Some Wonderful Birth Stories and Links
Faith's VBAC Birth of Amber
July 2011
Shortly after my c-section for my first baby I experienced so many emotions from anger to guilt. I felt that, in my case, the cesarean had been unnecessary. I started researching VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean). I was determined to avoid another major surgery if at all possible. I found that Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC has the only hospital "near" us that allows VBACs. This was a good 1 ½ hour drive but something we felt was worth it.
I was determined that things would be different this time. We were excited but I was a little nervous and had to find another midwife group, we chose the MAHEC Midwives. I also had looked up Doulas in Asheville and met with Kelley and Cheryl, who would share call and attend my birth and help provide the support I lacked at my first birth.
My pregnancy with Amber was perfect. At 38 weeks I was told I was measuring a little big (about 2 weeks ahead) so they did a last minute ultrasound and determined the baby was on track to be around the size of my first born. At 39 weeks I was told to try some homeopathic remedies to start labor (only works if baby is ready). At 40 weeks I was still very much pregnant and was only at 1cm/finger tip dilated and not feeling any contractions. I was told I only had one more week before they would have to schedule a
c-section, I was not "allowed" to go past 41 weeks!! We tried everything, we walked, ate spicy foods, walked, bounced on the birth ball, walked, took natural remedies, walked. Baby Amber was very content to come on her own time schedule but I had a time limit and needed her to come!
I started feeling strong contractions around 1am Wednesday morning at exactly 5 days “over due”. They were consistent and powerful. This was what I had been waiting for! I called Kelley (who was on call), and she came over by 6am. But by 8am they were back to almost nothing and Kelley left to do some errands. I had contractions all that day every 15 minutes. Some I couldn’t walk through but most didn’t really hurt. I was scheduled to be at the hospital by 8pm to have a Foley Catheter inserted to help dilation. When I arrived at the hospital my midwife, Allison, was there to greet me and evaluated my progress. I had progressed to 4cms (centimeters) !! This was great news! With the foley in place to take me to 6cms I was given a sleep aid . Every 15 minutes I woke up to a strong contraction, breathed through it (as I learned in my childbirth class) and went back to sleep. At 4am the foley had done its job and came out. I was checked and was now at 6cm! This was great news, but I hardly dared to hope that I would be able to deliver this baby.
With all the excitement over my progress my husband, Kendall, was a little confused and thought it was later in the morning then it was. He asked what we were going to do now to which I replied, now we get sleep (the sleep aid was still working) then we have a baby later in the day! He went back to sleep and I texted Kelley to tell her I was at 6cm. She joined us at the hospital by 9am.
My midwife, Dolly, would be in soon to check me. We waited for them to bring me the wireless monitors so that they could continue monitoring while letting me out of the room (a vbac rule). Dolly came in and found I was at a 6cm but close to 7cm. She suggested I wait a while before getting in the birth tub. We walked the halls a bit. But my legs were so tired and sore from all the walking I had done earlier that week! Soon, I was given the OK to use the birth tub. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH relief! The warm water felt so good and I even enjoyed a 10 minute break from contractions. The tub helped so much!
After a while I got out to see how things were going. I was just about 8cm but baby Amber was still in a high position (just like her sister had been). My midwife, Dolly, suggested we break my bag of waters to help the baby come down in a better station to be delivered. I agreed this was a good idea, but I was a little afraid of the harder contractions I knew would come after. I had the best nurse! She was kind and very supportive. She knew I was having a VBAC and did everything she could to help me get to my goal! Everything looked good and I was given the OK to get back in the tub if I wanted.
This time there wasn’t the dramatic relief, the tub helped but the contractions had doubled with triple peaks. After a couple hours of this I was beginning to wear down. I had not slept well in 2 nights and I was tired and sore. My doula helped soo much, she rubbed my back and try to distract me from the contractions by pouring water over my belly, but with every contraction I was tensing up more and dreading each peak. At one point it felt like labor would last forever. I asked for a mild drug to help me with the peaks and was offered fentanol but I would have to get out of the tub. When I got out they checked and I was only at 8cm! Things seemed to be going sooo slow and I felt like I couldn't handle one more contraction. I asked my midwife how she felt about an epidural at this point and if it was too late. Dolly was very encouraging and told me she was sure I had at least 2 more hours before I would be ready to push and that if I felt like I needed something it would be a good idea. At that point I knew I needed to do something. My primary goal was a VBAC and my secondary goal was an unmedicated labor.
