchased for the birth. We had a few things (some crackers and cheese and I think granola bars) but forgot most of it. What’s worse is I really had the “munchies” during this labor. With my last natural labor I didn’t want to eat but this time I couldn’t stop eating!

 

My husband slept through most of the labor…kind of wish he hadn’t. At times I felt really lonely walking around or puttering around the room by myself.

 

I also wish I had hired a doula. I am a doula myself. Because I knew what I wanted and mostly how to get it and my husband knew a lot how to comfort me and I had already had one child at the birth center and felt close to the staff I didn’t think I needed one. In hindsight I think a doula would have been a good idea. Next time I will definitely hire one.

 

Another thing I’m not sure how I feel about, my water being broken at 7cm. On one hand it intensified labor almost too much on the other hand it might have been a few more hours of labor had they not done it. I would really prefer my water to break on its own but to have a water birth you have to let them break it and check for meconium. Having a water birth was a priority for me. I’m not sure if it would have been better to wait another hour and see if I progressed or not.

 

After my second baby (my first natural birth) I tore slightly (on a previous episiotomy scar). My husband told me that the midwife and nurse had kept telling me to slow down or stop pushing but I wasn’t listening. Honestly, I never heard them. So I told my husband this time if they tell me to slow down to make sure I heard them and taught him how to help me breath through it instead of pushing. Well David was born so fast there was never a chance to tell me to slow down and unfortunately that speed caused a large tear. I’m not sure there was any way to prevent it.

 

Overall it was a good birth. To be quite honest I don’t feel like it was as good as my second birth. My husband tells me that my second birth was so perfect that nothing was going to measure up anyway. If we live here next time I give birth (if there is a next time) I will probably use the birth center again but I may consider a home birth.

 

You can read more of Sabrina’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read the story of her birth… Birth Story


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Posted in Reflections on Natural Birth

Feb 14

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Sabrina S | Birth Story

An early October morning I started having some pretty strong and regular contractions. I had been having strong and regular contractions on and off for several days (completely normal for me) but these seemed somewhat different and seemed to go on longer than before. So I packed my kids up and sent them to a friend’s house. Not long after packing off the kids the contractions started slowing down. In an attempt to keep them going I walked a while, did some squats, sat on my birth ball and anything else I could think of to encourage labor to continue. Alas, it didn’t. So around dinner time we went to pick our kids back up.

 

I remember that evening my husband kept talking about work the next day (mostly about not wanting to go). I kept saying “you aren’t going to work tomorrow” or “I have a feeling something is going to happen” and “you might as well call now and make arrangements.” He didn’t listen.

 

About 1am the next day I woke up with (once again) strong and regular contractions. I went to the bathroom, got something to drink and laid back down to time them. At that point they were keeping me awake but not strong enough that lying down was uncomfortable. They were about 20 minutes apart when I first woke up but within about 40 minutes they increased to 10 minutes apart. By 3am they were alternating between 7 minutes and 4 minutes apart and were strong enough that I was needing support to deal with them (in the meantime I had gotten up, walked around the house, ate and eventually woke my husband up to help me).

 

I knew this was it and I was a bit concerned with how quickly they seemed to be increasing in frequency. So sometime between 3 and 4am we called the midwife. I had planned to labor at home for a while but with them getting so close together so fast I felt it best to go on in (during my previous birth I went in when contractions were alternating 7 and 4 minutes apart and was 7 centimeters dilated). The midwife agreed and told me to go in. I called my friend that would be watching the girls and arranged for her to meet me at the birth center.

 

I arrived at the birth center around 4:30, unfortunately when the midwife checked me I was only at 5 centimeters. Not as far as I had hoped to be when I got there but definitely in labor. After a while on the monitor she had me walk laps around the birth center to encourage labor to move along. (At this point my husband ran to the store for coffee and then brought my bags in.) I walked, and walked and walked stopping about every 5 minutes to brace myself and breathe through a contraction.

 

After about 2 hours (at about 7am) she checked me again, I was a 7-what I had hoped to be at when I got there so not to bad! I had originally planned to use the shower at this point but didn’t really feel the need so, for the most part I kept walking.

