Confession

I can't sleep, and I'm alone with my thoughts. This means I have time to think about all the stuff that briefly passes through my mind during the day when I don't have the time to consider it.

Foremost on my mind: TWINS

I seem to be carrying larger than usual with this pregnancy, enough that I myself have wondered if I might be carrying multiples. It's not logical. There's no family history of multiples that I'm aware of, and I haven't undergone fertility treatments or done anything else I'm aware of that could increase my chances of having twins. But the thought is there, and it keeps coming back.

I've scheduled an ultrasound in a few weeks. I really want to confirm or rule out this thought. I don't think I'd be surprised to find I'm further along than I thought (despite my dates) or that there is more than one baby in there, simply because of the size of my belly.

Is this crazy? Maybe. I never claimed to be sane, especially during pregnancy. In fact, I believe pregnancy gives me the right to be a crazy lady. I can't seem to control it anyway.

What if I'm carrying twins?

My birth plans wouldn't change. I'd still plan a home birth. In fact, my midwife has already promised me that she'd be hands off even if I had twins. Her words, not mine. She's a very intuitive woman. Does she have some kind of inkling she hasn't told me about yet? Hmmm. I may have to ask her at some point.

What would change? Mainly, we'd need a bigger vehicle and we'd have to move. It's in our lease agreement that we can't live here with more than 6 children, so we'd have to start looking for a new place to live. We just bought a van a few months ago that has 8 seats. Yeah, we'd have to sell that and start looking for something bigger. I might end up with one of those full size vans that seats 12 or 15. Think of the space!

Am I scared? Not particularly. I'm grateful for whatever we'll be given, even if that means two babies for the price of one. I have no clue how I'd handle the logistics of 7 children under the age of 12, the youngest 2 being twins. Yeah, things would definitely be interesting, even more so than they are now, in our house. But we can handle whatever we get, whether we think we can or not. I'm stronger and more capable than I give myself credit for.

So there it is. My pregnancy confession. Now, how sheepish would I feel if we have the ultrasound and find that there's only one baby in there? Oh well. At least we could keep our van and our home, and I already know I can handle one baby at a time.

Articles About Home Birth, Vaginal Breech Birth, and More!

Here are links to my most recent articles published on the Pampers website. I'm really excited to write about some of these options for a venue where they can be seen by women who might not otherwise consider them.

I Loved Giving Birth at Home! - I got to talk about home birth and how I came to choose it.

My Breech Baby Had a Vaginal Birth - This is one of my favorites, because I finally got the chance to write for Pampers about my surprise breech home birth. It brings back such wonderful memories!

Is Natural Childbirth for Me? - I explain some of the reasons women choose natural birth. We're not trying to be martyrs or prove ourselves better than anyone else. It's a matter of personal accomplishment and doing what we feel is best for ourselves and our babies.

Midwife Birth: An Option for My Healthy Pregnancy - I explain how a midwife is a good fit for a healthy pregnancy, in the hospital or at home.

Considering a Birth Center - I discuss the option of having your baby in a birth center rather than the hospital, and ultimately why I decided home birth instead.

Labor and Birth Can be Beautiful - How I discovered beauty and strength through natural childbirth.

I Wish I Had More Childbirth Pictures - One thing I would change about the births of my children: have someone designated to just take pictures.

Gentle Birth: Preparation Helped Me Achieve My Goal - Approaching pregnancy with the goal of a gentle birth.

Prenatal Information: Preparing for Pregnancy and Birth - Some of the things I did to prepare for birth throughout my pregnancy.

Touch in Birth

This is a great resource for partners, doulas, midwives, and birth supporters everywhere.

I've been supported in birth by my husband (as licensed massage therapist), a doula, and midwives.  All of them used physical touch in supporting me, and I can personally attest to the great comfort and importance of touch in labor and birth.

I found this video through Enjoy Birth

Midwife/Home Birth Animation

Here's another fun poke at stereotypes regarding midwives and home birth...

Help Support Mamas and Babies in Haiti

A group of midwives and a doctor from Utah are making a trip to Haiti to help set up a birth center.  They'll be taking supplies and helping to set up a birth center in an old building that's being renovated.  The conditions there are very bad for women having babies.  Without adequate support and care, many mothers and babies are dying.  You can learn more at MamaBabyHaiti.org about this non-profit effort.

You can help their efforts by donating to the cause.  Donations can be money, supplies, or even sky miles. See what you have at your house that could be use in Haiti.  Cotton balls, gauze pads, medical tape, anything you think of as you look over the list below of problems, that you think might help.

If you are in Utah you can support the effort by attending a pancake breakfast on Saturday, September 25th at:

The back of the birth center and its beautiful
ocean view.

Feels Like Home Birth Suites
90 East 200 South
Pleasant Grove, UT 84062.

Price for the breakfast is $5 per person or $20 per family, and all proceeds will go to the Mama Baby Haiti effort.  Donations may be mailed to the same address.

The group needs as much as they can get in money and supplies by Oct 20th, but they are planning on shipping supplies even after the group leaves.


These are the raw notes taken from talking to 8 village leaders, about 75,000 people represented.  Arry, the group's driver/translator, will fill in the blanks with contact info for the people contacted.  This can help give you an idea of the conditions and needs that exist.  I've also included some photos of the conditions, the beautiful landscape, and of a building that's being renovated for use as a birth center.