I got my epidural almost 10 minutes later and felt immediate relief. It was just what I needed. I progressed to a 9cm almost instantly! We took a 2 hour break from labor and got some much needed rest! A couple hours later Dolly told me I was ready to push. This was probably the most awkward part of labor. I couldn't feel anything but pins and needles in my legs! Dolly, my nurse, Kelley and Kendall all helped coach me when to push. Kendall would read the moniter, PUSH, PUSH, PUSH, he encouraged me as the line went up to peak of contraction!!
We all got very excited when they could see her head! I was about to have this baby! A few more good pushes and she was out! I gave birth to Amber Lyn McCracken on Thursday, July 28 at 6:37pm. At 9lb 5oz and 6 days late she was a big baby. She was born naturally without a single tear! Next time I'll try for the unmedicated labor )
The birth of Wendy's son, August 2011
I called Cheryl to let her know that I wanted her to be my doula a second time just a few days after I discovered that I was pregnant. As my due date neared, my husband and I met with Kelley and Cheryl to review what I enjoyed most about my first pregnancy and what I would chose to do differently. Truth be told, I wasn’t afraid of induction because I’d done it before. Though it may sound odd (considering that I hired a doula), I feared going into labor naturally. I tend to enjoy planning my days and going into labor on any day other than my due date frightened me: Where would I be? What would I be doing? Would I make it to the hospital on time? Cheryl offered her expertise to ease my mind: “When you go into labor naturally your body just knows what it needs to do.”
As I had in my first pregnancy, I met with the acupuncturist at 39 weeks. She gave me one treatment and a packet of labor tea. As she put it, “You might go into labor tomorrow.” So we set an appointment for the following week. I went on long walks with friends and with Cheryl. I created a birth poster, as I had during my first pregnancy. I enjoyed time with my family—we even went apple picking on a mountain top the day before I went into labor!
My due date came and went. Three days later, I went into labor. The latent phase of labor began early on a Monday morning. I didn’t start timing the contractions (which consisted of dull low back pain) until 6am. I had roughly 3 to 4 contractions every hour for short periods of time. My husband and I spent the day running errands. We took our daughter to a close family friend’s home so she would be cared for while we were in the hospital. We went to Nature’s Pharmacy and picked up some arnica oil and homeopathic remedies to help ease anxiety and assist with quieting the mind for a restful sleep. I also called the acupuncturist to cancel the next appointment because I was in labor.
At Cheryl’s recommendation, we ate a large lunch and took the homeopathic remedies. We napped after lunch. After we woke, we ate a quick dinner, took a leisurely stroll through the neighborhood and watched a movie. I noticed that I wasn’t feeling the contractions as I had before. Did that mean I wasn’t in labor? Cheryl said that it was perfectly natural: my body was giving me time to rest before the real work began. I told my husband that I didn’t expect to have the baby until some time the next day. He relayed my thought to Cheryl who told him that she expected we would have the baby in the early morning hours.
By 10pm the contractions had returned, more regular and much stronger. I didn’t want to wake my husband (who worked nights and had not but a few hours of sleep the day before) but by midnight the contractions were 10 minute apart and lasted for over 30 seconds each. Cheryl arrived by 1:30am when my contractions were 6 to 7 minutes apart and lasted anywhere from 35 to 48 seconds. We decided it was time to call my OB who said that I could make my way to the hospital at anytime. I told Cheryl that I wanted to wait about 30 minutes. My husband took care of the things around the house and packed the car. After we arrived at the hospital the nurse in Outpatient Services checked my progress. I was 5 cm dilated. By the time I made it to the room (I walked) and the nurse checked me again, I was 9 cm dilated. I told Cheryl that I expected to have my son by 6am. It was 3:30am when I was 9 cm dilated. My son was born at 4:49am.
What did I use to cope? I used my birthing poster, which was prominently displayed in the labor and delivery room. Cheryl or my husband applied pressure to my lower back as I hummed deeply through the contractions in order to help me overcome intense lower back pain. My husband said that he imagined the nurse thought I was crazy because in the midst of some intense contractions I smiled. I remember smiling. The doctor had insisted that I not push. Cheryl told me that I had to stop pushing and that I needed to imagine the last part of my cervix melting away and making way for my son to be born. I did as she requested and the thought of meeting my son made me smile.
