Asher's Birth Story

Asher’s Birth Story

It was June 30, one day before my estimated due date. I had done my best to not think about the “estimated due date” since I had learned that they are just that – estimated. My first baby came 9 days “early” and my second came 2 weeks “late”. So I had been telling people that this baby was due “in July” - being purposely vague.

So, back to June 30, I was talking to my brother and I jokingly said, “So, my first baby was early, my second was late. Maybe this one will be right on time!”

That night, around 11:00, my water broke, a new experience for me since my water hadn’t broke with my last two until transition. I woke Travis and we called my midwife, who lives in Vegas. We wanted to give her plenty of heads up so she could make it in time! Since my contractions were still pretty irregular, she told me to get some rest and call when they were closer together.

After an hour or so, we were too restless to sleep so we got up and called everyone. My Grandma Vickie happened to be spending the night that night, so we only had to call my mom, Travis’s parents, and Grandma Pat to let them know they should plan on coming up soon. I was doing my best to relax during my contractions, rocking back and forth on my exercise ball.

Marty and Sheila (Travis’s parents) were the first to arrive, and then around 4, my midwife came in. By that time, labor was getting more intense. They got to setting up the birth tub right away. It was a huge inflatable tub with perfectly placed handle bars. I was ready to get into the tub, but my midwife wanted me to wait until I was in active labor. The contractions were coming strong and close and I thought surely I was ready! When she checked dilation, however, I was only at a 4! She calmly told me not to worry – she had dealt with a similar situation before. She could tell by looking at my belly that the baby was sticking way out and may not be positioned well to put adequate pressure on the cervix to encourage dilation. So we took my maternity belt which I normally wore underneath my bulging belly to help support it, and wrapped it right over the biggest part of my abdomen, to push the baby into a better position. Then she had me sit slightly reclined in my comfy chair.

This position was completely counter-intuitive for me. It was not comfortable, but I trusted that she knew what she was talking about. And, as time proved, she did! The contractions immediately got more intense and more productive. Within an hour, I knew I was ready to get in the tub – she didn’t even have to check dilation! Again, she suggested I recline in the tub, though I wanted to get on all fours. I was so ready to get the baby out, I took her word that this position would help me progress more quickly.

By this time, everyone was at our home – my mom and Grandma Vickie, Travis’s parents, and his Grandma Pat and Aunt Liz. Also, Malachi and Morgan were home. I was not opposed to them being in the room during the birth, however, I assumed they would not want to be. We had enough people around that I knew someone would be able to take care of them if they wanted to leave the room. When my labor began to get intense, I intuitively began to moan with the contractions – it helped me to relax and to keep my jaw loose (when your jaw is loose, it’s easier to relax the rest of your body!). This noise made the boys a little concerned, but everyone else was so relaxed and handled it so well. They assumed that if no one else was worried, they didn’t need to be. When Malachi asked if I was OK, they told him, “Mama’s just working really hard to get the baby out!”

After being in the tub only a short time, I knew that the moment of truth had finally arrived. You see, you can often tell that the birth of the baby is eminent based on the emotions of the mother. When she begins to believe she can’t do it any more and wants to give up, the end is usually in sight! So, as I began to feel overwhelmed, and as I thought to myself that maybe an epidural really wouldn’t be such a bad thing (by  this time, if I was in a hospital, it would be too late for one anyway. Even if it wasn’t I know myself well enough to know I wouldn’t let anyone near me with a needle!) I immediately knew that soon, I’d be holding my baby boy. I remember looking over at my cozy bed thinking that in a short time, I’d be lying there with a new little person I’d never seen before, but whom I already knew in a very incredible way.

I asked my midwife if I should push, and she just told me that my body would let me know when it was time. At my last homebirth, I received a bit more coaching from my midwife during this phase of labor, which I think I needed. But I am thankful that this time I was encouraged to respond to my body’s prompting. It’s an incredible feeling to have the confidence that God has created your body to accomplish such a task with little outside direction.