Pastor Etienne plaine du Nord

The birth center currently being renovated for the group
to set up and hopefully fill with supplies.

pop10k (closest to birth center, SW)
diseases: DM, Fever/infections, Vision issues, HIV, Malaria, Typhoid, Dengue
Some tuberculosis
Most births at home
Very willing to collaborate with us
Closest hospital 45 min away, births in car on way to hospital
2 doctors, 2 clinics $15 consultation.  Most cannot afford.
Not enough food
Not enough water, no clean water
Vaccines kids up to 9, not all have them
Have some traditional healers
Docs only for people with money, would not be mad if we gave free care

Saccanville
5k (think this is actually Cercaville, W of birth center)
Julesaint Abel
Need medicines, food, clean water
diseases: Malnutrition, fever, malaria, htn, dm, childhood diarrhea
Die from htn/dm, high fever, can't afford meds
TB uncommon, HIV unknown
Not vaccinated. Don't use pesticides
Midwife births at home, hospital far away. Small babies
Have healers, no doctors or clinics

Such a beautiful land!

Wants to know how many we could see each time, guards to establish order, make queue for pts

Camp Louise
>10k, W and N of birth center
Pastor David
Offered use of church & school
No clinics or docs
Similar illnesses, especially lack of access to c-sections and very far from hospital/doctors
40-50 orphans from PAP need food, clothes, books, medicine, pharmacy
(can use school)
Close to ocean

balan 
pop 20k, closer to morne rouge

Living conditions.

Contact pastor gaston, very excited
Same illnesses
No doctor
25% of children get secondary school, most primary school
Contact will advertise

fort bourgeois
pop 4500 (mountains NW of Cap Haitien)
Patrick Joseph (not pastor)
Malaria, fever, typhoid, infxn, filiariasis, ha, htn, dm, diarrhea,
bad water (not enough, have to fight for the pump)

Haitian women.

Occasional vaccinations
Eat 1x/day
Can use school or church for clinic
No doctors
Contact will advertise
Need restrooms/sanitation

Cormier
(on water NW of Cap Haitien, same road as Ft. Bourgeois)
Contact Gary
Htn, dm, reflux
Children sick - fever, diarrhea, worms
1 pump for water, carry by bucket
No doctor, difficult to get to Cap Haitien
Need meds for community to use
Have place we can use for clinic

Milot
2-3k (near La Citadelle)
Pastor at-Amour duchange
Htn, dm, eyes, arthritis, scabies, fever, headache, diarrhea, typhoid, malaria
Need clean water and food. Water in buckets. Sanitation/bathrooms needed
No vaccinations
Women don't go to hospital for birth, many babies die
Have hospital but ppl can't afford. Only doctors in the area are in hospital
Can have clinic in church. In past had too many people at one-time clinics, chaotic

Gran prix
20-25k (NE of Milot, on Highway 3)
TB, fever, reflux, HTN, DM
No doctors. Babies vaccinated x3mos
No water or treatment, need a well.  Carry buckets of water from pump.
Births at milot if money, or midwife

Click here for a full photo slideshow including these pictures and many more from Haiti

Darcy's Birthday

by Casey


I began my prenatal care with Darcy’s pregnancy at a birth center. I had some issues with “white coat hypertension” meaning my blood pressure would spike when it was time for it to be taken, but was otherwise fine. I was less than pleased with how this was handled, and decided to try and find another midwife for this pregnancy.


I asked Danny to consider a home birth midwife, Kelli, whom I had researched and heard to be great. We went to a consultation and I was immediately confident that this was the direction I wanted to go in. Danny’s worries about home birth were alleviated after the consultation so we made the switch, 6 months into my pregnancy.


We didn’t take the decision lightly at all, but I was and am of the attitude that I’m only going to give birth so many times in my life, and as much as it depended on me, I was going to seek the kind of care any pregnant woman deserves, whether from a midwife or a doctor. I was also going to fight to have the kind of birth I personally wanted as a low-risk pregnant woman – unhindered, allowed to listen to my body, be present mentally and physically, push in whatever position I wanted, etc.. We did not choose to make this decision to switch public beyond family and a few friends.
Amazingly enough, but not at all surprising, my white coat hypertension disappeared under Kelli’s care.


Danny = husband
Olive = daughter, 20 months at the time
Karen = mother-in-law
Courtney = sister.


I woke up on July 30 at 6:15 am. Not normal for me, but I was awake and feeling “off”. I had some contractions, but they were pretty far apart. Olive woke up at 6:45 or so and I made her breakfast and put her in front of the TV so I could figure out what was going on with my body. (I was induced with Olive, so I never got to experience what it was like to go into labor on my own before) The contractions were probably every 10 to 15 minutes apart at this point.


Karen came to get Olive at 8:30 to spend the morning together and I packed some extra stuff, thinking that today might be the day and Olive might be gone for longer than just the morning if I was in labor. I laid back down and my contractions spaced out to every 30 minutes apart, sometimes every 20.


At about 11 or so, Courtney and I decided to go to Panera for lunch. I had a couple contractions while we were gone, but again, they were very far apart and not regular.


On the way home from lunch, I felt like I had been hit by a truck and could think of nothing but sleep. I wanted to listen to my body, and my body was telling me to sleep, so when we got home that is exactly what I did. I took a great nap, had some contractions throughout, but rested really, really well.


We were watching Ellen and at 3:30 I decided it was time to start keeping track of the contractions and timing them, because they were coming more regularly now, even if they were far apart. 


I used contractionmaster.com to time them. Here is how the times went from when I started keeping track: 17 minutes apart, 10 minutes, 7 minutes, 4 minutes…they picked up fast, obviously. I paced behind the couch while we continued to watch TV and leaned over it during the contractions, doing my deep breathing.

