My oldest son was a c/s bc the ob thought he was too big. I was young, ignorant and swayed quite easily. He was scheduled to be cut out of me one day after his due date. I never felt labor, and I barely remember his birth. He was 9lb 6oz 21 in and a […]

My journey started in 2006. My husband and I had just found out we were pregnant with our 4th baby, and I felt very strongly about having a home birth this time. My previous 3 babies were born in the hospital, and while it was not a terrible experience, it was not a great experience […]

(a poem in celebration of my youngest son’s home birth) **Christopher passed away in August 2012 leaving behind 2 young boys** You. Listen to the Audio Recording of this Poem You born in 2/4 time. An 87 minute movement. Allegro. Bath water still running. Father focused but flailing. Mother focused and firm. Hands ready and […]

A new life has begun in a stranger’s hands in a cold room filled with bright lights and unfamiliar voices. A tiny new babe has been “helped” from his safe cocoon like a chick whose shell has been peeled away by well-meaning fingers. This child does not know he has been born into an atmosphere […]

Name: April Kline Website: www.daraluznetwork.com Editor Note: Find out more about April here. How would you describe yourself: mother, midwife, birth activist, founder of non-profit organization 1. What change(s) do you want to see in birth? The two fundamental changes I would like to see are: -For all women to know all of their options […]

My oldest daughter’s first word was Dada. However, her father refuses to acknowledge that as a first word. He insists that all babies say Mama and Dada, so those two shouldn’t count. So, if we go with that idea, my daughter’s first word, was actually a set of words… This and That. Just after she […]

I visualized the Lotus Flower during birth, keeping my mouth loose and open, repeating to myself: “My womb is like the petals of a lotus flower … I am opening, each petal unfurling, I am open.” This is a helpful exercise when labour seems to be going slowly or is stalled, though in my case, […]

Lilah’s story began seven years ago with the birth of my oldest son, Patrick. At the time, I was young and very uneducated about birth. His birth story is the story of so many others. At a prenatal appointment, I was found to be in labor. I was admitted, induced, didn’t dilate… emergency c-section. The […]