As mothers, we have all experienced that moment. I know I have. When the second line popped up on the pregnancy test that I so desperately desired to see, I immediately began thinking about the future. I began thinking about what kind of mother I’d be. I had dreams of being the perfect mother. The mother who ate only the…
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Breech Homebirth Story with 2 Midwives
My midwife came for a home checkup on Wednesday afternoon. I was 42 weeks + 3 days with our 3rd baby, 2nd girl. She has delivered both my other two children (ages 4 and 2). Both of them were homebirth as well. My midwife and I have a bond we share as if we have been through the battlefield together. We…
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Calm Hospital Waterbirth
It was a Monday afternoon, just turning 38 weeks, and I starting having discomfort. I timed my contractions to be 2 minutes apart but only lasting 30 seconds. I called the OB unit to ask what to do, since I was sure it wasn’t labour but the contractions were getting hard to talk through. The nurse told me it was up to…
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A Valentine’s Day Unplanned Unassisted Homebirth
I was due Valentine’s Day but I never expected to go into labor that day. It’s an estimate – not an eviction date. My other 2 pregnancies had gone into the 41st week, and I fully expected this one would too. I felt great! I even wrote to a friend the day before “I could go another month!”. So when…
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The Birth Story of Finley Nathaniel {Planned Homebirth, Unplanned Unassisted}
I never imagined I would have an unbelievable birth story to share. I prayed for an easy, fast birth – who doesn’t! – but didn’t really think it was something my body could do. On Wednesday January 16th, I began feeling different enough to tell Michael that a baby would be here by Friday. Nothing painful or distracting, but I…
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A Fast Hospital Birth with an ObGyn and Doula
In April 2012, we had an unmedicated hospital birth with zero interventions, save for a single dose of antibiotic that I wish I had refused. I spent the day shopping with hubby, got a manicure and pedicure, a massage, went out to dinner and visited my best friend who had just delivered her son. I did all this without a…
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A Fast Hospital Birth with a Doula and Nurse
I am a military wife who had high expectations for my second labor and delivery after a not-so-great experience of an induction (selfishly chosen) with my first baby at 40 weeks. I chose to be induced the first time on my EDD so that my husband could be there for it, as he was leaving for 5 months of training.…
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My Natural Birth With Emma {A Real Fight}
The story of my natural birth with my second daughter Emma is one that I think of as a challenge and one of hard work. After Emma was born I had over-analyzed our birthing experience and had even sat with my doctor to go over all of the points that I found did not work, or made the experience difficult.…
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A Thanksgiving Day Unmedicated Hospital Birth
I have to preface this story by saying that I’m a wuss. Before labor started, I thought to myself, “I hope labor isn’t as painful as stubbing my toe.” We woke up on Thanksgiving, both feeling really rested from a full night of sleep and watched some of the Thanksgiving day parade on T.V.. I told your Poppa that I…