New Life Birthing Services

VBAC- Lindsi's Birth Stories

2011-08-18T14:05:00.000-07:00

The Birth of Jade Lillian, June 10, 3 Years Previous

I immediately adored my first baby girl, Jade Lillian. I cried at the sight of her beautiful face; completely relieved that she was born healthy and complete. It was an hour before I could hold her. I was scared, unsure if the drugs would wear off in time for me to cradle her safely. I was alone in a sterile, ugly room. There was a nurse to my right. She didn’t talk to me…what I needed most. I needed to hear encouraging words. All I could see was the ceiling and some equipment. The room was spinning. I was weak. Where was my baby? Please, let my husband be holding her, protecting her. Finally, an hour later, she is in my arms. But, she is all wrapped up. Whose fingers and toes does she have? I won’t know until the next day, when I ask a nurse to unwrap her so I can admire her tiny body. We sleep soundly all night. At about midnight, I see my baby open her eyes and look around. I desperately want to hold her, but I am stuck in my bed, unable to get up. Adam is asleep, so I don’t wake him. I’ll need him to be rested so he can help me in the morning. Jade was content all night. Was she hungry? Shouldn’t I be feeding her? Did they give her a bottle? I am so exhausted, I fall back asleep. I wake in the morning to the nurse telling me it’s time to get up and walk. I feel like I’m going to split in two. She leads me to the shower. I ask Adam to stay with the baby. I think the nurse will at least help me wash my hair. No. I am left to shower on my own. My body shakes. This is the most painful feeling I have every experienced. Now what do I do? The nurse comes back. This is the beginning of a very long week.
The normal hospital stay for a c-section is 2-3 days. On the morning of the third day, I start to shake uncontrollably. Adam alerts a nurse. She pays no attention. Something is wrong. Can’t she hear the urgency in Adam’s voice? The night-shift nurse tells me I have to get up and put a girdle around my belly. I am shaky and in a lot of pain. I tell her I can’t do it. She insists. I refuse. Maybe if she had looked into my eyes, at least, she would have seen my pain. Her eyes are fixed on her computer and the schedule laid out for me.
Day 4: Antibiotics are administered to fight the infection in my blood. They don’t work. I am moved to a private room. Adam has a feeling they don’t want the “sick girl” spreading infection. But, they tell me I will be more comfortable in my own room. Adam’s mom comes to stay and help. More antibiotics. A nurse changes out the old IV, because my veins are hard. They run out of room on my arms for a new IV. My hands are black and blue. I can hardly hold Jade. There isn’t much talk about what’s wrong with me. They are holding back. Why?
In the middle of the night, I have a heavy chest. I can’t breathe. They put me on oxygen. Now it’s time to call my mom. I am afraid to fall asleep, unsure if I will wake up. Adam doesn’t want me to see him cry, so he goes into the bathroom.
Day 5: My mom walks into my room. She took the first flight she could find. The antibiotics are working now. There is a hope of going home soon. I have to be fever-free for 24 hours before I will be discharged. Jade is discharged. She is NOT going anywhere without me! They let her stay, but they won’t care for her anymore.
The ob-gyn who delivered Jade checks on me, and sends me for an x-ray. She tells me I have pneumonia. My lungs are surrounded with the fluid that is being pumped into my body. I learn more about this condition almost 4 years later (Asphyxiation Pneumonia). She doesn’t explain anything further. I sense fear in her. Why is she afraid of telling me everything? It’s my body, I want to know, but I am too overwhelmed and tired. What kinds of questions do I ask? I feel like I’m a burden to the nurses. There were 2 nurses who were very sweet. They spent time with me, talking. They wanted the best for me.
I change Jade’s diaper for the first time. If only I didn’t have to wheel this IV machine around. I just want to take care of my sweet baby. She is alert, yet very sleepy all week because of the medication I am on. Thankfully, breastfeeding comes very easily. She’s my little trooper. I snuggle with her as much as I can. Adam is growing weary. My mom stays with me so he can get a good night’s sleep at home on a real bed.
I walk around the maternity ward. I get nauseous, and start to cry, knowing that if I get sick, it’s another day in the hospital. I have a fever again. No going home. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe not. Day 6 is long. Day 7 is even longer. The fever subsides and I feel a little better. The ob-gyn tells me I have Sepsis. What does that mean? I’ll have to do my own research to find out. It will be 2 ½ years before I finally find my answer. None of this information is on my medical record. Nor is there a reason stated for the c-section. All that is listed is my insurance. How many other women have been down this road? We won’t know by looking at records. What are the stats? Only the ones who have suffered have an idea.
Day 8: We get to go home. I eat, shower, feed Jade and we leave. The nurses at the nurse’s station cheer. The car ride is painful. But, I walk into the comfort of my home and cradle my baby. Adam and my mom take care of me from here. I am so thankful for them. The stairs are an obstacle, so I stay downstairs, with a little “baby station” all set up. After a few days, I no longer need pain meds. Finally. I feel better, physically, but not emotionally. I am very weepy. I have negative thoughts about my body and my mothering skills. It gets better after about 3 weeks. I mourn the loss of Jade’s first 8 days. I feel like I missed them. But, I move on, and I fall more in love with her. She is the most precious little baby I have ever seen. I am thankful for her. We have made it over a huge mountain.
I didn’t plan on having a c-section. My water broke at 4:30am two days after my due date. We went to the hospital at 6:00am. I was not having any contractions yet, but was admitted to the hospital. I wanted to stay in the bathroom, or at least walk around the room, but the nurse made me get in the bed. Soon, another nurse was trying to put the IV into my hand. She coughed on her hand and didn’t wash after. She tried and tried, but couldn’t get the IV in. Not even in true labor yet, and my hands were already bruising. The anesthesiologist came in to do the IV, and then it wasn’t long before Pitocin was administered. She told me I was in danger of an infection because my water had already broken. So, after the Pitocin, she told me that now I need an epidural, because the contractions will be too intense. Labor progresses, but I can’t feel anything. By 2:00pm I am fully dilated and ready to push. Adam and Brenda can see her head. I hear Brenda say that the baby will be born by 2:30.
Since I was lying on my back, I felt like I had no control. I couldn’t feel when to push, because I was numb. I was very thirsty, but I wasn’t allowed to have water. The ice chips didn’t help... All I could think about was a huge glass of water. Hmmm, I should have been focusing on my baby. My neck was sore from bearing down, and pushing on my back. Two hours later, the doctor came in and told me I had been pushing too long with no progress. My baby wouldn’t come out by my own efforts. She didn’t examine me, but concluded that my pelvis was too small. The baby’s heart rate was fine. I was fine. Neither of us was in any kind of distress. I was next in line for a c-section. Waiting was horrible. The epidural was wearing off, and I was stuck lying down. I wanted to jump out of the bed, but obviously couldn’t.
It was half an hour before I was taken to the OR. I got really scared when they asked if I could feel them touching my belly. Yes, I could! They said there is a difference between pain and pressure. What did I feel? I didn’t know!!! What if I feel them cut me open? Fear overwhelmed me. The surgery began and I discovered what they meant by “pressure.” It was horrible! Nothing I would ever want to feel again. I heard Adam say, “She’s here!” Jade was born at 5:30pm (the last c-section of the day). Her face was gorgeous, but I didn’t get to kiss it. She was crying, but I didn’t get to comfort her. The nurse told me she had beautiful, long eyelashes. She was the perfect mix of Adam and I. She was weighed and measured (8lbs 9.5 oz, 19.5 inches), and then Adam went with her for her first bath…I was alone.
*******
For two and a half years, I believed that my pelvis was too small, and that I would have to always have c-sections. I wanted to wait a long time before having another baby, because I accepted my fate: surgery with every baby. But, I also wanted to avoid it. Maybe I would never have another baby.
Two years later, in December, I start to yearn for another baby. It would be so nice for Jade to have a sibling. I know I need to pray about this decision. Jade will be three in June. We think that three to four years between our kids is a good amount of time. So, I start asking the Lord for a baby. He begins to heal my heart and show me that I have been believing a lie. My body IS capable of birthing a baby. He made it so.
In January, God lead me to Chrissy (my doula). I asked her a few questions, and she gave me some homework to do. I watched “The Business of Being Born” twice (once alone and once with Adam). I also read Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth. Soon after, I officially met with Chrissy, who herself was pregnant, and planning a home birth. We talked about my first birth. I needed to process my thoughts about it, and get some feedback from someone who knows all about VBAC. I came to realize that I had experienced a traumatic birth. It was true. I felt as though I had moved on, but the truth was that, I wanted to experience what other women all over the world do. I wanted to birth my own baby. I felt cheated, and I knew that had I been given more of a chance, I could have given birth to Jade without intervention. I never want her to feel like her birth was not special, because it was. Adam and I were in awe of her. So beautiful and perfect, with her daddy’s eyes and mommy’s hands. I also realize that if I hadn’t experienced a traumatic birth, I might never have been led down the path of home birth.
I did a lot more studying, and became passionate about birth. The natural process of birth is so amazing. It was something that I looked forward to, and I wasn’t even pregnant yet. I wanted to have a baby in the winter or spring.
