Birth Stories

Owen's birth story… by Cameron and Matt

So when you get into this whole baby business, you find out the details of people's birth "story." This really is only interesting to those who have given birth or plan to soon... so that's my little disclaimer. Also this is epic, I mean it's me, Cameron, did you expect a summary or the entire journey? So get a cup of tea and a comfy seat...

We were invited over to our former neighbor's house for dinner on Thursday Feb. 28th--homemade enchiladas-- THANKS RYIAN! I woke up with some indigestion... or was it a contraction? Hard to tell, but, oh wait, there it is again... a little "pain in the uterus" which feels like a normal cramp. I could hear our Bradley instructor, Heidi, saying, "sleep though early contractions if you can..." so I took off for the guest room to make myself as comfortable as possible.

The next morning I got back in bed with Matt and said, "I think this is for real." He popped open his eyes, looked at me with a sleepy grin and said, "I guess I should stay home from work today." We actually debated if this was the best course of action.

(Photo at right: Matt, Cameron, and baby Owen)

Early contractions are strangely peaceful and not that painful. As we were getting a game plan together, my friend Wendy called because we had plans to get the dogs out for a walk, and I thought to myself, "might as well keep business as usual until this gets more serious." So Matt and I and Kaibee drove to the trail head and met Wendy and her dogs for an hour walk. All the while, Matt is timing my contractions which are about 10-12 minutes apart... some closer together like 5 -6 minutes all lasting between 30 seconds and one minute. Nothing was too painful at this point and I could walk through most of them.

So Matt and I begin to prepare the house... we finally get the car seat in my car, pull out all the birth supplies the midwives provide us, and get out our birth supply checklist. We called family to let them know, and then it was mid-afternoon. We notified the midwives about our progress and they said "keep going," and to call back when contractions were regular and closer 3-5 minutes apart. So we took a quick walk around the block -- maybe 15-20 minutes. I was so grateful at this moment that I didn't have to guess when to go to the hospital. Sitting in the car is not comfortable AT ALL. It was nice to walk around home and be by ourselves.

At this point it's 5PM and my contractions are variable and most are still 8-10 minutes apart lasting 1 minute and somewhat painful but not that bad. Moving is annoying and I found I liked to stay in one place. It was about this time that my friend, Dawn Kish , showed up for moral support and also to photograph the whole process. Around 7PM Deana, our midwife on call, showed up even though we hadn't called her. I think she has a sixth sense. She wanted to check in with us... that's when we found out I was 5 cm already and progressing well.

Deana unpacked all her gear and we all got ready for the long night (and potentially next day) ahead. At this point, I was suffering a little more because the contractions just kept getting harder and more intense. It's a bit like running a marathon but not knowing when you are going to finish...only you get these short breaks between each hard effort.

It took another couple hours of lying on the bed sideways and breathing through the contractions, drinking water and getting up to pee for me to open to 8cm.

Now, I was through the rough stuff (or so they told me). My mind began to shut down regular personality functions (like making comments, being humorous or having modesty) and I felt myself slipping away into a very primal and internal place. I could hear what was going on but didn't care--my eyes were closed and I was only focused on the work ahead: stay relaxed and breathe through the pain. I seemed to lose my personality all together. I even exclaimed things that I never say like, "oh my goodness..." (it was more like OHHHHHHmyyyyygooooooodneeeeeeesss).

I got into the tub which sounded like a nice comfy place but it was hard for me to relax in there because I couldn't float entirely and I couldn't prop myself up on anything to rest. In retrospect it might have been nice to have Matt in there with me--holding me as a back support. Deana was in the other room and came in for a quick Doppler check to hear the baby's heart rate. I was starting to feel the minor urge to push...but I couldn't bring myself to say anything. I should mention that I was getting hot and Matt kept fanning me and changing a cold wash rag for about 4 hours or so. Matt was truly amazing staying by my side the entire 25 hour period. I couldn't have done it without him. I knew I wasn't quite 10cm yet but I had to be close...Deana thought we'd give it a couple standing pushes and then do an exam--- Voila!!!