It felt SO good and right to be standing and moving and not in a bed. I told Danny to have his mom come back and get Olive, and moved to the bedroom (after answering a work e-mail from my boss ha, ha!). I was in there for maybe 30 minutes and told Courtney to call the midwife and asked Danny to call the other people who were going to be at the birth: my mom, Danny’s sister Kimberly, and my good friend Jennifer to take pictures.Then I moved to the tub in our 2nd bathroom.


The water felt great. It was around 5:15 and Courtney came in and said she left two messages for Kelli – one at home and one on her cell. I tried not to panic, because I knew that my labor was progressing fast. Kelli called back and said she was going to run home and change into pants and then be right over. She called back a few minutes later and said she was NOT going home and was 10 minutes away. Whew! I kept saying “she better hurry!”. My contractions were very strong and long at this point. I tried to keep my tones low as I breathed through them (which was not too hard for this alto)


My contractions were one on top of the other, seemingly lasting forever. And I was having those typical “I can’t do this” thoughts that occur during those last few centimeters of dilation.


Suddenly at the end of the contractions I was pushing. Well, my body was pushing, I was just letting it do what it wanted to do. Kelli called in to the bathroom “are you pushing?” She came in and I said “I guess I’m dilated, huh?” She said “the body doesn’t lie,” meaning it wouldn’t start moving my baby down and out if I wasn’t. I will always remember that statement. She told me to feel for my baby’s head. So I did. My water was still in tact, so it felt kind of like a water ballon.


During all this everyone else was working to get the bigger tub that Kelli brought set up. We got word it was ready so I waited to get through another contraction and then moved. I think I might have dove in, it looked so inviting because it was so big. I immediately and instinctively got on my knees and held onto the edge of the tub with my arms. I was pushing and, funnily enough, narrating what I was feeling for everyone there. “Burning burning, crowning, crowning…” My water broke mid-push and then Darcy’s head was out and Kelli checked for the cord, telling me what she was doing all along so as not to catch me off guard with her touch, since she was behind me.


She wasn’t doing anything. Darcy was rotating herself to get her shoulders out. I think at that point I called my halfway born daughter a “little missy” for the discomfort her rotating was causing me. But, within seconds and one more push she was out and Kelli pushed her through the water under me and into my arms. 
I played with her and floated her around in the water for about 20 minutes while Kelli took her respirations, heart rate, apgars, all that stuff. Darcy was so peaceful. The cord was not cut until the afterbirth was out (and it was not pulled out, but allowed to detach itself which took 16 minutes).


I was in “hard labor” for about 2 hours. I pushed for 4 minutes (and again, I didn’t really do it, but allowed my body to take over and do it). Darcy weighed in at 8 lb 6oz (a full pound + bigger than Olive, and 1 hour 16 minutes less pushing time!) I think those times are attributed to the comfort and safety I felt throughout my labor – from my environment and the people who surrounded me.


A big lesson I learned from the whole prenatal and birth experience is to not be afraid to fight for and have the care and experience you want. Life is too short to take monumental experiences lightly, and – You deserve it. All along I knew that if things didn’t turn out the way I hoped, at least I didn’t let myself get railroaded, and I was under the care of someone who had MY best interest in mind.

Diantha's Crossing

This is a film about a midwife in the mid-1800's.  I was deeply touched by the story, and I thought I'd share it.

If for any reason the video doesn't load, you can watch it here.

"Hope is better than nothing"

Women in Charge blog wrote this. It really touched my heart, and I want to pass it on to my readers:

Hope is better than nothing

by Maria Iorillo

I keep thinking about Sara from Uganda. She runs a 15-bed clinic along with 2 other midwives. She receives $5 per delivery. Some women come for prenatal care and not too many people come postpartum. Once a healthy baby is born, most of her clients feel they don't need to return.

Sara came all the way to Washington, DC to represent the Ugandan Midwifery Association at the Symposium to Strengthen Midwifery. She received a scholarship to attend Women Deliver. The UMA has over 2000 midwives and was started in 1948 when the government tried to make midwives retire at 55. You can imagine what the midwives said to that! So they formed an organization to better represent themselves to the powers that be. Sara says the UMA is the best midwifery organization in the world.

When the Symposium was almost over, Sara was discouraged and asked me what would happen on the ground. On my last day with Sara, we were walking from store after I had bought chocolate for her to take home to her children. She was hopeful, particularly because I had just made a blog for her that morning. She wants to use the blog to tell the stories of maternal death in Uganda. She wants to post about the midwifery meetings they will have. She has a new vehicle for communication. She is going home with SOMETHING already in her pocket. She says that hope is better than nothing. She says that she has a new friend, she has a blog, and that she knows that she is not forgotten. That the women of Uganda are not forgotten. Sara decided to call her blog, Women for Survival.

Women for Survival

I keep thinking about Sara and our fast friendship. I am thinking about our partnership and how one-on-one we can help each other strengthen midwifery. I know so well how the Bay Area's midwifery community has grown simply because of the one-on-one support we give each other. Why can't we do that across the global? I guess I'm saying there's no reason why not.

NY Midwives Lose Right to Deliver Babies at Home

"It's pretty shocking that in a city where you can get anything any hour of the day a person cannot give birth at home with a trained practitioner"

Article: NY Midwives Lose Right to Deliver Babies at Home

As I bask in the glow of the memory of my wonderful home birth, my heart aches for those in NYC who are now being denied that opportunity.

