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Leah Christensen natural pregnancy, birth and newborn mentor
We had a homebirth and it was truly amazing. Possibly the best decision we ever made. I admit that it was excruciating once I was in transition, but that part lasted only 25 minutes or so. And the memory of pain has really faded quickly this time around. Only fond memories remain. Truly a world of difference from Sophia's birth. And we were and still are so happy to be home. Kristen Leonard has been wonderful, just as much for her support before and after the birth (she arrived after I started pushing, so it was pretty much just Mark who got me through most of labor). Basically, I had pre-labor contractions Sunday night through Monday morning, and then they stopped completely. I was exhausted and slept most of the day. They began again the following afternoon, around 3 p.m. Thinking they may also have been pre-labor contractions, we took a trip to Ikea and Babies R Us (highly recommended if you really want to get those contractions going!). By about 1 a.m. Wednesday morning, I was pretty sure it was the "real thing." I woke Mark up about 3 a.m., he started timing the contractions and called Kristen. Based on his description of the contractions she still thought I had a ways to go. The contractions got pretty intense but were still bearable and manageable through focusing on my breathing and Mark's use of accupressure (I felt it mostly in my lower back). At about 4:45 a.m., I felt a small pop (probably my water breaking) and just like a switch had been turned on, I felt the incredible urge to push. I yelled to Mark to call Kristen again. At this point, it got so intense that I couldn't concentrate on anything. I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. This is where the instinctual, primitive side of me took over. Mark asked, "What do you want to do?" and the only thing I could think of was to get in the shower. "Water" I screamed. So he turned the shower on and I crouched in the tub on one knee under the water pressure and pushed with every contraction (I had no choice, my body pretty much took over), alternating between screaming and grunting. I was surprised, though, that there was relatively little pain between contractions and it helped me to focus and catch my breath. About 4:55 a.m. Kristen arrived and I asked her if I was doing it right because the pressure on my bottom was so strong I was afraid that I was hurting myself. She confirmed that I was doing just fine and encouraged me to just keep going. When the top of the baby's head appeared, I decided to lean back in the tub, which by this time had filled up. So Boden was actually born under water. His head came out in one contraction, the rest of his body in the next. It turned out to be a perfect place to give birth because it was much easier to clean up as well. I lay in the tub for 10 minutes or so resting and admiring the baby. Then Kristen and Mark helped me out and into bed. I felt exhausted but great. About two hours later, Mark went downstairs, woke Sophia up, and said, "We have a surprise for you." He brought her upstairs and she jumped into bed with me and Boden. I put him on her bare chest and he fell asleep. It felt like Christmas morning. We were all overjoyed. It was miraculous and beautiful. I am sorry this has turned out to be so lengthy. I haven't even gotten to the rest of these past 6 days. In short, I feel great. In control. Grateful. Happy! What I had always wished for and imagined it could be like. It does help that Boden is an absolute angel. Leah, I have you to thank for giving both Mark and me the confidence we needed to make the decision to have a homebirth. I will never forget your advice - to never make your decision based on fear. It helped me to see clearly what I really wanted for my birth and to overcome my fears surrounding it. You're right - there were so many reasons I needed to do this - for myself, my baby, my whole family, really. I think we're all the better for it. Thank you so much from the entire family!! ~ Angelina
I considered a home birth for my first, but did not have the courage, knowledge or support. I thought insurance would not cover it. I also had heard of midwives before, but was not familiar with their role in birth. I reluctantly stayed with my obgyn. I thought by reading all the natural birth books that I would be prepared to stand up to the doctors and nurses and make my own decisions about my birth. I took Leah's classes and then decided I was prepared enough and did not need a doula. Instead, I depended entirely on myself and my husband to intervene if and when the hospital interventions came my way. When the time came (five days after my due date and unnecessary threats from my obgyn that I would have to be induced) all my knowledge and logic went out the window (birth is a body over mind experience). I rushed to the hospital way too soon, was sent home twice because I refused drugs, and by the time my water broke and I was finally admitted, I was exhausted. The nurses did not allow me to eat or drink, not even water! The lack of support around me and the fear made the pain so much worse and I gave in to the epidural. When it was finally time to push, I did not feel the urge. I had no feeling in my lower body. I was stuck flat on my back and in the worst possible position to push a baby through my pelvis. After 90 minutes of assisted pushing, the doctor said I was hemorrhaging (later proven false - my blood loss was normal on my birth report) and that the fetal monitor was showing the baby had an elevated heart rate (a normal occurrence, but scary when you are told this while in labor). I was taken away for a Cesarean Section (major abdominal surgery with many untold risks). After surgery, I was told my Cesarean was due to my Android pelvis (male-shaped pelvis) and large baby (9.3lbs) and that I would most definitely need a Cesarean if I were to have second child. I immediately felt that this was false and knew I would need a second opinion when the time came. I was depressed for a very long time after my baby was born and found bonding and breastfeeding difficult. The surgery made everything extremely miserable. Even holding my baby was difficult and I found it painful to walk and get around for many weeks. I was determined to nurse and luckily the breastfeeding did work out and helped me to bond with my baby. With my second baby, I knew I had to find an alternative approach to pregnancy and birth. My choices were limited. Currently, there are no NYC birthing centers allowing VBACs (vaginal birth after cesarean), not even St. Lukes Hospital birthing center! After the first trimester and several interviews with both hospital and homebirth midwives, I decided my chances of avoiding another surgery were best if I had a home birth. Worst case scenario, I would transfer to one of the many nearby hospitals. After five hours of hard labor, my second baby was born 11.2lbs at home and was a VBAC ! It was by far the most amazing experience of my life! I had Leah as my doula and two wonderful midwives from Homebirth Midwifery, Chestnut Ridge, NY. From my experience, I feel if you are healthy, having a normal pregnancy and wanting a natural birth with no (or little) intervention, home birth is definitely your best option. Choosing a home birth is a difficult choice to make especially in this country and the current birthing climate. I was surprised to find how conservative even NYC is - I had to really search for midwives comfortable with delivering a homebirth VBAC. It took time for me to decide and a long while before my husband felt comfortable with the idea. My parents and some close friends were very opposed to the idea. Luckily, my mother-in-law in England was very supportive having just seen a documentary on home birth and its safety. Also, I met some very wonderful people and found support through Leah and my midwives. The more positive stories you hear, the more empowered you feel about your ability to birth your baby. No matter what you decide, I feel having a doula is a necessity especially for your first birth. Knowing you have the extra support will give you peace of mind when you need it most (sometimes early on in labor before the midwives or doctors are available). Leah is extremely knowledgeable and very personable. ~ Stephanie |
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