Janell's Story

The Birth Story of Ella Jane Mortensen

Warning: I have written this story so that those who are hoping for a VBAC can have the most information possible. I would suggest those people who are simply interested in knowing how I ended up having an unplanned home birth after two cesarians just read the yellow text under the "Birth" section.


Background


Like many birth stories, this one begins with the birth stories of my older children. Jonathan, my oldest was born via a c-section after more than 24 hours of labor, more than two hours of pushing, and back labor (despite the epidural). It literally felt like someone had lit my back on fire. His labor was induced 11 days after his due date. He was posterior and his head was asynclitic. When the doctor said to me, "We can always do a c/s (c-section)," I said, "YES!" I was convinced he was stuck and that he would never come out. The recovery was terrible. Many things happened and I was out of it for a long time. I didn't hold Jonathan until about 12 hours after the birth. I did not want to have another experience like that one. After learning more about birth, I was convinced the entire experience could have gone much differently if I had been more informed.

With Erik, I was determined to have a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarian). I even switched insurance at 38 weeks and went to the local German hospital knowing that they allowed things to happen much more naturally. Although it ended up in another c/s, I know that labor was much better than it would have been at Lanstuhl (the Army hospital) and the recovery was MUCH better than it had been with Jonathan. I believe I was given lower doses of drugs this time around and that made all the difference during the recovery. Erik's labor was also over 24 hours, and I was complete, but he rotated before he descended and his head was stuck on my pelvis. They tried unsuccessfully to get him to rotate by moving me around, but this was difficult to do since I had an epidural.

The Birth


This time I decided that in order to have a VBA2C (Vaginal Birth After 2 Cesarians), I was going to have to do it without any medication. I also knew that I would need labor support--someone who was familiar with my situation and someone who understood the birth process and believed in it. I went to the ICAN (International Cesarian Awareness Network) website and found a midwife, Salli Gonzalez, who had attended a lot of VBACs. She works at the San Antonio Birth Center and she also does home deliveries. I contemplated having Ella at the Birth Center, but they would not accept me since my last c/s was a single-layer suture. They considered it too high of a risk. I found an OB who would allow a VBA2C and whose practice was adjacent to the North Central Baptist Hospital which is just a few miles from our house.

The only problem with this practice was there was one OB (out of four) who would not do VBACs since she has children and did not want to spend the time at the hospital that is required for someone in my situation. To make matters more complicated, my OB was unable to deliver any babies since she recently had surgery on her hand. My plan was to labor for as long as possible at home so that even if Dr. Simpson was on-call, she would hopefully just deliver the baby. Needless to say, this created some anxiety for me, especially since my OB flat out told me that if I did come in when Simpson was on-call, she'd give me a c/s.

There were a lot of things that I prayed for during this time. Towards the end, I simply started asking for a good vaginal birth experience since it seemed like my list of requests was getting longer and longer. I know that the many prayers that were rendered were answered. The weekend Ella was born, Dr. Simpson was on-call. I thought to myself that if I didn't have the baby that day (Thursday) there was NO way I had better go into labor during the weekend. I really feel like the way the circumstances were surrounding the birth and with the final outcome, God showed forth his hand in my life. It was almost like an Abrahamic test (but not nearly as bad, of course). I felt as if the knife (scalpel) was being held high in the air and there seemed to be little to no chance of a good outcome. But the knife was stayed and the seemingly impossible situation worked out in the best way possible.

The morning of the 10th (Ella's due date) I had a 40 week OB appointment. I was NOT looking forward to this appointment and had hoped that Ella would be born before then. I knew that my OB would talk about having a scheduled c/s the very next week, and I didn't want to have that conversation. Of course it had to be discussed. Tears streamed down my face as we discussed the possibility of having a scheduled c-section. Although I managed to move the scheduled c/s to a later date, I was still upset by the conversation. I left the office not knowing what to think. I was dilated to 3 cm and about 60% effaced, but I had been this way for the past four weeks.*

That night I decided to make a practice run of the special RRLT (Red Raspberry Leaf Tea) concoction (yes, RRL Tea is Word of Wisdom approved) that I had read about. Making this special brew supposedly "takes away the pain of contractions, but not the pain of dilation" whatever that meant. I went downstairs and cut open seven tea bags. It still wasn't enough, but I was out of tea. I estimated how much I would need when labor started and planned to buy some more the very next day.

At about 10:30 P.M. the tea was done seeping and I drank it down...most of it anyway. It was DISGUSTING! I had my doubts about drinking it during labor. I sat down with Landon to watch a show and around 11:00 P.M. I started feeling sick to my stomach. I was getting nervous because I thought I might need to throw up. Minutes later, my body was ridding itself of the "special concoction." I was so worried that somehow such a strong brew was bad for the baby and prayed silently that she wouldn't be adversely affected by the tea. At this point, I was sure I wasn't going to take the tea during labor. The funny thing is, it put me into labor! RRLT is not supposed to start labor (although some people argue that it does). It is only supposed to strengthen and tone the uterus, make your contractions more effective, and supposedly take away the pain of contractions when taken correctly.


I told Landon that I was having contractions, but since I had been checked by my OB that morning, I thought I was just experiencing Braxton Hicks. I was especially unsure because the only real pain I felt was in the birth canal, and as I remembered it, that's not what real contractions felt like. Nevertheless, I decided to take a bath and have Landon time them just in case. I thought the bath would help me relax and that the contractions would peter out. To be on the safe side, we called Salli an hour after the contractions started. We wanted to let her know that I was possibly in labor since she lives an hour away. The water felt nice and I was starving, so Landon brought me some peaches.


At about 12:30 A.M., I decided to get out since the water was getting cool. Sitting up was the only real painful part. I decided to lay in bed remembering Salli's advice to rest if labor was during the night. Landon quickly fell asleep and I laid still for about another hour. It was after that hour that things started to change. Instead of just experiencing the pain in the birth canal (which was manageable), pain started to shoot up to my abdomen. At that point (about 1:30 A.M.), I decided to wake up Landon so that he could call Salli. I had to call his name three times before he woke up. When he did, he awoke with a start which shook the bed. I yelled at him to stop moving the bed because that really hurt! He called Salli, and she said she'd be on her way. I knew I just needed to get through one hour without her and I tried to stay calm.


