@maamawaabangi your birth stories are beautiful and make me so frustrated that midwives cannot legally practice in my state. A homebirth has always been my dream.
Certified nurse-midwives are legal in all 50 but certified professional midwives (typically the ones that specialize in homebirth) are only legal in 28 states. I use a midwife group but to be honest, the care is barely different than an OB and the "birthing center" is essentially a hospital birth. Though I do think they are more open to a mother's natural timeline rather than feeling certain things need to happen on the practice's "normal" birthing schedule. Buuuut... it's what my insurance will pay for so it's a fine compromise.
@maamawaabangi your birth stories are beautiful and make me so frustrated that midwives cannot legally practice in my state. A homebirth has always been my dream.
I share your frustration about that! It is such an infringement of personal rights! It's so wrong! The midwifery model of care has wisdom that standard obstetrics misses at the detriment of women's health and wellness! I could go on, but won't. I just "feel" you! Hugs.
@slartybartfast there's not even a birth center near me. It's maddening, honestly, considering we moved here from a state where it was totally legal and doable.
Here's my "textbook" 1st birth... On my blog 42 weeks, 3 hours pushing... good outcomes! It was at a midwifery run birth center, and was probably my favorite place to deliver... however home is nice too.
@caseyewhitaker, though a planned home birth is not really available/feasible due to legal restrictions on AL, there is 1 CNM (Sheila Lopez, in a practice with OB Jesanna Cooper) with rights to deliver at Princeton Baptist in Birmingham, which is where you're located I think? Not sure how different the model of care would be, but it might be something to look into. Also Dr. Johannson/Cheaha Womens in Anniston is supposed to be very supportive of low intervention births as an OB and also has a CNM (Sarah Hellwege, not sure about her privileges). Numerous people from my area make the drive to the Anniston area to try for VBACs because the doctors here aren't as supportive.
Just wanted to throw those out there in case you were dissatisfied with your OB experience thus far. The only reason I've heard about these options is because I belong to our local ICAN FB group - it's predominantly full of women seeking low intervention birth.
Here's mine, sorry it's long. I cut and pasted from the birth story I wrote for my DS:
Induced at 17 days late. We got to the hospital before 6am and had the pitocin hooked up and pumping by 6:15. I was not dilated at all nor effaced. I labored throughout the day with some manageable contractions, but by 2pm that afternoon I was still not really dilating. The OB decided to break my water in the hope that would speed up my labor. It didn't. I labored continuously through the night with contractions that were just ripping through my body every 15 seconds to the point where I couldn't breathe. I wasn't able to walk, or rock, or bounce on the ball because every time I did the monitors would lost my DS's heartbeat and nurses would come running in to tell me to get back in bed on my left side until his heartbeat could be found again. Around 1:30 in the morning, over 18 hours in, I couldn’t stand it anymore and broke down in tears.The amazing on-duty nurse came in and told me a story about a woman who was in labor and was having contractions that were incredibly strong and painful. She said that this woman had wanted to do everything without any pain medicine or interventions at all. But then this woman was not making progress and she was having a very hard time. She was losing faith in herself and that she would be able to have a healthy delivery. She ended up taking some pain medicine and was able to make it through her labor after a little bit of help. Then the nurse who was talking said that woman was her. It was the most incredible story to hear in the middle of the night after so many hours of pain.
I decided at that point to take a dose of Stadol which would hopefully give me 40 minutes to an hour of respite from the pain so I could rest. I was able to nap for about 35 minutes before the pain returned. I asked for another dose but this time it didn’t do anything. By now I had been in labor for over 20 hours, but I was not making any progress towards meeting my DS.
Finally at about 4:15 in the morning I was told that we were looking at the possibility of a C-section because my body didn’t seem to want to cooperate. Also, my water had been broken for so long the risk of infection was increasing every second. The nurse on duty was telling me that sometimes an epidural will allow your body to relax enough so that it can get to where it needs to be to deliver a healthy baby.
I didn’t want any of this to happen. I wanted to have no medical interventions at all, but life doesn’t always go as planned. My husband had to leave the room because he couldn't handle the needle so my mom sat in front of me and held my hands as the needle was inserted into my spine twice, the first was a mess up so it had to be done again. Luckily it was a very mild epidural and I could still feel my legs and move around a bit.
Even through the epidural I could feel the contractions pounding my body. It felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out. I kept pressing the button that was meant to send relief coursing through my body but it only kept the pain manageable. It never went away. It felt like it would never go away.
By now it is 6am the next morning, 24 hours after my labor started and it feels like I am no closer to meeting you. The nurses say that I am making progress but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. I remember pressing the button for more medicine over and over because it’s not helping. A new anesthesiologist comes in to check on me and I ask him why it’s not working. Why am I not feeling relief?
The hours tick by and I’m confined to bed. I must lay perfectly flat or the medicine from the epidural pools on one side of my body and the pain comes searing back through me. I was crossing my fingers and toes that I wouldn't have to have a c-section. Finally around 11:30am my body has cooperated enough for him to come out. But he was still so high up I labored down for about an hour. Finally it was time to push.
I felt everything. I was up using the squat bar because that felt the best. The nurses were surprised that with my epidural I was able to stand up enough to use the bar. At 1:11pm he was finally here. After an hour of stitches (ouch) I was done. I just looked down at my DS and everything else faded away.