 

My friend who was photographing our birth (for her project that includes this story!) got to the birth center around 8am. It was fun to have her there and she took wonderful pictures! At this point labor seemed to slow down and the intensity definitely decreased. It was almost too easy. My husband was afraid it was stopping but I assured him that at a 7 we were definitely having a baby that day. I think even the midwives were having trouble believing I was really in labor.

About 9am I started really wondering if I had made any progress. The seeming slowness of my labor had me a bit worried. Finally sometime after 9am the midwives came in to check my progress. I was still not much over a 7 from what I remember but they broke my water at that point. Things started moving VERY fast once my water was broke (I knew it would) and I think I went almost instantly into transition.

I don’t remember much else after that point. The contractions were almost too much. I know I got into the tub and then got back out to be checked again when I started feeling like pushing. I also know now what they mean by “overwhelming urge to push” that is definitely what it was. Actually it wasn’t so much of an “urge” because I had absolutely no control over it. My body was pushing whether I wanted to or not!

 

I remember feeling David’s head on my cervix. I definitely felt the “ring of fire” which I don’t remember feeling with my other natural birth.  I remember saying “he is coming” or “his head is on my cervix get it off” or something along those lines. It seems like I kept repeating “he is coming” and (in my perception) everyone was just looking at me like it wasn’t true. Well I felt him on my cervix and the next push “POP” his head was out (I think I literally popped-hence the 2nd degree tear!).  I remember catching a glimpse of the student midwife’s face when his head came out (there was no “crowning or ‘easing’ out like usually happens it was one push and out) and thinking she looked awfully surprised-although she quickly regained her composure.

 

Suddenly everyone was moving and responding, one more push and he was born. I found out later he was born 12 minutes after the last time they checked me and 7 minutes after I really started pushing-less than an hour after they broke my water. It sure did feel like longer, that part was definitely more intense than my other natural birth.

David went straight to my chest when he was born-I actually think I helped catch him as he wiggled out but I don’t remember for sure, either way I lifted him to my chest myself. After that all the normal stuff happened; they got him dried, got me out of the tub etc etc.

 

You can read more of Sabrina’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read more on how she feels as labor draws near… Almost There

…reading the next page, her look back on the whole birth experience… Reflection

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Posted in Birth Center Births, Birth Story, Water Birth

Jan 24

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Sarah S | Why Natural?

When I was pregnant with my first baby, Jovie Bryn, I felt like I had educated myself – meaning I read “What to Expect When You’re Expecting” and watched hours of A Baby Story – and knew exactly how I wanted my labor and birth to go. The problem with that was I didn’t know how I DIDN’T want it to go, and that was the labor and birth I ultimately ended up having. I was induced a week before Jovie’s due date, with no real good reason why, and had a 24 hour, heavily medicated labor and gave birth about 3 minutes before they were going to roll me into the OR for a c-section. Even though my little one nursed like a champ and was completely healthy, my back and right leg were numb for over 24 hours and I shook uncontrollably. I promised myself and my husband while I was still in the hospital that if we were ever blessed with another child, I would do everything in my power to make sure we would never have to go through another birth like that.

When I found out 13 months later that I was pregnant with Tillie, we were new to the Savannah area and I was at a complete loss on where I should go, what doctor to see, what our plan of action should be. My husband and I were both so concerned about having another hospital birth, having drugs pushed on me time and time again, feeling vulnerable and not in any kind of control. I talked to my Mom, who had given birth naturally three times herself, and talked with my sister, who has had 8 natural births, 7 of which were at home and read tons of articles online about natural birthing. My husband and I constantly talked about how we wanted things to go and how to go about having a natural birth and I read so many books on the subject — thank you, Ina May Gaskin, for empowering me! After going back and forth about what we had learned both during and since Jovie’s birth, we decided that there was nothing to do but have a natural birth… in a place where I could be in charge of my labor!

You can read more of Sarah’s Birth Journey by…

…turning back to read an introduction… Meet Sarah S

…reading the next page, her thoughts on the decision behind where to give birth… Decisions, Decisions (coming soon!)

 

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Posted in Why Choose Natural Birth?

