Natural Childbirth | Indie Birth

Natural Childbirth TV: Amanda’s First Homebirth

Maryn Leister — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 18:22:43 +0000

Hear Amanda talk about her first birth, a natural childbirth at home.

The Natural Childbirth of Moses

Indie Birth Community — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 14:31:55 +0000

Brent and I went to the grocery store around 7:30 Wednesday night (6-4). I was craving fruit, so we stocked up on a bunch of different fruit. I was feeling really good, even though I was 4 days past due. I hadn’t had any contractions for several days, but did have some pressure pushing down on me as I walked. We got home around 10 and I ate a big bowl of cherries, grapes, a date and a bite of Brent’s cantaloupe. We then went to bed.

At midnight I woke up and my water had broken. Luckily, I had enough foresight to be wearing an adult diaper for just such an occasion. (My last baby my water broke in bed and I didn’t have anything to protect me or the bed.) I didn’t want to wake Brent yet, because my shortest labour had been 8 hours previous to this baby, and we had just gotten to sleep a couple hours earlier.

My contractions started out at 15 minutes apart. I spent a lot of the first hour laboring on the toilet because of the amniotic fluid, which was coming out during contractions in squirts. After about an hour I woke Brent, and he asked if we should call our friend (who was helping to deliver our baby at her house). I wanted to keep timing the contractions, but 30 minutes later they were stronger and 5-10 minutes apart. We called, and she said to come on over. (She had actually already been awake for 30 minutes already.)

It took us 30 minutes to get out of the house (packing a few last minute things into the car). We left our other kids with a friend and got to our friends house just after 2am. By that time my contractions were pretty strong and about 5 minutes apart. She checked me and I was at a 4 and 50% thinned out. I laboured in the house for a little while, some times leaning on the bed with my Brent holding me. Sometimes on the portable toilet (so I didn’t have to worry about what was coming out of me). Then she asked if I wanted to try getting in the bath. I agreed and she got the tub ready. I was so cold, and couldn’t stop shivering. I also felt so sick, I kept asking for the bowl (I always get sick during labour) but never needed it. She checked me again and I was at a 5 and still 50%. I sat in the bath for about 20 minutes and then wanted out. She asked what I wanted, and I said, “I want the baby out”. I walked back to the bedroom and laboured some more in there standing by the bed. My contractions were 30 seconds apart and I didn’t know how much more I could take. They were all so wonderful, though. They kept putting hot ginger packs on my back, stomach and elsewhere.

Our friend wanted to check me again, and I got on the bed. After laying down, she checked me, looked at me and said, “The baby is in the birth canal.” I smiled the best I could and said, “That’s the best news I could here.” She said baby only needed to go about 3 more inches to go. That is all I needed to go on. I barely felt the pain from the contractions then. I pushed on the next contraction. Then pushed again 1 or 2 more times (I can’t really remember). Then I could feel his head crowning. It hurt, but I knew it was almost over. I panted a few times and then finished pushing his head out at 4:20 am. She checked and there was no cord around his neck. I asked if he was OK, and she said he was. Then during the next contraction I pushed and our baby Moses was born into this world at 4:22 am. We then waited until the placenta quite pulsating and after it was birthed at 4:50 am the cord was cut at 4:55 am.

It was such a wonderful birth experience. I love Brent for being there for me as I called for him. At one point all I could do was hold my arms out and call for him as he rushed across the room to hold me. He was such a rock for me. I am so excited to welcome our new little one into the family.

Editor Note: You can visit the author’s blog at Our Birth Journeys.

Hiring a Midwife: the Money “Problem”

Maryn Leister — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 18:57:01 +0000

Dear Potential Homebirth Client,

Congratulations on considering a homebirth! As you know, there are several midwives that serve this area; we range in age, experience level and most importantly, personality and philosophy of practice. You are of course welcome to email me or call me for a chat before we schedule a “consultation,” but this blog post will hopefully help in narrowing down whether or not we get that far!

You may read around on my website as far as experience goes; you may also contact me for the names and contacts of several past clients that would be willing to speak to you about their experience with me as their midwife.