I was so excited in early July when I took a positive pregnancy test! I waited a few weeks before calling Claudette, who would be my midwife. I met with her and her team when I was about 6 weeks along. Every appointment with them was so different from going to the doctor. Claudette spent so much personal time with me. The only thing we couldn’t quite nail down was my due date. We thought it was March 16th, but it turns out we were off by about 10 days. (I missed the opportunity for an ultrasound to measure, because my Mom passed away when I was 9 or so weeks pregnant).
My due date rolled around, and there I was, still pregnant. Another week went by…still pregnant. I started to wonder if I would be pregnant forever! In the back of my mind, I had a feeling that I was not as overdue as I thought. I knew that Emery was fine. I was fine…feeling great, actually. The 42 week mark was approaching. Claudette talked with me about trying castor oil. A few days before I was going to try it, I ended up sick with a cold. My body would not go into labor if I was sick. More waiting. When I was feeling better, I didn’t have peace about getting labor started. I decided to wait a little longer. I wanted my baby out, but I wanted to do the right thing. I also wanted to know that my body knew what to do on its own. I had a dream that Claudette invited me to go snowboarding on a Thursday at 5:00am. I thought she was crazy. The night before I went into labor, I had a dream that a Robin left a little blue egg in my hand. It cracked open, and the baby bird perched itself on my finger and would not let go. The egg actually looked like a little Easter egg.
The Birth of Emery Joy, April 1, Four Years After Jade
I woke at 4:30am, Thursday March 31st. I was so hungry! I ate leftover tacos. I went back to bed, and an hour later, I felt like my water was about to break. Sure enough, it did, all over our bed! Adam laid towels down all over our bedroom floor. I felt stuck…what do I do now? Oh yeah! We’re staying home. There is no rush to get to a hospital. I laid down on an air mattress, covered in chuck pads and towels Jade came in and “admitted me to the hospital” before leaving to stay with her friends until the baby came. “You stay here Mama. You stay in the hospital.”
We rested at home for the morning. Well, I tried to…I ended up secretly folding laundry while Adam slept. I knew that if he saw me doing it, he would make me stop and rest. But, I was feeling fine, and I wanted to the house to be nice and neat.
We went to see Claudette and her team at 11:30am. It was nice to get out of the house. I was feeling restless. Baby and I were doing great. Claudette said that if labor didn’t pick up by 3:00pm, I could take some castor oil. We went to the Vintage Café for lunch, and timed contractions when they started at about 12:30. I got really uncomfortable by 1:00pm. The drive home was hard. We stopped at Safeway to get the castor oil. I waited in the car, but had to get out, because the contractions were too painful while sitting down. No castor oil. We drove to CVS. I called Claudette, letting her know that the contractions are getting closer together (about 2-3 minutes), and lasting about 30 seconds. Chrissy came over not long after we got home. The contractions were more bearable at home. I felt comfortable there. Chrissy reminded me to stay relaxed and breathe. I felt like I had a split personality! I was one person during a contraction, and then my normal self in between.
Chrissy left for a while to feed her baby. Adam and I watched TV to distract me while I was on hands and knees, with ice on my sacrum, encouraging Emery to turn and drop into the correct position. She was LOT (laying with her back on my left side, looking to the right.)
I took one ounce of castor oil. We expected it to affect me with about 20 minutes. Chrissy came back in about an hour. The castor oil had not affected me at all. Here is where time became somewhat of a blur. All I remember is, lying down on my bed to catch some sleep in between contractions. I literally fell into a deep sleep in the one minute or so that I had as a break. All of a sudden, they came on stronger. I heard Chrissy talking to Claudette in the phone, “She’s having them back to back.” I think it was about 7:00pm.
Claudette and her team arrived and she checked my dilation. I was only one centimeter. She applied cervical pressure points. In four or five minutes, I dilated to 5cm. It was horribly painful, but so worth it. I trusted every decision Claudette made. She instructed me to get on my hands and knees again, with ice on my sacrum. The ice would make Emery uncomfortable and cause her to move. She needed to turn and drop down so that I could fully dilate and begin to push.
I asked Adam to call Jamie. I needed my friend! I was so relieved when she got here. Chrissy and Adam helped me through each contraction. I could hear Jamie singing and praying. Lynda was praying too. I was comforted by everyone’s presence. I had been in and out of the shower throughout the day, but I didn’t like being alone during a contraction. I needed someone applying pressure to my hips, or at least resting their hand on my back. I was on my hands and knees for a long time. It was getting so uncomfortable, but I knew it had a purpose. I finally gave in to the contractions. I had been tightening my back, and I knew that I needed to let the contractions do their work, instead of resisting them. I relaxed and gave in, but wanted to scream!!! Adam started to pray. I could feel God’s presence come over me. Emery moved! At this point I felt completely out of control. I wanted to push, but my body wasn’t quite ready. I start dry-heaving and crying instead. Ha ha, the thought is kind of funny now. In my mind’s eye, I was a crazy, yelling, noise-making cave woman! I said out loud, as the thoughts of epidural and c-section swirled in my mind, “I DON’T need an epidural or a c-section. I can do this. Jesus HELP me!”
I wanted to get into the tub. Claudette told me I could stay in as long as it didn’t slow labor down. It felt good to let my arms float after being on hands and knees for so long. I wanted to know what time it was…11:45pm. Not long before April 1st. Would Emery be a March baby? It was hard to control my breathing. Chrissy reminded me how to breathe. “Breathe for your baby,” she said. This was a good reminder…I was having a baby! This was the reason for my pain. I momentarily forgot! I was overwhelmed by the pain, and thought about how other women feel in labor. Was I the only one who had every felt this much pain? The wonderful women in the room must have read my mind. I could hear them saying, “It’s supposed to feel this way. You’re doing great! You can do this! She’s coming!”
I pushed for a while in the tub, but didn’t feel grounded enough. It was too hard…not enough gravity. It was difficult realizing that I had to pull myself together to get my baby out. I also thought I might be the first woman in history to be pregnant forever. I was exhausted, but Chrissy reminded me that my body was storing reserves to give me the energy I needed. I think I said something like, “Really? Women all over the world do this everyday? CRAZY!!!!” I could hear God telling me I needed to get out, but I couldn’t focus enough to tell everyone else that. Finally, Claudette suggested I get out and onto the bed. I gathered my strength from the stories of other women who have had to change positions when their babies’ heads were about to come out. Lifting my legs over the tub and walking to the bed at this point seemed impossible, but I knew I could do it.
Once on the bed, I laid on my right side. This was the hardest part. It took every ounce of strength I had, and I was the only one who could push her out. I felt helpless and strong at the same time. I kept thinking that she could be out as soon as I wanted…I just had to work hard. I think it was about 20 minutes before her head came out. Her body followed immediately with no pain…no time for Claudette to “admire her beautiful face.” It was so amazing feeling her come out! I did it! I gave birth to my baby!!! She was all wet and warm and soft lying on my chest. I cried and cried! “My baby! My baby!!!” This was the moment I had dreamed of even before I was pregnant. She cried too! What was funny, was that she came out looking so clean. She didn’t have any fluid in her nose or mouth. We let the cord finish pulsating before Adam cut the cord and I pushed the placenta out. Pillows were propped up behind me so I could sit up and nurse Emery. She latched on immediately and nursed for a while. It was so peaceful. No one was running around, frantic. This was a normal part of life, nothing to be worried about. I was being fed eggs, toast and tea. It was nice to be doted on! We were treated like this was the most special birth ever, and that Emery was the most special baby. Time seemed to stand still, as though nothing else was going on…just the birth of this precious baby girl.
After some bonding time for Adam, Emery and I, the team weighed and checked Emery. 6lbs, 14.5 ounces, 20 ¼ inches long, very alert and healthy. She was dressed and swaddled. Time for sleep. We slept peacefully for five hours.
I can’t even begin to explain how elated I felt that night, and for the days that followed. When Jade came home in the morning, she rushed ahead of Adam into our bedroom. “Mommy, is the baby here?” “Yes, she is.” She was so excited! “I’m gonna go and tell Daddy that the baby is here!...DADDY!!!!! The baby is here!” Our friend Lynda came to take pictures of Jade first meeting her baby sister. Jade did great! She was so happy to hold her new baby sister.
My milk came in the next day, and nursing was easy. I didn’t feel tired, I felt excited and so peaceful. Claudette came back to weigh Emery again, and check in on us. Emery weighed 6lbs, 7 oz. It was amazing to stay in the comfort of our bedroom. No nurses waking us. No car rides to the doctor. The baby and I stayed in our bedroom for 3 days. Adam brought my meals to me. I slept when the baby slept for the first week, and then I started to move around the house more. I recovered easily, and had lots of herbal remedies to bring comfort to my body without the use of medications. I will always cherish that bonding time with my baby. Nothing to do but care for her, stare at her and rest.
My prayer is that home birth becomes the norm in North America. Pregnant and laboring women, and new mothers need the care of other women who are sensitive to their needs. Claudette came again when Emery was six days old. She weighed her again. 6lbs, 11oz. She stayed for an hour, and made snacks for Jade and I. I was so touched that she would stay and make me tea, and just visit for a while. She was an answer to prayer, in a time when I missed my Mom more than ever.
It’s been wonderful going forward and feeling normal again, but I also miss those first moments of Emery Joy’s birth. It was the most incredible experience, and has made me feel more whole and full of joy. –Lindsi G.