The intensity increased a lot during this time and I had to make loud, low noises to make it through the powerful contractions. I remembered reading many birth stories where women described this and now I knew exactly what they were talking about. Somehow these noises made the contractions manageable. I knew it sounded strange, but I didn't care. It helped, and when I didn't do it, the contractions felt overwhelming. Shortly before Salli arrived, I had to go to the bathroom. My body had to clear itself of everything, including the peaches I had just eaten. I knew that throwing up was common for transition. I also knew that feeling like you cannot go on is an emotional sign post for transition which was what I was feeling at that time. Somehow, though, I could not believe that I was in transition since everything was happening so fast. I started saying, "I don't know what to do. I don't know what to do." That's about all I could communicate to Landon, but what was going through my mind was this: Should I go to the hospital without Salli? I don't want to go too soon. Dr. Simpson is on call in the morning. She doesn't do VBACs. How can I possibly get through this if this is only the beginning? Where is Salli? More than anything I just felt scared. I didn't know if I was capable of a vaginal birth and a natural one at that.


I asked Landon to call Salli again to see where she was and what was taking so long. She was almost to our house. She had passed our street and was turning around. When she finally arrived, I asked her to check me. I told her if I was only at 4 cm, I didn't know how I was going to go on. She checked me and announced that I was complete with bulging bag of waters. I looked at Salli and said, "It's too late for drugs, isn't it." She confirmed my fears. Of course I knew that it was too late for any medication and I also knew that drugs were not the best option for my situation. But the thought of pushing a baby out (and feeling it) scared me!


A few minutes later, the bag of waters literally exploded. Landon was quickly packing some last-minute items into the hospital bag. I looked at him and told him that I wasn't going anywhere. The thought of moving was unbearable. The contractions were strong and very close together. The thought of getting out of bed and going down the stairs and getting in the car and arranging for our kids to be taken care of was overwhelming to me. Salli reassured him that it was okay and that she had done this many times. It was about 3:00 A.M. and I started pushing. I was laying on my left side having read that this position was a good pushing position. Landon had one hand on my shoulder and another on my right leg. I didn't realize how much this helped ease the pain until he took his hands off of me. I quickly told him to put his hands back where they were.


I was in this position for an hour and a half and the whole time I wanted to stand up, but standing seemed impossible. Even asking for a drink of water which was on the nightstand and just inches from my face seemed difficult. I was just sooooo tired! I felt like I was running a marathon or climbing a mountain and I could barely catch my breath between the contractions.


During this time, I could feel Ella slowly descending and ascending. I knew this was normal and good. Salli reassured me as much. But there were a few times that she retracted so far back that it was discouraging to me. After all, this was the point I was at with Jonathan and he never made it out before I gave into the suggestion of having a c/s. I knew that I was going to have to stand up. Finally, between the powerful contractions, I was able to stand up with the help of Landon and Salli. I probably needed more help than the average laboring woman since the SPD (Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction) made it more difficult for me to get off the bed.

I leaned my head into Landon's chest and held onto his arms. I didn't know it at the time, but I was pushing him back with a lot of force and he really had to brace himself so that he didn't fall back on to our nightstand. At this point I just wanted her out and I did not care anymore if I tore. I could feel part of her head was out and I could also tell what still needed to come out, and I was a little scared. Finally she crowned and I felt the ring of fire. It was exactly as someone had described it. It's kind of like opening your mouth as wide as you can and then pulling it open wider with your fingers. It's the basically the same sensation.

I remember asking Salli how I was going to get through the ring of fire before it happened. She told me that it's short compared to everything else and that I could get through it. When it happened, I was very motivated to get past it, so I set my fear aside and pushed. Ella's head came out and she gave a little cry. (I actually don't remember this, but that's what Landon and Salli told me.) The rest of her body came out easily and Salli told me to pull her up, which I did. She was born at 5:00 A.M. Only six hours from start to finish with two of those hours for pushing. I'd have to say that the RRLT definitely worked.

I laid back down on the bed and admired my baby girl. I was so happy that we had done it! For the first time, I didn't need to be separated from my family for two hours for the anesthesia to wear off. That is always such a long, lonely wait.

At 7:30 the boys woke up and came in to see their baby sister. They had slept through the whole thing. I am so happy that they did. Jonathan was very interested to see his baby sister. Erik was curious, but after he visited for a few minutes he said, "Can I play Batman game?" Apparently that is the most interesting thing in his life right now. :0)

After the Birth

I was surprised how much it stung after the birth was over. This lasted for about two hours. I had two 2nd degree tears which probably contributed to the stinging as well as the fact that her head had been asynclitic. Sally gave me a few shots of lidocaine before suturing up the tears. I didn't even feel the shots.

We waited for the cord to stop pulsating (20 to 30 minutes) before Salli clamped it and Landon cut it.
When the placenta came out, it hurt a little, but it was nothing compared to the birth.

Landon made scrambled eggs for the three of us. Salli encouraged me to eat, but I didn't feel hungry. After a while, she encouraged me to use the bathroom. I felt a little weak and after using the bathroom, I felt like I might pass out. I laid down and tried to sleep, but I had too much adrenaline to sleep. Suddenly I was very hungry and ate all of the eggs and some toast as well. When it was time to get up again I felt light-headed and nauseous. Salli said I probably felt that was since everything dropped so fast and that if I held my stomach in that it would go away. As soon as I tried that it worked. I was amazed at the difference. We wrapped up my abdomen with an ace bandage and when I stood up I felt much better.

Since Salli was not planning on a home birth, she did not bring all of her equipment. She made a call to another midwife, Joi, who lives only a few miles from us so that we could weigh and measure Ella. She weighed 7 lbs 5 ounces and was 21 inches long.

The Recovery


I honestly think the most difficult part of the recovery was nursing. I had several sore muscles from holding Ella in the same nursing position for hours and had fallen asleep and kinked my neck too. Then there is all of the jack knife pains in your chest along with contractions to help the uterus shrink. Yes, this was definitely the worst part!