I have a feeling that my “philosophy” rings pretty clear as well, but feel free to ask questions about how things work, or what I think of different issues, etc. All this is really needed to be able to choose the homebirth midwife that is right for you (!), so I certainly welcome questions or discussion that will help you figure this out.

The main thing I would like to address (as it is often the first question asked to me!) is the issue of money and homebirth. I understand that this is an important issue and if you ask past clients of mine, I am very willing to work with your financial situation; whether it be with payment plans or barters or other arrangements.

However, the best experiences I have had thus far with families have been with the ones that I just fell in love with upon meeting them, and vice versa. I knew from the start that we were meant to walk together, and these families have felt the same way. They have expressed their desire for me to be their midwife, and that is always thrilling! But we’re all human, and personalities don’t always click so beautifully. So, when that’s the case, I am always reassured that there is another midwife out there perfectly suited for these families! I truly believe that is the way it works.

So, with that in mind, I ask that we get to know each other a bit–thru phone or email or having a short meeting. It will become clear to you, and to me, that we would enjoy working together! A mutual feeling of love and respect and excitement to begin this pregnancy journey of yours. And when we know that, we can move on to the discussion of how we are going to make this work financially. An agreement that will suit us both and be “worth it” because we know how valuable a good midwife-client relationship is. It affects your overall experience, and mine as well. It makes for the most satisfying birth experience, regardless of the outcome, because of our trust and relationship.

For that reason, I won’t get into any negotiation or bidding wars with potential clients. It’s impossible to do that when the match is right. When the match is not right, or when you may be holding some fears about homebirth in general, money becomes this “front and center” issue. My “red flag” goes up when a potential client tries to talk me down in price because another midwife is less expensive. If price is the only thing that matters, then please, choose the cheaper option. I have no intention of being the “cheapest” midwife around, and that has nothing to do with being inflexible or insensitive. It is because when people are looking for the cheapest thing around, or choose a midwife only because she accepts insurance, they’re not focused on the things I think are so, so much more important.

And if money (or lack of) is the only reason we are going to work together–well, how can that work?

Similarly, please don’t let your first question be “how much do you cost?” (I realize this can be an innocent, very practical question if you really have no idea how much a homebirth generally costs, but that’s not what I am referring to here.) Anyway, what I “cost” is not a secret, and I am very comfortable with the care I provide for the fee I standardly ask. But really, isn’t it more important that you know if you even want me with you? With you for the next 10 months, as intimate as a family member, with your family at one of the most special and private events that life has to offer?

Money is the way we communicate value in our society. Of course, there are other ways to communicate value, but I do appreciate money and the exchange of money just as much as the next person. But as a potential client, I ask that you take into account some other less practiced ways of choosing a care provider. To me, it’s yet another beautiful way that midwives triumph over the Western medical system of birth. We can actually choose to work together because we think alike, or are friends, or just because we like each other! A choice made purely on money, or insurance benefits, does not apply to me as a midwife serving you. Although, ironically, I will work with virtually any financial situation if you and I really believe in it! Not really the way a doctor’s office, or even that of many midwives work, now is it?

So, perhaps now that I’ve made myself clear, you have a better idea of what would work for your family. A always, if you think I may be the midwife for you, don’t hesitate to contact me. Love and blessings to you!!

The Unassisted Homebirth of J

Indie Birth Community — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:05:45 +0000

I had a wonderful pregnancy. I suffered mild morning sickness or nausea and had some mild ailments but it wasn’t uncomfortable like my other pregnancies. I had an unassisted pregnancy which means I didn’t see a doctor or midwife for antenatal care. I cared for myself and did all I
could to remain in good health. This included eating right, gentle exercise and plenty of rest. I didn’t see the point of waiting 1-2 hours to see someone for 5 minutes. It was stressful to even think about. I knew the only person who would provide the best care for me was me. I could be responsible for myself and my baby. Who cares more than the mother? And who knows my body best? I didn’t expect anyone one else to take care of me (except maybe hubby).