I was induced at 37 weeks. It was early but according to ultra sounds my baby was at least 7 pounds at 32 weeks and to avoid a c-section my doctor induced. I went in at midnight to start the pill under my tongue. 7am the Dr. came to check and I was 100 percent effaced but only dilated to a 3. He broke my water then. Starting what felt like immediately I got contractions right on top of each other. I couldn't get out of bed at all. I held out until about 11 when I said nope, I need an epidural. Labor was pretty easy and fast then and he was born at 1:20. He was 8 lbs 10 oz and after he came out the doctor said, "oh we should have done a c section." His head was over 16 inched and I tore all the way up to my cervix. Healing was no fun.
This was 10 years ago so it seems like an eternity.. I know mine was easy compared to most of you ladies and I love reading your stories and hearing how strong you all were!! I am actually scared to see how my labor goes for baby number 2!! I am thinking I just go lucky the first time and this time will be way worse!
Re: Birth Stories?
I use a midwife group but to be honest, the care is barely different than an OB and the "birthing center" is essentially a hospital birth. Though I do think they are more open to a mother's natural timeline rather than feeling certain things need to happen on the practice's "normal" birthing schedule. Buuuut... it's what my insurance will pay for so it's a fine compromise.
Due December 27th with baby #7
42 weeks, 3 hours pushing... good outcomes!
It was at a midwifery run birth center, and was probably my favorite place to deliver... however home is nice too.
Due December 27th with baby #7
Just wanted to throw those out there in case you were dissatisfied with your OB experience thus far. The only reason I've heard about these options is because I belong to our local ICAN FB group - it's predominantly full of women seeking low intervention birth.
DH: 36⎹ Me: 36
Induced at 17 days late. We got to the hospital before 6am and had the pitocin hooked up and pumping by 6:15. I was not dilated at all nor effaced. I labored throughout the day with some manageable contractions, but by 2pm that afternoon I was still not really dilating. The OB decided to break my water in the hope that would speed up my labor. It didn't.
I labored continuously through the night with contractions that were just ripping through my body every 15 seconds to the point where I couldn't breathe. I wasn't able to walk, or rock, or bounce on the ball because every time I did the monitors would lost my DS's heartbeat and nurses would come running in to tell me to get back in bed on my left side until his heartbeat could be found again.
Around 1:30 in the morning, over 18 hours in, I couldn’t stand it anymore and broke down in tears.The amazing on-duty nurse came in and told me a story about a woman who was in labor and was having contractions that were incredibly strong and painful. She said that this woman had wanted to do everything without any pain medicine or interventions at all. But then this woman was not making progress and she was having a very hard time. She was losing faith in herself and that she would be able to have a healthy delivery. She ended up taking some pain medicine and was able to make it through her labor after a little bit of help. Then the nurse who was talking said that woman was her. It was the most incredible story to hear in the middle of the night after so many hours of pain.
I decided at that point to take a dose of Stadol which would hopefully give me 40 minutes to an hour of respite from the pain so I could rest. I was able to nap for about 35 minutes before the pain returned. I asked for another dose but this time it didn’t do anything. By now I had been in labor for over 20 hours, but I was not making any progress towards meeting my DS.
Finally at about 4:15 in the morning I was told that we were looking at the possibility of a C-section because my body didn’t seem to want to cooperate. Also, my water had been broken for so long the risk of infection was increasing every second. The nurse on duty was telling me that sometimes an epidural will allow your body to relax enough so that it can get to where it needs to be to deliver a healthy baby.
I didn’t want any of this to happen. I wanted to have no medical interventions at all, but life doesn’t always go as planned. My husband had to leave the room because he couldn't handle the needle so my mom sat in front of me and held my hands as the needle was inserted into my spine twice, the first was a mess up so it had to be done again. Luckily it was a very mild epidural and I could still feel my legs and move around a bit.
Even through the epidural I could feel the contractions pounding my body. It felt like I was being ripped apart from the inside out. I kept pressing the button that was meant to send relief coursing through my body but it only kept the pain manageable. It never went away. It felt like it would never go away.
By now it is 6am the next morning, 24 hours after my labor started and it feels like I am no closer to meeting you. The nurses say that I am making progress but it certainly doesn’t feel like it. I remember pressing the button for more medicine over and over because it’s not helping. A new anesthesiologist comes in to check on me and I ask him why it’s not working. Why am I not feeling relief?
The hours tick by and I’m confined to bed. I must lay perfectly flat or the medicine from the epidural pools on one side of my body and the pain comes searing back through me. I was crossing my fingers and toes that I wouldn't have to have a c-section. Finally around 11:30am my body has cooperated enough for him to come out. But he was still so high up I labored down for about an hour. Finally it was time to push.
I felt everything. I was up using the squat bar because that felt the best. The nurses were surprised that with my epidural I was able to stand up enough to use the bar. At 1:11pm he was finally here. After an hour of stitches (ouch) I was done. I just looked down at my DS and everything else faded away.
Due December 27th with baby #7
I was induced at 37 weeks. It was early but according to ultra sounds my baby was at least 7 pounds at 32 weeks and to avoid a c-section my doctor induced. I went in at midnight to start the pill under my tongue. 7am the Dr. came to check and I was 100 percent effaced but only dilated to a 3. He broke my water then. Starting what felt like immediately I got contractions right on top of each other. I couldn't get out of bed at all. I held out until about 11 when I said nope, I need an epidural. Labor was pretty easy and fast then and he was born at 1:20. He was 8 lbs 10 oz and after he came out the doctor said, "oh we should have done a c section." His head was over 16 inched and I tore all the way up to my cervix. Healing was no fun.
This was 10 years ago so it seems like an eternity.. I know mine was easy compared to most of you ladies and I love reading your stories and hearing how strong you all were!! I am actually scared to see how my labor goes for baby number 2!! I am thinking I just go lucky the first time and this time will be way worse!