Lily's Birthday
Who would have thought; a home birth...
Our bundle of joy is now 14 months old, yet it seems like only yesterday that she was born. Birth stories can be personal, but I feel the need to share our positive experience as I think that so much fear is spread due to the horror stories that many people insist on 'sharing'. While I believe that everyone has the right to share their experience be it positive or negative as a way of healing any associated trauma or sharing incredible joy, we tend to dwell on the negative, so here for those interested is a positive birth story.
Several years ago I was shocked to find that a friend of ours was planning a home birth. At the time, I could not understand why an intelligent and educated woman would opt for, what seemed to me, such a risky option. I had witnessed several births during my days as a Physiotherapy student and had treated many women for damage to the perineal, spinal or abdominal areas sustained during birthing. I began to believe that trauma and damage were the norm in most cases of vaginal delivery. Based on this misconception and in the interest of preserving my nether regions, I was determined that when my time came, I would be booking into a private hospital for an elective caesarian.
The truth is in the research…………..
Like any good scientist and writer, I love to research and when we decided to start a family, my literature search began. My emotions ran into turmoil when most of the research indicated the benefits of a vaginal delivery over a caesarean section. In the case of a normal pregnancy, the outcomes for both the mother and baby were more favourable following a natural birth. While caesarean sections are an essential and lifesaving operation for those who require them, the research didn’t back up my idea of a caesarean as the primary birthing choice. It was time to reconsider my stance.
The decision for a natural birth…………………
On finding I was pregnant we consulted a well regarded Obstetrician. Together we opted for a natural delivery as our ‘plan A’, knowing that if things didn’t go to plan, we had a plethora of interventions at our fingertips.
A change of plans………………
Twenty-five weeks into the pregnancy, whilst touring the birthing suite at our chosen hospital, our birth plan changed dramatically. On entering the birthing suite with several other expectant couples, I felt the muscles in my arms and legs tighten and my heart race. I had visualised a serene and comfortable room as the setting for a calm and natural birth. I was greeted with a bed, with stirrups ‘up’ and ready for action and a scary looking contraption that can only be described as a baby BBQ, to warm and inspect the newborn. Whilst this scene was not new to me, it was the first time that I had viewed the set up through the anxious eyes of a prospective patient and parent.
Inadvertently my body had assumed the physiological response known as a ‘fight or flight’ response. In the face of potential danger our bodies release of the hormones adrenalin and noradrenalin, preparing us to fight or to run away from any potential threat. This primal response was a protective mechanism enabling our predecessors to suddenly halt the birthing process when facing danger. During a normal labour this response is not protective but rather can delay, prolong or halt the labour, causing a cascade of problems and initiating a cascade of intervention.
I had to reconsider my previous decisions, this wasn't as hard as I imagined; humans really do have an incredible capacity for change.
A home birth………………….
We contacted an independent midwife and on meeting Theresa, felt instantly at ease. She reinforced my new found realisation that my body was designed to give birth and that birthing at home would not only provide a comfortable environment but would facilitate an optimal hormonal release for both myself and our baby. At the end of the meeting I was armed with fresh insights, including the fact that 20 to 30 percent of first time mothers birthing at home, end up in hospital, usually for pain relief. However, I was also armed with a new found confidence in my body and despite being ready for any eventuality during the birth, deep down I knew that our baby would enter life in the spa in our bedroom.
The Labour…………
The first 18 hours of my labour were very peaceful. I moved between the beanbag, physioball and spa, and using a portable TENS machine and visualization to ease the contractions. I was able to continue with my days activities which included baking an organic apple tea cake. Our midwife, Theresa popped in to check on us twice during the day and returned when I had been in labour for 19 hours when the surges had become very strong and my hips were cramping. I thought I couldn’t take much more, but in her calm, supportive and empowering manner Theresa assured me that I could, and I believed her. Of course this didn’t stop me from screaming or from demanding my husband to ‘promise me you won’t let me do this again’.