Maria's Birth Story - April 201139 weeks came and went and my OB started pushing the idea of inducement. She explained that at 40 yrs. old, there are more things that can go wrong with the baby after 40 weeks and we agreed that if I hadn’t delivered by 41 weeks we would induce. I feared inducement because I had heard the contractions could be hard and fast and my chance of handling it well without an epidural might be lessened and all hopes of a beautiful natural birth would be lost. As the date drew near and no labor, I tried acupuncture and all the normal natural inducement methods but we wound up in the hospital at 6:00am, Tuesday the 12th of April checking in to be induced. Cheryl met us there which made for an easy check in, she even asked them if I could switch to a different room with a view in a “Water World” room, with a large tub.
That’s a good thing because I was in that room for 30 hrs. Unfortunately the first 24 hours were pretty uneventful with light contractions that only resulted in two centimeters. Cheryl reminded me to rest and relax. When evening came, she and the nurse guided me to a decision to stop the pitocin drip during the night so I could rest and be ready for “real labor the next day”. Kelley came and relieved Cheryl during the night and when I awoke around 5:00am Kelley coaxed me to continue to rest even though I was getting nervous.
When my OB showed up at 6:00am, she asked if she could break my water to get my contractions going. Kelly explained that the meconium we saw in my fluid when Dr, Moore broke the sac, was feces from little Zeb. He had pooed in the womb and there was a chance it might cause a problem for his lungs at birth. She explained how it would play out if the respiratory team had to clear his lungs and that he would be returned to me immediately and placed on my chest as soon as he was ok. I didn’t have much time to worry about that because contractions started coming pretty strong after my water broke. For the next five hours or so, I was guided through many different positions by Cheryl and Kelley. Although Cheryl came back at some point to relieve Kelley and Kelley left to sleep, she showed back up in the afternoon, and I was the lucky recipient of both their expertise for the hardest part of my labor. I had gotten to know both Kelley and Cheryl equally at our prenatal meetings. When I say “many positions” I mean it! I knew I wanted to move through my pain and even with the IV in my arm, Cheryl and Kelley helped me keep moving. I would get alittle stuck in my pain occasionally and Cheryl would say “after two more contractions, we are going to try a different position”. That really helped. And when, around 2:00pm, Cheryl said, “You’ve waited long enough, would you like to get in the birthing tub now?” I felt relief wash over me. I had been holding onto the hope that the tub would be my saving grace. In the tub, I dilated two centimeters in 40 mins. Even though my contractions were sharp and close together in the tub, I was able to completely rest between contractions. After a while in the tub however, I started to think about needing relief from the contractions. Once the idea came into my head, it wasn’t going away even though I planned for a natural birth. Jeremy and I had a “code word” for pain meds that we had shared earlier with Cheryl. Jeremy was out of the room at the time, so I looked at Cheryl and said I wanted to discuss meds. She said, “are you sure?”, “do you want to tell me your code word?”, I answered, “green”. She said ”ok, that seems clear enough to me.” I appreciated that she stuck to our plan with the code word and when she heard it, she didn’t question me anymore. She and my labor nurse discussed it for a half minute and my nurse asked me if I’d like to try fentanyl. I hadn’t considered good options outside of the epidural. I was relieved I didn’t have to have an epidural. The fentanyl allowed me to rest for an hour and get my head and body a little refreshed forthe final push. When I started contracting after that hour, it wasn’t long at all for me to start pushing. Cheryl suggested I try the birthing stool, a contraption that looks a bit like a torture device, but extremely effective for pushing because of gravity and supported squatting; (Not a pretty site, but very effective).
This is where I have to tell you about my doctor situation. My OB went off call soon after she broke my water that morning. Another Dr. from my practice would be delivering my baby but when the pushing started, they couldn’t get this Dr. because she was in a difficult birth with one of her patients down the hall. I think little Zeb was crowning when a random MAHEC on-call Dr. arrived to help. She was really wonderful but a complete stranger to us. At some point I did switch to the bed with Cheryl and the doctor's coaxing and the birthing bar was attached to the bed. They felt the baby would be safer delivered in the bed. After a couple of position changes in the bed, I found the right position for having my son and then there was one more Dr. change. Then a third Dr. from my practice arrived to deliver my baby. Without the consistent support of Cheryl and Kelley, I would not have handled the Dr. situation as well. With the total chaos of all those Drs coming and going, I knew Cheryl and Kelley were with me the whole time and everything would be ok. Jeremy was able to remain calm also because it took a lot of the pressure off him. He has said many times throughout this experience that he “doesn’t know how anyone does it without a doula”.