VBAC-Andrea's Birth Stories

2011-08-18T14:02:00.000-07:00

Photo is of Fiona’s Birth

I found Claudette and her team by luck one day while listening to a radio program. The woman they had as a guest was talking about home birth after c-section. I had never heard of such a thing!
My first two babies were born vaginally in a hospital. I was as drug free as possible, but both babies were close to nine pounds and both had shoulder dystocia, which was terrifying for my doctor. When I got pregnant with baby #3, I approached her about pushing on my hands and knees but she dismissed it as a "midwife maneuver" and wasn't inclined to let me do it. She said she'd monitor the size of the baby and hopefully I would be able to have another vaginal birth. My husband didn't buy it, but I am the trusting sort and I thought that my doctor would never lie to me. Of course we got to the end of the pregnancy and he was too big so we scheduled a c-section. Ian was born healthy at least, but it was probably the worst experience of my life. I couldn't hold him for hours because I shook so badly. I was cheated out of the time I could have bonded with him all because my doctor was afraid and wouldn't just tell me the truth. I wanted more children, but just couldn't face another surgical birth.
When I heard the woman on the radio, I was so excited to know that there was a possibility for me to safely have more babies. I contacted the woman and she put me in touch with Claudette. I loved Claudette from the beginning! She had experience with shoulder dystocia and wasn't scared of the possibility of it happening. She said she'd be happy to attend my baby's birth if I decided to get pregnant again. My husband supported me completely even if he was a little skeptical. Within a couple months, I was pregnant again. I loved everything about the experience. Prenatal care was pleasant, I looked forward to seeing Claudette and her team as did my kids. There weren't a bunch of unnecessary tests and absolutely no fear-mongering! When my due date came and went, it wasn't a big deal. My water finally broke a week later and Claudette did everything she could for me to have the birth I wanted. I had really wanted a water birth, but once again the baby had shoulder dystocia and despite jumping into the tub with me, Claudette needed me to be out of the tub. Luisa was born safely and peacefully on my living room floor. It was such a positive experience. No bright lights, no whisking my baby away, no being awakened in the middle of the night to check my vitals. My older kids got to watch their little sister come in to the world instead of waiting to see her behind the glass of a hospital nursery.
We moved to another city a few months later, but when I got pregnant again two years later, Claudette said she would come to me with her team when it was time. It was so worth the drive for my prenatal appointments. This time, my labor was a little more stressful because my labor was not progressing in a typical way and I was afraid I would end up in the hospital. It all worked out though. Again, Claudette tried to give me a water birth, but I ended up on the floor so she could get Fiona's shoulders free from my pelvis. I am so thankful for Claudette and for her wonderful gift. I know that my two beautiful daughters wouldn't exist if I hadn't met her.

2 VBAC Births by Carrie A.

2011-05-20T15:47:00.000-07:00

Birth Stories of my three girls

In August I had my first born by emergency C-section. Not at all what we had planned. We took Bradley classes and read lots on homebirth and hospital birth. But we weren't ready to make the leap for a homebirth, money wasn't there and we thought we could do it naturally in a hospital. Long story short, my time ran out in the hospital, I had been there for the 12 hrs, so my doctor called the nurses several times and we ended up breaking my waters. Claire's cord came out first and we had to put me under to make us all safe. Come to find out later that Claire was too high and she should have never broken my waters.....After many months of anger and frustration we knew we would never do that again!! A year and half later, my friend delivered a beautiful baby boy at her home with Claudette. I was pregnant and struggling to figure out what we were going to do. I kept thinking I could never have Claudette, because I don't live close enough to her, but my friend was almost 2 hrs from Claudette. And I was 1 1/2 hrs from her. I interviewed many midwives, but we kept coming back to the fact that she is Christian, which is very hard to find in this field. As soon as I talked to her on the phone I knew this is who we would use. When you go to an appointment with her, she is all yours you can talk to her about anything. She will spend as much time as she can answering questions. During the appointments I learned more about my body than I ever knew. She knows so much and has seen it all. Then when it came down to the birth this is where she shines!!! She was amazing. When she arrived after a several hours of beginning labor she checked me and I was at 8 cm. I stalled there for many more hours, my waters again weren't breaking on their own. We prayed a lot, because my next decision would rely on trusting in God and in Claudette for knowing what was best for us. We had done everything we could do to move Catherine down to the correct position and she felt the next best thing was to break the waters. We all prayed together and separately then she made the bag weaker and my next contraction broke the waters, after that everything went so fast! 40 minutes later I had a beautiful baby girl in my arms. Such a blessing. God was there for us then and he was there for our third. My husband and I had moved farther away from Claudette so I was worried about her making the long trek up to the birth. I had nothing to worry about. In fact there were a few times I thought I was going into labor, so I was able to see how fast she could make it to me. I wasn't trusting God, but by the end of the pregnancy I had to. My labor this time around lasted almost an entire month. Many nights of thinking I was going to have the baby, but then nothing. Lots of practice. Lots of phone calls to Claudette, and lots of prayers. After she was 1 week past her due date we decided to try some herbs to speed things up. The next morning I lost my plug and Claudette came. I trusted that everything was going to work out for the best and it did. 5:30pm I was 3cm. I took Castor Oil, and 2 1/2 hrs later, I was at 6cm, and 20 minutes later Julia Marie was born. Julia is my beautiful miracle baby. She had an anomaly with her placenta that we didn't find out was there until after it came out. She could have yanked on her umbilical cord at anytime and died. God is good! Then at birth her heart rate dropped and was non existent for a time. I had complete faith in Claudette and Jesus that she would be okay and she was. 3 months later, she is bright and laughs all the time. So far my best behaved baby yet!! I love working with Claudette, I almost want to get pregnant soon so I would have an excuse to see her again.

Love you,
Carrie Armstrong

Frank Breech Birth- Twyla Paisley Rae

2011-05-20T15:22:00.000-07:00

This is the story of how I overcame doubt, fear, and negativity within myself so that I could experience the pure, raw power, intimacy, and spirituality of bringing life into this world.
At 36 weeks I found out our baby was breech and my plans for a homebirth were nearly destroyed.
With the help of my amazing fiance, my incredible midwife Claudette, and the support of my friends and family, I decided to forgo the unnecessarian, and instead trust birth, and stick to my dream of birthing her in peace, without fear.
I believe birth without fear is a right of passage, and has much to teach us about ourselves.
Twyla's labor taught me to stop trying so hard to control things. To live in the present moment, and to birth without apology.

Friday December 10th

I was going about my business as usual, nesting like a madwoman, when I took a break to use the bathroom. When I wiped, there was a big glob of rust-tinged mucus. Hmm. I decided to call my midwife Claudette.I had been told to report any sign of impending labor as my first labor was only 2 hours and they wanted to be sure to make it in time.
This was around 12:40 pm. She told me to give her a call back if I started contracting, and said that she would stay in town. I called P at work and told him we may be having a baby today!

Around 2:00 my friend N dropped by with her kids. We were hanging out in the living room chatting when I noticed I was contracting regularly, albeit painlessly. N started timing my pressure waves and found that they were 10 minutes apart. By 3:00 they were exactly 8 minutes apart. I went to the bathroom and lost some more plug. I called Claudette again to keep her updated and we agreed to keep in touch. Around 4:00 I decided to go to the store as our fridge was nearly empty and I knew this little one would be here soon.
I wandered around the store feeling high as a kite, not really able to efficiently watch my 4 year old and remember what on earth I went there for in the first place.
Around 4:30 I noticed that my contractions were slowing down, and my attitude was becoming progressively worse.