As far as the birth was concerned, it took one and a half to two weeks to fully recover. It stung some and was itchy and irritating at times. Laying down and taking a bath really help soothe those sensations.
I probably stood up and sat down too much, but I couldn't help it. I thought that it was great that I could do so much so quickly. I even helped my Dad put together Ella's dresser just five days after the birth. I definitely felt better overall, and more quickly than after the c/s.

Recommendations for VBAC

1) Believe that God created your body to give birth. Pray a lot!
2) Hire labor support!
3) Take EPO. (Research the best time to start taking this.)
4) Drink RRLT during the last month of pregnancy.
5) Read a lot of birth stories and learn as much as you can about birth.
6) Find a GOOD chiropractor who works with pregnant women.
7) Exercise--you're in for the workout of your life!


* I started taking EPO (Evening Primrose Oil) before I was checked for dilation. I was surprised to learn that I was 1.5 cm dilated at 36 weeks since I usually don't dilate until I am in labor. I also hadn't felt any strong contractions so I was amazed! My OB was able to stretch me to 3 cm that same day. It could have been the EPO; of course, I was also praying that I would dilate before my due date.

Healthy Breakfasts on the Run

I love facebook! It has connected me with some very awesome mommies that love to feed their families well, nurture their children, and train them to be the best people they can be.

Which leads me to what I wanted to write about. Someone posted last week about the nutrition deficit of packaged granola and bars, and wondered what a good alternative might be. Someone else suggested making their own. So I set out to find a breakfast bar and here it is!

While this recipe for Baked Oatmeal Squares is not necessarily granola, it is a breakfast bar and homemade at that. I added the pecans to my version. There's also this recipe for banana bread: Almond Flour Banana Bread which is absolutely awesome! These can be sliced and bagged up and taken anywhere for a breakfast on the run. Yum!
I found these recipes on this site called The Food Renegade through a good friend - and I love it! Kristen, the writer, is a nutrition coach and blogs about her approach to good nutritious food every week. I hope you'll subscribe to her blog and look forward to getting her updates. I do!

Interventions in Birth - worth the risk?

I recently read an article by The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine suggesting that intervening in the birth process does not necessarily improve newborn outcomes. I was intrigued. Research indicates that induction leads to c-sections 50% of the time in first time mothers. Not only are these interventions not benefiting the babies they are touted to save, they're putting mother's at risk as well. (About.com, Risks of Cesarean Section)
While further studies need to be done, according the article, it concluded that low intervention in birth might actually be beneficial to mothers as it might actually lower their rate of first time c-sections, thus lowering the rate of repeat c-sections.

"Labor induction is not always successful and is associated with an increased likelihood of cesarean delivery. Cesarean delivery, while common, is a major surgery and like all surgeries increases the risk of infection, bleeding, the need for additional surgeries, and results in longer recovery times." Since our country has a very high c-section rate (33%), it would certainly improve the future birthing climate by lowering the c-section rates for first time mothers. In fact, the World Health Organization has been moving to encourage lower the rates of c-sections to between 10 and 15%.

As a midwife, my goal is to educate others about the best approach in birth, spreading the word, one mother at a time, that intervention in birth, whether through induction or elective c-section, may very well not be worth the risk. (See About.com, 10 Reasons to Choose VBAC).

Morgan's Story

Salli's Note: Traveling 2 1/2 Hours to Laredo was worth it for this homebirth!

Living in Laredo, we don't have as many options for having a baby that we did in Houston. Rob and I enjoyed our experience with using a Midwife when we had our first baby, Bobby, that we wanted to re-create the same experience. We found the Midwives in San Antonio and decided to use them. I had no intention of doing a home birth, but we decided to mainly out of convenience!! Ha ha! This way, I wouldn't have to drive 2.5 hours to San Antonio while in Labor. No thank you! Surprisingly, I had almost no fears about doing a home birth.

With my first Ultrasound around 6 weeks, my estimated due date was Oct. 5. Then when I had the big 20 week U/S, I was told she may be due on Oct. 11. But we went ahead and planned for Oct. 5, since the first U/S is more accurate. Well...Oct. 5...6...7...8...came and went. I was feeling frustrated, because I wasn't very dilated and I was anxious to get the show on the road!! I walked, 'worked out' at G7 (squats and the rowing machine), ate pineapple and spicy foods, drank some 'pregnancy' tea, pumped... you name it. Finally, Lily decided to come on Sat., Oct. 9, three days before her big brother's birthday!

On the early morning of Oct. 9, when I woke to go to the bathroom around 1ish and 3ish, I thought I felt some contractions, but then I fell back asleep. When I woke around 5:30ish, I felt some more. They felt different then the braxton hicks, and I vaguely thought they felt similar to how Bobby's labor was. So I decided to make myself stay awake to monitor the contractions. They were coming pretty steady, about 15 minutes apart. I let Rob sleep, but around 6ish, I texted my twin sister Casey to tell her I thought I might be in labor. Around 7 am, I woke Rob up and I called my midwife, Salli. She said it sounded like labor, and to call her in an hour. I did, and Salli told me that she and the other 3 midwives were getting their things together and would be on their way soon. (They were coming from San Antonio, 2-2.5 hours away)

Meanwhile, I took a shower, dried my hair, and started straightening up the room we would labor in. (Don't worry, it was clean and ready to go, I just was picking up the clutter! :) ) I am so thankful for my in-laws, as they were able to be with Bobby. I think Bobby knew something was up, because he was being so sweet to me, saying 'Hi Mama', and giving me big hugs. :)

All the while I was still having contractions, and they were getting closer together and more intense. The midwives were finally on their way around 9:30ish. We had a birthing tub in the room that needed to be filled with water, so Rob was busy trying to figure out the hose attachment that we had bought....long story short, it didn't work with our faucet, so he had to fill the tub using his muscles and a bucket!!

Again, I am so thankful for my inlaws! My mother-in-law, Aida, helped Rob fill the last half of the tub up. So, in between contractions, which were coming anywhere from 4-10 minutes apart (they were kind of sporadic, but that's how they were with Bobby, too) I'm watching this, putting water on the stove to boil in case we ran out of hot water (this made me laugh, since that is the first thing that comes to mind when I think of a home birth...boiling water and clean towels... ), making sure Bobby was ok, checking my Facebook, texting with my sister, Casey, and chatting with friends on G-chat. Crazy...I know! But I had to do something to take my mind off of the labor part!!