So when it came to the birth I knew what I wanted. I wanted to birth in water with my husband as my only support. I had wanted to do this with my third child but as soon as the contractions hit I was off to the hospital. This time I educated myself and felt so prepared. At first my husband was not in agreeance. In fact he was totally against the idea. I felt very alone and upset. But he knew I was serious. We discussed having a midwife present. He wanted someone to blame if something did happen to [go] wrong. But as time went on he started to understand how I felt. I married a caring and smart man. He was still worried and influenced by the comments of others but he supported me. I couldn’t do this without him. I felt that we conceived this child – just me and him. And that is how I felt about birth.

I felt midwives don’t trust that a woman knows she is in labour. They check that you are in fact bleeding (had a show)and use machinery to assure you are contracting etc. Luckily I was finally left to labour when with my first child – just my husband and I. I had no expectations of what birth would be like. It was great …until a midwife came to perform an internal. I was told to get out of the shower where my waters broke, I was rushed across the busy office in a little towel to the labour room where I birthed on the bed. The midwife told me to stop screaming which was a form of pain relief. I tore quite badly and had 90 minutes of stitching down while I sucked on the gas. In my labour with my second child I was monitored for such a long time and not sure why. I was definite I was having contractions. I was in extreme pain and the midwife stared at me the whole time. I felt very uncomfortable and had a borderline third degree tear. It took a while to recover. The midwives came and went during my third labour. I tried to filter it all out yet felt much more relaxed when it was just my husband and I. I breathed my baby out yet still tore.

My husband suggested we get a birth pool. He was upset that the hospital never “allowed” me to use the bath/pool. He was upset the lack of education some doctors had about water birth and even birth in general (once I had pointed it out to him). So we had a pool and I continued to read and research til 42 weeks gestation. Oh surely they would induce me by now? Who’s they?!

After 5 days of pre labour I was wondering myself if I would ever meet this tricky baby. I had 3 rather quick labours that started with a bloody show, a few hours of contractions then a baby! So this pre labour had my husband in particular on tenderhooks. I would have a show that wasn’t bloody every day! Then pains at night but I would fall asleep just to wake in the morning thinking where are you baby?

Saturday night at about 10pm I again had the labour pains.They were not regular. My kids went to sleep which was perfect. As soon as I saw my youngest close his eyes…Bang. I had a strong contraction. I told my husband, “Fill the pool”. He started to do that as I walked around the house having irregular contractions. Each one felt different and I was concerned we would be tricked again. Some felt good, others not so strong then some nasty ones. I was eager to get in the pool. My husband was boiling pots of water to get the temperature up. I finally got in sometime after 12am. I could feel my baby moving in utero. We knew we were going to meet our baby soon enough. Not sure when my waters broke but I assume that is what the bubbles were. I was still checking for a bloody show that never came but could feel myself opening up. I then felt the soft head of my baby. He was crowning. I could fit 2 fingers between the head and my perineum. I was not worried about tearing, I could feel it had stretch. With my body in control and a series of pushes I took my baby in my hands and brang him to my chest. One moment he wasn’t even in the birth canal then he was and then he was just as quickly out.

Born at 12:45am on 21st September 2008.

Our son was so content that he fell asleep on my chest after a wah and a gargle. I tried to feed him but nil interest. We could see why when he gave us three bowel movements in the hours after birth. I was trying to concentrate on birthing the placenta as my husband impatiently phoned our family. I was amazed that the placenta came only 35 minutes later. No injection, no breastfeeding, no walking or even changing position. It always had me worried that I had to get it out pronto in previous births but this time I could feel my body was in control. And then there was blood. I got out of the pool and sat on the recliner. I was passing clots. My husband cut the cord as it was now cold. He took J and put him in a nappy and wrapped him. They lay on the couch as I had a shower. I was feeling faint so went to bed on cloth flats. No need for pants at home. I was somewhat worried about feeling faint as I didn’t want to actually pass out and end up in hospital. But everything was fine and I had iron supplements. I heard J crying and tried to feed him again. On day one he slept alot only feeding 3 times though made up for breastfeeding on day two. I was glad that he indeed knew how to latch on and had a very strong suckle reflex.