I attribute the slowing and break in the pattern of my early labor to being around so many people and bright lights, and of course, my crappy attitude! My baby decided that this was not the night for her after all, and though at the time I was disappointed, I couldn't blame her.
I went home and cried like only a woman who thought she was in labor can. I cried not because I was sick of being pregnant, (I wasn't) I cried because this was beginning like my first labor had, which I had no desire to repeat in any way.
I called Claudette to share the news and she reassured me that this didn't seem like the kind of thing that would go on and on for 3 days. She said she would expect things to start back up soon, and to get some rest while I could. Wise woman! Off to bed I went, to sleep my last night of unbroken dreamless sleep, of about 10 hours.

Saturday, December 11th

P, A and I headed out to his mailbox and on our way back into town, stopped for lunch.

I was taking a bunch of pictures of A and enjoying a street musician rocking out with some Led Zeppelin. I was feeling a lot of pressure but no noticeable contractions. Before we left I took a trip to the bathroom and had a bit more of the mucus. We dropped off A with her dad, and headed out to the mall to pick up a few necessities, a postpartum support band (awesome) and a memory card for the camera.
While wandering (note: following P) around the hardware department of Sears I noticed I was feeling pressure, regular pressure. I spent some time sitting on the bottom shelves there pondering whether or not to phone Claudette again while he looked at tools.
About a half hour later, in Radio Shack, I started timing these pressure sensations.
I saw that they were 5 minutes apart, yet I felt no tightening, no cramping, as I had been feeling with my Braxton Hicks the week prior.
After an hour of these, I called Claudette and updated her. Neither of us really could tell if this was the real deal or not, it was just so...strange. It felt like a spreading, from the inside, pressure on my hips and tailbone, but absolutely no uterine contraction. It was almost as if she was burrowing down, nestling deep into my pelvis every five minutes. What a beautiful gentle sensation it was to feel labor starting all on it's own!
I began to feel a real need to be at home, so we headed out. On the way there, we stopped to take pictures of the sunset, and when we got home, spent about a half hour out in the front yard photographing and enjoying the moon. I remember one of our neighbors coming over and talking to P while I was taking pictures.
"Woah, looks like she's ready any time, eh?"
"Actually we think she might be in early labor now!"
"Um. Wow, so getting ready to head out to the hospital then?"
"No, just inside. We are having the baby right here at home..."
Poor guy looked like he needed a drink after hearing that!

We went inside and tidied up a bit, then headed to our room to have a little time together just the two of us, before there were three.
P had joked before how I should tell him when I wanted him to get her out, and he would.

I will spare the details, but have to say it was amazing. The profound respect, love, and closeness we share made it an unforgettable moment that I will treasure forever. The kind of stuff that makes a hormonal lady cry. (In a romantic and pure love way, of course!)
Lo and behold, about a half hour later things intensified. My contractions were coming 3 minutes apart now, and I was feeling a little more serious about what was happening. I dialed Claudette and handed P the phone. He kept asking me what to say, and mid-contraction I remember getting snappy and telling him he needed to figure it out!
One of the midwives, Dana, materialized at our doorway what seemed like 5 seconds later, Claudette appeared shortly after with armfuls of gear and started setting up in the planned birthing space, our living room.
I recall staring at all the stuff, thinking to myself "Wow, that's a whole lotta stuff they are going to have to pack up and put away in an hour or so when my labor stops... we really shouldn't have called them, I can't believe they are going through all this effort for nothing."
The fact I was having these thoughts in my living room naked in front of everyone wasn't an indicator of active labor to me, apparently...

I went to my room, dimmed the lights and shut the door. I took a deep breath and tried to remember my hypnobirthing techniques. I'll just go lie down, and quit fussing around with things I have to think about...just relax, go limp. Go within, meditate.
I climbed onto my bed and tried to make myself comfy. I was getting situated with a pillow between my legs as another contraction hit.
I laid down and took a big breath, trying to imagine my body sinking into the bed. My legs were in an awkward position with the pillow halfway between. As the contraction peaked the pain became unbearable. I leapt up and squatted beside the bed. It felt better this way, but I hadn't caught it in time for it to be manageable. I howled and rocked, my eyes watering with the intensity of it all.
As soon as it subsided I made a beeline for the hot tub. P had prepared it to be my little labor nest. He hung white tarp from a canopy, and strung beautiful landscaping lights from the ceiling.
I climbed in and found the water to be too lukewarm, and wanted to turn it up. Claudette came outside and suggested that I keep it at 99, at the most 100 degrees. I wanted 101 or 102, but she cautioned that too hot may stall out my labor.

I was disappointed, but tried to go with the flow. I got comfy and started my slow breathing. I tried to remain seated and limp as I felt a contraction coming, but as it continued building, I got up and leaned over the side of the tub, rocking back and forth at the hips.
I had one more contraction in the hot tub, and decided that it was way to small and constrictive to labor in at this time. I got out, toweled off, and went inside to dry by the fire.

I stood leaning on the mantle watching the flames dance and trying to picture myself melting into them, all fluid like, no tension. Another contraction hit and was so uncomfortable..why wasn't this working?! Why can't I be still, why can't I just relax? I went back into my room, wanting to give up already.
I noticed my attitude getting progressively worse, I starting cursing under my breath during contractions and tossing things roughly aside when they got in my way. I told P that the hypnobirthing may have been a scam, because it sure wasn't working for me, and how was I supposed to just lie there and go limp when I felt like all I wanted to do was tense up? Another contraction came, this was starting to feel like it would never end. I dropped to the ground in a deep squat, cursing and feeling resentful toward our baby. "Get the hell out baby, your hurting me!!" I knew it sounded horrible, I couldn't even remember if I had said it aloud or not, but I felt guilty for it immediately.
P continued to assure me, fan me, bring me water and juice. I can't remember his exact words, but I think they were along the lines of- "You need to let go. Stop trying to be in control, and just relax. Everything is fine."
What a great doula! I nodded and tried to internalize his wisdom, to not let negativity engulf me and change my birth from the beautiful powerful experience it was meant to be. I needed to calm down and stop trying to fight my body's efforts.
I went into the bathroom to have a moment of privacy with my thoughts, and to just be alone.
After a bit I checked in the toilet bowl and saw blood. I looked down and saw a long bloody shreds of mucus coming from my body. OK! Things are happening! Cervix is dilating! I'm in labor! Up until this point I was still in denial of what was going on. A wave of fear hit me. Oh no! The moment I have dreaded since I saw those two pink lines has arrived! My heart started pounding fiercely, my vision blurred with panic. My hands began shaking and another contraction hit me, sending me to my hands and knees, howling and almost writhing on the floor. Suddenly the completely manageable contractions had turned into throes of wicked torture. I can't do this, I don't want to do this... I jumped to my feet and ran into my bedroom where P was sitting on the bed, looking relaxed and completely unconcerned.
"P!! I'M IN LABOOOORR!!" I hollered at him, expecting some sort of profound reaction. He blinked at me and looked at me like I was out of my mind. "My heart, it's beating TOO FAST. Feel!! Oh God, what if this was a bad idea, what if something is WRONG?! WHAT IF I DIE??" ....So much for calming down!
As always, he was unshakable, bless his heart. The perfect picture of calm, he looked deep into my eyes and assured me that everything was, is, and will be just fine. Claudette came in to check the baby's heart again, slipping in quietly, kneeling under my massive belly for only a moment and then disappearing again.
I took another deep breath and gave myself a stern talking to with my "doula voice"- If you want a positive birth experience, you need to make it one, they don't just happen. Surrender and completely let go of all negativity and fear! Birth without insecurity, without apology.
I could feel another contraction building, and felt the need to move quickly, so I did. With P on my heels fanning me vigorously, I zoomed down the hall into the kitchen and back, several times and to my surprise, found it to be completely manageable. After a few "runs" I began to feel like a mama panther. I paced my house back and forth huffing, growling and tossing my head, eyes dilated and sightless. At times I almost broke into a run even..when appropriate.
I imagined myself hiking naked under the moon, in the cold December night air. It sounded so amazing, and the absolute most appropriate thing to do. I told P this and headed for the front door. He gently steered me away and back down the hall. I complained and tried to argue, but in the back of my mind knew that it probably wasn't a good idea, us living in a suburban neighborhood and all, a naked woman in labor might prompt my neighbors to call enforcements of some kind, which I agreed would be annoying and disruptive.
I noticed that during the absolute peak of contractions I would pause with my pacing to rock my hips in bellydance-style movements. I pictured women in ancient Egypt and how many of them must have danced their babies out just like I was that night.
After a while I ended up in my older daughters room. I paced back and forth, squatted and swung my arms up and down like metronomes to the beat of my labor. At several points I looked over and noticed the cat curled up on A's little table, watching me with a slightly irritated look on her face for disturbing her slumber with all my blubbering. It was really reassuring, and amusing- to realize that amidst all my internal chaos I was still on earth, in our home, in my daughters room... and the cat was annoyed.

