(Posted with permission)Congrats on a great homebirth Momma!!
He was born at home on 1-13-09, weighing in at 9lbs. 2oz. and 21 1/4" long :) It was definitely one of the most amazing and precious experiences of my life.
Early the Saturday morning prior, I got up early and decided to take a shower, but just before I stepped in I felt a "pop" and felt a small gush... my water broke. I woke my husband and took a shower and waited for labor to begin... and waited. I called my midwife, Liz O'Shea, and she told me to call her back when contractions were about 10 minutes apart. So, we waited. I wasn't leaking any amniotic fluid since the initial gush, so I began to wonder what was going on and questioning whether or not my water had actually broken. Sunday morning arrived and still no labor. So, that afternoon Liz & her assistant arrived and we attempted to get labor started naturally. I had taken castor oil the night before but no labor. We used blue and black cohosh, and i kept moving. Although I had mild and regular contractions for a while, dilation stopped at 3cm. That evening Liz told us we had to decide what our next step would be since we were approaching 48 hrs. and no labor. However, I still had not leaked any amniotic fluid and the test Liz did was negative. We decided the next morning we would go to the hospital and have them check to see if my water had in deed ruptured and that baby was doing okay, and go from there. I was terrified of possibly facing a hospital induction. Our trip to the hospital luckily turned out to be a huge relief. They found no amniotic fluid and baby was fine. The doctor said my water may have indeed broken and then resealed if it was high and tiny. So, we were back to waiting as if nothing had ever happened. That Tuesday morning I got up and went to work, planning to leave early if I was too miserable. I was tired from the weekend events, but didn't want to sit home. By lunchtime I decided to leave early and just before I left work... "pop", gush... here we go again. This time I didn't call anybody except my husband, not expecting anything to happen... I went to lunch with my friend Ann. While at lunch I began having some mild and regular contractions. I went home and called my friend Chrissy who came over to sit with me until my husband got home, just in case. This time fluid began leaking. We decided to go for a walk to get things going. After the walk, contractions were regular and getting stronger, so I called my husband Chris, and I called Liz. Then everything started happening very fast, my husband was home about 20 minutes after I called him, and at that point the contractions were so strong that I went upstairs to stay until the birth. They were getting so strong so fast that I was having trouble coping. Liz arrived and checked me, 7cm.She suggested I try getting into the tub. I tried it, but wasnt comfortable and got out. Once I was out, I was pushing. Yes, I dilated that fast! 20 mins later, Casey was born. Thanks to Liz, not a single teaer : ) I was so thankful to have him at home! (and after only 2 hrs of truly active labor!)
Blessings! I'll be busy nursing my little boobie monster now!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
I am NOT the exception
I am *not* the exception
I am the norm.My birth is normal~~unhindered~~standard~~regular~~easy~~simple.
It amazes me how when people hear about my birth experiences, they are amazed that a birth can be like that. They say things about how I must not have had contractions NEARLY like they did. They say things about how their birth was so painful that even the doctors were astonished by it. They say that I am so brave (or maybe so stupid to risk what I did).
Yes- it wasn't in a hospital. No doctor was there telling me to push when I didn't feel like it. No pelvic exams to check my dilation and progress. No emergency, no drugs, no nurses telling me to count to 10 and then blow. No c-section, no forceps, no episiotomy, no stitches. Just my husband and I along with a midwife who sat on the bed and watched. Its been 2 years since my first homebirth. It's been 2 years since I reached into the water, between my legs, and pulled the baby out and to my chest. I've loved telling my story and talking to women who are unlearned in this area. Educating a woman about her body and how it functions is a new found passion of mine. Isn't simply sad that women have truly no clue on how their body works. The brainwashing needs to stop. After learning about the history of obstetrics, it infuriates me to no end how these professionals feel the need to manage something unmanageable. Just recently Asia Carrera (who is a former porn star, true) had a UC (unasisted childbirth...no doctor, no midwife, NO ONE but her and her daughter). Her story is simply beautiful and perhaps she can enlighten the rest of the world in discovering how their own bodies can function. Of course, many will write her off because her former porn status. She is still a woman who reached deep within herself to deliver her baby into an environment that wasn't hostile and full of noise and lights. She birthed her baby on the floor in front of her fireplace! How truly romantic and peaceful!
