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| Donna and Jim | Brooke and Eric | Kristine Jubin "It was a beautiful, peaceful experience. I wish I could do it again."  I was six days past my due date and in a VERY bad mood. I had walked and walked, had my membranes stripped and still nothing. My first baby was 10 days late, so on my sixth day past, I lay on the couch and sulked all day. The next morning, I woke up and was trickling water. I put on a pad and went in to work to get some things in order, then headed up to Largo to the Breath of Life birthing center. My midwife, Chris, checked me and confirmed that the wetness was amniotic fluid, so she sent me home with 24 hours to begin labor. If it didn't happen within 24, she warned, I would have to deliver at a hospital. I was NOT going to the hospital. We went home and walked some more, and I ate a huge cheeseburger for lunch—to keep my strength up, you know. We were due to check in with Chris at 4, and by then, I still hadn't had any contractions. We settled into our birthing room, which was very comfortable. Chris checked me, and I was only maybe two centimeters dilated, so I asked her for some castor oil. She poured it up with orange juice, and I downed the entire viscous cupful in a couple of gulps. We walked some more. Nothing. 9:30, I asked for more. I drank another dose. Shortly after, the storm hit. Within a couple of hours, I was in full labor. We began to use the methods we learned in our birthing class. My husband and I used the ball. I sat on it and rocked, while he sat opposite me, holding me in his arms, counting. I closed my eyes and breathed through the contractions. We slow danced—we brought Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue", which was a very relaxing back drop. Chris stayed near, but was completely unobtrusive. She prepared the tub for me and lit some candles. I got in as the contractions started to get stronger, and stayed in until I felt like I wanted to push but couldn't find the "traction" I wanted. I got out and tried several birthing positions, with the help of Chris and her assistant, Cassie, and finally landed on my side in the bed, where my son was born, all 10 lbs, 3 oz of him, at 5:01 a.m. Chris put him on my belly, and I was amazed to finally meet this beautiful little guy. My husband cut the cord and we took turns adoring him. Chris took great care of me and showed me how to nurse the baby. I showered, had some breakfast, and she tucked us all into bed, where we got some rest. It was a beautiful, peaceful experience. I wish I could do it again—just like that. Maybe an eight pounder, though. Those 10 lb boys are tough to push out. Donna and Jim Smith |
"It was absolutely the greatest experience I have ever endured." My pregnancy was definitely a surprise worth the natural pain! When my husband, Eric, and I were engaged, we both agreed that we didn't want children. Well, God just laughed and allowed us to get pregnant on our honeymoon. When I found out, I immediately decided to have a hospital birth with an epidural and all the drugs I could take! Then my heart started to change and I was more focused on the health of my baby instead of my own comfort. I started to explore elsewhere ended up attending a birth center seminar at the Breath of Life Birthing Center.At one o'clock in the morning on May 18th, I got up to use the bathroom. I started feeling a little weird but didn't think anything of it. So I went back to bed to sleep it off. Thirty minutes later, I started experiencing cramps and they were definitely in rhythm so I assumed they were contractions. I woke up my husband and we timed it for an hour. The contractions were 5 minutes apart and we guessed that they were lasting about 30 seconds. At 2:30 we called the birthing center. The midwife was already there and ready but she wanted my contractions to last a little bit longer. Our mistake was not timing how long the contractions lasted. What felt like 30 seconds was really a minute! So we timed them for another hour and called her back. She finally said to come on over. We got there around 4:00 a.m. and we were ready to go. She checked my vitals, Gavin's heart rate, and how far along I was. I was 4 cm dilated and 70% effaced. I opted to take the medication for Strep B since I was a carrier. I stayed in bed for about an hour breathing through the contractions. I was supposed to walk around the center and that lasted about 5 minutes because the pain was too much. She checked me again and I was 6 cm and 100% effaced....so I was allowed in the tub (now 5:15ish). This was absolutely the best! Eric was outside the tub holding my hands and encouraging me through. I was in there for about two hours or so; still enduring those not-so-nice contractions. I was so tired at one point that I fell asleep between contractions. Then the warm water wasn't working anymore. I had major back labor and couldn't get comfortable. So my midwife had me move to the bed (now 7:20ish). Ten to fifteen minutes and two LOUD screams later, Gavin was on my belly crying at 7:38 a.m.! I tore a little and I promise that the stitching was far worse than giving birth! The only drugs I took were Ibuprofen and that was after I delivered Gavin. We took him to the pediatrician at 2:00 in the afternoon and were home by 2:30. It was absolutely the greatest experience I have ever endured. Brooke and Eric |
"If I had to do it all over again, I would not change a thing." The labor began right after 5:00 PM on April 16th, 2009. I was 10 days late, but so was my mom when she was expecting me. I knew it was the "real thing" because the contractions were very strong and less than 5 minutes apart. Although I had contractions the previous night, these were much stronger and more painful. I did take the castor oil since my goal was to avoid having labor induction. Weirdly enough the castor oil didn't cause any problems (I even didn't have to go to bathroom), except for it didn't taste good at all. My daughter was born at Breath of Life birthing center about seven and a half hours later. It was a totally natural birth experience - no pain medications or episiotomy and very few examinations by the midwife - just like I wanted. My midwife was very knowledgeable. My husband asked her, "when is my wife going to have the baby?" I thought no one can tell us that, but she said that the baby should be here sometime around midnight. And she was so right! Actually, that helped me to get through the labor and kept me motivated as I was counting how many hours I need to do this for. Although I was planning to have a water birth, at the end I had to get out of the tub because I wanted to bank the cord blood for my daughter. I also brought some aroma therapy oils to help me with the pain and contractions, but honestly I even forgot I had them. I wish I had used them. The place was very well equipped. I used the exercise ball in the beginning of labor, but at the end I switched to birthing stool. I gave birth in the squatting position. My midwife and her staff were very caring - they were applying hot compresses to avoid tears and I was certainly taking my time pushing the baby out, so I almost didn't tear at all (no stitches were required). Also, my water didn't break till about five minutes before I pushed out the baby's head, so the baby came out looking great, since she was in her protective bubble the whole time. My mom and my husband were both there as well as my midwife and her two assistants. If I had to do it all over again, I would not change a thing. My advise for expectant mothers (and fathers) is don't get too attached to the birthing plan - just be open to changes and go with the flow, because at the end the result will be the same - you will have a beautiful baby. Kristine Jubin |
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