I felt a low groan coming from my throat, and I knew it was time. Uncontrollable urges to push flooded my body. Travis got in a position to catch the baby. As Asher’s head emerged, Malachi asked it he could touch it! Grammy Jamie lifted him over the edge of the pool to touch the soft head - to this day he hasn’t stopped rubbing that baby’s head! One more push and I was holding my sweet little Asher in my arms.

Nine months of pregnancy, ten hours of labor, one precious life. He is worth every moment. 

Birth Story - Part II

Well, I’ve waited long enough to finish this story. I want to get it written before I forget the details! If you haven’t yet read Part I, click HERE to do so. It explains why we decided to have a home birth.

So we left off where I came downstairs thinking my labor may have started. Sure enough, the contractions persisted, and we called the midwife, Jill, to let her know we wouldn’t be coming in to be induced this morning! The next phone call was to Kat, another midwife from whom we rented the birth tub. She came and set it up for us. The tub came with heaters to keep the temp at a little over body temperature. Kat checked dilation; I was at 4 cm. and 75% effaced. She also noticed that my bag of waters was still intact. The gush of water was simply the outer sack. We learned that there are 2 parts to the water sac: the fore-bag and the main-bag. I also learned that the water sac is usually retained when the mother has had a good diet.

Before Kat even got there, however, my mom and Grandma Vickie arrived! We told them not to rush over – it could be a long day – but they were not going to take any chances. Also, we called Jacque Owens, a friend from church. I found out she was interested in becoming a labor and delivery nurse and possibly a midwife. Thinking it would be a great opportunity for her to see a natural birth, I invited her to come to the birth. She was so excited, and I was thrilled to provide such an experience for someone who could one day help others wisely make decisions about their births.

Everyone who was coming to the birth had been notified. Now, I just had to sit back and let my body do its work. We turned on Dennis the Menace, one of our favorite movies. I slowly breathed and focused on relaxing during each contraction; I didn’t want to fight what my body was doing. The contractions began to get more uncomfortable, and I tried to keep in mind that each one was bringing me closer to meeting my baby – and finding out whether he was a boy or girl! I was getting very eager to know if I was carrying a Morgan or a Natalie!

Sheila was in charge of keeping the time on the contractions. Jill had told she’d come over when they were 5 min. apart and 60 sec. long or whenever I felt like I wanted her. Around noon, I made the call. I wanted her there. The contractions were over 60 sec. though not consistently 5 min. apart, but they were getting more intense. I was having back labor and Travis put counter-pressure on my lower back, which I remembered helped a lot in my labor with Malachi (I had back labor with him, too). It felt good, but wasn’t quite as effective as it was during my last labor. I was getting very eager to get in the birth tub, but I wanted to wait till Jill got there and checked dilation – somehow I knew once I got in I wouldn’t want to get out!

She arrived around 1:00 and introductions were made. She had only met my mom before, and she had brought her sister, Gina, along as an assistant. Once everyone had met, we went upstairs. She checked me and I was still at 4 cm., but 90% effaced. And I finally got to jump in the pool. It felt so good! The contractions were getting stronger and I really had to focus on relaxing. In the tub it was so easy to maneuver into a more comfortable position. During each contraction, I got on my knees and hung over the side of the tub with my head resting on my folded arms. Between them, I sat back and rested against the tub wall. I was continually reminded to drink water are eat some food to keep my energy up. Muncle Dylan was downstairs watching Malachi for us during all of this– what a huge help!

The tub felt SOOO good when contractions started getting more serious!

Eventually I felt like I needed a little support, so I asked Travis to get in. I continued to hang over the side while he did counter pressure, but I rested on him between contractions. I was getting nauseated during contractions. After a long time in the tub, Jill said I should get out to go to the bathroom and to maybe speed things up by moving around a bit. I told her that sounded like a terrible idea! But I knew she was right, so I got out. I sat on the exercise ball for a little while. She told me to let her know when I began to feel lots of pressure in the lower front of my abdomen, and I told her I was already feeling it there.