Cheryl managed to film the actual birth in all this confusion. What a blessing! We watch that video once a week at least. She kept it totally PG, or "G rated" as she likes to claim. My son, Zebulon Carson, came to me after 30 hours and he came out crying! There was no need for respiratory assistance after all. He was perfect!
Amy’s Birth Story – March 2011 (Successful VBAC!)
A friend I met at my son’s Kindermusic class helped me find Cheryl and her team. I had explained that I wanted so very much to have a successful VBAC, and my friend recommended that I get a Doula – I didn’t know what a Doula was or how important their role is in a birth, especially a VBAC, and my husband was very skeptical. After talking to my friend, though, I said to my husband, “I’m going to get a Doula and I’ll pay for it with the vacation money I’ve been stashing away since we won’t be going on vacation this year anyway”. I’m so glad I did!
My first child was born 4 years ago. My water started leaking early one morning after I stretched, so my doctor sent us to the hospital to start Pitocin. This was 5 weeks before my due date, and a few days before I was scheduled to go to a birthing class. Needless to say, I was clueless. So, after a few hours on the Pitocin, the doctor told the nurse to have the epidural put in because he could see I was in pain. Of course, the epidural made them have to increase the Pitocin and the baby went into distress (heart rate slowing to almost nothing at each contraction) resulting in a C-Section. I had no Doula, no Midwife, no help but just my Doctor who was, after all, a surgeon.
This time, I wanted things different. I went to a class at Asheville Women’s Wellness and Education Center well enough in advance. I made my husband go with me (almost had to drag him in there) and that class was simply wonderful. We both left feeling I might actually be able to have a VBAC. I even signed up for weekly massages with Nancy who has a room there. She was wonderful, and gave me the “ready to go, nothing held back” massage 4 days before my due date. The next day, the contractions started, gradually.
For about 2 days, I kept track of my contractions. They were not strong, not long, and not entirely consistent, but I knew it would be soon. The first night, the contractions started to be about 5 minutes apart, so I got all excited and woke my husband at about 3 am, saying that I thought it was going to be soon, so he should pack his bag (my stuff had been ready for a month just in case we had another preterm) while I showered. After I showered, I felt like lying down for a bit, and then I fell asleep peacefully until about 6:30 that morning.
At noon, the contractions picked up again and continued – short and soft. That night, they became strong enough to wake me each time so I hardly got any sleep. Again, I woke my husband (I think this time I waited until about 5 am) and showered. We called Cheryl and told her we were heading in to the hospital. Once there, the staff examined me and said I was only 1 centimeter dilated but fully effaced. We called Cheryl again, and she helped us to decide to go back home for a while to let the labor progress further. She met us there and sat with me, making sure I was getting some fluids and helping to work through my fears to help things move along. The contractions started getting strong and when I started throwing pillows out of my way, Cheryl figured it was time to go back to the hospital. She called in advance and when we got there they had a water room for us! It was about 3pm then, I think. This time, I was 5 centimeters, I think due to Cheryl’s coaching to visualize the dilation at each contraction. From there, I feel like things went fuzzy.
The contractions were strong, and I turned inward to cope with the pain. I remember feeling too tired (of course, after 2 night’s restlessness) and Cheryl telling me to lift my tongue so she could drop some homeopathic stuff in there (it helped!). I remember going from kneeling on the bed with my arms draped over the back to sitting on the toilet, then back to the bed (I kept saying I didn’t think I could walk and Cheryl said I probably could – so with my husband’s help I did). The contractions were hard and fast and moving around made the pressure intense like the baby was going to come out. Finally, the one doctor on call who seemed hesitant to let me in the tub left and when she was gone Cheryl asked again to let me in the tub so the doctor that was overseeing my birth (the chief resident – fantastic woman!) let me in. What a difference!!! I was so exhausted, my muscles were quivering, but when I got into that tub, I could really truly relax. Cheryl was so wonderful in all this. She reminded me throughout to keep my vocal toning low. Like a ‘moo’. So I moo’ed. A lot. She talked to my husband, though I didn’t hear what they were saying. And when I said I didn’t think I could do it (seriously, I thought I was going to have to have another cesarean because it felt like the baby just was hung up in there) she said all women say that when the baby is about to come out.