Jan 11

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Meet Sarah S

Hello, everyone!  My name is Sarah and I’m a homeschooling stay-at-home-Mama of four children and I occasionally do data-entry while my youngest naps. My husband of 7 1/2 years, Brian, and I adopted our two oldest children (a sibling group) during our struggle with infertility.  About two months after our children (now 9 & 7) moved in with us, I found out I was pregnant (SURPRISE!) with our daughter Jovie Bryn (now almost 4).

The day after Jovie’s first birthday, we packed up our entire family and moved to the Savannah area, where a month later we found out I was pregnant again, with our daughter Tillie (now 2).  Being new the area, I saw several obstetricians that were recommended and then ended up at The Midwife Group & Birth Center in Savannah. From the very first moment I stepped into their building, I knew delivering there was the right choice for me & my baby.  Two days before her due date, Tillie was birthed naturally and gently into water.

In May of 2011, I suffered a miscarriage and it was the hardest and lowest point of my life.  It was so difficult to go through and heal from, and after talking with my support team (husband, midwives, OB, therapist), I felt the only way to emotionally heal was to try for another baby.  I found out I was pregnant in September 2011 with our new baby and as happy as I was, I was also terrified that something else would happen…until I started feeling this sweet little one fluttering around at about 12 weeks. I am so grateful to be carrying this child and am savoring each kick, each sleepless night and each bout of heartburn!

My due date is May 28, which is almost exactly one year from the day I was in the hospital through the worst of my miscarriage.  God has blessed us!  That first anniversary would have been heartbreaking, but to know that I will perhaps be celebrating my new baby being born that same day is enough to heal any wound.

I have my anatomy ultrasound this week and you know what that means — the opportunity to find out the sex! But we’ve chosen to not find out and be surprised when he/she is born.  Girl or boy, it doesn’t matter to us – we just can’t wait to meet this baby! (But if it’s a boy, he may remain nameless, since we cannot agree on any boy names!)

I hope you’ve enjoyed this little “Get To Know Me” post and please come back to read the other posts I’ll be writing during the rest of my pregnancy!

You can read more of Sarah’s Birth Journey by…

…reading the next page, which outlines why she chose a natural birth… Why Natural?

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Posted in Meet...

Jan 11

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Allison S | Almost There

As we get closer and closer to “Dday” as I like to call it, the excitement (and disbelief) continues to grow.  We are so unbelievably ready to meet this little wonder but our impatience is easily matched by our anxiety.  We are continuing our hypnobirthing classes with practice on our own and are approaching our plan for a natural birth with so much excitement there’s little room for other emotion!  I feel confident in myself and confident in my husband.  Working together to prepare for a natural birth has brought us closer in ways we never could have anticipated.  I imagine laboring together and welcoming our first child will bond us beyond comprehension.  Physically, I’m ready to meet the little one as I would love, love, LOVE to wear normal clothes, go for a normal run, and sleep like a normal human being (and yes I know that a silly thing to wish given that I’ll never again sleep like a normal human being!).  Mentally and emotionally, I don’t think we can ever be 100% prepared but I feel that we’ve made huge progress in our preparation and we’ve made the right choices in terms of how we’ve prepared.

As luck would have it, this babe is due to arrive just 3 weeks(ish) into my first semester of nursing school.  As I said, we have a feeling bad timing is going to be a reoccurring theme with her.  Today was actually the first day of class and was rough standing for hours on end with my belly hanging out in mid-air.  I’ve been falling all over myself trying to get organized so school suffers as little as possible when she finally arrives.  Probably the MOST nerve-wracking part of the late-stage waiting game is wondering when she’s going to show up and what that’s going to mean as far as school is concerned.  We can only speculate so much but have been able to find peace in knowing that we’ll manage one way or another!

School aside, our focus has definitely turned more internal.  I’m only now realizing (as I write this) that as I’ve progressed in pregnancy and preparation, I’ve relied on outside information, support, and validation less and less.  Through hypnobirthing, relaxation, and my husband’s encouragement I’ve gained continued confidence in myself and my body’s ability to help this baby find her way.  At the same time, I’ve seen my husband’s confidence in nature’s plan and his ability to be the support I need grow alongside my own.  On the occasion that any doubt or worry creeps in, I’ve found it easier and easier to find reassurance in my own strength and confidence that I’ve not only made the right decision but I’ve taken the proper steps to prepare.