I remember hearing her telling someone around this time that we could have a baby anytime, or we could be here till midnight. I knew I couldn’t keep on like this till midnight! I was beginning to feel like I couldn’t do it, and that was a sure sign that the end was near. You can tell where you’re at in your labor by how you’re doing emotionally – at the beginning, you’re excited because the day has finally arrived; then you get really serious because it’s hard work; and then, when the end is almost there, you feel like you simply can’t do it anymore. And the good news at that point is, you won’t have to do it much longer!

I then lay down on the bed. She checked dilation again and said I was at 8 ½ cm. completely effaced except for a small lip of cervix. I stayed on the bed for a while until I realized if I lay there much longer, I might not make it into the tub for the birth! So back in we went. I asked her to rupture the bag of waters to speed things up, and the pushing stage began soon after. It lasted about 35 minutes. I was so tired, I didn’t want to push, but Jill was so encouraging. I felt the baby’s head with my hand as it descended. They told me he had hair!

I remember thinking I didn’t want to push too hard because I was afraid of tearing. Jill used olive oil to massage the perineum to keep the blood flowing and prevent tears. The warm water in the tub is also great for that. Finally, the head was out – what a huge relief! In the next contraction or two the rest of him was out. Travis announced we had another boy! “Hi, Morgan!” I cried. He was immediately put on my chest and covered with a warm wet blanket and he got a hat. She suctioned him out. I had to be careful to keep his face out of the water! He was so beautiful. I wanted them to go get Malachi to meet his brother. We had just experienced another miracle.

Morgan coming out of the water to take his 1st breath. My hard work finally paid off! What an amazing picture!

Holding Morgan Jackson for the first time.

Travis holding his new son for the first time.

The Grandmas get their chance to hold the baby while mom and dad go take a shower.

We held Morgan in the tub for a while. Jacque cut the cord after it had stopped pulsing. After I delivered the placenta, we handed him over to the grandmas so we could take a shower. After the shower I lay down for the night. Morgan nursed for about 45 minutes. I was having bad afterpains – the contractions that get the uterus back down to its normal size. First-time moms don’t have these pains because the uterus is more elastic and contracts more easily. These contractions were an unexpected, unpleasant surprise! It was then time to measure this little baby. Jill used a sling to weigh him (to see a picture, click HERE) – we were all surprised to find out he was 9 pounds! He was 21 in. long, with a 14 in. chest and head. After a glass of wine and some ibuprofen to help with the bad contractions, we said good-bye to everyone and settled in for some much-needed sleep with little Morgan right by my side! A great ending to an eventful day.

Many people have asked me how this labor compared to my last. It was definitely more difficult. This may have been partly due to the baby being so much bigger (Malachi was 7 lb. 4 oz., Morgan 9 lb. 1 oz.), but the main reason, I believe, is because I was in terrible shape. The last couple weeks were very difficult – I couldn’t even walk around the grocery store without pain in my legs and groin. I don’t remember being as sore or exhausted when I was pregnant with Malachi. The last 2 days of this pregnancy were miserable. Labor is a major physical challenge – so going into labor in such bad shape obviously was going to make things more difficult. At this point, I am almost completely recovered from the birth, but I’m still feeling the effects of the pregnancy!

I would definitely consider doing a home birth again. It would be very difficult to consider ever delivering in a hospital again!

As I look at our new son and at the amazing adventure of bringing him into this world, I can’t help but say with the psalmist David, “I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Morgan's Birth Story - Part 1

We were so excited when we found out last March that we were going to be blessed with another baby! Malachi has brought so much joy into our lives, and we were thrilled to be adding another little one to our family. "Children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is His reward!" Ps. 127

I had a decent birth experience with Malachi. I used a CNM (certified nurse midwife – for an explanation of the different types of midwives, click HERE) and delivered at a hospital. We had a little trouble convincing the nurse that the manager of the maternity floor as well as my midwife had given permission for me to eat and to not be hooked up to the IV. I felt rushed when I was informed that if I didn’t dilate another 2 cm. soon, the midwife would break my water. She also did not attempt to help me stretch, but instead just cut me. Overall, we were so thankful for a safe and relatively good experience with my first birth, but I knew it could be better.