Those of us who birth this way know that we aren't alone. We know that the homebirth idea is becoming more and more popular as women are seeing themselves as the empowered creatures that God created us to be. Yet to many, we are some strange breed of creatures. I hope that in the future, women will realize that deep within them lies a strength to birth in a new found way. That they will understand that the 'emergencies' they face in the hospital setting are often times CREATED by the hospital staff through the various interventions. Pitocin to speed things up, often cause such INTENSE contractions that epidurals become almost mandatory. Pitocin contractions don't cause the cervix to relax enough during contractions, which makes c-sections almost inevitable. Epidurals can often slow down labor and progress as well. When the female body is left to do what it knows to do, it normally functions in a way that delivers a beautiful baby with little effort and must ease.
I am *not* the exception.
By: Kelly Milano
(Feel free to repost, but please send me a link to where you put it and leave my name on it).
I am the norm.My birth is normal~~unhindered~~standard~~regular~~easy~~simple.
It amazes me how when people hear about my birth experiences, they are amazed that a birth can be like that. They say things about how I must not have had contractions NEARLY like they did. They say things about how their birth was so painful that even the doctors were astonished by it. They say that I am so brave (or maybe so stupid to risk what I did).
Yes- it wasn't in a hospital. No doctor was there telling me to push when I didn't feel like it. No pelvic exams to check my dilation and progress. No emergency, no drugs, no nurses telling me to count to 10 and then blow. No c-section, no forceps, no episiotomy, no stitches. Just my husband and I along with a midwife who sat on the bed and watched. Its been 2 years since my first homebirth. It's been 2 years since I reached into the water, between my legs, and pulled the baby out and to my chest. I've loved telling my story and talking to women who are unlearned in this area. Educating a woman about her body and how it functions is a new found passion of mine. Isn't simply sad that women have truly no clue on how their body works. The brainwashing needs to stop. After learning about the history of obstetrics, it infuriates me to no end how these professionals feel the need to manage something unmanageable. Just recently Asia Carrera (who is a former porn star, true) had a UC (unasisted childbirth...no doctor, no midwife, NO ONE but her and her daughter). Her story is simply beautiful and perhaps she can enlighten the rest of the world in discovering how their own bodies can function. Of course, many will write her off because her former porn status. She is still a woman who reached deep within herself to deliver her baby into an environment that wasn't hostile and full of noise and lights. She birthed her baby on the floor in front of her fireplace! How truly romantic and peaceful!
Those of us who birth this way know that we aren't alone. We know that the homebirth idea is becoming more and more popular as women are seeing themselves as the empowered creatures that God created us to be. Yet to many, we are some strange breed of creatures. I hope that in the future, women will realize that deep within them lies a strength to birth in a new found way. That they will understand that the 'emergencies' they face in the hospital setting are often times CREATED by the hospital staff through the various interventions. Pitocin to speed things up, often cause such INTENSE contractions that epidurals become almost mandatory. Pitocin contractions don't cause the cervix to relax enough during contractions, which makes c-sections almost inevitable. Epidurals can often slow down labor and progress as well. When the female body is left to do what it knows to do, it normally functions in a way that delivers a beautiful baby with little effort and must ease.
I am *not* the exception.
By: Kelly Milano
(Feel free to repost, but please send me a link to where you put it and leave my name on it).