That was when the nurses started scurrying around with all their little silver trays. It was like they were all waiting for that one phrase to know when to prepare. But the baby wasn’t coming out, even after my water broke in the tub. So they got me up on the bed to do a catheter so my bladder wasn’t blocking the baby and I swear, as soon as she took that tube back out, the baby came out. I remember the doctor and Cheryl telling me to make short little pushes instead of big ones like my body wanted to do. I think this saved me from tearing – I did not have to have stitches. All this happened in about a 3 ½ hour period. My baby girl was born just before 7pm. I was so grateful to have Cheryl there with us, being my voice for my desires since I couldn’t talk, hardly knew what was going on outside my own body. When it was over, the baby was on my chest, and I simply couldn’t believe that I had had a successful VBAC with no drugs. It was painful, but I was prepared for it. It was expected and natural. Not an unnatural pain like when I had the ectopic rupture almost 2 years ago. And when they say ‘ring of fire’ they aren’t kidding. But the after effects were so short lived compared to a C-Section. I was walking voluntarily to the bathroom after this birth, while after my C-Section they made me get up and it was awful. I have stairs in my house and would have had to move downstairs after the birth if I’d had another surgery. I could lift my baby with no trouble (lifting even a tiny 5lb preemie was a major feat after a C-Section). When I nursed her, the cramping was much milder in comparison to the cramping I had after the surgery. And if I had to do it all over again, I’d do it exactly the same. It was a dream come true for me. They say every baby is different, and I’d like to add that every pregnancy and labor is different. My 2 experiences were just about polar opposites, as are my babies.
Thank you, Cheryl and team, for helping us to achieve our dream birth.
Rachel’s Birth Story - March 2010I woke up feeling good enough to go to the YMCA to what would be my last Zumba class during my pregnancy It was my due date. I checked in with Brian and my doulas at around noon saying I was having pretty strong cramps, more pressure in the pelvic floor, and a bit of bloody show. I continued to work through the day, tying up loose ends with my assistant and many clients…still in awe how much last minute work came in during the final weeks of pregnancy. I suspected that this was the reason my baby didn’t come earlier than she did so I could wrap up my work and completely focus on my sweet baby girl! I talked with Brian at around 3pm and told him I thought I was in labor, but no need to rush home. I think he was here 15 minutes later! Cheryl, our doula on call, suggested that Brian and I take a walk (without the dogs), which we did. Iwaddled. Gracy, our 14 year old chocolate lab, stayed with us, and honestly didn’t leave my side for the next 6 hours. She obviously sensed something serious was going on.
Labor seemed to progress quickly, with the timing between contractions remaining steady at just under 3 minutes. For hours each contraction lasted only 30 seconds, and gradually made it to almost 50 seconds each. They they started getting really STRONG, and lasting almost a minute with only 2 minutes of respite in between. I took a couple of baths, which helped, listened to my meditation CDs, which helped, leaned over the birth ball, which helped, ate turkey soup, which didn’t help…it proceeded to come back up. I think about 8pm Brian was ready for Cheryl to come over. We called her and she said she would be on her way very soon. Then we called her back and told her we thought the water had broken. She was on her way, and we figured we would leave for the hospital soon.
At 11pm we were all ready to go to the hospital. Bags packed. Car full of gas, we had to deal with 10 or more contractions on the way to Mission Hospital. We followed Cheryl, who took Charlotte Street, a sensible route that we likely wouldn’t have thought of. The drive wasn’t so bad, though the contractions came, wave after wave, and HURT! I walked to the ER desk and they had all my info already. As Brian and Cheryl parked, they took me up to Labor and Delivery because my contractions were so close. Beth, my midwife, was already waiting for me upstairs, and a quick check up revealed that I had labored to 7cm at home! WOW! I was hoping and praying they’d say 5cm! “Shouldn’t be long now”we all thought! My Dad and Sue were there almost immediately. I recall asking for them to come see me and they both looked adoring and slightly worried to see me in such pain. Brian had stepped out of the room for a bit and Dad took over as my “table support”, leaning on the bed so that I could lean on him as I had been doing with Brian. It was a special moment for me. Shortly after getting settled into the room, the delivery team learned that the fetal monitor machine wasn’t working as needed, so we had to switch rooms.