My husband is now an advocate for freebirth! He says he is in awe of me. But really we should be in awe of birth and our bodies. We as woman can birth naturally.

The Birth Story of Rebekah

Indie Birth Community — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:11:03 +0000

Due on Jan 30, our little Rebekah arrived February 10, 2010. Weighing 9 lbs 1 oz and 21 inches long.

I had been having contractions starting at 4:30am the previous morning, lasting about 10 minutes apart. They were strong, but not uncomfortable. I was beginning to get excited until around 4:30 pm, when they stopped. It was such a let down, since she was over a week late and I was really looking forward to meeting my new little one. I was also excited, because, although she was our 6th baby and 3rd home birth, she was our first completely unassisted pregnancy and birth. It was like doing it for the first time all over again.

This being our 6th baby, I thought I knew what the labor would be like. LOL! Like they say, each labor is different. I went to bed around 9pm that night, and was a little down since my contractions had stopped a few hours earlier. Brent came in and I asked if he could rub my back, since it had been hurting some. He began rubbing my lower back, just above my butt, and it felt so good, but gave me one long contraction the entire time he rubbed it. It happened to be hurting in the pressure point to help with labor.

After that, my contractions started up again slightly. Around 10:30pm the contractions were back to 10 minutes apart and were waking me up. I was able to sleep between them until 11:30, when I decided to get up and listen to my MP3 and rock in the recliner in our room. I spent some time listening to Ashokan Farewell (civil war song) and Scottland the Brave (bagpipes), but ended up listening to Oh Holy Night by Josh Groban for an hour or more. It brought me some peace, thinking of how all of mankind had been going through this, even the mother of Christ.

I started timing the contractions around 1:30am and they were still 10 minutes apart. By 2:30am they had gone to 3-5 minutes apart. My water hadn’t broken on it’s own (like it did with 3 of my others), but I decided to wake up Brent just in case, since my last labor only lasted 4 hours.

He was so wonderful for me. He got me what I needed when I asked. I moved around a lot, and always forgot my robe in a different part of the room. He would bring it to me, get me drinks, hold me, comfort me when needed. He was great.

Brigham, our 3 year old, woke up around 5am and came into our room. He watched me as I labored, and added a little humor to it. He began moaning with me during my contractions, as they were getting stronger and I was beginning to make noise at this point. LOL!

At about 7am he woke the rest of the kids up (their normal wake up time) and told them baby was coming today. They were so excited! They all came into the room, one at a time and gave me a big hug. Throughout my labor Brigham was in the living room, just on the other side of the wall, but continued to make noises like me. What a funny little guy!

Things were really not going how I had thought they would. Each child I had, the labor was shorter, so I was more or less expecting a quick labor and birth. This labor was getting stronger, but felt like it was taking forever. My water hadn’t broken, so I wasn’t sure how far along things were moving. Brent asked if I wanted him to check me. He did, and said he could feel the head and I was about a 7 or 8. I must say that after 10 hours of laboring, I didn’t want to hear that her head wasn’t through the cervix yet. He then asked how it was that he could feel the head if the water hadn’t broken yet. I said something to the effect of it being like a water balloon and you could still feel the head through it.

I must say that through this, it was such a bonding experience for us. It was great to work together and learn the actual birthing process, as just the two of us.

I don’t know what time it was, but maybe and hour and a half or so before Rebekah was born, Brent called in Sadie (our oldest – 11 years old) to help be the nurse. She was to bring Brent what he needed so he wouldn’t have to leave me. She was also advised how to give me the mistletoe tincture after the head was born, but before the body, to help prevent hemorrhage. She was so excited to get to help out and experience the birth of her new little sister (or brother since we didn’t know at the time what we were having).