Twenty-four hours into the labour, I was kneeling in the spa when something changed; my body took over. Surprisingly, I didn’t need to ‘push’ at all, if anything I was ‘panting’ to encourage my body to slow down. I could feel my uterus contracting and with each surge, I could feel more of our baby’s head on my hand, which comforted me with the knowledge that soon we would meet our little treasure. Moments later a little body was gliding rapidly through the water. The feeling of overwhelming exhilaration and love as I moved this precious new life onto my chest was intense and remains impossible to describe. It was several minutes before we looked to find the sex of our child – it seemed an almost irrelevant detail. We instantly fell in love with our very alert little princess Lilian Joy and have continued to fall deeper under her spell with every moment of every day. Twenty-seven hours after my labour had begun; my husband and I were tucked up in our bed, staring at our beautiful daughter, enjoying her birthday cake – the organic apple tea cake I had made during the labour. It was the best cake I have ever made.
If you are interested in natural birthing I highly recommend the following two books, which were invaluable for me;
Gentle Birth Gentle Mothering
Sarah is a mother of four, a GP with a special interest in Obstetrics and the daughter of an Obstetrician. This book examines the medical literature and intertwines it with Sarah's own birth experiences. It is a beautiful read, incredibly well referenced and really blends the science with the reality. I still read this book for its mothering advice and I highly recommend it. If you are new to natural birthing ideas, as I was to some extent, you may initially find the lotus birth idea confronting, but continue on, this book was one of the major contributors to my birthing confidence.
You can visit Sarah's website at http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/index.html
Another wonderful read is A Labour of Love by Gabrielle Targett
A Labour of Love is a non-medical approach to childbirth. I found it highly empowering and was also lucky enough to receive regular massages from the wonderful author during my pregnancy! The book covers the work of doulas and also different birthing options and experiences and is easy to read. It also assists de-mystifies and questions the fear surrounding birth today. You can visit Gabby's website at; http://www.alabouroflove.com.au/
Wishing all those pregnant women out there a wonderful birthing experience, however it happens for them
Gina
Our bundle of joy is now 14 months old, yet it seems like only yesterday that she was born. Birth stories can be personal, but I feel the need to share our positive experience as I think that so much fear is spread due to the horror stories that many people insist on 'sharing'. While I believe that everyone has the right to share their experience be it positive or negative as a way of healing any associated trauma or sharing incredible joy, we tend to dwell on the negative, so here for those interested is a positive birth story.
Several years ago I was shocked to find that a friend of ours was planning a home birth. At the time, I could not understand why an intelligent and educated woman would opt for, what seemed to me, such a risky option. I had witnessed several births during my days as a Physiotherapy student and had treated many women for damage to the perineal, spinal or abdominal areas sustained during birthing. I began to believe that trauma and damage were the norm in most cases of vaginal delivery. Based on this misconception and in the interest of preserving my nether regions, I was determined that when my time came, I would be booking into a private hospital for an elective caesarian.
The truth is in the research…………..
Like any good scientist and writer, I love to research and when we decided to start a family, my literature search began. My emotions ran into turmoil when most of the research indicated the benefits of a vaginal delivery over a caesarean section. In the case of a normal pregnancy, the outcomes for both the mother and baby were more favourable following a natural birth. While caesarean sections are an essential and lifesaving operation for those who require them, the research didn’t back up my idea of a caesarean as the primary birthing choice. It was time to reconsider my stance.
The decision for a natural birth…………………
On finding I was pregnant we consulted a well regarded Obstetrician. Together we opted for a natural delivery as our ‘plan A’, knowing that if things didn’t go to plan, we had a plethora of interventions at our fingertips.
A change of plans………………
Twenty-five weeks into the pregnancy, whilst touring the birthing suite at our chosen hospital, our birth plan changed dramatically. On entering the birthing suite with several other expectant couples, I felt the muscles in my arms and legs tighten and my heart race. I had visualised a serene and comfortable room as the setting for a calm and natural birth. I was greeted with a bed, with stirrups ‘up’ and ready for action and a scary looking contraption that can only be described as a baby BBQ, to warm and inspect the newborn. Whilst this scene was not new to me, it was the first time that I had viewed the set up through the anxious eyes of a prospective patient and parent.