Home Birth is Better Than It Was 100 Years Ago

After I had a wonderful home birth experience I was talking with my mom about it. She told me that my grandmother had been really worried that I was planning a home birth, and she was very relieved that all had gone well. I was stunned by this, and felt sad that my grandma had been so worried about my decision that I had felt such peace with.

I thought about the situation. My grandmother was born at home at a time when there was no access to emergency care or hospitals. Sometimes a doctor could make it to the home in time to help "deliver" the baby, but the majority of the time a laboring mother was supported by whichever woman was closest to her and could be there to help. Many times this was her own mother, sister, neighbor, or even daughter. In true emergency situations there was nowhere to go for help, and even the local doctor had huge limitations in what he could do. Birth was a wonderful but potentially dangerous situation, but when there were hard outcomes it was accepted as a part of life.

By the time my grandmother was having babies birth had been moved from home to the hospital. Birth had become even more dangerous due to doctors unwittingly spreading deadly infections because they simply didn't know to wash their hands when going from treating very sick patients and performing surgeries to catching healthy newborn babies. Fear about the pain and dangers of childbirth became even more rampant as doctors and hospitals struggled to find ways of handling childbirth in a new setting. Women were seeking a way to escape the horror of it all, and their doctors were feverishly looking for ways to save the day.

Doctors learned to wash their hands and take safety precautions, and new medications were presented in an effort to "help" women with the process of childbirth. This involved such things as "Twilight Sleep" in which laboring women were medicated during labor, able to feel everything but having no memory of the experience later because of the drugs. Women were tied to their hospital beds and gagged to keep them from wandering the labor ward, thrashing, or screaming out. In other cases women were simply put under with ether or chloroform into a drug-induced sleep during labor, while doctors forcefully extracted their babies using forceps. The mother didn't remember the birth, and would wake alone because her baby had been taken to the nursery while she was still asleep. One can understand why loving partners were not allowed on the labor and delivery ward during this time.

In the years since, there have been huge strides made to improve hospital births. Expectant fathers are now encouraged to be present and supportive while the mother is laboring, and hospital rooms have been made to appear more like a home setting. Other changes include major medical interventions to control and manage the process of birth, such as medications to start labor or make it go faster, and pain medications which numb a woman to the physical experience of childbirth without knocking her out completely or preventing her from remembering the experience. Interventions that can save lives in true emergencies have been developed, but are now being overused to the point that the potential risks outweigh the benefits. It seems that in an effort to improve childbirth it has been taken to the medical extreme in which every step is managed and medicated, and 1 out of 3 newborns in the US is removed surgically.

Those who recognize the extreme medicalization of birth are left wanting for something better. They are returning to "old" ways of birthing without unnecessary interventions, the way my grandmother came into the world. Bringing birth back to the home is a conscious effort to allow women the experience of normal childbirth, as nature is so beautifully designed.

In pursuing a return to old ways women are not simply accepting greater risk than they would face in a hospital setting. Indeed, many feel they are reducing their risks by avoiding the interventions common in the hospital.

So, how is home birth better than it was 100 years ago? Because of the technological and medical advances over the years, we now have access to life-saving interventions which are needed in true birth emergencies. Those interventions which pose greater risk when overused are still valuable and needed in some cases. No woman plans a home birth intending to transfer, but she understands that it is a possibility. For me personally, this was a comfort when I planned my home birth. I knew I would be in a comfortable setting where I could labor and birth my baby in peace, and felt confident in my ability to do so. I felt that all would go smoothly, but I also knew that if for some reason it didn't I had options that my great-grandmother never did.

Midwifery Resources and Web Links

Midwives Alliance of North America - "In 1982, the Midwives Alliance of North America (MANA) was established as a professional organization for all midwives, recognizing the diversity of educational backgrounds and practice styles within the profession. Its goal is to unify and strengthen the profession of midwifery, thereby improving the quality of health care for women, babies, and communities."

Citizens for Midwifery - "Citizens for Midwifery is a non-profit, volunteer, grassroots organization. Founded by several mothers in 1996, it is the only national consumer-based group promoting the Midwives Model of Care."

Coalition for Improved Maternity Services - "The Coalition for Improving Maternity Services (CIMS) is a coalition of individuals and national organizations with concern for the care and well-being of mothers, babies, and families. Our mission is to promote a wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs. This evidence-based mother-, baby-, and family-friendly model focuses on prevention and wellness as the alternatives to high-cost screening, diagnosis, and treatment programs."

Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery - "The Foundation for the Advancement of Midwifery (FAM) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to increasing access to midwifery in North America through education, research and public policy. Consistent independent research shows that expanding the midwives model of care in North America improves maternal and infant health outcomes, reduces unnecessary and costly medical interventions, and increases patient satisfaction. FAM receives its support from foundations, midwives, and those individuals who embrace the midwives model of care."

Mothers Naturally - "Mothers Naturally is a public education program from the Midwives Alliance of North America. The goal of Mothers Naturally is to increase the number of safe and positive births by educating and informing the public about natural birth options and empowering women to make pregnancy and birth choices appropriate for their lives."

The North American Registry of Midwives - "The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) is an international certification agency whose mission is to establish and administer certification for the credential "Certified Professional Midwife" (CPM). CPM certification validates entry-level knowledge, skills, and experience vital to responsible midwifery practice. This international certification process encompasses multiple educational routes of entry including apprenticeship, self-study, private midwifery schools, college- and university- based midwifery programs, and nurse-midwifery. Created in 1987 by the Midwives' Alliance of North America (MANA), NARM is committed to identifying standards and practices that reflect the excellence and diversity of the independent midwifery community in order to set the standard for North American midwifery."