Soon I began to feel very tired. The lovely endorphins were kicking in, and I felt boozy. Between them I would lean over and rest my head, almost falling asleep. As soon as I was comfy and dozing off another pressure wave would build and I would have to get up and swing my arms, power walk and squat when all I wanted to do was SLEEP.
During contractions I started talking to her.
OOOOOOUUUUUUUUTTT BABY, COME DOOOOOWWWWWWWN BABY, Yesss baby, I want to meet you, I want to hold you, to kiss you. Talking to her felt really good.
I was getting exhausted. Though I had only been in labor for 6 hours at this point, my contractions had been coming a minute apart for the last 2.5 hours.
I made my way into my kitchen where the midwives were sitting at the table eating chocolate, laughing and drinking tea. "I'm tired." I announced, waiting for them to give me the magic solution to my problem. They smiled. "Do you want me to check you?" Claudette asked. I declined and retreated back to my cave for more pacing.
10 minutes later I was back. "Can you check me now?" She agreed and followed me to my room.
Thus far she had asked me only one other time during my labor if I wanted to be checked, when I went in to announce that I was bleeding earlier. I had avoided it so far out of fear of my water breaking during/after the check. I had labored before with broken waters and much preferred this, thank you. I am forever grateful that she completely respected my wishes of hands off and lots of privacy. Though at this point I think I was nearing the end of my energy reserve and wanted some feedback.
In between contractions she knelt down and checked me as I leaned forward onto my dresser and rested. I was 7 cms dilated in the front, and 9 in the back.
She went on to explain that though it was a good coping mechanism for me to run laps around the house, it wasn't doing what needed to be done. I wasn't allowing the baby to hold the pressure on my cervix which is what it would take to move things along quicker. She suggested that I do lunges during contractions, and remain still.
Someone might as well have told me to place my hand in a fire and sit still as my skin blistered and melted off my bones...but I knew she was right, and I had to try.
Another contraction came and I immediately began my ritual of pacing and swinging my arms. P asked if I was going to lunge and suggested our nightstand. "Next time, next time.." I muttered, knowing that I was full of it and had no intention of doing that at all and headed into A's room again.
Somehow, in between that contraction and the next, I changed my mind and made a commitment to myself and our baby that I would do what I had to do, no matter how crazy things got.
I took a deep breath and put my foot up on my daughters bookshelf as I felt another one building.
I steeled myself and prepared for massive agony.
I could feel my pelvis open up like a clothespin, joints at the maximum extension, then a little more. I felt so crampy and achey down low, then lower, a burning sensation deep within my pelvis. Standing still gave me a chance to notice and really feel what was happening within me, and it almost felt good. I made loud noises, attempting to let some of the insanely intense energy out of me, then it was done.
Alright, I can do this. It wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. In fact, none of my labor so far was as hard as I was expecting it to be.

I went back into my room and into the bathroom and started restlessly folding the towels draped over the shower door. I had an incredible urge to nest, even this far into my labor!
Another pressure wave was coming, and I tried out the nightstand. Low and loud noises made it possible, even manageable. As the contraction wound down, the top of my belly curled over and a tell-tale grunt followed. "Go get them, tell them I feel like pushing!!!!" I was ecstatic. P went into the living room to relay the news, and they came in to observe. I tried fiddling with the camera, trying to get the video to work. I passed it to P as I felt myself starting another rush. My baby was minutes from being earthside and nobody could get the camera to work!
Claudette checked me again, saying I was complete in the back, but at 9.5 in the front, so I should wait on pushing as long as possible and keep up with the lunges. Breech is a variation of normal, But it's vital to wait until absolute full dilation for the best attempt at a complication free delivery.

I took a deep breath and lifted my leg up onto the ottoman at the foot of our bed. Dana was sitting on our bed peacefully, watching it all unfold. I looked at her, through her, as the pressure wave grew stronger. Time stood still. I flared my nostrils and took in as much air as my lungs would allow. I felt my cervix stretch over our baby as she passed through it and filled me to bursting below. Deep inside I felt the screaming intensity of post orgasmic sensitivity and heat. I was a tuning fork, my entire body ringing with the energy of birth, the cosmic power of earth moving through my bones. I went blind. I saw grasses blowing in the wind, complete peace and stillness, time ceased to exist.

A split second later I snapped back to earth and felt something between my legs. I quickly pulled down my underwear and saw the milky-clear bag of waters ballooning out from me. I could see the water swirling around with bits of blood and vernix. It grew larger and larger then burst with a loud pop all over the floor.
Immediately the urge to push was unavoidable. I notified Claudette that I could no longer wait and was going to just go for it.
I was vaguely aware of Dana running supplies in from the living room as fast as she could. How wonderful! It never occurred to them to ask me to move.

P tried to get behind me to see her emerge, but I asked him to get in front of me. I needed him there to hold my hands as I rode this wave to shore.
I squeezed his hands, and let go. I felt her body stretch mine to the limit, then begin to part from me.
I felt everything. And it was glorious!

I looked down in between my legs and heard Claudette's delighted chuckle- "She's peeing on me!!"
I could see her little buns sticking out, cupped in Claudette's hand. I shut my eyes tight and pushed her out into Claudette's ready hands.
Emptiness. A river of blood down my legs. A baby crying!
Claudette caught her into her chest, without even a chance to put on gloves.
She passed her through my legs and set her on the bed. "Short cord, ok?"
I looked at my new daughter. Crying, wide eyes, chubby and absolutely beautiful. I tried to scoop her up to my chest but her cord was too tight. I set her back down on the bed and cradled her up in my hands and crooned "Hiiiiiii babyyyyyy...There you are"
Welcome to earth baby! 2 minutes of pushing, no tearing! Super easy.
11:41 pm, 12.11.10

She settled down for a moment then cried some more. She pinked up right away and needed no suctioning!
With their help I scooted up on the bed to lie down with my fluffy pink delicious newborn. (My own bed!)

After 45 minutes or so, they checked her over and deemed her perfect, (of course she is!) and with hardly a bruise on her bum. Claudette took me to the bathroom to get cleaned up and dressed (My own bathroom!) while Daddy got to snuggle with his precious little girl for the very first time.

A while later we weighed her, she was a little 6lbs 13.5 ozs and 19".
I was on top of the world. I did it! WE did it!
I had my little "frankie" at home, and it was even more amazing than I thought it could be.

Zephan's Birth

2011-04-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

Dear Claudette,

It's been a while since you helped me give birth to Zephan, and I wanted to finally take the time to thank you for how you served God and pointed us toward God whenever we were worried about the pregnancy or the health of the baby after birth. Because of your encouraging us to pray, we did seek God's direction for this birth, and did experience God's peace.

I look back on Zephan's birth with a lot of joy that I had a peaceful birth. You arrived in time to take precautions against Strep B, encouraging me that the baby was about to come out, and also helping me switch positions to help him come out quickly and efficiently. Yet, I still know that "I did it", and that God game me a smooth birth and healthy baby, with the help of your expertise. Thank you for serving Him boldly, so that women like me, who want a VBAC, have a chance of a peaceful birth.

I also appreciated how you took care of us after the birth, driving all the way down to Sunnyvale several times to check on us and examine us. Because of that, I could relax more, knowing the baby and I were both well.

Zephan's home birth is so precious to me. The entire process of being pregnant and giving birth to him was a BIG lesson in walking by faith in God, trusting Him, not the things of the world. Thanks for always reminding us to trust God. You were definitely the Lord's instrument.

Gratefully,
Tenny

Dylan's Birth Story

2011-04-27T10:33:00.000-07:00

Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to photograph a beautiful birth. When we knew Dylan was coming, the wonderful mother I photographed, offered to be there for Dylan's birth. The images she captured were instantly more precious to me than any other images.

Dylan's birth was harder for me than my daughter's. Active labor started at 1 am and he was born 6 hrs later...he was 10 1/2 lbs and needed a lot of help coming out. His birth was very quick and there was a little complication. After, I only had memories of the pain and the fear. I absolutely hated that that was what I came away with.

When I saw these pictures, all the beauty of this miraculous event flooded back to me and I cried. I cried for hours. I relived the unwavering support of my amazing birth team. I felt the full impact of the moment he was laid on my chest. I remembered the excitement at the beginning of labor and the unmatched relief at the end. I completely felt all the warmth and love that surrounded me and my baby as we brought him into this world.

I write this urging every single mother to have the births of her children photographed. I can't emphasis how much these gorgeous images impact me every single time I look at them. They bring the love, strength, beauty and miracle of my son's birth back to me. They are a precious precious gift and I share them with you in hopes that this type of photography will become more mainstream. I don't believe there is anything on this earth more beautiful than the birth of a child. -Mariah Smith

Thank you Claudette!

