Samantha's Birth Story

April 14, 2013 8:42 AM

I'm so excited to share my client Katrina's sacred home birth story, beautifully written herself. My sole purpose as a doula in this birth was supporting the momma during Labor. What made it so inspiring to be a part of was that physical support was all she needed. In all other areas she was fully prepared!

This woman is a fabulous example of getting in touch with and listening to the divine feminine within. As you read about her birth you will soon see the complete responsibility she took for each and every aspect of her birth: the emotional, physical, energetic, informational, and more.

I would also like to highlight the fact that her baby was originally in the posterior position. I'm so proud to know a woman who educated herself so well that she knew she could turn the baby herself with no medical intervention!

Posterior babies that go undetected can lead to very long labors and hard births. However if you are experiencing this a Doula or home birth midwife would help you to get in a variety of positions known to help a baby move into optimal fetal positioning in order to restart a halted or slow labor and possibly save you from an unnecessary C-section.

Wait to go Katrina for knowing just what to do in order to aid her dilation and have a beautiful birth. A side note: Katrina is also a Doula herself.

The Birth of Baby Grant

A VBAC Success!

The story of Grant's birth is one that will always stay near and dear to my heart. It started when his beautiful mother, Ali, had an overwhelming hope for a better and more peaceful birth than the one she experienced before.

 Ali’s first birth had been a scheduled C-section because her baby was in the breach position. At the time her doctor did discuss turning the baby but Ali felt as if the doctor showed no confidence in the success of attempting this. He also told Ali it would be incredibly painful. So of course Ali assumed this was true, took his advice, and declined an attempt at turning the baby. She also knew nothing of the many wonderfully effective, natural techniques to help the baby turn, such as spinning babies.

Other common misdiagnoses causing a huge number of unnecessary C-sections are Failure to Progress and CPD, where a woman’s pelvis is thought to be to small to give birth vaginally. In Ali’s case of the baby being breech she went on to have her sweet baby girl via scheduled C-section. She's such a beautiful little girl and has grown healthy and strong. However, Ali was left with a very hard recovery physically and emotionally and a strong inkling that things could have been different.

She felt that not only was the birth hard on her but that it could have been gentler for her baby. Ali began to feel that this C-section might not have been truly medically necessary. As the months passed during her next pregnancy she followed her intuition and began to look into what complications really warrant intervention and what it would take to have a vaginal birth after a C-section.

Ali wanted more than anything to prove to herself against many people’s doubts that she could in fact have a safe vaginal birth after a C-section. She wanted it, not only for herself but also she longed to give this baby the peaceful entrance into this world that he deserved.

The Birth of Parker Bryce

Labor Starts with a Bang! From the Eyes of a Doula: 

March 26, 2014 

~ 4:02 pm: 

"My doctor's appointment went pretty well. My blood pressure was high so they stripped my membranes. I'm dialted to a four. So we'll see what happens..." 

-Text message from Shontelle 

 ~8:42 pm: 

"I've been drinking lots of water and my head is feeling better. I'm also having contractions. I haven't started to time them but I thought I would let you know. Hopefully it's not antoher false alarm :) " 

-Text message from Shontelle 

I (the doula) replied: 

"Awesome!!! No such thing as a false alarm to me! I mean your body was doing something last night, you're already at a four! You know the drill: positive affirmations, scarf a meal, relax into your contractions, keep me posted :) XOXO you're a birthing goddess!"

  

"Thanks so much! I will update you in an hour or so :) " 

-Text message from Shontelle 

The next think I know it's barely an hour later and my phone jingles as a text comes in - 

 "Hey this is Bryce we are getting ready to head to the hospital..."

Doula: 

"Ok sounds good, why don't we chat on the phone before you leave :)" 

My phone rings and Bryce quickly announces, "We're in the car driving right now!" 

I was surprised things had progressed so fast. In the blink of an eye contractions instensified to a point where Shontelle can no longer talk through them and is in quite a bit of discomfort. After giving Bryce a few tips I let them know I would meet them at the hospital in thirty minutes.  As I hang up the phone and prepare to head out a totally spontaneous smile stretches across my face. Everything feels right.