More Midwifery Links

A Midwife's Care Under Special Circumstances

by Kendra

"Brian and I decided to have more kids about a year ago. We didn't want to get pregnant again while in school, and I'd already tried to get on medicaid and had been denied so financially it didn't seem like a good idea. But the feeling wouldn't go away, it was time.

"I looked into the costs at a traditional hospital, but really I wanted to give birth naturally at home or a birthing center. I'd always wanted a midwife. I'd loved my doctor in Texas, but I wanted someone who sat with me, who knew what was going on every minute of my laboring process, who listened to all my concerns and didn't try to force anything medical on me. I wanted someone who looked at birth as a natural process, not a medical one.

"One problem, my husband REALLY liked hospitals, and really didn't like the idea of having a baby outside of one. I did some research, crunched the numbers, and like all smart women, I convinced him by making him think it was his idea (Ok, not really, but I did get him on my side). First, I got him to agree with me that it was indeed time to have another child, then I showed him the cost of different types of labor and delivery, and last I had him meet with a midwife at a birthing home. She was amazing, the birthing home was beautiful. She answered all our questions and was exactly what I wanted. Brian (after really looking at our finances) agreed!

"I got pregnant very quickly- especially after having dealt with infertility with the first two pregnancies. But I was able to get on Medicaid and my midwife didn't accept Medicaid. I was devastated. Financially I couldn't pay for something that I could get for free. Luckily, I found out about an office that had midwives and accepted Medicaid. I was very excited. I was back on course for finally having the natural birth I'd always wanted. I would only have to give in on one thing, the baby would be born in the hospital. I could deal with that.

"Enter heart problems... I'd always known that something wasn't quite right with my heart. But with each pregnancy I could tell the problem was getting worse. I mentioned this to my midwife and she recommended I see a cardiologist. I did, and I was shocked at the laundry list of problems I was presented with. Once again I thought I was going to loose my chance at a natural birth. But since there are OB's and midwives at the office I was going to, I was able to stay with my midwife as long as the doctors reviewed my charts. The doctors said I also needed to see a perinatologist. I went to see them, and I've decided that they are the worse pregnancy fear-mongers around. I went home from my first appointment thinking I was going to die (seriously.) They had misread my heart charts and thought one of the conditions I had (pulmonary hypertension) was much worse than it actually was. When this is the case, the mortality rate is 56%.

"Fortunately, a few days later I got a call from their office telling me they had talked to my cardiologist and I was not, in fact, dying. Oh, gee, thanks for getting back to me so quickly! Unfortunately, they were recommending I get weekly ultrasounds and non-stress tests. The midwives weren't allowed to go against the recommendations. As time went on I felt like nothing was going like I planned. At this point I made a very serious decision. After much thought and prayer, I decided that I wasn't going to have any more children. I'd always wanted at least four children, but I'd also always wanted to be the one raising my children. So I decided that after I had my son I was going to get a tubal ligation.

"I knew I wasn't going to go full-term, both my other children were born two weeks early. I tend to dilate and have contractions for about 3 months. So it was getting close to when I thought I was going to deliver. Some nights the contractions were so bad I thought for sure I was going into labor, but I'd wait it out and they'd go away. Once I went to the hospital to make sure, and the contractions stopped. A week later, I knew it was the real deal. Right on schedule, exactly two weeks early.

"We headed to the hospital at about 4 am and we were all checked in and hooked up at about 5 am. The thing I hate the most was the IV, but at the hospital they require all women delivering to have one. My midwife came and checked on me, I really did love her! She would come in and unhook things the nurses had done that I didn't want (too bad she couldn't take out the IV). Also, because I was getting a tubal after I delivered, I had an epidural. By this time nothing had really gone how I'd planned, so I had prepared myself to not be disappointed when I didn't deliver without drugs. Then, they decided to give me pitocin! I was not happy about this. I told them it wasn't a good idea because my babies come very fast. But they insisted because after I got the epidural my contraction pretty much stopped. They started the pitocin and then my baby's heart rate started dipping every three minutes- which confused the nurses since I wasn't having contractions... Then I checked the monitors on my stomach, and sure enough the one measuring my contractions was upside down! I fixed it and then the nurses saw that I was indeed having very hard and close together contractions.

"My midwife was with another woman during this (who was pushing). So after she was done with that delivery, she came in and took me off the pitocin. Then she stayed with me. I loved that. She pulled up a chair and talked with me, for about an hour. My dad called and while I was on the phone with him I was taking deep breaths. When I hung up I noticed my midwife getting her gear on and calling in the nurses. She said, "It's time!". I asked her if she was going to check me and she said she didn't need to, that she knew I was ready. When they put me at the end of the bed and lifted the robe, there was a little head, ready to come out. My midwife asked me if I wanted any of the equipment on me, and I said no, so she took off all the monitors. It was very quiet and peaceful. Very different from my other labors. After pushing for about 10 minutes, my sweet little boy was born. He was a bit bruised from coming out so fast, but to me he was perfect. Wesley Owen was born Nov 15th at 9:09am 6lbs 13oz. And even though so many things didn't go the way I'd originally wanted them to, I realized that I didn't care because I was holding my son and he was healthy and safe. That's what mattered."