When we moved to back to AZ, I found out that there were no midwives who delivered at the local hospital. Yikes! I have no doubt that there are good OB doctors out there, but since I had a completely uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, I simply saw no need for a doctor. We had considered a home birth with Malachi, but decided for my first birth we’d be more comfortable at a hospital. Now that we knew what birth was all about, we were comfortable with the idea of a home birth. After much reading and research, we were convinced that it is not only a safe option but in some cases a safer option than hospital birth for low risk pregnancies – less intervention, more sanitary, more comfortable for mother (leading to shorter labors).

We found a CPM (certified professional midwife) from Vegas. We were so pleased with the personal care we received from her and her partners. We saw her monthly, then every 2 weeks, then weekly, just as you would with a normal OB. The appointments were so thorough, and they all lasted at least an hour (we ask lots of questions and like to talk!). I was thrilled with the fact that she has only performed one episiotomy of the 1,800 babies she has delivered, and less than one in 10 of her patients experience minor tears. I wouldn’t have to fight for my right to eat, walk around, be comfortable, move as my body told me to, and deliver in the most comfortable position for me. And who likes going to the hospital in the first place?

I also appreciated her prevention-based care. She was very concerned with my diet, making sure I ate plenty of fresh fruits and veggies and drank LOTS of water. Cranberry pro-biotic and colloidal silver were used to treat a bad UTI – it was gone the next week. No antibiotics were needed. This was great since during my last pregnancy I had a horrible reaction to an antibiotic that was prescribed to me.

We decided to deliver the baby at Marty and Sheila’s (Travis’s parents) for legal reasons – my midwife is not licensed in AZ – and also because my midwife had back surgery and her recovery was much slower than anticipated. The ride to AZ would be very difficult. So on Nov. 12, Malachi and I headed to Vegas. We had no idea how long our stay would be. A day? A week? A couple weeks? No one guessed we’d be there a MONTH! Every day for the whole month, we thought, “This could be the day.” And another day would pass. Travis had to work, so he drove back and forth during his weekends. Finally, we decided if the baby wasn’t born by Sunday, Dec. 6th (2 weeks past his due date, Nov. 22^nd), we would induce. Travis had to work the Saturday before, and was going to drive up wither that night or Sunday morning. He surprised me by getting off work early and showing up Friday night! I was so shocked and relieved!

Saturday came and went… still no baby. I went to bed, intent on getting lots of rest. I was going to have my baby the next day – finally, after a month of anticipation! Sunday morning we had an appointment to be at the midwife’s house at 10:00. I got up and as I got ready to shower, I felt a small gush of water. “Could it be?” I wondered. Not wanting to get everyone excited over nothing, I just took my shower and waited to see what happened. A contraction here, a contraction there. I’d been having contractions on and off all month, so this wasn’t too exciting. But they kept coming, and they seemed to be coming pretty regularly. As I went downstairs, I must’ve had a certain look on my face because Travis said, “Are you in labor?” My response shocked him: I think I may be! How perfect! I wouldn’t have to be induced!

I will try to write the rest of the story soon! Check back soon!

(The above picture is the night before I went into labor. My mom treated me to a pedicure! My great-grandma, Meme, my Grandma Vickie, Aunt Pam also joined us!)

Morgan's Birthday!

A warm, watery welcome to Morgan Jackson Gillespie!

Our first family photo!

Proud grandma's

Midwife Jill weighing our big boy - 9 lbs. 1 oz.

More posts to come!

Still no baby, but we had a good midwife appointment yesterday. The baby is doing great! He or she was having fun playing with daddy yesterday while Jill was listening to his/her heartbeat - the resting heartrate was about 135, but when Travis would touch it through my belly, it jumped up to 155! That is a great sign that the baby is healthy and responding well.