Labor was really getting hard for me. I was so tired that I was almost falling off the birthing chair asleep between contractions, which were about 3 minutes apart and very strong (to the point of me yelling at times). I moved to where I was kneeling on the floor and laying on the birthing stool. I asked Brent to check me again, and he said she was still not through the cervix (how disappointing), but he asked if I wanted him to break my water. He was so sweet to not do anything without asking my permission first. I said yes.

He pinched the bag of waters under the baby’s head. He said for a moment he didn’t think he had done anything. Then the water shot out and covered him. LOL! He got it in the face and all over his clothes! Sadie said she got a little on her hand, as she was standing off to the side holding a flashlight for dad, but he got covered. I felt it come out, and I heard him react. I slowly turned around to sit on the birthing stool and told him that I know wish we had been video taping the birth so I could have seen that. LOL!

I was hurting pretty bad, but the water breaking helped a lot. Things began to really move at that point. I began pushing a little during contractions. She was slowly moving her way down the birth canal. I asked Brent where the head was, if it was coming out yet (as if I didn’t know). He said she was almost there and he and Sadie could see her hair. I reached and felt her head, but she was still about 3 inches in. I told Brent later that it may as well have been a mile at that point. A few contractions later, pushing during them, she was crowning.

WOW! I’ve been through natural birth 2 times before. I never seem to remember how big a baby’s head is. I kept pushing, and it took about 3 contractions before I got her out. The entire time as she kept coming and coming and coming, I could just picture myself tearing. The only thing keeping me going at that point was knowing that once the head was out, it was basically over. As her head was coming, I began yelling for Sadie to get the tincture for me. Brent kept saying the head was not out yet, but I knew that she needed to get it, because I wasn’t going to wait around to long to deliver her body.

Finally, her head was out (and I didn’t tear). Brent said that there was a beautiful head of hair. So sweet and wonderful, he teared up and began to choke up when talking. He was so overcome with emotion. Oh, how I love him.

My little Sadie, big sister to all our children, gave me the mistletoe tincture and on the next contraction I pushed our little girl into the world. I thought as soon as she was out, I should have warned Brent that I was pushing, but I think he knew what I was going to do. He caught our little Rebekah, and she was perfect. Sadie quickly fetched a towel to put her in and clean her up with. As soon as she was in the towel I asked for the time. 11:15am. Brent held our new little baby for a minute, looking at her and absorbing her into his memory, and then quickly passed her to me.

I sat on the birthing stool for a moment, then asked Sadie to get a chux pad to put on the recliner. Brent went to take our baby, when he found she had pooped on me. We cleaned us both up. I then moved over to the recliner and held the baby, while helping Brent tie off the cord after it had stopped pulsating. We cut it, and I got a little blood spatter on my shoulder. Then he got some thick cloth diapers wet, and one with a ginger tea compress, to clean me off with and to hold onto myself for helping to heal.

I sat in the chair for about an hour, trying to feed her, but she wasn’t interested. She was just angry. Then I began cramping pretty hard and having a little blood pass. I took the umbilical cord and gently put pressure on it (not pulling, but making it taunt) and pushed a little. The cord began to go slack. I asked Sadie to get me the bowl I had reserved, and I slowly pushed the placenta out and put it into the bowl, reserving it for later, to encapsulate it.

We were preparing to weigh her, but found she had pooped on me, again. LOL! My little stinker! We both cleaned off, again, and then I helped Brent put her in the baby sling with a digital scale attached (after zeroing it out of course). 9 lbs 1 oz! No wonder! She beat out my biggest baby by an ounce! LOL! She loved the sling, and we let her stay in it for about 15 minutes while we got things cleaned up. Sadie went and got some clothes for Rebekah, and when I went to get her out of the sling, I found, yet again, she had pooped in the sling! I must say that through the night she proved that her bowels worked great. LOL!

She is perfect, though. Her big, little head with great big squishy cheeks. I love her more than I can say! The kids can’t get enough of her. The boys love her and want to hold her all the time. Even though Moses can’t talk, he still tells me he wants to hold her. He sits next to me and reaches for her. Oh, how he and Brigham love to share their new little baby! What good big brothers they are. The big sisters are all so great with her and were so excited to hold and love on her finally.