2011-04-27T10:27:00.000-07:00

My heart is so full of love and gratitude for you! It is so hard to express in words my thankfulness to you for all you have done for me!

When I think of Rebekah’s birth....wow! You were amazing, Claudette. God truly has given you such wisdom. I thank Him for bringing me such a wonderfully smart and kind midwife. Because I could feel your deep faith in God I was able to have faith, which was such a blessing. Thank you so much for bringing with you your cheery smile and your belief that God will handle it all. God has given you such a talent, I love to tell people all about it. I always mention how you use it not for your own purposes but for God’s glory.

Thank you for taking and developing the pictures, which I look at fondly. It is is so wonderful to remember God’s miracles on that day. Also to remember how kind and loving you were to me and Jimmy.

May God Bless you for all you do for us mothers-to-be!
-Love, Toni Marie

Sarah's Birth Story

2011-04-27T10:20:00.000-07:00

I have always been 100% for home births, so when we found out we were pregnant I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the birth. I knew I wanted Claudette to be my midwife. My labor was very long and hard, so I knew that if I had been in the hospital I would’ve ended up with a C-section. I was in labor for 36 hours, and pushed for 2 ½ hours. It was tough, but I never gave up. I had all my family here supporting me, which was helpful. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. --Sarah A.

Jen's Birth Story

2011-03-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

Claudette and her team are absolutely amazing. Claudette is a woman of solid knowledge and experience, and an uncanny wisdom. She is gifted. We came to Claudette desiring a home water birth. I'd come from two experiences fraught with medical challenges and intervention. The outcome was far less than desirable, save for the arrival of two beautiful baby girls. Third go round I wanted to attempt a VBAC. However, shortly after my second daughter's arrival, all local hospitals had changed their VBAC policy. They were virtually forcing women into surgery, regardless of the uniqueness of their situation. I began to research my options and found, time and again - from women in Sacramento, Fairfield, and beyond - that Claudette and her team were recommended. One of the women was a doula and heavily involved with ICAN, International Caesarean Awareness Network. She had also delivered at home after having had a surgical delivery. I scheduled some time to meet up with the Claudette and her team. When we sat down I found Claudette to be a strong woman with clear focus. As she spoke, you could see her experience and knowledge. She has a strong personality, and though it can be disconcerting if you are unaccustomed to dealing with strong people, who better to be your and your baby's advocate? Claudette has a busy practice, but always had time for me. I'm not sure how she does it. When I was with her she seemed a little scattered, but this was deceiving. She's really anything but. I trusted her implicitly. This is crucial when in the vulnerable place of labor and delivery. When we had the difficulty of some health issues arise, Claudette was concerned but didn't do anything to alarm me. She did her research and waited for my test results (which she put through quickly), and after conferring with her team, colleague midwives and medical staff, determined we were not in a safe circumstance for home delivery and that delivery needed to take place very quickly. We had done all the right things, but I found myself with preeclampsia, a condition needing medical supervision in a hospital. Her ego does not interfere with her good judgment, and as a result, my daughter and I are alive and well after a rapid arrival of a life-threatening situation. I am grateful we worked with Claudette. She even spent some time with us as a coach in the hospital, until a mom delivering at home with an early arrival, needed her help. She then returned to check on me and gave me samples of tea to help my milk come in since I was not with my baby as she was in NICU and I was healing from a difficult delivery. Today I tell everyone considering a home birth to talk to Claudette, and to realize the tender heart she has for her mommies-to-be. Don't mistake what appears to be an abrupt manner as such, as she is concentrating on you and your child's well-being and she really cares. She is funny and fun, intuitive and smart. She and her team works hard for you and though brisk when it's needed, is tender and will always put your safety and well-being ahead of everything else.

Our health issue was not her fault, but I do hold her responsible for the insight that saved me and my daughter’s lives. I am pleased beyond words that soon she will deliver my new nephew or niece. (She was highly recommended to my sister-in-law by several people, including myself.)

Meet with her, ask her questions, and then decide if you want to have her work with you. I'm certain you'll be glad you did. I know I am.

Kaleb's Birth Story

2010-09-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

August 19 early in the morning I was woke up with mild contractions every 15 minutes. This lasted though out the day, so I tried my best to rest yet get everything ready. I knew that this was "it", and that he would be coming probably late in the night or early the next morning. I was READY! Tim went to work like any old day, and the kids played. My mom came up around noon, and soon Tim was home from work. I had called Claudette (my midwife) to let her know that it was coming, and she made plans to check on me through the phone and that evening a house call. The more I stayed in my room the closer my contractions would get, but as soon as I joined the family and went in the living room they'd spread out again.
When Claudette came at 6ish, I was dilated to about a 3! I thought, yep he is coming tomorrow morning for sure. I have longer labors usually. So she offered me Castor Oil, and I said "bleck, no thanks'' I didn't want any of those side effects on top of normal labor. Claudette was considering going home and waiting for me to call her, but she and I were both concerned because she lives over an hour and half away. So she offered to apply Cervical pressure points. I said "sure", thinking that is might speed things up but it would still be a while. Then she told me that 90% of woman have quicker labor when she has done this! Oh my, would I fall into that 90%? She decided to go shopping and come and check me in an hour or so.
BOOM, as soon as she left hard contractions replaced those mild one's and got closer together. When Claudette got here around 8, she surprised to hear me and asked "Is she moaning thou the contractions?" I was and I was to get into the tub. So after a few minutes she checked me, and I was only a 5. My mind went the wrong direction and I was starting to get discouraged, because I thought "great a 5, I still have hours left :0(" I really wanted to get in the water, but Claudette wanted me to wait 'till contractions were a little closer together. So I got up and changed positions and within 10 minutes they were about 5 minutes apart. I was finally going to be able to get into the tub.
During all this time my WONDERFUL Husband and my GREAT mom switched back and forth from helping me breath through contractions, rubbing my back, to helping get everything set up for the birth. They were Awesome! I love the fact that I have the best Husband in the world who loves me so much and is always so kind, but when I am in labor I see his love from his eyes. There is nothing like it! He is my Best friend, and I am so blessed to have such a great partner for life. He never shows worry either, which is so helpful when I am laboring. My mom is such a good encourager. Although this time she had to tell me how proud she is of me and start crying! What a goof:) Made me smile though. Every birth of mine she has come to and she always says the same thing "It is so hard to watch your child go through labor". So this time I asked her to switch me places, but she wouldn't!
Soon my sister in law Rosemary came, and jumped in helping me. She also helped Claudette get everything set up. Having Claudette there was obviously a necessity, but such a blessing too. She was so quiet, yet so very efficient. When asking me questions even during early labor, if I started a contraction she would be so calm and quiet. It was so nice having my care provider do that "CARE", and being her only patient at the moment I felt very cared for.
So around 9:15 I entered into the warm tub! Ah what relief! After 4 or 5 contractions I thought I was feeling like I need to push but not too strong. So Claudette checked me and I was a 7. Woohoo, I knew it was soon. I was thinking like an hour or so. I had a few more contractions and felt THE NEED TO PUSH. She checked and I was 9 and 3/4 barely any cervix left so she told me to go ahead. I started to try to push and couldn't get the hang of it and said "I can't remember how" everyone told me "just let your body do the work". When I started to grunt him down I could feel him coming down and I gave one push. Claudette was starting to put perennial pressure and began explaining to Tim how to help and how to pull the baby up. He was supposed to be catching this little guy. When I said, "forget it he's coming". I kept waiting for the head to crown, when I gave my second push and thought that it was his head. It was his shoulders and my husband and Claudette were together passing my beloved boy to my chest. Wow, that was the easiest pushing ever!
I bonded with my baby, it was so sweet to not be checked proded, and hold my baby to myself. I was able do this till a little after I delivered the placenta. Such an experience. My daughter Kaitlynne was able to cut the cord with her daddy's help. Such a memorable moment. Both of my older girls were able to be in the room when their brother was born. They were standing on the couch behind me. What sweet girls they were, during that time they were so quiet. Soon after the cord was cut Daddy got to hold his new son, as Mommy was helped to her bed. Soon Timmy and Lydia were brought home to see their brother. Timmy was so excited to have a brother now!

I am so thankful to the Lord for such a wonderful birth experience. As well as for a safe delivery! What a good God I have as my Savior, I am blessed to be His child. The Lord saw me through, and as I labored in my home, I was able to see His Words that help decorate my walls. "The Lord is good, a strong hold in the time of trouble, and He knoweth them that trust in Him." Nahum 1:7, my life's verse played over and over in my mind, because my God is GOOD!

My home birth was such an exciting event. A special delivery for sure! It was very nice to be in such a relaxed environment, no monitors, rotating nurses, blood pressure cuff going off in the middle of contractions, no interruptions! It was GREAT!!!
Kaleb Micah was born at 9:42 pm, weighed 8 lbs 5 oz, and was 20 inches long. He is a doll baby!

