VBAC Mothers Rock!

I wanted to make sure that I documented this wonderful client. Here I am with mother, new baby Rebecca (yes, they named the baby Rebecca) and the new big sister Cambree. This was Ramona's fourth baby and 3rd vaginal birth. Amazingly, I got a call from Ramona when she was 37 weeks. She was looking for help. She was being released from care by her Doctor in Utah because she was a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). Even though Ramona had previously delivered 2 babies vaginally since her C-section over 12 years ago. The C-section was performed b/c her first little guy was Breech, and for a first time mother this contraindicates a vaginal birth...even in the home birth setting. At 37 weeks the doctor had his assistant call my client to inform her that she would not be able to deliver in their hospital because of her previous Cesarean. Despite the fact the last vaginal birth (Cambree) had actually occurred at the very hospital that refused to deliver her. What nerve! So, needless to say I was happy to help. We quickly got to know each other and a few weeks later Ramona had a beautiful, gentle birth in her own bedroom, gracefully birthing Rebecca into the world. Congratulations to every VBAC mama out there...you rock!

I am Learning

I am learning what it means to be a pregnant woman. So many clients are saying to me, "I can't wait to talk to you after the birth!" What do they know that I don't? Well, a whole lot actually! I have attended so many births, and there is so much I feel that I understand just from being a woman myself but none of that is the same as actually experiencing it for myself. No man will ever truly understand what a woman goes through, and I now understand more than ever why women need female practitioners to support them through this process. Honestly, because of my work as a midwife a lot of the "magic" is probably absent from my pregnancy. I see pregnancy as overwhelmingly normal and really, I am not a very spiritual person, so I don't look for meaning in most things. I don't rely a great deal on symbolism or hidden meanings...I am a very practical person. I am growing a baby, it is a rather "matter of fact" affair for me. It is something I have always known I would do. I feel in some ways I am fulfilling a destiny, one that I wrote myself. I think the most exciting part of this whole journey is that I get to do it with my long time partner Matt. We have evolved through so many changes and stages that this baby seems like just the fulfillment of all of our struggles and successes. So here we go...