It has been three years since I had my son in a natural, med-free hospital birth. It was 27 hours of total labor. Contractions were every three minutes (lasting a minute long) from the get go, so I got no rest once they started at two o’clock in the morning! I went to the hospital after about 18 hours thinking…
-
-
The Story of Baby J
When I had my daughter in June of 2014, I thought it was silly to make a plan for birth. I knew it wouldn’t go my way, anyway! So I went into labor with only one request: an epidural. When I went from four to ten centimeters in 25 minutes they told me that my only request couldn’t be honored.…
-
All On My Own: An Accidental, Unassisted Home Birth
A little background about my previous births: In January of 2011, we welcomed our first born son Earth-side in the water at Family Beginnings Birthing Center (Miami Valley Hospital). I labored overnight at home and arrived at the hospital not long before he was born. Trying to recall from almost five years ago, we got to the room, got in…
-
The Birth Story of Pippa Saoirse
It was a Friday and I was 41 weeks pregnant with my second child. I had an appointment with the PPC (Prolonged Pregnancy Clinic) to monitor the baby and myself and discuss options. I had been feeling pains on and off at this point for nearly two weeks and was very much ready for my baby to arrive. When we…
-
A Fast, Natural Birth Hospital Story
I was blessed to have a very easy and healthy pregnancy. Praise the LORD for that! It was truly one of my favorite seasons of life. I felt great for the majority of the time, was able to remain very active, and even got relief from my horrible allergies for many months. I had taken two pregnancy tests that confirmed…
-
Olive’s Home Birth
Our daughter, Olive Magnolia, was born New Year’s Day at 11:13pm. She was 7lbs 14oz and 21 inches in length. Her birth was a gift and it will forever be one of my most cherished moments. On New Year’s Eve, I met with my midwife and she performed a sweep, at my request. I was 5cm dilated, but still quite…
-
Third Time’s the Charm: A Successful HBA2C
The birth of my first child was a failed induction that ended in a cesarean. I remember the nurses laughing at my natural birth plan when we checked into the hospital and telling me to “wrap my head around what was about to happen”. It wasn’t long after they started the Pitocin that I could feel intense cramping, but with the comfort…
-
A 45 Minute Home Water Birth
I had four hospital births, all with an epidural. That’s what I thought you were supposed to do when you had a baby – get an epidural and escape from the pain. No one likes pain, so why not skip that part? My first birth was at 41 weeks and three days after my water broke. The second birth was…
-
A Healing Home Birth After a Fourth Degree Tear: Part Two
If you haven’t read Part One of this story, please start here. The choice for me to have a homebirth was easy. I was emotionally and physically healed from my 4th degree tear, and BOTH are necessary to deliver vaginally again, which I call a VBAST (vaginal birth after a severe tear). For others who have had a 4th…