More Midwifery Experiences From Real Women

From Lynn,

"My first pregnancy, I started in a group of 5 OBGYNs. When I told them that I was leaving to birth naturally in a birth center, I was told "Good luck. I wouldn't wish that pain on my most hated enemy." They also tried to scare me into rethinking birthing out of hospital. I'm glad I did not listen, because I went on to birth my daughter in a birth center, naturally with a midwife. I had my second baby at home with a midwife. Both experiences were wonderful!"

From Andrea,

"I am currently 30 weeks along with my first and using a midwife for a homebirth. When I compare the experiences my friends with doctors have versus my care the number one thing that stands out is the level of attention and pure just bonding I have with my midwife. Almost every visit is 2 hours long because we chat and get to know each other. My husband is with us every visit because she works around BOTH of our schedules. I have truly created a relationship with my midwife that is more than just routine medical care with a little standard chit chat. The other thing I love is I never feel I am bothering my midwife and I can call her about any little freak out or concern at literally any time. I don't have to wait till the morning if I have a concern at 8:00pm. Overall every meeting with my midwife just ensures even further that I have made the correct choice for my family."

A Doula's Perspective on Midwives

by Samantha

"I have not personally given birth, but am a DONA birth doula and working on becoming a CBE (Child Birth Educator). Where I grew up (southwest NH) midwifery and natural birth is the norm and it is what made what to get on this path. I grew up thinking childbirth was a normal event. Not one that needed to be induced or numbed. There was a free standing birth center at the end of my street and my favorite thing was to go on walks and see if the "new baby" sign was up and the info on it. All gynecological care I ever received as a teen and young adult was by a CNM, and she made me want to be proactive in my own health, instead of fearful. When I was 17, I went to a DONA training to become a doula and fell in love with birth.

"I moved to Chicago to get my Bachelors in Nursing and to attend midwifery school. Since being in IL I have worked with mostly OB's and it has been very disappointing with one exception. There is one OB I have worked with multiple times who is part of a group with four midwives. The way he practices compared to other OB's is night and day. He allows pushing in any position, he does not rush mom and lets her do things at her own pace. He allows dad to catch the baby all by himself if he wants, he is anti-circumcision and applauds parents for opting not to cut. C-sections are only for women and babies who are in true distress and he doesn't believe in pushing pain meds or time tables. When I asked him if this was his normal practice or only the practice when he is a CNM backup, he said that the CNMs showed him what birth should look like and he never looked back."

Experiences With Both Doctor and Midwife

by Nicole

"When my husband a I got pregnant with our first child we already had plans to use a midwife. It was something I had wanted to do for years because I don't like the hustle and bustle of hospitals with the possibility of going through several different nursing staff during shift changes and I also had a horrible experience with a spinal tap. When I was getting my tap done the doctor said don't worry its like an epidural (which I had never had one, so at the time it didn't mean anything to me). Well after the tap I ended up with a spinal migraine that left me incapacitated for about a week. The words of the doctor stuck with me... If the tap has similar side effects as an epidural and I was in my room in complete darkness for a week what would I do if I had an epidural for labor and I experienced the same thing? What about my baby and the bonding? It knew that an epidural was out of the question for me. So that is how I ended up wanting to use a midwife.

"I found my midwife through the place we took the Bradley birth classes. I see my midwife for all my prenatal care and I see a doctor for some of my prenatal visits as well. The reasons why I see both is one, being that if things don't go as planned for my home birth I would somewhat know who would be helping deliver my baby and two, is pretty much because it seems to make everyone I know feel better about my decision even though it shouldn't matter. The funny thing is that when you tell people that you see a doctor as a back up it makes them feel at ease even though my doctor really doesn't know me at all.

"From my experience seeing both my midwife and my doctor are 2 totally different things. With my midwife she gave me the time and patience and respect I was looking for. Every prenatal appointment we had was at least an hour long. She really cared about what was happening to my body physically and emotionally. She even wanted to make sure my husband was doing well during my pregnancy. She cared about us as a whole. Even though I felt very educated on pregnancy and child birth my midwife had so much information and real experiences to share that it was better than any reading I could have done. I learned so much from her.

"As for my doctor it is exactly what I try to avoid. It's chaotic and busy and I spend most of my time waiting. I usually end up waiting for at least 15 to 20 minutes before I get to go in a room. Then the nurse sees me first. She weighs me, takes my B.P. and a urine sample. The nurse asks me the usual questions. What meds are you on? Do you have any cramping, bleeding or abnormal discharge? Then she leaves and I wait in the room some more to see my doctor. When my doctor comes in she asks the same cramping, bleeding, discharge question that the nurse already asked me and she asks me how I'm feeling and if I have any questions. Then she measures my uterus and we listen the the baby's heart beat. Then that's it. I get about 5 to 7 minutes with my doctor and I'm on my way.

"I feel somewhat satisfied how the appointments go because I get everything else I want and need from my midwife. I do feel the sense of being rushed while I'm there and feel there is such a lack of personal touch. I also feel like the only information I would get from my doctor is if I brought in a list of questions. (which they wouldn't have that much time to answer anyway) I cant imagine not having a midwife who spends the time to help me learn and prepare as much as possible. I feel like there is so much information women don't get from their doctors unless the woman pursues it.

"I'm not against doctors or hospital births because I feel its important for a woman to do what's comfortable for her. From my experience I think too many women just trust their doctors and do whatever they say and that is not always the best way to go through pregnancy, labor, and delivery. I feel so many women may not being getting the opportunity to learn about birth and pregnancy and what their rights or choices or options actually are.