The birthing room was comfy and spacious, and the tub looked inviting, though I knew it would be a while before I would get in. I recall Cheryl suggesting that Brian support my hips during each contraction, and he basically formed a seat with his hands and lifted me up as I let my weight drop into his hands. This helped. My Mom did this a bit too. I don’t know how long it was before I was able to get into the shower, but I recall that the few minutes to myself, breathing and feeling the hot water take control, was refreshing beyond belief. It gave me strength to proceed for a bit longer. At some point in the night, the baby’s heart rate started to slow down, and I was told that getting in that big inviting tub would not be an option, a disappointment, but not one I let get me too down. I was nauseous throughout the night and morning. I kept switching what I asked for…. Drink, then bucket, drink, then bucket (after a while, “bucket” seemed too long to say so I just started pointing to it and saying sick). I ate a couple of wheat thins to try to ease my stomach. Beth, my midwife, kept telling me to open my mouth and put homeopathic pills under my tongue. “Fine with me”, I thought…I was open to anything to bring me calm and relaxation, strength and perseverance!
I recall watching the sun come up outside, and noticing that there was a brick wall just outside my room. Little did I know how ironic that was (nor did I know at the time that there were blue skies and mountain views just around the corner!!!) Throughout the night I kept utilizing the “balloon breathing” that I learned in my hypno-birthing studies. I practiced blowing up a balloon in my belly with each inhale, and releasing it into a blue sky, watching it fly away. I must have blown up over a hundred balloons! Pink, yellow, white….released into a clear blue sky. I recall that during particularly strong contractions I would say “Oh my God” and Cheryl suggested I might want to breathe deeply, loudly, and LOW instead. I actually expected to be much noisier than I was during labor. I expected screaming, like you see on TV, but I don’t think I screamed out once. I was braced for Brian to say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing, but he was a rock of solid, caring support and I was so glad he was by my side.
As the new day progressed, we started having complications with the baby’s heart rate. At each contraction it dipped lower and lower. I could hear the speed on the monitor and it was terribly scary to hear how slow it got. I recall that when the nurse or midwife reached up and tickled my baby's head and the heart rate quickly sped up (cutie pie!). At 8am I could sense the fear in everyone’s expression with each dipping heart rate. I was told that I was very close to a c-section and if I didn’t consider an epidural now that in an emergent situation they would have to knock me out cold. That sounded like the kiss of death to me, being unconscious when my baby entered this world, and rather than hold and kiss my baby, even after a c-section, that I wouldn’t be awake. I trusted my team and agreed to the epidural (though for the record, not once during the past 20 or so hours did I ask for any pain medication). The word “epidural” went through my thoughts several times, and I tried to meditate it away (here I used the visualization of throwing my fears into a bonfire, and the word “epidural” was on a piece of paper that I crumpled up and threw into the fire”….it worked). When the drugs took effect my legs felt awful. The pain of contractions were over, but my legs, particularly my right one, were dead weight and felt asleep….not a great feeling.
But, I was able to sleep, which my body desperately needed. I slept hard from 8am – 10am, though the constant checking of my heart rate with a tight cuff continued every few minutes. I woke at 10am to find only Cheryl in my room, next to me, also sleeping and then we had 20 minutes or so to talk by ourselves. I don’t recall what we talked about, but I know I admitted that I was very scared. She was calming and supportive and even though the exact conversation escapes me it was a special time that bonded me to her.
Mid-morning, my baby still had not dropped as low as she needed to be so it was suggested that Pitocin augmentation was really our best chance of having a vaginal birth. Reluctantly I agreed. I recall not fully being able to feel each contraction, but knowing when they were happening, and confirming this on the monitor. After the Pitocin kicked in, we tried pushing. The baby’s heart rate continued dropping with each push. For a second time, the C-section team was called in. I knew that it might be very soon before I was rushed into surgery. At this point this didn’t seem like the end of the world, though it was not at all what I wanted. I knew I’d meet my baby girl soon, and though scared, was able to remain calm and focused. I remember Brian coming to my side with fear showing on his face and some tears, and reassuring him that we were going to be great, and that our baby was on the way. I think exhaustion was setting in, and we were all eager to meet this little girl who liked to have her head tickled.