Finally, I knew we were getting close, because the contractions were getting more and more intense, ranging from 4-6 minutes apart now, and I thought I felt the urge to push. My biggest fear was that the midwives would come, and I would only be 4 cm dilated or something. So when I felt like pushing, I was actually relieved...it was almost over! I called Salli, who said they were 5-10 minutes away. Phew!

Once the tub was full, it was just me and Rob in the room. About the tub...I had no intentions of doing a water birth what-so-ever. Never wanted to. It made me nervous, Lily being born in water. But I agreed to have the tub because I remembered how much the water relaxed me with Bobby. So, I climbed in had maybe one contraction, then the midwives came. As they were setting up, I said " I think she is coming soon". They agreed, and continued to set up. I had one or 2 more tough contractions, which were now coming as back labor. Salli checked me, and said I was fully dilated. My water still hadn't broken yet. Because of my back labor, it helped to have some pressure on my lower back during a contraction, which was difficult to accomplish while I was sitting down in a tub. To make it easier, I sort of knelt down on my knees to allow easier access to my back. I told them I felt like I needed to push. I was told to push if I felt like I needed to. I am foggy on the time, but Rob said I pushed for maybe 15-20 minutes. During one push, my water finally broke, and even though I was in water, it was still a weird feeling! I think it was one or 2 more pushes after that and out Lilliana came!! It was the craziest thing. She came rushing out, and they said "Grab her!".

Holding his daughter for the first time!

I grabbed Lily, and brought her out of the water and held her close. She was purple, and not crying. I remembered I kept saying "she's not crying!", but they assured me that water babies are calm right after birth, and not even 10 seconds later, she started crying. Sigh...it was over! I was so relieved! The midwives hadn't even been at the house for an hour, that's how fast she came!! The labor part wasn't as long or intense as it was with Bobby, but for some reason, the pushing part was harder for me. I didn't remember any of my breathing until the very end, so I think that may have been why. Overall, Rob and I had a great experience with doing a home birth. Salli and the other midwives were awesome and so encouraging.

Weighing little Lily...8lbs even!

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Mmmm!

I just took a bite of something really yummy, cool and creamy! Believe it on or not, I have been making my own homemade yogurt fresh every week. It's some of the best stuff I've ever tasted. I look forward to snack time now - a cup of yogurt with a bit of fresh fruit on top, maybe a drizzle of honey or maple syrup or sprinkle of stevia. The best. Sooo much better than the sugar laden varieties and a lot more economical than the organic/natural brands. You can do it too. Here is an easy recipe.




You will notice the recipe calls for raw milk. While not totally necessary, I highly recommend raw milk for it's health benefits. Raw milk? Sure. And not so weird either. There are approximately a dozen drop locations for raw milk in just the San Antonio area alone! These dairies are locally owned and operated and provide milk from grass fed, range fed cows grown stress free without hormones and antibiotics.
See more information about the benefits of raw milk here. Info about where to find real raw milk look here. I hope you'll explore the benefits of raw milk. Enjoy!

Ginni's Story (HBAC)