Everything changed at this point--pushing felt way better and then again I felt very unsure if I was doing it right or if I was pushing hard enough. It was sort of like starting over from the beginning after getting to be an expert at contractions. It was about this time that Mary Ann, the second midwife on call, showed up to help. (Womancare Midwifery always has two CPM’s on every birth). I noticed that my contractions were different, they felt like they were in my uterus now rather than the cervix and this was an improvement. An hour went by... pushing and everyone saying "oh you’re making great progress." I was getting better and better reactions from everyone with every push... "OH WOW!" and, "Just like that!" Between pushes I was taking short quick breaths as if I had just sprinted down the street. I remember thinking, "Wow, am I working that hard?" I didn't feel like I was exerting the same type of effort as a sprint. Obviously my body was getting a full workout but perhaps natural adrenaline had kicked in to disguise the pain? I assume this is because the whole uterus is squeezing, your birth canal is stretching and everything is working together at this point to help this little baby make his way into the world. I was not anxious at all during the entire process, everyone seemed really relaxed around me and I followed their lead. I think this was a critical element to speed up the delivery. Mary Ann would approach my belly after each contraction to listen to the heartbeat to make sure the baby's heart rate was fine. They kept saying things like, "This baby doesn't mind these contractions." All I could say was "water" or "chap stick" and I could tell that we were getting close.

Deana let me feel the head with my fingers-- about up to my knuckle. Another big push... Deana mentioned to Matt that if he still wanted to catch the baby that he should come around soon-- I'm sure he was glad to relinquish his fan and cold wash rag. I remember thinking if Matt is going somewhere, we must be close. Matt left my side, moved around to get into position and I gave it three big pushes in a row, holding each time. The head was crowning and everyone had elated voices, especially Dawn. I said, "oh that burns" and made some really primal noises. They asked me wait to push again to make sure proper stretching occurred. A moment went by, I asked to push -- they gave me the signal and out popped the head. Deana checked for the cord around his neck, all was clear, everything was perfect, so I pushed one last time to deliver my baby boy into this world.

Matt got a look at him first as they laid him on my tummy all gooey and wet and wrapped him in some warm blankets. He immediately cried a couple big sobs and I remember my first thought, "now that is a big baby that just came out of me"--Matt appeared right next to me with big weepy eyes and noted, "it's a boy," which was really exciting since we didn't find out until that moment. I was so glad to be at the finish line of the athletic challenge that I had almost forgotten about the prize-- my little baby boy. It was one of life's most perfect and surreal moments. I didn't cry then, but it makes me cry now. I DID IT! I'm DONE! That's what I was thinking. I also remember thinking, "That thing is HUGE!" I suppose it's all about perspective because he seems tiny to the outside world but huge to have come out of my body. I nursed my baby and got stitched up, and then the birth team went downstairs to eat a snack and make us a snack. We were left as our new little family got to bond in our own bed and Kaibee even jumped up there with us to say hello. She was mostly asleep during the entire birth about 4-5 feet from the bed and was only worried about me a couple of times.

(Photo at right: Owen Clark)

15-20 minutes later the birth team was back to do the official baby exam, they changed the sheets, dressed Owen, weighed him, washed all our birth linens, packed up their gear, helped me get a quick bath and set us up with everything we'd need to get through the day. It was 8:30AM when they left. Deana had been with me for 12 hours and Mary Ann for 7 (she already delivered a 9 pound baby earlier that evening). I cannot comment enough about how great their customer service was. I felt like the Queen of Sheba from each office visit to the final moment when they left our home. Mary Ann came back to our house on three different occasions in three days to check in on my progress, do some blood tests with Owen and make sure the nursing was going well. I couldn't have imagined Owen's birth any other way. It was truly a miracle and I am so glad we stuck to our guns and had a home birth. I know many of our family and friends were worried (even if they didn't say anything) but if they could've been there, they would've felt the same as we did: confident, relaxed and in the hands of true professionals. It wasn't scary at all to have a home birth, it was empowering and a beautiful rite of passage. By Cameron at cameronclarkphotography.com