I'm dilated to 2 cm. and 75% effaced. My body is giving all signs that I'm ready to have this baby. We decided that if the baby isn't born by this Sunday, we'll take measures to naturally induce. My midwife wants to wait until this weekend to be sure I'm at least 41 weeks - estimated due dates are just that - estimated! So we want to be 100% sure we aren't inducing early. Our country has the highest rates of low birth weight babies - could this be because doctors are so eager to induce labor as soon as the due date comes and goes?

She will induce with an herbal medication that stimulates my body to produce its own labor inducing hormones. Labors induced by Pitocin, the induction drug used in hospitals, are gnerally more painful because it causes my stronger and more frequent contractions. This is harder on both mother and baby. This natural form of induction merely jump starts my own hormones, so labor comenses as I normally would.

We just rented a documentary called "The Business of Being Born." It was an excellent presentation of the over-use of hospitals and doctors in birth, yet it fairly presents the need for hospitals in high-risk pregnancies and in emergencies. Unfortunately, it contains strong language, so just be aware of that if you decide to check it out. You'll probably find it at your local library.

OVERDUE!

Well, still no baby. I'll be 41 weeks tomorrow! I've had lots of people ask about what should be done when you go over your due date, so I thought I'd explain.

The first thing you do is WAIT! It is considered normal to go 2 weeks past your estimated due date. So until you pass the 42 week point, there is no need to worry. Once the 42 week point is past, my midwife's procedure is to see me every other day to make sure the baby's heart beat is still going strong and to make sure I'm doing OK. She'll also order a test to be done on my placenta to make sure it is still working properly. Based on the test, we'll know how long we have till the baby will be in any danger. If needed, steps will be taken to induce labor.

But at this point, we don't need to worry about any of that. The baby is doing great! I am so thankful to not have a doctor breathinhg down my neck wanting to induce me! I'm getting enough pressure from all the GRANDMOTHERS!!! :)

Update

Just wanted to post an update! Malachi and I are currently in Las Vegas for the duration of my pregnancy. My midwife had some complications with back surgery and it was questionable whether she could (or should) make the drive to AZ.

So, we are going to have the baby at my in-law's house. We have the birth tub here, ready to be set up, and I brought so much other stuff, it's rediculous! But it feels good to be prepared! We've been hanging out here with my mom-in-law, Sheila. Made a trip to the mall, a visit with Meme and Pepe and Aunt Pam, couple trips to the library. Lots of down-time to just relax and getting some time to read. So thankful for Sheila - she is a great friend and has been so good to me!

We really miss Travis. He stayed home to work and to get some projects done around the house. He's eagerly awaiting the call that will send him on his way to Vegas! I am so thankful for him, and I can't imagine him not being here with me during labor! When I talked to him today, he was making some meals to have in the freezer for when we get home after having the baby. He is such a great husband, and Malachi adores him. What an incredible blessing. Thank you, Lord!

Home Birth Kit

My home birth kit just arrived in the mail today! How exciting - that means the time is drawing nearer!

My midwife gave me a list of supplies we needed to order for our home birth. She uses a home birth supply company called In His Hands, and she has an account set up with them so they know exactly what her clients need in their kit. I just had to get online or call and place my order. The kit cost a total of about $60.

The midwife will bring things such as a doppler to listen to the baby's heart beat, and I think she brings and oxygen tank, as well, for emergencies. She also brings a sling scale to weigh the baby - I love these!

You can't see it in the picture, but there is a spring scale hooked to the sling. How cute is that!

My Pregnancy

I must admit, I have to get on my blog to figure out how far along I am - as of today, I'm 31 week. Only 61 days to go! Only....

This pregnancy has been different than my pregnancy with Malachi in many ways. The nausea was much worse with Malachi and the back ache began much sooner, but this one has waited till further down the line to give me trouble. I've really had a hard time with my back, and have had to delegate the vacuuming to Travis! Malachi is getting trained very well to pick up things off the floor for his mommy, too!

I am so thankful, though, that besides the back ache, everything else is great! The baby is growing well and moving a lot. The heart rate is perfect - pretty mellow at about 140 BPM. And my blood pressure has remained at a good level.