I’ve only had one or two bouts of Braxton Hicks contractions but I’m glad to have SOME idea what a contraction feels like.  Now that I am coming up on 37 weeks, every odd movement, twinge, and tummy ache sets me into high alert wondering, hoping, and even fearing that “this is it!”  At times when I’m uncomfortable or feel ill I’m amazed at how great an impact a relaxation exercise can have and that has added a bit more encouragement.  Occasionally I have episodes of panic when I realize she could literally come any day and feel that I still need more time to prepare and focus on my relaxation.  I try to replace that anxiety with the reassurance that IF she decides to come today or tomorrow or in a week, that there’s a reason and both she and my body are ready for the challenge!

You can read more of Allison’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read more on how she feels about her growing belly… Growing Anticipation

…reading the next page, the story of her birth… Birth Story (coming soon) 

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Posted in Almost There

Jan 11

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Allison S | Maternity Photography

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Posted in Birth Stories, Maternity Photos, Photography

Jan 11

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Allison S | Growing Anticipation

Anticipation is simple not strong enough a word to express what has developed over the course of the pregnancy.  My husband and I have traveled through so many stages and phases it’s hard to believe we are the same two people who stared wide-eyed at those two pink lines and then hugged as I whispered, “Holy crap.”  Amidst all the changes OUTSIDE of expecting a baby (leaving my job, moving cross country, returning to school full time, and my husband beginning a new job) we have had to do a great, great deal of adjusting, evaluating, and slow, deep breathing!  I have been a yo-yo of emotion, fear, irritation, and excitement trying to find my new role as a dependant, a student, a member of a new, very different community, and expectant mother.  The transformation (both physically and emotionally) has been probably the greatest surprise of all.  From day one until today I have graduated through phases of disbelief, regret, and submission to absolute joy, elation, and awe.

I remember in July at just 11 weeks pregnant when I told all my siblings (we had gathered for July 4th) and how I felt fat and bloated while we cruised around Charleston on a friend’s boat.  I remember in October when I took early maternity photos for our anniversary and how I couldn’t IMAGINE how I could get any bigger!  I remember in late November when we had our actual maternity shoot how amazed I was at the growth that has occurred over five short weeks.  I remember the first flutters (that didn’t seem like flutters at all – more like full-fledged assault) in May and the gradual progression to an unbelievable array of rolling, poking, stretching, jell-o shaking.  Sometimes I catch my husband watching me put lotion on my belly (as I do every night before bed) and when I ask him what he’s looking at, he just shakes his head in disbelief at the transformation that has occurred.

Being far from friends and family I am saddened that they have missed most of the growth.  I send videos of my belly and the baby rolling around, I’ve sent maternity photos, and I’ve taken a weekly photo since my 23rd week.  We have had a few visits from friends and family and I can only imagine their shock after having not seen me since pre-pregnancy or since the earlier stages.  My mom can’t keep her hands off of me and my mother and father in law give me what I call a “Buddha belly rub” every time they see me.  My younger brother (who is in Cambodia with the Peace Corps) jokes that he’s glad he doesn’t have to see me “all gross and lopsided” but I was able to show him my belly at about 33 weeks during a skype chat.  Even his host family in Cambodia is following my progress.  This will be the first grandchild in my immediate family and a first grandchild for my husband’s mother so everyone is poised with almost paralyzing excitement and anticipation.

Along with comments and surprise at my physical growth, jokes and guesses fly endlessly as to how big or small she’ll be, whether she’ll look like me or look like my husband, whether she’ll be quiet and sweet or an absolute terror.  Everyone has taken a stab at nicknames and some have even taken a shot at RE-naming her.  I need to start a list of all the guesses, predictions, names and nicknames offered as suggestions or demands so we can have a good laugh once we get to meet her for ourselves!