Sunday morning, I woke up both very happy and very frustrated to still be pregnant. I have never gotten to 38 weeks before, and that had been my goal....but I was done. I was ready for baby to come, said so in multiple ways lol , and even commented to a couple of people that the next day would be great, the date would be 8/9/10. I spent the day laying around, not feeling too hot and having sporadic contractions like I'd been having for weeks. I talked to multiple friends on the phone and was probably pretty whiny lol . I was actually on the phone with my friend Becky...I was laying in bed and got up to go pee. After I peed, I stood up and started pulling my pants back up and felt a gush. I sat back down quickly thinking I had just peed more and before I had time to wonder I realized that it wasn't pee. I started laughing and told Becky I had to go, my water had just broken! I sat on the toilet for a couple of minutes with fluid POURING out of me, wondering how much there could possibly be in there! I called to Alan who came into the bedroom wondering why I was sitting on the toilet trying to get him to come into the bathroom lol . I told him my water had broken, and he asked if that was a bad thing. I said no, it just means we are going to have a baby! I made him get me some dry underwear and a package of pads before I would get off the toilet. I called my midwife and my mom and let them know that I was ruptured, but no contractions yet. I convinced my mom that she didn't need to come over quite yet and sent her to the store with a list of things that I didn't have for labor and right after. I told my midwife I would call her when I started having regular contractions. About 15 minutes later I started having some VERY strong contractions. I spent the next 2-3 hours progressing faster than I expected to. The contractions were about 5-7 minutes apart and quite intense, and I had to change my pad 5 different times because it kept filling up with fluid lol . Then things get interesting.....we were in the process of trying to bid on a house that was up for auction and we were coming up to the deadline. We had to bid before midnight! So.....my father in law , who is our realtor, and his girlfriend came over... lol . They were here about 45 minutes when my parents showed up. At this point I was having to really concentrate through my contractions and really wasn't in the mood for a party. We completed the bid on the house about 6:30 and about 30 minutes later I said time to go lol . Everybody left but my mom, and my midwife Salli came about the same time. My boys went with their Opa and things got much calmer at that point. Salli asked lots of questions about the day and told me she wanted me to eat something, so I had a turkey sandwich and some grapes. At that point I was coping with my contractions really well, on my own. I was sitting on the couch or at my computer and vocalizing through each one and then going back to what I was doing. I didn't want any help or to be touched, and things were going good! I asked Alan to go ahead and get the tub blown up, we knew it was much bigger than my hot water heater, so I wanted to fill it with straight hot water and let that sit while the water heated back up. I wasn't ready to get in it yet, but I wanted it ready when I was. At this point I was focusing inward through all my contractions and wasn't talking as much. I wanted to know if I was progressing, but I was afraid to be checked and find out I was only 4-5cm or something, since I was 3 before labor began. About 30 minutes later, I was ready for the water. I finished filling up the tub to the right depth and temp and asked my midwife to check me before I got in. It actually fit right in the middle of my bathroom, so I could be somewhat secluded in my room, which was what I was hoping for. Salli checked me, and I was 6-7cm, but my cervix was still kind of far back. She actually tried to pull it forward which had me totally in tears, and was one of THE most painful things I had ever felt, but she thought that if we could get it to move forward, I would dilate much faster, since the baby was right there and just couldn't get pressure in quite the right place. After that I was DEFINITELY ready to get in the tub. The assisting midwife (Heather) came about that time and I was definitely in transition. The tub felt warm and wonderful and I was able to relax alot more in between contractions. The contractions were getting pretty rough at that point and I was working really hard to get through them. About 20 minutes(?) after getting in the tub I started feeling different and asked my mom to get Salli and Alan to come in the bathroom and asked her to put our 21 month old Claire, to bed. I wanted Alan holding me, and he got a chair and put it behind me on the floor and was able to sit and lean over the tub and support me. Salli and Heather were periodically checking the baby's heart rate and my pulse and decided the water was probably too hot and wanted to cool it down. I argues, because I wanted it hotter lol . Unfortunately, nobody listened to me and they started cooling the water down. Baby's heart rate kept rising and the midwives decided I needed to get out of the water. My answer for everything at this point was "ok just a minute" or "ok, after the next one"... I was so focused that I couldn't make myself change things. Finally Alan got up and started lifting me out of the tub....which was no easy task. I got vertical, onto my knees, and had to stop to have a contraction. I did not like that position and felt ALOT of pressure with that one. I managed to get my feet under my next, but I couldn't actually get upright. I got out of the tub and had another contraction. I was bent completely in half and Alan was holding me up, I couldn't stand anymore. After that was over I got onto the bed. It felt good to lay down for about a minute lol . Each contraction felt like I should be pushing at that point, but when I would start to push, I could feel him move down too quickly in the birth canal, and it hurt, so I wouldn't push. Salli told me to try rolling over onto my side....to which I replied "ok, in a minute" lol . Baby and I both responded quite well to cooling down. I started feeling like I couldn't handle NOT pushing anymore and kind of let me body start pushing without any real effort from me. After 2 contractions like that I asked what time it was, I was wondering if he was going to be born before or after midnight. Alan told me it was 11:15 and I decided midnight was too far away, I didn't care about the date. Another 2-3 contractions without pushing had me hurting enough that I was done. The next contraction I decided I was ready to push and started to bear down. After that contraction, Salli said that baby was crowning and asked Alan if he wanted to see, he had been laying with me up by my head and bent down to see. He told me baby had alot of hair. The next contraction hit and I was ready. I pushed hard and felt baby's head come out. Salli told me to wait while she checked for the cord, but by the time she said it, I was pushing again and baby came out. I was about to look at reach for him and he started crying so fast that it startled me. I stopped reaching and then realized he was still coming out! lol , Salli told me to catch my baby, and I reach down and delivered him. I pulled him up onto my stomach and cried and cried. I felt so much better instantly, and here he was! I had actually done it! I couldn't believe it. They covered him up with a towel and he stopped crying within about a minute and just laid there looking around. He was so calm and content in the quiet dark room. A few minutes later, Salli said I was bleeding too much. Heather started massaging my belly and Salli asked if I felt like I could push the placenta out. I tried a little, but had no urge, so we waited. After a couple of minutes they massaged and checked it again, but still not ready. Heather came and gave me some herbs and I got an injection of pitocin. I was so enthralled with the baby that I didn't even pay any attention. I started shaking from adrenaline and I was getting cold. They covered us both with a blanket and got me some juice. The midwives checked the cord and it was no longer pulsing, so they asked if I was ready to clamp it. I said yes, and Alan cut the cord. Salli said she wanted to see if the placenta was loose and I said fine, so she tugged lightly on the cord and we were both startled by a POP sensation. She let go immediately, and asked if I could try to push again, but I didn't feel anything still. She told me she wanted to feel inside to see if the placenta was right there or still up higher. I reluctantly agreed, since that didn't sound very appealing at the moment lol . Luckily, it was nice and low and ready, so I pushed it out. The midwives looked it over very carefully, making sure it was completely intact, and it was, but the cord had torn partway out when she tugged on it earlier. Alan actually stood over them and the 3 of them carefully looked it over and examined it lol . My mom took that moment to come get a good look at the baby! He was very happy and content and calm, and just laid there on my chest the whole time. Alan came and laid back down with us and I realized he needed a name! Alan suggested Ethan, which I really liked, but I wanted something that fit with the other kiddos names. I went through the list I had in my head and realized Ethan worked great as a middle name with one of them. Alan liked it, and I asked him if it should be a C or a K. He said C, and Cade Ethan got his name! as soon as she had a name, my mom started making phone calls lol . I asked Alan to post on my facebook for me, and nursed Cade for the first time. He latched on pretty easily and nursed well. My bleeding had slowed significantly after delivering the placenta, and I was ready to get up and clean off. I got up and to the toilet, Salli and Heather helped me get cleaned up and got my clothes I had together for me. Before I put bottoms on, Salli had me lay back down so she could check me for tearing. She was happy to report that other than one small skin tear on the outside, everything looked intact and I needed no stitching. I got dressed and laid down for a coupe of minutes. We then weighed measured Cade and he had his more thorough examination and then he got diapered and dressed. My mom reminded my midwives that they hadn't eaten and fixed them leftover eggplant parmesan that I had eaten in an attempt to start my labor. I came out of my room about 10 minutes later and got on facebook lol . They made me eat, so I had a slice of pizza and was told to go to bed. Within an hour of that, around 3am, everybody left and Alan, Cade and I went to bed. I am so thankful for the way this birth went. It was so calm, comfortable and peaceful. Even when things didn't go perfectly, there was never any fear or panic. After Cade was born I felt like I could conquer the world. I wish I had chosen homebirth for all of my children and if we are blessed with more children, they will absolutely be born at home with Salli's loving care.