Travis and I always enjoy our visits with our midwife, Jill Colin. This last visit my mom was able to come with us to meet Jill. We probably spent about 2 hours with her doing the normal visit routine plus just chatting. Her office is in her home, and we were her only clients that day. It was fun, and I always learn a lot. I really appreciate her emphasis on preventing issues in pregnancy through diet. It has really given me some accountability and encouragement to make good choices in my diet. For example, she really encourages getting a lot of leafy greens towards the end of the pregnancy to build up iron in my blood. That way, if there is a problem with blood loss during or after birth, the blood I do have is healthy.

I am to the point in my pregnancy where I should be going in for an appointment every 2 weeks, but since everything is going great and we have to drive all the way to Vegas, she is allowing us to wait 3 weeks. So as long as things are going well, we'll be able to spread out the visits some.

We got a list of supplies we must collect for our home birth, such as lots of towels, healthy food, honey (for an instant energy boost if needed), lots of bottled water, olive oil to prevent tearing and also to help clean the baby’s first stool. I put in an order for a “birth kit” which contains all of the sterile things, gauze, bulb syringe, etc.

Yesterday I spoke with a woman who does birth tub rentals for both hospital and home births (yes, you can have tub put up in a hospital – and it is definitely worth looking into!) Our insurance will most likely help with the $400 rental fee, too! And if $400 sounds like a lot of cash, just consider that an epidural is $500 – and there are no needles, no IV’s, no being stuck in bed... Anyway, birth tubs are about 3 feet deep, round, and big enough to stretch out in. Pain management through labor using water is so effective, it is often called the “aqua-dural”. Water is very relaxing, it makes movement MUCH easier (moving around with a big belly is NOT very easy!), and it helps prevent tearing. I am looking forward to experiencing this birth in a different way than I did with Malachi.

Malachi knows what babies are, and he knows that a “baby” is in my belly. Now, whether or not he associates the babies he sees in pictures with his mommy’s bulging belly, I don’t really know! But I love it when he comes and kisses my belly, and he always points at it and does the sign for “flower” apparently my navel looks like a flower to him. It is so sweet.

If you’d like to see a post on my pregnancy and birth with Malachi, click here.
I am very interested in childbirth education and maybe one day becoming a certified doula after my own kids are grown. If you have any questions regarding pregnancy, birth, home birth or water birth, please let me know. Also, if we know anyone who may have questions, please give them my email or other contact information!

Home Birth Collage

***This video contains graphic images of birth, so please guard little eyes!***

This is a video collage of homebirths photos compiled by a midwife in Oregon. Throughout she has some great quotes. I really enjoyed it, and I hope you do, too!

Ina May's Guide to Childbirth - A Book Review

As many of you know, I love to read. But something I love almost as much is recommending a good book to someone else and finding out that they loved it too! So, I though I would jot down some thoughts about some books I've read recently in the hopes of spreading the news about some good reads.

My first book of choice is Ina May's Guide to Childbirth. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is pregnant, who could become pregnant at any time in the future, or who knows anybody in either of these situations (yes, I realize that that includes pretty much everybody).

So, you may wonder, why I would recommend a book on childbirth to such a wide audience? Well, first of all, I would like to point out that maternity care is not something that only a minority of people need. The majority of women have babies at some point in their life time. Second, there is a crisis in maternity care in the US that most of us are not aware of. For example, the fact that the World Health Organization has long been after the US for its ridiculously high C-section and induction rates (WHO recommends that we get our C-section rates below 15%, yet we are double that. Some doctors in Las Vegas have C-section rates of 65%!).

The US has one of the highest maternal and infant mortality rates in the industrialized world. The WHO is aiming for a 3.3 maternal deaths/100,000 live births, and the latest figure I found for the US was 13/100,000. Twenty countries have managed to obtain better outcomes than us.

There has been a 10% increase in preterm deliveries between 2000 and 2006(http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/health/07stat.html). Obstetric textbooks had to add a new term to their vocabulary for doctor-caused prematurity because C-sections and inductions were being performed too early (I'd tell you what the term is, but I already returned the book to my midwife, and I can't find it anywhere on the Internet!).