"I have an amazing relationship with my midwife. I consider my midwife to be a part of my family. She was there for me in all aspects of the most important time of our lives, not only for the pregnancy, labor and delivery but even for questions after the baby was born. I remember calling her a 12am in tears because I was having trouble nursing. I don't know anyone that can call their doctor at that time for that kind of question let alone even calling their doc at all. I tried calling my doctor once before for a question about my child. My daughter had a diaper rash we couldn't clear up. I just wanted to know if there were other creams or natural ways to help other than what we were already doing. Well when I called the nurse took my call and said "I can't give you suggestions without seeing it you need to make an appointment". So I called my midwife, she gave me two suggestions, I tried one and in 2 days the rash was gone.

"Everything I had imagined on how I would want my midwife to be and how I pictured my labor and delivery came true. It was the best experience I have ever had. I am pregnant with my second child right now and due February 7th. Again I see my wonderful midwife and I see the same doctor as well for the prenatals. I love seeing my midwife and love the interaction she has with my first daughter that she helped bring into this world. I am really looking forward to having another home birth with her again."

Home Birth Transfer Under a Midwife's Care - Emily's story

by Emily

"With my first son, I was twenty weeks pregnant before I found a homebirth midwife, an LM (Licensed Midwife) educated in Washington State. Previously, I had been seeing a group of midwives and OB's who were affiliated with my local hospitals birth center. Every time I went there, I was weighed, measured, and told my BP was too high. It would take several checks before it would come down. The first time I had an appointment with my MW, she had me weigh myself in the bathroom down the hall, then trusted me to tell her, and my BP was lower than it had been my whole pregnancy. I knew I'd found "the one."

"She was great during my labor. I had several family members there, but she didn't mind at all. When my water broke at 10 cm it was stained with meconium and my boys heart rate dropped significantly. We ended up transferring to the hospital. Her assistant rode in the back of her subaru with me, assuring me it would be fine.

"My MW ended up seamlessly taking over the role of doula once we got to the room. She would give suggestions for positions to push, and thought that having me push with every other contraction would help with the baby's HB. It helped immensely. She even whispered in my ear that the OB was looking at using the vacuum and to make my pushes really count. I can't imagine pushing for 2 1/2 hours without her there. After my Samuel was born, she stayed and helped me breastfeed. She and her assistants went back to my house with my mom and sisters and cleaned up my house.

"With my second son, we were able to rent a birth tub through her, though we didn't use it much. She had some great herbal remedies for when my blood pressure began to creep up a bit. She was fabulous during my labor when I had a OP(occiput posterior) baby, and my labor dragged on and on. I felt like I had put my whole self in her hands. And she took wonderful care of me. Sometimes people talk about not relying on anything but their own bodies during labor, but I never feel like that, I feel like I need some one with me who knows what they are doing, because I'm 22 and don't know anything but what I've read in books!

"When Matthew was born, I was standing up against the headboard of my bed and birthed his big body over an intact perineum. He came out and was floppy and white. My MW was amazing, immediately called 911 and began administering oxygen. His heart rate was strong and steady but he was reluctant to come around. I'd almost say it was like he passed out as he was born. He perked up just as they arrived. She had it under control, even when the EMT's arrived and completely ignored her authority and essentially "stole" my perfectly healthy son and transported him to the ER for an hour. The next day she went and gave them a lecture on home birth and her role versus theirs. She was awesome.

"She was a great mixture of professional and warm. She was like a doctor, in the way that she was full of information and had such a direct and strong way about her, but she was a midwife at heart, warm and willing to be leaned on."

Interviewing Midwives

You can use these suggestions to interview any care giver, doctor or midwife. The first thing to consider when putting together a list of questions, is what you want your birth experience to be. What are your preferences for birth and what do you want to take from your experience? What are you looking for in a care provider? Consider your own personality and that of your partner, and think about the kinds of characteristics you would hope for in your midwife. You might want to write these things down to help you formulate an idea of what to look for and what to ask. You may find that you will have to interview every midwife in your area before you decided on the right one, or you may find the right midwife with the first one you interview. It's a good idea to interview more than one, because you may find one you like better than the first. Some things to think about:

• Talk with the midwife about your birth wishes, and see how open she is to your desires. Writing down your birth wishes or birth plan and taking that with you to the interview will help you stay on track and remember to cover everything. You may also want to bring a notebook with you to write down her answers and your thoughts about them.
  
• How do you feel when talking with her? This is one of the most important things to consider. This person will be monitoring your care throughout your pregnancy, and when it comes time to have a baby she will be in your most intimate space. Having a good rapport with your midwife is going to increase your comfort level and make labor and birth a smooth process. Your partner's comfort level with her is just as important.
  
• How "hands-on" is she? If you are looking for a midwife who will jump in and give you physical support during labor (like counter pressure,massage, etc.) and be at your side throughout the birth, this can be an important question to ask. Some midwives are more laid back and tend to watch and wait more than give active physical support.
• What type of labor support persons does she provide? This includes any attendants, other midwives, midwifery apprentices or doulas she will bring with her to the birth. CNM's in the hospital will not have additional support people other than the nursing staff, but a CPM or DEM attending a home birth may have colleagues or apprentices who attend births with her. If you prefer more support than your midwife will provide, you may want to consider hiring a doula to provide the extra support you desire. My home birth midwife had a group of midwives and apprentices who worked with her, and I was able to choose which people I preferred to have at my baby's birth.
  