Editor Note: You can visit the author’s blog at Our Birth Journeys.

Have Something to Say About Birth?

Maryn Leister — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 16:27:45 +0000

I know you have something to say about natural birth–or parenting or pregnancy. Or maybe you’ve got a question you want to ask others. Come check out our free, new Indie Birth forums and get connected. Click the Facebook Connect button at the top of the screen on the forum to login and get the conversation started! http://www.indiebirth.com/community

Natural Childbirth Movie

Natural Childbirth TV: Homebirth for First Time Moms?

Maryn Leister — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 15:46:05 +0000

Discover why your birth choices for your first natural childbirth can be so important.

Natural Childbirth TV: Birth Centers vs. Homebirth

Maryn Leister — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 06:14:17 +0000

Sunny talks about the difference between her birth in a birth center and her birth at home.

Thanks But No Thanks, We Don’t Need a Breastfeeding Law

Maryn Leister — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 04:47:28 +0000

It’s not everyday that my little world of natural childbirth, homebirthing and breastfeeding mamas makes it to headline news. But every now and then, there seems to be a token celebrity either boasting of her scheduled c-section or, ironically, of her natural childbirth.

Now, on one hand, it’s pretty silly to take the words of any one woman so seriously, especially when they come out of her mouth for a fashion mag interview. But, one could also argue that more influential words were hardly ever spoken; given the mainstream impact of fashion magazines and world-famous supermodels.

So, as a homebirth midwife and homebirthing mama that has been breastfeeding for 8 years (and in that time tandem nursing three pairs of children), you may be expecting my enthusiastic agreement with Gisele Bündchen’s statement that breastfeeding should be made a worldwide law.

However, not so much.

Again, perhaps so much shouldn’t be made of her words. It’s great that she had an amazing homebirth, and maybe she’ll be able to influence a few more women to go that route too. Fabulous. But, if her words are taken seriously, I can’t help but cringe a bit. It’s kind of like that separation between church and state, you know? Government and women’s choices in birth and mothering just should NOT go together.

As much as I love breastfeeding, as much as I wish every baby would get this amazing, lifelong gift of nurturing and health, I just can’t agree that anything like that should be mandated.

It’s just too dangerous.

I don’t want anyone, anyone telling me what my choices are regarding how I create, birth or raise my babies. That is asking for trouble, plain and simple. Is it not bad enough that similar “mandates” prevent me from attending VBAC women, or women with twins? How would that be any different from another law that would force me to vaccinate my kids against my will?

No way. I will not get involved in the lawful fight of superiority when all of these issues-birth, breastfeeding and vaccination (to name a few) are CHOICES. Choices that require research and connecting with our intuitive power as women.

I’m not just going to criticize her honest suggestion, however. She’s entitled to how she thinks things should be, and so if I just take it at face value for a moment, I have a few things to add.

Sure. Let’s make breastfeeding something EVERY woman does for her baby. That’s a great idea. But instead of making it a law, for god’s sake, let’s make it something that every woman WANTS to do. Gee, how do we do that? We go back to the beginning. We help educate, inspire, support and love EVERY pregnant woman. Whether she wants to be pregnant or not. No matter how much money she has, no matter where she comes from. As midwives, and as birth educators and as doulas, we make THIS our mission.

That somehow, some way, every woman is supported enough to confidently make the choices that are right for her. And this does not mean that every woman will choose a homebirth, I know that… But if she has choices, a woman will almost always choose to birth with a respectful caregiver who honors her choices.

It’s not about birth outcome, per se. A woman who follows her truth will understand that so much of birth and motherhood is not controllable; and make peace with her choices. It’s then that women will unanimously begin to choose what is right for their bodies and their babies.

And breastfeeding is surely a part of that. We don’t need anymore laws that make choices for us; we need to provide the education that encourages intuitive birth and mothering.

Natural Childbirth Choices: Home or Hospital?

Maryn Leister — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 02:34:42 +0000

Indie Birth Natural Childbirth TV – One major difference between having your baby at home vs. the hospital.