Interestingly, the country with the best statistics in pregnancy and birth outcomes is the Netherlands where midwives provide all maternity care accept for higher risk pregnancies, which are attended by obstetricians. Also, 1/3 of all births in the Netherlands are homebirths.

I know that is a lot of info, but I just want to get across the idea that our maternal health care is not so great. Ina May Gaskin, the author of the book, has been a midwife since the '70's, and is a very intelligent woman with a wealth of knowledge accumulated from the 1,200+ births she has attended. Her wisdom has been sought by many obstetricians, and in she 2003 she was chosen as Visiting Fellow of Morse College, Yale University. She also is the 1st midwife to have an obstetrical procedure named after her (the Gaskin Maneuver, a highly effective method of handling shoulder dystocia, one of the most dreaded complications in birth). For more info on her go to http://inamay.com/biography.php.

I guess I should say something about the book itself. I found the layout to be friendly even to those who aren't big readers. The first half of the book is a compilation of birth stories written by mothers who had Ina May as a midwife. Brutally honest, refreshing, eye-opening. This is a great help in overcoming the fear of birth that has been so ingrained into our culture (think of the movies - screaming, clawing, rushing to the emergency room - drama, drama, drama!). Real birth isn't like this. These stories help women to realize this and can be a great aid in reducing fear.

The second half of the book addresses particular issues - the connection between the way we think and how our bodies respond, the amazing ability our bodies have to handle labor, the importance of moving around during labor, the different procedures commonly used during labor (which ones work and which ones are more harmful than beneficial), the VBAC controversy.

Gaskin doesn't just throw around her opinions in this book, though many of the techniques she uses to help women progress further and cope in labor are based on what she has found to work by trial and error in her hands-on experience in over 1,000 births. She is a very good writer and knows how to compile research, adding a legitiamcy to her work that is needed if it is to have the desired impact.

Birth doesn't have to be traumatic. It is a rite of passage that women deserve to exprience. Women also need to know the risks involved in interventions commonly used during labor, and they need to know the lack of evidence supporting many standard policies like no food or drink during labor (why are we asking women to perform the most strenuous 15+ hours of hard work in their lives, telling them they can't eat during the entire time, and then expect them to have enough energy at the end to complete the most demanding part of the whole task?!) , continuous fetal monitoring, and intravenous lines (which are needed because we told these women not to eat or drink anything and now they are dehydrated and hypoglycemic). We need to know.

So, again, if you are pregnant, or know someone who is, please mention this book. I realize not everyone will choose to use a midwife or to deliver at home as I have, but every woman needs to know that what is best for her and her baby may not be what she automatically gets from her health care provider. Even with the push for "informed consent" in hospitals, many women aren't being adiquately informed, and if they were, in many cases I believe they would not give consent. These aren't simply issues of personal comfort and preference, but of preventing death and disease in both our mothers and their babies.

"Whatsa doula?"

Whenever we tell people that we used a doula during my pregnancy and delivery, most people say, "Whatsa doula?"

Doula comes from the Greek word doulos, meaning "servant". Pregnancy doulas help out moms and dads during pregnancy and during labor and delivery. Doulas take classes, read books and get hands-on experience in order to be certified with a particular association, such as Doulas of North America (see dona.org). They focus on the mother's emotional needs during childbirth, providing information on the birth process, suggestions on how to make the mother more comfortable, and anything else the mother needs during her labor.

I LOVED having my doula and would recommend one to any who are expecting! Christina was with me during my entire labor (she came over at about 4 a.m.!). Her suggestions were wonderful, her presence was comforting, and her words were encouraging. Travis said having her there was helpful to him, as well. He said, "She helped me know how to best help you!" Knowing that she had experienced birth herself was so re-assuring that I could do it, too. Having her there helped me fulfill my desire for an all-natural birth.

Please check out more information on my doula's website:

http://www.freewebs.com/deardoula/doulainformation.htm

Meet the Midwife

This is our midwife, Gina Pearce. She did a wonderful job!