You can read more of Allison’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read more about what she is doing to prepare for this birth… Preparations

…reading the next page, how she feels as labor draws near… Almost There 

 

 

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Posted in Growing Anticipation

Jan 11

Natural Birth Stories | Birth Center Birth | Allison S | Preparations

Almost from our arrival in South Carolina, a new friend (the natural birth, hypnobirthing, cloth diapering friend) introduced me to Hypnobabies.  It was a birthing program designed to divert fear and tension through self hypnosis and relaxation.  End result, a slower, smoother, easier birth.  She had purchased the materials typically used in a five week course and coached herself.  She lent me the materials and while I was excited about the innovative approach, the books and CDs admittedly sat untouched for well over 10 weeks.  I then came across the Hypnobirthing classes being offered at the birthing center from yet another military spouse contact.  Given my apparent inability to make progress on my own I started looking into the courses and the cost.  Unfortunately with my husband’s demanding work schedule we would never be able to make the five classes together.  With his support we inquired about the possibility of private classes and shortly before my first appointment at the birthing center I made plans for in-home classes.  Call me crazy but our classes have not only brought my husband and I closer together but they have also made us look forward to our birthing experience with excitement and pleasant, giddy anticipation.

Per the birthing center’s recommendations we’re bringing along the “essentials” but given the anticipated gentle labor and short stay at the birthing center after delivery, we have substantially less to pack than if we were planning for a 2 day hospital stay.  Aside from the standard clothes and toiletries we’re bringing food and drinks (since there is no restriction on food while laboring at the birthing center), our relaxation music and some sort of device in which to play it, my breast pump should we want to utilize nipple stimulation to encourage progression, camera and videocamera (we’re planning to record the delivery), and an absolute must, the pregnancy wedge I’ve been using to support my belly for the last few months.  I never really considered HIS birthing bag but I’d guess it’ll include about seven decks of cards and a few books as he’s an avid sleight of hand enthusiast and may need to do a little self-entertaining here and there!

I’ve been fortunate to remain active throughout the pregnancy.  I was able to run (usually about 3 miles at a time) up until about 7.5 months when I switched to the elliptical.  All things considered, I haven’t noticed much difference in my ability to run aside from some ligament pain that resolved itself after switching to the elliptical.  I’d had high hopes for prenatal yoga but my school schedule just wouldn’t allow and not having any previous yoga experience, found it a little intimidating.  I’d also had high hopes for swimming (in anticipation of not being able to run as long as I have) but unfortunately, I can’t swim!  I’ve tried walking but 99% of my walks turn into runs because I get bored and restless but running has been my primary source of physical activity throughout pregnancy.

Between a full-time school schedule, my husband’s insane work schedule, hypnobirthing, and trying to keep a clean house I regrettably have not done much reading in preparation of birth or parenting.  I am the neurotic component of my marriage so I’m a bit concerned at the lack of preparation in that department but have had endless conversations with friends who have children and I’d be lying if I wasn’t taking mental notes when I watch them nurse, change, carry, and play with their children.  I’ve been fortunate and at times overwhelmed to have friends so willing to share parenting advice.  My husband is hands down the calm and collective component of our marriage so he has, as with most things, taken the “We’ll figure it out.” approach.  It makes me crazy but truth is, I believe we cannot anticipate every need or every emergency so we’ll welcome the friendly input we can get, find our way when the time comes, and keep the pediatrician on speed dial!

Our birthing plan is fairly simple since we have a much greater confidence in the birthing center to let us dictate how things progress than we would were we planning for a hospital birth.  Perhaps the most important note about the birthing plan is that due to the use of self hypnosis, I am not to be disturbed or spoken to while my eyes are closed.  My husband is to be my primary coach unless there is immediate medical danger, we want as much skin-to-skin time as possible, as soon as possible, and wish to keep the room dim and quiet so I can focus on my breathing and relaxation.  We have written a sort of addendum should, for whatever reason, we need to be transferred to a hospital.  In that event, my husband will play the role of liaison to the medical staff so I can maintain focus on my relaxation, my body and the baby!

You can read more of Allison’s Birth Journey by…


…turning back to read more about the where she is finding encouragement… Birth Encouragement

…reading the next page, how she feels about her growing belly… Growing Anticipation 

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Posted in Preparing for Natural Birth

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