• What could necessitate a transfer of care to a physician? If you plan to give birth in a hospital, knowing what red flags will prompt your midwife to transfer your care to a supervising obstetrician can be very helpful. The answer may not differ from one midwife to another, but knowing the possibilities can help you be prepared for any eventuality.
  
• What is her hospital transfer rate? If you are planning a home birth, knowing how often your midwife transfers her clients to the hospital can be helpful in knowing what your chances of transfer could be. Ask her the reasons she would transfer from home to the hospital.
• Is she willing to let you labor or give birth in water? This was high on my list of priorities, but it may be less important to others. I heard a story about a midwife who was unwilling to allow first-time mothers to give birth in the tub, because she didn't want to be "up to her armpits in water" for an extended period of time.

Most questions will vary depending on your specific wishes, including third stage management (whether she routinely gives pitocin to help deliver the placenta or allows the body to expel it naturally), how she would handle a positive Group B Strep screening (antibiotics or other methods), how often she performs an episiotomy, etc. Your birth wishes and questions for the midwife will also depend greatly on your choice of where to give birth.

Don't be afraid to ask a lot of questions and be selective. This is a big decision, and your midwife will work for you, not the other way around.

Susan's Thoughts on Midwives

"I love my midwife who provided care during my last pregnancy during home visits. My body was faster than she was so I caught my own baby, but she was there for the placenta.

"That being said, it is very important for women to understand that their midwife may not be able to make it in time for a planned homebirth, which could be deadly for the baby and the mother. My experience taught me that it would be best to choose a midwife who works within a group practice so that the odds are that someone will be able to get there in time for the L&D (Labor & Delivery). This was not an option for me as the only midwife who would attend a HBAC (Home Birth After Cesarean) in my area is the one that I hired. I didn't feel comfy planning a hospital VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean), but I had confidence that if there was a reason to transfer that my midwife would be able to provide continuity of care. As it turned out, if I had transfered to hospital I would have been surrounded by strangers with a low VBAC rate so I stuck it out at home. I was blessed that I was in the majority of women who are able to birth without any intervention, but am acutely aware that we are lucky that there were no problems.

"Having a midwife is not a silver bullet, and although every woman deserves her choice of care provider, the fact is that some women will always be safer in the care of an OB. I have learned that autonomy of choice is sacred, and that choosing a cesarean is just as valid as choosing a UC (Unassisted Childbirth). It's just the risks that are skewed. My personal experience with midwifery care drove home the fact that it is more important to support whatever choice that the mother makes than to try and convince her that one way is better than the other based on my personal opinion. Midwives have taught me to support women and their choices."

Rebekah's Home Birth Midwife

by Rebekah

"I had a midwife with my daughter 3 months ago. It was so great! She had such a warm calm nature about herself and it was almost like she could calm you down just by being in the same room, which we know helps when your in labor to be calm.

"Even though my husband and I went through Bradley Classes she was able to recognize when I was either pushing before I was ready or was also able to help me calm down if I couldn't control myself.

"She never acted impatient or upset because my labor took a long time. Total Labor time 21 hrs. and I pushed for 3 hrs.

"One great thing with having a midwife is that you are in your own home.

"With our birth my husband was able to catch our daughter. Then he handed her over to me. We were the only people who held our daughter for her first hours. It was wonderful and such a blessing. He got to cut the cord while she was in my arms.

"It was beautiful experience that I will never forget. I plan on using her again for our next child if she is still a midwife."

Different Midwives, Different Experiences - Part 2

How I Met My (home birth) Midwife

by Kaitlin Rose

"The first time I met my (home birth) midwife, I didn't actually meet her that night.

"We were sitting next to each other listening to Suzanne Arms (a natural childbirth advocate) speak. At one point, Suzanne asked us to find a stranger sitting near us to do an exercise with. Since my fiance was sitting to my right, I turned to my left, only to be staring at the back of a bun. The woman to my left had turned to her left, so I was forced to look elsewhere.

"It was that event where I was first made away that home birth was a viable option. I thanked Suzanne afterward as we were about to leave and she pointed out that one of the two midwives in the area who performed home births was sitting next to me. I gasped - those kinds of things really get to me. I love strong coincidences.

"Turns out, I had another link to this woman.

"I hired my doula before hiring my midwife. She teaches a natural childbirth class where I lived, and Eric and I decided we'd like to hire her as our doula within just a few classes.

"Her first birth was at a local hospital, but her second was at home with the midwife whom I was sitting next to. Another connection. This intrigued me.

"In the back of my mind, I knew she was who would be delivering our baby into the world in our home before I ever spoke to her on the phone or had her over for an interview. I had a feeling - much like the "feeling" that I was going to have a natural, uncomplicated, safe and beautiful home birth.

"I couldn't have been more right about the connection I, and my fiance for that matter, felt to our midwife. I felt like I'd known her for years when we met. There was an instant kinship and likability all around.

"During my labor, she blended into the walls, but her presence was such a source of strength and comfort. She let me labor - she let me trust my own process. It was great. She knew just when to appear, such as when she asked how much I had eaten and suggested Eric make me a protein shake. We had talked about that in prior visits and had all necessary essentials stocked and ready.

"When it came to "the moment" - the spontaneous moment I felt like pushing, suddenly, there she was, coaching me on.

"She has delivered over 1,000 babies into her hands. I trusted her, grew to love her, and can't imagine anyone else as my midwife. I'll travel back to Kalamazoo or fly her to where ever I am to ensure she is there."

Kaitlin is a home birth mom who has launched a website all about bringing birth home.