Ann told me to reach down and feel in between my legs, and I felt my baby's head full of hair…my sweet daughter! At that point my resolve to push ten-folded and I asked the team for the mirror so that I could see what was happening. They had me in a position that I’m certain I would not have been able to sustain were it not for my yoga. Once I felt my baby, I knew that I was going to push her out without a C-section, though each time her heart rate dropped, my heart did too. I pushed as hard as I could and after only about 15 minutes I watched in the mirror as she made her way into this world and seconds later, onto my chest. I don’t think I have the words to describe how that felt, but suddenly I knew a new love and a new purpose, and I have never been more grateful in my whole life. She were amazing and beautiful, and healthy, and tiny!
Both Brian and I were in tears and disbelief that this moment had arrived and that we barely avoided surgery. He stayed with her while they took her briefly to weigh and foot print her while Ann started the process of sewing me up. Because the pushing part of labor was so quick, I tore quite substantially, but Ann was an expert and the epidural was still working its wonders, so I was in no pain. I recall asking for my Dad and Susan, but Ann asked to hold off on more people and activity as the stitches took a great deal of concentration. Now that I’m healed (beautifully, so I’m told!) I’m glad she did what she needed to do. They put my baby girl back on my chest. I couldn’t believe my eyes she was truly the biggest miracle that I had ever seen. That hair! The sweet cries that she made in the first minutes of her life. Nuzzling into my bosom, latching on my breast…truly the most incredible moment of my life!
Looking back, I can say that I truly felt very prepared for this labor and delivery. Brian and I researched and studied, asked lots of questions, understood the medical interventions that I ended up getting, and while I felt like I had no control over the need for intervention, I did feel informed and empowered by my preparation. Our team of doulas (Cheryl and Kelley), the MAHEC midwives, nurses, and family were amazing. We knew for certain that everyone had our best interest in mind and wanted to respect our desire for the most natural birth possible. Because of the trust that I had in my team, when interventions were suggested, I felt confident that it was the right thing for us, and I am convinced that because of the interventions we received, we were able to have a beautiful, safe, vaginal birth. In no way did I feel like the epidural or Pitocin took away from the awesomeness of the experience. What I felt was Rosemary’s first introduction to the safe and loving environment, the healthy life that her Dad and I will always strive to provide for her.
The birth of Wendy's daughter, November 2009
I marked all of the days my OB was on call on my calendar and I kept in touch with my doula, Cheryl. As one who likes to plan ahead, I started using alternative methods to induce labor naturally: acupressure massage and acupuncture treatments. By week 40, I added two more acupuncture treatments, Chinese herbal tea and a homeopathic remedy. By week 41, I was still very much pregnant, 80% effaced and a quarter of a centimeter dilated. After an ultrasound indicating that the amount of amniotic fluid available to my daughter was low, my doctor handed me papers for my admission into the hospital where I was to be induced. My husband and I were thrilled that the time had come to birth our daughter but concerned about the induction: would it work? I received a medication designed to promote dilation at 4:30pm. By 8:30pm, I had dilated further, my water had broken naturally and meconium was discovered. This meant that specialists would be present at the birth in case our daughter would need to be rushed into the neonatal unit. At midnight, Pitocin was introduced. By 2:30am, Cheryl arrived. I began to feel contractions. By 4:30am, I was in the tub, breathing through my contractions and listening to music we’d chosen. Cheryl added some essential oil to the bath and the room smelled of bergamot, one of my favorite fragrances. Thecontractions got stronger. I remember telling Cheryl, "I'm so tired. I'm just so very tired." I breathed through the pain, low gutteral, humming breaths like a yogi in a trance. By 10am or so, I felt the transition. After much pushing and constant encouragement from Cheryl, my husband and the nurse, my daughter was born healthy and strong at 1:11pm: 8 lbs, 14 oz and 20 inches. For me, the sensation of birthing my daughter left me feeling stronger and more confident in my body's abilities than any feat I'd accomplished prior. The strong support I received from my husband, doula, OB and nurse made all the difference to me.
Wendy and baby at 1 year with doula Cheryl. Such a happy, healthy, little girl!
