In 2009 (with my first pregnancy) I didn’t know how to navigate the system and advocate for myself. I knew I wanted a vaginal birth. And since everyone one of my family members have had successful pregnancies and deliveries I knew it was obvious I would too. So when I found myself very pregnant nearly 43 weeks with ruptured membranes…
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Healing Through Birth
I’m writing this in hopes that it will help with my healing. It’s been two months since my son came into this world and I feel like my story needs to be shared. A little back story: My husband and I got married at the ripe old age of 20 after only dating for a year! I found out I…
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Healing Hospital VBAC Picture
I just recently had my daughter (almost 3 weeks ago) and I’ve had several ladies tell me I should share this photo from my birth… so here it is! We had a beautiful, wonderful, healing VBAC in a hospital and this picture says everything. The support that I had from my doctor, my nurses, my doula, my husband, and even…
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A Healing Birth {Learning To Trust My Body}
A good way to start any story is with a little background. So I will start by telling a brief story of the birth of my first and hospital experience. When I found out I was pregnant with my first, I did not know much about, well, anything! Especially not birth. I have always been more prone to go the…
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Hospital Trauma and Healing at Home: A Story of Two Births (Part II)
Pregnancy and/or Parenting Through Adoption/Infertility/Loss blogger Sarah Robertson-Barnes shared the story of her first birth yesterday – a hospital birth which left her feeling guilty, dehumanized, and depressed and which she chronicled on her blog, Little Chicken Nuggets. Today, she shares the victorious, redemptive experience of her second birth, midwife-attended and completed at home. You can read the first part of her…
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VBAC Plan Turns into a Healing Repeat C-Section
I had a very traumatic cesarean section birth with my first son. He was induced at 39 weeks because of my rising blood pressure and labor progressed uneventfully. I had an epidural and got to the pushing stage, but he got stuck in my pelvis after pushing for 3 hours. I was terrified of the surgery but the doctors assured…
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An Inspired Twin Birth Without Fear
Birth Without Fear inspired me. When I found out in December that I was expecting two babies, I was stunned. How is it possible? My mother had twins… Doesn’t it skip a generation? (Answer: no). After reality set in, we got two infant car seats to squeeze alongside my then 9-month old’s, and traded in the sedan for an SUV.…
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A Cesarean followed by a {Healing} Medicated VBAC
On October 16th, 2008, my son came into this crazy world. He was born via emergency C-section, which to this day I am still not too sure how I feel about it. I was induced not even being a week overdue. I was anxious, uneducated and just wanted to have my baby here. My blood pressure was up and I…
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I Am Strong {Adri}
I am strong because I labored for 45 hours and pushed for 2.5 hours in the comfort of my own home with my husband and midwives, only to be transferred to the hospital because of a swollen cervix. I am strong because the doctors considered me a ‘trauma patient’ in need of a c-section, and I calmly declined asking for…