Ben's birth story by Lori

Tuesday, October 9, 2007… My best friend Cami took me to Fat Man's Loop to hike…. UP! I was 40 weeks and 5 days pregnant. So, we did… hike, that is. We climbed, and climbed… over the rocks, through the trees… it seemed to never end! Down was almost as challenging, since my big belly made my balance a little off… I had to hang on to tree branches or to Cami so I didn't slip and fall…but we eventually made it…. J We certainly got our exercise and had a little fun, but still no signs of labor…. Yet…

After an evening of playing cards and eating-- I think we had some of my mom's famous bean soup-- and good socializing with Cami and mom, the contractions began. I mean, I'd had Braxton Hicks contractions for months now, but these were definitely different. I was in labor, finally! I went to bed and tried to get some rest overnight, but I don't remember if I really did or not! I know that around 5 am Wednesday, my water broke. The contractions just kept on coming, stronger and stronger. They were close together and pretty consistent from the beginning. I used the birthing ball to sit on and ease some of the pain and open up my pelvis. My mother, Cami, and I spent much of the morning and early afternoon timing the contractions and keeping track of how close they were and how long they lasted….

I got into the bathtub sometime that afternoon or evening, and relaxed for a while. I love the warm, soothing water, but the tub just isn't too comfortable after sitting in it more than just a few minutes. So, after an hour or so, I got out, and I believe I went straight into the softer, larger birthing pool, set up in my room. It was much more comfy on my tushie than that hard bathtub! J It was to be a long night…

I remember focusing deep within myself between contractions. I must have seemed like I was in another universe. I had to keep talking to myself in my head and coaching myself through it. I had prepared for this for a long time. I knew my body knew what it needed to do, and that it was capable of doing it. I trusted that. I knew my baby Ben knew what he had to do… and I think he did, too! He was so calm, and ready to make it happen, as if he'd done it a million times before.

It came to be early in the morning Thursday, and it was finally time to push. I squeezed my mom’s hand hard! She and Cami were on either side of the pool, holding my hands, and helping to support me while I pushed. This is certainly the hardest physical work anyone could ever do! I’ve heard it all my life, and you always hear moms telling their stories… it’s truer than any of us could ever explain! I had chosen not to use any drugs, and wanted to stick with it…and I’m so glad I did. But there comes a time when it seems so intense, you’re not sure it can be done. It can! After laboring all night, all day, and all night again, I was exhausted. I wondered if I was going to even survive! However, the end was in sight… Once he crowned, I reached down to feel his head and I smiled. What an awesome feeling! After all this time, and all that hard work, he was almost here, and I felt like I was actually accomplishing something. I remember thinking to myself, “I’ve come this far, I can’t go back, and I have to find the strength to make it through the home stretch. Just keep going, it’ll be over soon, and then I can hold him in my arms finally!”

Finally, at 6:24 am, Thursday, October 11, 2007, after over 32 hours of labor, 7 lb Benjamin emerged from within me, out of the water, and onto my chest, looking straight at me. As Deana was drying him off, I breathed a sigh of relief, and looked at my son for the first time in awe. He was so beautiful, and so amazing. I couldn’t believe that just moments before, he was inside of me and now I was holding my son in my arms. Our journey as one had ended, but our journey as a family had just begun...

I'm so glad I chose to work with Womancare for prenatal care and the birth of my child. They were there for me all the way. Their care is tender and personal. They let me make the choices I wanted for my birth, while guiding me through those decisions with the health of both baby and mom in mind. Thank you Womancare!

Angus' birth story by Hilary and Pete

When I saw Deana a few days before Angus was born, I was already overdue and feeling like I would NEVER go into labor. She said, "It's going to happen. And when it happens, it will probably be quick." She was right. On our way to a meeting at 5:50, I had a killer contraction. By 6:00, I knew I wasn't going to the meeting. We were soon back home, and my wonderful husband simultaneously changed sheets, filled our birthing tub, rubbed my back, and timed contractions. Angus was born at 7:19 in the tub, surrounded by his dad, sister, Sierra, and friends.