Our Christmas Baby- by Alice - Dec. 2009I love the story of our son’s birth. Not many women can claim this truth, and yet I don’t want to feel guilty admitting to it! All too often in our society today, women are overwhelmed with the choices related to child birthing and many women are led to believe that synthetic drugs are the only surefire way to manage pain while bringing a new life into this world. The unsolicited horror stories others so willingly share with pregnant mothers all attest to the birthing experience being one of anxiety, pain, illness and a call for medical intervention. This past Christmas 2009, we witnessed firsthand just how powerful birthing can be if you choose to hold steadfast to your beliefs, recognize the power of mind over matter, and most of all have confidence in our bodies to do the most amazing thing they were created for- bringing new life into this world.
We accomplished our son’s birth exactly the way we had planned, with the assistance of our trusted doulas, Cheryl and Rowan. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, the actual birthing of our baby caused me some anxiety. Although joyous to be expecting, I am not someone who tolerates medical situations or pain very well. Working with Peaceful Beginning was the best choice we could have ever made. In the hospital environment, there are so many ways to veer from one’s birth plan, so having an advocate in the labor and delivery ward is one way to be sure you’re doing everything humanly and spiritually possible to achieve the experience you’ve envisioned for your family. During active labor in the comfort of our home, my contractions fluctuated with no discernible pattern. If we hadn’t had access to Cheryl and Rowan’s expertise, I would have checked into the hospital much too early. As it turns out, I was able to labor in peace with my husband in our home (with doula support) for nearly 33 hours prior to entering the hospital.I never dreamt I would be in labor so long; however, the doulas’ tactics helped me through some of the most intense hours of my life. I greatly benefited from the use of several natural methods of pain management introduced by the doulas which made it possible for me to focus on my labor and avoid getting overwhelmed by the physical discomfort of childbirth.
Finally, around 1 a.m. on the day after Christmas, we all decided it was time to go to the hospital, where we found out I was 8 cm dilated and 100% effaced. We got a rush of good energy and were sure that the birth was now imminent. BUT, it would not happen that easily. The doctor-on-call was concerned that I wasn’t dilating quickly enough and wanted us to start considering our options. My husband asked the right questions, “Is the baby in danger? Is the mother in danger?” Since the answer to both of these questions was “no” we knew we had bought some time to bring this baby into the world naturally. The doctor agreed to reassess the situation in one hour, so following the doulas’ instruction, we used special tactics to help my body dilate to ten cm. I can still recall the intensity of the situation and feeling empowered that my body knew how to birth this baby and no- my uterus was NOT failing. I was determined to birth this child! And I think this is the pivotal moment where mind-over-matter was imperative! I couldn’t allow myself to doubt or think about “What if I can’t do this?” Having a completely positive mental outlook was the deciding factor.
Miraculously, we reached 10 cm in the allotted time frame and around 11 a.m. on December 26, our lives were changed forever with the arrival of baby Burton. I am not sure how to explain the elation of that moment. I have never felt so much joy and accomplishment in my life…and I am sure I won’t ever have that same overpowering feeling again. It was the most intense moment of my life. I will forever be grateful to my labor and delivery team for such a wonderful experience – Cheryl, Rowan, Dr. Moore, Nurse Rachel, and most of all, my amazing husband, Lash. I felt completely supported and confident throughout the entire journey. I have such wonderful memories of the entire experience, even those times of uncertainty, because we were prepared and well-equipped to combat the challenges that mothers face in the labor and delivery ward every day. I cannot recommend doula care enough. I realize that without their support and guidance, I could have been writing a very different story.
Links- to our favorite resources
www.agelessacupuncture.com- one of our favorite acupuncturists, Natalie Allard, she can do non-medical inductions, help turn breech babies (the non-medical way) etc.
www.ashevillewomenswellness.com -
a wonderful place for women of childbearing age and beyond. Childbirth classes, prenatal yoga, prenatal and postnatal massage, acupuncture etc.
http://www.awakeningheartchiropractic.com/- Dr. April Macary specializes in chiropractic for pregnant women, families and babies. She uses special techniques such as: the Webster and Logan techniques that help babies assume an optimal position for labor and birth.
www.startfromseed.org - A new volunteer doula program in Asheville. Clients are referred from WNC providers. New doula trainees are welcome to apply to work with Start from Seed. The director is Chelsea Kouns and the Program Advisor is Cheryl Orengo.
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Cheryl Orengo ~ Kelley Thomas-Hill~ Tracie Coyle ~ LeAnne Marrs ~ Rowan Lischerelli
Peaceful Beginning © 2011