Do the 'impossible'
Do the 'impossible'
Walt Disney once said "It's kinda fun doing the impossible." As homebirthers so often the views that others throw at us about our choice is that it is impossible. It's impossible that you can do it without drugs. It's impossible that you can do it without assistance from anyone. It's impossible that in that moment of pulling the baby out, that you can actually have the energy and desire to do it. It's impossible that you can actually have a 100% problem free delivery. It's kind of fun to do the 'impossible'. It's fun to prove them wrong and be able to educate them all at the same time. There is NOTHING impossible when you let your body work the way it was designed to work. There is NOTHING impossible about delivering a baby. While there are always complications that COULD arise, truth is they are rare and don't make for the impossible.
Knowing that everyone viewed my choice as 'impossible' made me more excited to accept the challenge and trust my body. There is an old Spanish proverb that says "To tell a woman what she can't do is to tell her what she can do". In other words, when rules and regulations are created to try to force women to all birth the same, the rise inside of women's souls will result in them doing exactly what it is you are telling them they can't do. To tell a woman she can't homebirth is certainly a challenge to many who will purposely birth at home just to show a point that a baby will come whenever and wherever it wants, whether a doctor is present or a not. Doctors don't deliver babies. MOMS deliver babies. Doctors just assist a mom in her delivery. A midwife or a husband or best friend can assist just the same. And if no one is there, the mom will still deliver the baby, for SHE is the one does all the work. No male doctor has EVER delivered a baby! EVER. He has never had a baby pass through his open cervix and out into the world. He has never felt the sensations of needing and wanting to push or of having that new baby put to his bare breast. And a male doctor never will deliver a baby. Pizzas are delivered by outsiders. Babies are delivered by moms. Next time you are asked by a well wisher "So, who will be delivering this baby?" Proudly say with a smile "I will be". Whether you have a doctor or midwife present or go completely unassisted, take pride in the fact that YOU will deliver the baby that is growing inside of you. More than likely, your doctor will just be getting in the way! ;)
(Feel free to repost but send me a link to where you put it)
Walt Disney once said "It's kinda fun doing the impossible." As homebirthers so often the views that others throw at us about our choice is that it is impossible. It's impossible that you can do it without drugs. It's impossible that you can do it without assistance from anyone. It's impossible that in that moment of pulling the baby out, that you can actually have the energy and desire to do it. It's impossible that you can actually have a 100% problem free delivery. It's kind of fun to do the 'impossible'. It's fun to prove them wrong and be able to educate them all at the same time. There is NOTHING impossible when you let your body work the way it was designed to work. There is NOTHING impossible about delivering a baby. While there are always complications that COULD arise, truth is they are rare and don't make for the impossible.
Knowing that everyone viewed my choice as 'impossible' made me more excited to accept the challenge and trust my body. There is an old Spanish proverb that says "To tell a woman what she can't do is to tell her what she can do". In other words, when rules and regulations are created to try to force women to all birth the same, the rise inside of women's souls will result in them doing exactly what it is you are telling them they can't do. To tell a woman she can't homebirth is certainly a challenge to many who will purposely birth at home just to show a point that a baby will come whenever and wherever it wants, whether a doctor is present or a not. Doctors don't deliver babies. MOMS deliver babies. Doctors just assist a mom in her delivery. A midwife or a husband or best friend can assist just the same. And if no one is there, the mom will still deliver the baby, for SHE is the one does all the work. No male doctor has EVER delivered a baby! EVER. He has never had a baby pass through his open cervix and out into the world. He has never felt the sensations of needing and wanting to push or of having that new baby put to his bare breast. And a male doctor never will deliver a baby. Pizzas are delivered by outsiders. Babies are delivered by moms. Next time you are asked by a well wisher "So, who will be delivering this baby?" Proudly say with a smile "I will be". Whether you have a doctor or midwife present or go completely unassisted, take pride in the fact that YOU will deliver the baby that is growing inside of you. More than likely, your doctor will just be getting in the way! ;)
(Feel free to repost but send me a link to where you put it)
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