Inadvertently my body had assumed the physiological response known as a ‘fight or flight’ response. In the face of potential danger our bodies release of the hormones adrenalin and noradrenalin, preparing us to fight or to run away from any potential threat. This primal response was a protective mechanism enabling our predecessors to suddenly halt the birthing process when facing danger. During a normal labour this response is not protective but rather can delay, prolong or halt the labour, causing a cascade of problems and initiating a cascade of intervention.
I had to reconsider my previous decisions, this wasn't as hard as I imagined; humans really do have an incredible capacity for change.
A home birth………………….
We contacted an independent midwife and on meeting Theresa, felt instantly at ease. She reinforced my new found realisation that my body was designed to give birth and that birthing at home would not only provide a comfortable environment but would facilitate an optimal hormonal release for both myself and our baby. At the end of the meeting I was armed with fresh insights, including the fact that 20 to 30 percent of first time mothers birthing at home, end up in hospital, usually for pain relief. However, I was also armed with a new found confidence in my body and despite being ready for any eventuality during the birth, deep down I knew that our baby would enter life in the spa in our bedroom.
The Labour…………
The first 18 hours of my labour were very peaceful. I moved between the beanbag, physioball and spa, and using a portable TENS machine and visualization to ease the contractions. I was able to continue with my days activities which included baking an organic apple tea cake. Our midwife, Theresa popped in to check on us twice during the day and returned when I had been in labour for 19 hours when the surges had become very strong and my hips were cramping. I thought I couldn’t take much more, but in her calm, supportive and empowering manner Theresa assured me that I could, and I believed her. Of course this didn’t stop me from screaming or from demanding my husband to ‘promise me you won’t let me do this again’.
Twenty-four hours into the labour, I was kneeling in the spa when something changed; my body took over. Surprisingly, I didn’t need to ‘push’ at all, if anything I was ‘panting’ to encourage my body to slow down. I could feel my uterus contracting and with each surge, I could feel more of our baby’s head on my hand, which comforted me with the knowledge that soon we would meet our little treasure. Moments later a little body was gliding rapidly through the water. The feeling of overwhelming exhilaration and love as I moved this precious new life onto my chest was intense and remains impossible to describe. It was several minutes before we looked to find the sex of our child – it seemed an almost irrelevant detail. We instantly fell in love with our very alert little princess Lilian Joy and have continued to fall deeper under her spell with every moment of every day. Twenty-seven hours after my labour had begun; my husband and I were tucked up in our bed, staring at our beautiful daughter, enjoying her birthday cake – the organic apple tea cake I had made during the labour. It was the best cake I have ever made.
If you are interested in natural birthing I highly recommend the following two books, which were invaluable for me;
Gentle Birth Gentle Mothering
Sarah is a mother of four, a GP with a special interest in Obstetrics and the daughter of an Obstetrician. This book examines the medical literature and intertwines it with Sarah's own birth experiences. It is a beautiful read, incredibly well referenced and really blends the science with the reality. I still read this book for its mothering advice and I highly recommend it. If you are new to natural birthing ideas, as I was to some extent, you may initially find the lotus birth idea confronting, but continue on, this book was one of the major contributors to my birthing confidence.
You can visit Sarah's website at http://www.sarahjbuckley.com/index.html
Another wonderful read is A Labour of Love by Gabrielle Targett
A Labour of Love is a non-medical approach to childbirth. I found it highly empowering and was also lucky enough to receive regular massages from the wonderful author during my pregnancy! The book covers the work of doulas and also different birthing options and experiences and is easy to read. It also assists de-mystifies and questions the fear surrounding birth today. You can visit Gabby's website at; http://www.alabouroflove.com.au/
Wishing all those pregnant women out there a wonderful birthing experience, however it happens for them
Gina
posted by Gina Cacho | 4:11 AM
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