Deborah's Birth Story

2010-08-24T16:10:00.000-07:00

With this pregnancy I got to thinking about how I might avoid another c-section. When I met Claudette and researched her background I became convinced that a midwife supported home birth was the way to go. My previous physician hadn't been open-minded enough to discuss vbac!

Early in the morning, 2 days before my daughter was born, I started having comfortable but regular contractions. They came five minutes apart for hours. This slowed the following day. When transition started, I panicked and began to have very painful contractions. The only real relief was having my husband rub my lower back. After a few minutes, I was able to handle the intensity of the contractions. I had to give into the pain. Claudette’s confidence in me, helping me to remember that I could regain control once the pushing phase started was truly helpful. She suggested a few times that it would take the edge off the contractions to crawl into the warm birthing pool she prepared and once labor became bearable again. The birthing pool is wonderful and I highly recommend it. I was grateful my midwife suggested it because the bath allowed my body to become re-focused on my goal of natural birth. The birth happened in my bed and after just an hour of pushing and I experienced a true miracle. It really was. I was the first one to ever hold my daughter! Truly the most amazing thing I have ever experienced. God was with us.

I hope that this story of my daughter’s birth is encouraging to other families. Anyone considering a home birth or vbac should seek out accurate information and to know what’s necessary for them to have the births they want. I am grateful every day for the support of my midwife Claudette and trusting in my own ability to give birth naturally.

Orgasmic Birth NEW Trailer

2010-08-13T17:54:00.001-07:00

Deiva Moon's Birth

2010-06-08T13:57:00.000-07:00

My husband and I were in our natural childbirth classes with Susan Bradford (which we loved) with the intention of delivering in the hospital. We wanted to do it as naturally as possible. After a few weeks of the class, we realized that having our baby at home could be the rich, beautiful, deep experience that we'd been dreaming about! Somehow, being in the hospital didn't match what we were feeling - being able to move around, knowing our "team" of people who would be with us the entire time, etc. Being 40 years old, I had nervousness about not progressing and ending up in C-section. (My ob/gyn was preparing me for this as a big possibility). At 32 weeks pregnant, we switched from hospital to home birth. Our decision felt so right for us and was totally confirmed when we met Claudette. She had no concern at all with my age and had total confidence in me. With her knowledge and expertise and just being who she is, we felt SO comfortable, and it never occurred to me that I would need to be transferred to the hospital. Having this confidence in Claudette and her assistant was everything I needed to relax and open the day my contractions started. I was "overdue" so I discussed with Claudette the possibility of taking castor oil. She has such a great sense of humor. She laughed and said, "Now, you tell me the minute you take it!" I think she knew that I would start contractions immediately. And I did. Within 2 hours I was in labor. My husband Patrick was timing my contractions and by that evening I felt the need to have Claudette there. She came to our apartment and checked me and I was only 1 cm. I was expecting her to say at least a 7 or 8cm dilated! She checked me and we discovered that I had scar tissue on my cervix and she applied pressure to some points and I popped open to 3 cm. Things started to slow down so we all tried to get some sleep. That night was challenging to try and sleep with minor contractions, and being so excited to have our baby in my arms. That morning, the baby turned "sunny side up" and I experienced back labor for about an hour. I have never experienced pain like this! Claudette had me get on all fours and she applied ice to my lower back (which is cold on the baby's face) - she didn't like it, and turned!!! Incredible!

Finally, I got to 7 cm and trying different positions for laboring. I found one that was the most comfortable for going into transition - hanging on the shower door. After some time, I fell into the zone and my growling began. Finally, Claudette checked me and said I was ready to push. Music to my ears! I got into the tub and my contractions slowed down so I had to get out and deliver on the bed. I pushed for about an hour (the easy part for me). Claudette was so calm and strong - I knew I was in the best possible hands. The baby’s head came and then her body slid right out. I was in awe. They toweled off the bit of blood that was on her and laid her on my chest. This was her? The girl I carried for 9 months? She looked nothing like I imagined. She was this wise soul that pierced me with the one eye that was open. She started to suckle immediately and soon after I birthed the placenta. Claudette and her assistant were so attentive, loving and present with us - now as a family. After a long period of time, Patrick cut the cord and Claudette weighed our daughter in at 8lbs, 15 oz. Claudette and her assistant was so thorough with Deiva, with stitching me (very small) and with the after care that she gave to Deiva. Claudette came to our home the next day to check on us and brought Deiva a gift! Thank you, Claudette for bringing us OUR gift - bringing her home safe to us!

Claudette will remain in our hearts forever. She helped us have the exact experience we were hoping for.

Audrey Nichole Burt's Birth

2010-03-16T22:53:00.002-07:00

Audrey Nichole Burt was Born on March 4th at 4:54am, weighing 7lbs 12 oz 20-inches long, in the comforts of "home". Labor was amazing, virtually pain free, pushing was intense, and delivery was pure bliss! There where no doctors, no beeping monitors, no practices and procedures. It was Me, my body, my baby, my husband, our amazing midwife Claudette and our birth "team" whom I am truly grateful for their amazing love and support. Together we shared in the miracle of life.

Two weeks before at "39 weeks"

I started having contractions in the late evening. They were about 7 min apart and getting pretty intense so I called my friend Kate to let her know that "this might be it". She was out doing birth photography so she got everything all ready and came over. We took a few walks…contractions picked up… some were stronger than others and I would even have to stop walking and just breath. So we came back into the house and I called Claudette to let her know. She was at another birth so we decided to keep updating each other and see if the contractions continued through the night...

As the night went on the contractions would pick up and than get sporatic but remained intense until morning where they seemed to stall out a little. Kate left and went to work and Steven and I got some sleep and than went out to lunch. They picked up again and we thought this really must be it! Since the baby was posterior Claudette encouraged us to try to get the baby to rotate so we went onto the spinning babies website and followed some of the instructions. After a few hours of trying some of the techniques I felt the baby rotate and instantly the contractions stopped! So we went to bed! It was slightly disappointing but the break was welcomed and the rest was needed.

The Big day "40 weeks 6 days"

I made plans earlier in the week with Kate to go up to Willow Grove and have pizza at Skippolini's Pizza where they are famous for their “Labor- Inducing Preggo Pizza.” We thought it would be a fun time to bond and enjoy ourselves while waiting for Baby’s arrival. That morning I went to a friend’s for lunch and a play date with my 18 month old. I left to pick up my husband Steven, and meet Kate to leave for Skippolinis…but by the time we got to the Modesto to pick up Kate I was having contractions 10 min apart-but they only felt like pressure and were not painful or intense at all. So after picking up Kate I received a phone call from Claudette to discuss whether we were going to stick with the birth center or stay home ( I was already at 5 cm and 100% effaced and lived an hour from the birth center). I told her about the contractions and our plans to go to the pizza place which is in the same direction as the birth center. We decided to update her after we ate and further discuss our options. It took about an hour to get to the pizza place and by that time my contractions where about 6 min apart but still not painful or even intense so we ate the famous Preggo Pizza and talked and enjoyed ourselves for a while. I decided to call Claudette to let her know about the contractions. She encouraged us to stay in the area and walk around the local mall and see if there was any change. We found a mall and walked it several times and admired baby clothes. The contractions got closer together between 4-5 min apart but again where not painful. Claudette called to check on me and we decided to meet at the birth center so she could check me-- I was really not sure if I was in labor or not but we did not want to go all the way home and not make it back in time!

After getting a little lost on the freeway we finally made it to the Sacred Birth Place birth center. Claudette checked me and used some pressure points and I was at about 7, I laid down to rest for a little while during contractions while waiting for my doula, Tammy, to arrive and Jessica, the student midwife. I got a burst of energy and sat on the birth ball and we all chatted for while. I continued to have painless contractions through this whole time, so Jessica suggested I do some lunges. After a while Claudette did some more pressure points and checked me and I was almost at a 9. The baby’s head was still turned to the side so Claudette used a cold compress on my back to trick the baby into turning her head. I was chatting on the phone with my mom at this time telling her how amazing this all was and how I was in close to no pain at all. I had to stop talking and breathe during contractions, but not because they hurt, because they knocked the wind out of me.

From this point on the contractions got closer together so they filled up the birth tub. The whole time I was still feeling very relaxed and chatty, I got into the tub and continued to gently labor and talk. Claudette came in after a while and urged me to get some rest so I would be able to progress further and not be so tired when it was time to push. So I got out of the tub and laid down in the bed on my side with the lights dim. Tammy stayed with me and rubbed my back during contractions, and everyone else went to the couch to rest. They started to get closer together and slightly intense but still never hurt, I would moan through them and remind myself to relax and let my body do what it needed to do. It was amazing, almost as if I could feel myself dilate that last centimeter… I was in such a zone… so relaxed so peaceful....