Please check out Ginni's website: Loving Beginning Birth Services

Cherise's Story

Birth story of Lenaïc Martin Allegrini

It was Tuesday Dec 8 at 3PM that I posted the following on facebook: " Dear Baby: Please stay inside me until 1)we finish the sheetrock and primer, 2)your Papa finishes the massive amounts of work he has scheduled this week, 3) your mommy finishes the massive amounts of work scheduled this week, and 4) we buy a new washing machine and have it delivered and installed. Then you are free to come any time. Thank you." Apparently I either knew something might be up, or this kid doesn't listen to me...I’m not sure why I posted that. I had my usual post-lunch pains and I’d been feeling more tired and distracted than usual, but nothing signaling labor. I left early for my midwife appt at 5. When she arrived, I noticed some extra mucus and wondered if it was the mucus plug, but it was clear. I didn’t even think to mention it. She measured me, all looked normal for 38 weeks. I continued to lose mucus, but knew it could mean labor was hours, days or weeks away. By late evening I started to have my loose bowel syndrome…which is how labor started with Angelina. But again, it wasn’t as obvious. I did tell Frédéric not to be shocked if labor began, but I didn’t think it would. At 2am I couldn’t sleep so emailed my midwife just to let her know what was happening and I’d call in the morning. In the morning I wasn’t feeling well so stayed home, but still wasn’t sure. No obvious contractions yet. Angelina went to daycare, Frédéric told me to call if I needed him, the sheetrock guys came. I tried doing some work but couldn’t focus, as the contractions started to become more obvious. Sometime after 10 I called my midwife to describe them, and she agreed they didn’t sound consistent enough – long stretches between contractions, nothing close to 1 minute long yet, and irregular. I called Frédéric with an update and he said he’d plan to come home a bit early. I had planned a Girls’ Night for Wednesday, and debating keeping it on, thinking if this was pre-labor, some wine with friends might be good. But then decided I should probably cancel just in case….

By 11AM, there was no doubt....1 min long, 3 min apart. I was trying to be discreet so as not to alarm the workers. As it turned out, I was about to tell them they needed to leave for the day when they said they were finishing up for the day. Called my midwife and she said she’d be right over. Called Frédéric and said “I think you need to plan to come home soon!”

I tried taking a walk. Didn’t get very far and just walked around the house. By then, the contractions were powerful. Frédéric got home, and got the room ready (it was full of stuff from the hallway due to the sheetrocking work). By then I was in the bathtub, with the shower jets on my back. Salli (midwife) arrived…. I was 4cm dilated at that point, water not broken.

Frédéric went to get Angelina about 3pm. She was so sweet when she saw me, very concerned, very calm and almost shy. I told her she was to become a big sister today!

Eventually midwife #2 arrived with the birthing tub and I moved to that. Still painful, but much more comfortable than kneeling in my bathtub. Sometime around 7pm I had the urge to push. Frédéric got in the tub with me, and eventually so did Angelina, who was ever so helpful rubbing my back and pouring water on my back. Salli said if I felt the urge to push, go with it. So I did. Throughout, I was in pain but pretty calm and mostly quiet.

After some time of that and feeling like the baby was moving down, she said to feel for the head. I could feel something but it wasn’t obvious. More pushing….nothing. Eventually she checked me again – I was only 8 cm, and my water hadn’t broken! I was sure it had as I’d felt a gush and saw some membranous material and bloody show. Nope.

So, out of the tub to walk around and NOT push for awhile. Now this is when the real pain began. It was so hard to walk at this point, but Angelina took advantage of the free tub to swim ;)

She checked me again, I’d moved to 9cm, but still water bag totally in tact and not budging. While Heather checked, trying to see where the baby was to decide if it was ok to break the water, it broke. Relief. And then the REAL pain. I was definitely ready to push. It was about 9:20 then. Some intense rough pushing, finally movement there. Angelina watched for awhile, even putting on gloves to “help.” But then got a little worried by “mommy is upset” (my “Ouch oh dear god this hurts!” comments)…not quite shouting, but intense enough. She wasn’t scared, just concerned. She left the room for a bit. I kept trying to get back into the tub but too many contractions/urge to push I couldn’t move. When I finally had a break I almost ran for it – once I got into the tub, HEAVEN. 2-3 more pushes and I heard “she’s crowning!” which was all I needed to hear, another push and there was the head, one more push and the baby popped up.

He came up sputtering….I turned around to sit, they moved him they checked the length of the cord (they left the cord attached until the placenta was delivered). Covered him immediately with a towel, so we hadn’t yet checked if he was a he or a she. Angelina had already returned to the room, touched her new sibling and was so peaceful – she was just in awe! He immediately moved to my breast and tried to latch on and Angelina said “Mommy, the baby likes your boob!”

Maybe 10-15 minutes later the cord had stopped pulsing, and I had another urge to push, and pop, out came the placenta. A welcome relief after last time when the OB had to dig it out. The placenta grossed out Angelina a bit – she said “Oh yucky!” Eventually they clamped the cord and we took a look at who we had J

All in all, a wonderful experience. Not painless, but mostly tolerable. Frédéric said he thinks it was more painful for me this time around. I’m not sure – the pushing experience was totally different (with Angelina, emergency in hospital, lots of screaming by nurses…) I had a similar frustration that this baby was not coming out, so had lost my “zone” of focus, but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I loved birthing at home. Overall, very peaceful, and a wonderful way to add to our family.

Mary's Story

Copied by permission from Mary's Blog Spot:

The Sugar Mountain

A Birth Story

Its about time I get this done. Heidi turned 4 months old last week and I still haven't taken the time to write out her birth story...Enough Procrastinating! From almost the moment I saw the two lines on the test telling me I was positively pregnant I knew I would make the very best of the coming months and my baby's birth. In fact, the birth story of Heidi may as well begin where Gavin's ended. His birth, minus the epidural and plus one doula), was rather standard for today's American delivery. Induction (at the request of an anxious doctor), nurses hovering around, masked faces, fetal monitoring machines strapping me to a hard bed, my perfectly healthy and alert son rolled away to the nursery for two hours..."its routine" the tart little nurse reminded me. The tearing...the blinding lights...the 48 hours my husband I spent in a cold room...the lack of privacy...the nurse who told me I "may not sleep with my baby." While the result, a beautiful and healthy son, could not be more of a pleasure, it was the experience as a whole that had me longing for something more...something gentler for the next one I was carrying. And with that first confirmation that life was inside me I began my quest for just that. At 12 weeks pregnant with Heidi I went to the OB that delivered Gavin. I still had some lingering fears about my body's ability to go in to labor with out induction and also I hadn't quite decided that an out-of-hospital birth would be safe enough. I knew however that the ball was entirely in my court and I prompted my initial appointment with a list of requests for my doctor- could I labor in water? could I go home immediately after birth? -No, no,and more no's were her responses. I felt denied of my rights and my child's rights. The helplessness I felt at that time was just enough to remind me of the out of control feeling that I had during the birth of Gavin. I was reminded to stay certain in my own body and to know that while hospitals and doctors do have a special place in making births, particularly the complicated ones, safer-that I was going to trust in God, myself, my baby and my midwives to bring a baby in to the world. I asked myself then "Would I really subject myself and this child to a medical environment that denies a mother of the natural and wholesome birth I so desired?" The answer was no... With that I turned to an dearly loved friend and the woman who had been the wonderful birth advisor to me during my pregnancy and l&d of Gavin. Salli, my doula with Gavin, had since become certified in midwifery. And with that things began to fall in to place quickly. She and a group of very highly esteemed midwives at the San Antonio Birth Center were hired! Much like the pregnancy with Gavin, Heidi's was easy. The difference was mostly emotional. I cherished the moments when she kicked and squirmed twice as much. I knew, because of the experience of Gavin, that these times were fleeting. And even though I took the time to enjoy her movements and imagine her often it seems to have gone by in a flash. By 35 weeks I had asked to be checked for progress by my midwife. The excitement of hearing I was dilated and that my cervix had thinned out was wonderful! I had made a great effort to use as many natural aides to help me move along...a raspberry leaf tea, an herbal tincture, walking, pineapple and even telling myself to open...If you think it is odd that I would "think" the baby out than I should clarify that this wasn't the only time I used positive meditation and had pleasing results- to help her turn from a complete breech position I tried some suggested positions and I told Heidi to turn (she turned then) and when I wanted labor to get going almost a week after her due date I told her it was okay to come out (she came out then) and during labor when I felt things needed a little push (pardon the pun) I told her to descend now (she descended then). It is my belief that in a completely non- medical birth that a mother can truly tap in to the powers of meditation and guiding thoughts, if you will. For the days leading up to the labor I slept incessantly. For hours a day I napped- morning and evening and then I would sleep 11 hours at night. The day of the evening I went in to full labor I took an hour and half long nap on the couch in the morning while Gavin watched cartoons. As soon as Corbin pulled in the driveway I was passing off Gavin again so I could retreat for a second hour and half long nap. The tiredness was beyond me or anything I could deny. I also ate- A LOT! Mostly bready food, but it was quite obvious- this carbo-load of a marathoner's porportions was going to help me get somewhere. That night after Corbin and I lovingly put Gavin to bed for the night, my contractions began to get some power. We sat together, tired from the day and watched the news. Corbin made a joke. I didn't think it was funny. And with that, I knew this was something. I called Salli shortly thereafter. "Get a beer. Get in the bath." she said. And so it was done and I was glad for it. A moment to close the door in a candle lit bathroom with a nice frothy beverage- alone with my unborn child and wondering if this was false labor but deep down knowing that this was really it. And one thing I learned then is that men have this instinct too! For weeks, with both of my labors, but so often with Heidi's pregnancy, I would call Corbin at work and tell him "Somethings different! I think maybe tonight is the night!" Usually he would pass it off but this night, with out me even telling him much, he was in labor-mode- and I mean, the man was full-on nesting! From behind the bathroom door I could hear the vacuum cleaner running in the house- ten PM and my husband is vacuuming- baby IS coming! Salli showed up shortly after as did Corbin's parents. I am amazed looking back, at the level of personal care provided by Salli- and the other midwives. She lives in another town-Seguin, TX- about a thirty minute drive away and at ten PM she offered to come over and check me for dilation and at the least, just rub my back for me if it wasn't labor. Thank goodness it was though! Shortly after she walked in the door- well, actually, as soon as I laid eyes on her, my first true contraction happened. I mean "true" as in the first one that brought me to my knees and made me say "Its real this time and lets get ahead of this- lets manage this and you are strong Mary!" How beautiful is that- the way the body works in unison with the mind is fascinatingly beautiful. When I saw Salli I felt "safe" and "ready to let go" and with that my true labor began. She checked me right then on my bed. My room looked beautiful to me then. I wanted to stay there for the birth. I was amazed to hear her say I was already 6 or 7 cm and 100% effaced. I had literally slept through my early labor. It had probably been going on over the course of the last couple days and while I slept and mowed through our pantry, I was well on my way to having Heidi.

I didn't waste anytime getting myself to the car. Corbin drove, his mother in the back seat, his father watching over Gavin at home- my parent's on the way, Renee on the way, my photographer on the way- all the other midwives on the way- Salli driving behind us...everyone in route to the birth center. The desolate highway gave me peace. When we arrived, again, my mind- the umpire of the game said "safe!" and labor kicked it up a notch. The front seat, where I had only a few contractions while we drove the fifteen minutes to the BC, seemed like a mile from the front door. A midwife named Jennifer greeted me at the car door. "Do you want to have this baby in the car?" She couldn't be sure I wasn't about to have my baby on the floor bed and while it might have been a tough love kind of question it was excellent timing. It sort of pissed me off, just enough to make me get off my butt and move it to the door of the BC. Those contractions that happened about five minutes apart on the car ride came only two or three minutes apart now. The inside of the BC was a great place of solace. The bath was being prepared for me from the moment I walked in. I undressed myself and stepped in. The relief was overwhelming. The pressure was eased and I could catch my breath. For the first hour or so I kept my head pushed down in to either a towel or Corbin's lap on the side of the tub. He and the other midwives shared turns massaging my back and quietly offering me water or food. It was as if everyone watched over me- sending me powerful affirmations with their presence while trying not to interrupt the steadiness of my labor with their noises. Only occasional whispers, the sound of flowing water and the music I brought with me playing softly in the corner were audible. In such an emotional place where the senses are so powerfully present it is easy for them to be aggravated- I found most of my peace in sound- be it lack of it or the existence of it. The camera of the photographer was at first very bothersome, the overly enthusiastic "hello" from my mother was not taken well either (granted she had no idea how seriously deep in to labor I was when she arrived and she soon realized and became a quiet, but wonderfully pleasant presence)- the sound of sirens passing in the night made me open my eyes and think "they should come and get me- take me to the nearest epidural!" but the feeling went away as fast as the speeding ambulance. The music was the CD that I rocked Gavin to bed to every night for the many months before labor. Two songs brought me to tears. The whimpering noises I made soothed me. For I spent the majority of the labor in silence so it was indeed a notable moment. I pictured Gavin as he would be when I was rocking him. I imagined him lying curled up in his crib, hugging the bumper..dreaming sweet dreams about balloons and playgrounds. Peace.