When you plan a homebirth, everyone says that it's a brave choice to make. But to me, there's nothing brave about it. Having our baby at home was the most easy, natural, wonderful thing in the world. After Angus was born, I had a delicious home-cooked meal prepared by friends. The midwives tidied everything up and tucked us into bed. We were able to rest and relax. What a gift! We chose homebirth because we wanted a calm and peaceful pregnancy, labor, and delivery. And because of Mary Ann, Deana, Sierra, and Kindra, that's exactly what we had. We are so blessed to have them in our community!

(Photo at right: Angus)

Julie and Mark - with son Miles

From Mark, the Dad:
"Our home is filled with life -- all 9 lbs. 9 oz. of it (and 22 and 3/8 inches!). Yes, Miles came into this world at 10:11pm Sunday night (Aug. 29th, 2004) with the full moon, but filled the room with sunshine. Miles was anxious to get into the world quickly, as Julie only had to push for about an hour (granted, the initial labor began the previous night). The midwives let me catch him as Julie pushed him into the world, and Miles treated me with a deep look into my eyes as I lifted his slippery body to Julie's belly. He began feeding within the first hour, and has been eating like a true Lancaster boy ever since. I'm still overwhelmed in admiration at Julie's strength and relaxed composure throughout the entire birth (which happened entirely in our home). She's recovering well from the athletic event, as Miles and I nurture her with our love."

(Photo at right: Miles - one week old)

From Julie, the Mom:
"Unreal and magical, yet the most natural thing in the world. As Robin Lim has said, “birthing is the most profound initiation to spirituality a woman can have,” and now I truly understand. I am in awe of our magnificent child, and that he is a physical representation of the love and union that Mark and I share.

Birthing Miles at home was a true blessing, as I was surrounded by an environment of support, the serenity I needed to focus, and the respect for my own personal birthing power. Mary Ann, Sierra, and Deana were strong yet sensitive, patient and kind, professional yet compassionate, positive and encouraging, and I thank them tremendously for helping me with this life altering experience. If you are just about to bring a child into the world, remember that 300,000 women will be giving birth with you today. You can do it!"

A Thank You letter to Womancare Midwifery

Sierra, Deana, and Mary Ann,

Thank you so much for helping to make my childbirth an incredible experience. Your constant support, encouragement and empowerment throughout my pregnancy was unfaltering. I feel truly blessed to have been able to share this experience with all of you and to be able to have delivered my son at home.

Mary Ann, you have amazing hands with an incredible touch. Your faith in my body was unfaltering and contagious!

Deana, your words of encouragement and support earlier in this pregnancy were crucial. You always believed in me. Thank you!

Sierra, your skills and passion far exceed your age and experience. It’s great to see someone so young so enthusiastic. You’re an inspiration, especially to Sage!

Thank you again! Love, Genevieve, John, Sage, Adam and Ivan.

(Photo at right: Genevieve and Ivan)

Kristen's Story

I birthed my first child in the hospital. It was 53 hours from the time my water broke to the time I held my daughter in my arms. I did it without pain medication, but I really had a hard time. My well-intentioned caregivers tried to impose too many medical interventions and it wasn’t the natural, positive experience we were hoping for.

Before conceiving our second child, we went to meet with the midwives at Womancare Midwifery. Their whole philosophy was much more in line with ours; that birth doesn't have to be a medical event. All three of them really cheered me on and listened patiently to my concerns.

When I went into labor the second time, it was wonderful.

Only 5 1/2 hours with none of the emotional stress of the first time.

The midwives made us feel safe and empowered. Having our oldest child meet her brother when he was minutes old was a joy beyond words. I’m sure her participation in my prenatal care and their immediate introduction at home has contributed to their closeness. And falling asleep snuggled together in our own bed that night was absolutely blissful. Choosing home birth was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.

(Photo at right: Lucas Iwai in his father’s arms. Photo by Kristen Dacy Iwai)