photo by Jennifer Wildey Photography

At some point the head midwife, Alissa, a very knowing and experienced presence was sitting very hands off and quiet at the end of the tub. She had been watching over me from a distance and asked me to check myself to feel the for Heidi's head. I did and the smooth feeling of the bag around her head was only as far as my half of my pointer finger- an inch or so. I had not pushed and the baby was already well on her way out. The body is incredibly powerful when left to do the work uninterrupted. She asked if I wanted to push and with a few contractions I tried but the effort was highly uncomfortable. Alissa had known that from previous appointments when I was checked that my cervix was still not in the proper position. For some, the midwives and doctors will manually reach in and move it (ouch!) but Alissa suggested I move from the only position I'd tried (squatting against the tub) to floating on my back. The change was welcomed. My legs got a rest and now my mother came behind me to hold my arms as I began to push. No other leverage was needed. I felt the calmness around me...my mother in law and Renee on the couch behind me, the newborn nurse (Christy) prepping in the corner of my eye, Alissa still seated ahead of me (her queenly placement- perched on the chair) gave me peace, Salli's reassuring looks, Jennifer's soft but still a little bit tough presence and last but surely not least- Corbin who was the rock I needed most of all. That I can remember, I was only checked by a midwife for dilation twice during labor- once at the house and once while in the tub- 9 cm was the reading for the second check.

photo by Jennifer Wildey Photography

Surrounded by Care

Clockwise starting at the bottom left: Jennifer, Salli, Alissa, Christy and Corbin

photo by Jennifer Wildey Photography

At first, the pushing was not entirely comfortable. The pain I felt was not disabling but my midwives asked me to push through it. The lip of my cervix was likely in the way. "Push past the pain," one of them reminded me. With only a few pushes my water broke. The sound of it resonated through out me- I physically heard it- no one else did. We all saw it though. A greyish cloud that dissipated in the tub. I remember clearly the smiles- especially Corbin's when shortly after that the crown of Heidi's head became visible. Corbin, who when I met him was quick to be queasy at the sight of bloodiness, had participated as much as possibly allowed by the hospital in Gavin's birth- he'd taken a peek as he crowned and he cut the cord- not to mention, he had watched dozens of live births in our natural birthing classes- the kind that show everything and some. With Heidi though, he was going to play an even bigger role. Just as I had this opportunity to be more hands on with my labor (quite literally when I was prompted to check her descent with my own hands) now Corbin was going to "catch" her. I found this to be incredibly fitting given that he, in probably not the most eloquent words, put her in there and now he would bring her out. Sexuality is often spoken about among women who desire for and have unmedicated births. It can have just as powerful of a role in bringing babies out as it does it making them. Some women even report having orgasms during labor. During pre-labor with Heidi my body, with out anything sexual occurring, was having waves of warmth and tingling overcoming it. It is not a phenomenon- during pre-labor and labor a woman's body is loading up on hormones and the ones that occur during these stages of pregnancy are much alike to the ones experienced during sexual pleasure. When I was laboring with Heidi at one point Corbin leaned over to kiss me. It may have been a bit odd to be surrounded by small crowd of onlookers during such an intimate moment but it was ever so perfect and it surely benefited my labor allowing for an extra burst of the hormonal energy a woman needs during labor- like food, like water- a kiss.

photo by Jennifer Wildey Photography

photo by Jennifer Wildey Photography

Heidi quickly came out with the pushes. Corbin and Salli brought her up from the water at 1:59AM. As soon as she ascended she took her first breath. They laid her on my chest and I told her out loud that I loved her. The room was dim- the people around me were all familiar and loved... Heidi calmly looked at me and I at her- not distracted by the world while we waited for her cord to stop pulsating. I'm not sure how long it took- a few minutes to about twenty is the norm. When she had finished getting all of the last of what my body had to offer- oxygen, for one...the cord was cut- again, Corbin did the honors. My dad came in from the waiting room and the water was drained- towels covered Heidi and I in the deep tub. Everyone was joyous and celebrated the beautiful baby. I was proud of her and myself. Corbin took Heidi in his arms to the hallway right outside my door and while everyone met the newest member of our family- I easily delivered an intact placenta. The red of it is shockingly beautiful- like a Barbie's convertible red.

Breastfeeding photo by Jennifer Wildey Photography

I was moved to the bed where I rested against the pillows and the midwives checked my stats. Heidi and Corbin returned and climbed in beside me. I drank and ate and nursed Heidi. The nursing came so natural- not a struggle at all- I knew of course what to do because I had done it before but it amused me to see her latch on as if she'd had some experience before too. The midwives left us alone and our families went back to their homes. Corbin and I watched over Heidi in awe of the whole process- thankful to God- tired. Two hours after her birth, we were given the go ahead to leave- Heidi had been inspected by Christy - My own body had normalized. My body was never sore (I think because of the water)- not a single tear- I felt amazingly refreshed. The three of us drove home happily and relieved Corbin's dad from his overnight watch and also introducing him as "Chief" to his newest grandbaby- We slept for two hours or so before Gavin needed to be woken up. Corbin and I excitedly came in his room to retrieve him. "There's a baby in the other room Gavin! Mama's baby came out of her belly!"

First touch

It is amazing how much bigger he seemed right then. Corbin brought him in our room to see his sleeping sister. He wanted to touch her and was so excited. I will never forget that excitement! At four months old now Heidi is smiling back at him. Every morning- just like the morning they met- Gavin rushes in to see "baby sissy!" Even if she is sleeping and I would enjoy it to stay that way he has to go and tell her "Baby Sissy! Wake-up Baby Sissy!" No, the days can not go on with out you Heidi. You have filled such a wonderful space in all of our lives. We love you.

Heidi 4 months old

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