I "knew" before the next contraction even started that I was going to have the urge to push, I was so in tune with my body at this point and still not in any pain. When the contraction began I felt the urge and started to push and groan. I told Tammy and she woke Jessica and at this point I lost all sense of time and who was where doing what. I was in my zone, I was squatting on the bed and each time I felt the urge to push I would brace myself for support on the head board and push, after a few pushes I felt like nothing was happening and I started to doubt myself a little I called my husband over and talked it through with him. He was my rock, and encouraged me in that moment of self doubt, he was amazing! I started to get hungry and took a couple bites of banana and a few sips of water and continued pushing, at some point Claudette suggested I change position, she seemed to know exactly what I needed when I needed it and was so gentle about suggesting things. I changed positions and laid on my left side and WHAT A DIFFERENCE! I could really feel my pushes doing something now! I could feel the baby descending and felt a sense of accomplishment come over me! But it was suddenly pushed aside at the next contraction where the baby's head started to pass the extensive scar tissue from my previous birth. I let out a scream of pain as her head continued to descend the birth canal... 1,000 thoughts ran through my head I began to ask God for strength and at them same time was begging for a break so I could sleep. I tried to maintain control of myself and encourage myself to keep going but as each push continued to bring her over the scar tissue the intense pain overwhelmed me. This is where my amazing birth team supported me so much telling me that I was doing great, and that it was almost over, and my baby will be in my arms any minute now. As her head began to crown Claudette focused my attention away from the pain by telling me to touch her head. Oh what an amazing feeling to touch her!

In just a couple more contractions she was out and on my belly where I checked her sex (we hadn't known she was girl prior to this) and at this moment my heart doubled in size! My baby girl Audrey Nichole was now in my arms and everything was right in the world!

Afterbirth

After delivering the placenta I felt like something was "off" and kept calling Claudette over to check my bleeding. I passed a bunch of clots and she handled it so calmly. The midwives of the Sacred Birth Place administered a shot of something to clamp down the uterus and stop the bleeding. Everything was handled so beautifully so calmly and so loving. I could never have asked for a better midwife and a better birth experience, I could do it again a hundred times over. I can truly say I love Claudette and my whole birthing team! The Birth center was so beautiful and was set up to feel like a home way from home. This was such a healing time for me after such a rough hospital birth with my son. What a wonderful experience!

-Kristy and Steven Burt
I am a Breastfeeding, Sleep sharing, Cloth diapering, Baby wearing,No vaxing, No CIO, Attachment Parenting, Gentle Discipline, Stay-at-home mom!

"The Business of Being Born" 2007 Trailer

2010-03-11T11:43:00.000-08:00

Birth: it's a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to examine and question the way American women have babies. The film interlaces intimate birth stories with surprising historical, political and scientific insights and shocking statistics about the current maternity care system. When director Epstein discovers she is pregnant during the making of the film, the journey becomes even more personal. Should most births be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potentially catastrophic medical emergency?

Sarah's Birth Story

2009-11-24T08:43:00.000-08:00

Birth

I have really wanted to write about the home birth of my daughter but it is so hard to put down into words. Birth is such a private and sacred event that it is difficult knowing what to share and what to make public. Let's see how this goes.

The Plan

I was excited with this birth to finally be planning a home birth. Truthfully, it is something I had considered with my others but was either too scared to do or just too broke to pay for since insurance did not cover it. My first was born in a hospital with midwifery care and my second was born in a stand alone birth center.

I was so lucky and blessed this time to find a home birth midwife willing to allow me to make payments. I want to give praise to all those midwifes out there that are willing to be so generous so that women can have the beauty of a home birth.

I felt strongly with this birth that it should be at home and I knew that all would be well with this choice. It is a wonderful thing to feel comfortable and safe in our decisions regarding birth.

The Day

I was of course a week and a half overdue!!! Which is frustrating when you are uncomfortable. I had been going to bed every night HOPING that I would go into labor (since I had always started at night with my others).

This time I woke up in the morning and started laboring. Since I knew I was having the baby at home I spent the morning running around trying to clean things up, picking grapes with the kids, and making a dinner for that evening. I just couldn't get everything done fast enough.

I think the idea of having children at birth is wonderful, but honestly, having my kids climb on me in the middle of a contraction was a little distracting so in the afternoon I called my mom to have her come pick them up and take them to eat and play. (MacDonald's anyone?)

Time is always blurry in labor but I think I called my midwife around 3 in the afternoon to give her a heads up. My husband had some patients at 4 and I told him to go see them (always thinking about cash flow, that's me). Around 4:30 my mom came to get the kids and my mother in law who we live with realized that I was in labor. My mom wouldn't leave me alone and around this time I had her call the midwife, and I told her that my husband needed to come home NOW.

My midwives were both about an hour away so I was honestly worried that they wouldn't make it.

Everybody Arrives

My husband came home, my mother in law was busy cleaning and bringing me damp cloths and ice chips, the kids were away and my midwives showed up.

This was my most intervention free pregnancy and birth and it was wonderful. In labor was the first time I had exposed the baby to any ultrasound at all when they checked the heart rate intermittently with the Doppler.

The midwives knew that I wanted this to be as hands off as possible so the only suggestion that they made was that I not labor in a sitting position. For some reason when I sat the heart rate was difficult or impossible to find.

So I labored all over the house. I was in the tub when I asked to have dilation checked because, honestly I just couldn't take it any more and wanted to know if I was close.

I was at a 9 1/2 with a lip on one side. My midwife recommended that I roll over so that the lip would disappear on that side. I did that and got out and was ready to push! YEAH!

About this time my mom showed up with my kids to see if she should take them to her house or what and when she heard how far along I was she said she was not going anywhere. I heard my midwife tell her that we would have a baby in a few minutes.

I had envisioned this birth a very certain way and that is much how it played out. I went into our TV room and squatted by our couch. I had really seen myself catching the baby. I just wanted it to be something that I did on my own without being messed with.

Pushing

So, with my mother, mother in law and children in the next room, listening but not watching, and me, my husband and the two midwives in the TV room, I started to push.

I have to admit that pushing is the hardest part for me and I kind of dread it. I have heard that lots of women love this but- well, I don't.

I started to push- and I admit- this time I really understood the epidural. This for me is the most intense time. I hate to call it pain because pain is such a small and silly word to use when talking about labor and birth. However, it was intense beyond belief. This is definitely my rock and a hard place. Something that has to be done but something I really wish someone else could do for me.

My water burst all over the place (kind of neat actually, I had never had this happen before) and in a few short (or incredibly long) minutes my sweet baby girl is born!

I had imagined catching the baby myself but I was starting to slip while squatting and I had to hold onto my husband so as not to fall over, so the midwife caught. The baby was born with the cord wrapped around the neck which explained why some positions were bad for the heart beat.

The Beginning

I have only been to a few births and one thing I noticed when I wasn't the mother was that when the baby is born it is kind of all over for the birth team. There is not much to do except clean up and leave. But with the birth of your own child the birth is just the beginning of something beautiful. Now you get to get to know this new sweet person that you have been waiting for for so long. It is the beginning of a new life for the whole family.

What I Loved

This birth was so amazing and satisfying in so many ways. I have loved the births of all my children, but this was so untouched and pure, it just seemed like birth with no regrets. It was birth how it should be. I feel so blessed and lucky to have been able to have a birth like this.

I am so grateful for two midwives that were not only generous, but so incredibly respectful of me and my wishes. There was no ego involved for them. They seemed to have zero need to feel important. They were fine with just being on the sidelines, just in case, because that was what I wanted. They respected all of my wishes and needs, even if what I wanted was to be left alone. I never got any pressure from them to do anything that I felt uncomfortable with or pressure to have the baby on a certain day or in a way that worked well for them.

Why

I know that from the outside I just seem crazy to people. Here I am, a housewife, obsessed with natural childbirth- who cares right? This is why-

I want so badly for women to know that birth is beautiful. It can be hard and crazy, even painful, but it is so much more. It is awe inspiring, amazing, and heavenly. It is our moment to be so close to life and death that we can just taste it. It is overwhelming and it is worth it.

I wish that women everywhere were respected and loved in this most sacred moment of their lives. I wish that we all could look at birth as so much more than just something that you have to go through in order to get a baby. I think of birth as a right of passage, a preparation for motherhood, a gift of love to your baby, yourself, and the world.
I know this sounds cheesy but it is true!

What more can I say! I love birth and I feel grateful everyday to be blessed to experience it in this life.

Govinda McComb's Testimony

2009-10-20T11:17:00.001-07:00

My first son Raja was born at home in our bathtub attended by Claudette and her team. We are truly thankful to have had their participation at his birth. Their care and support during my pregnancy helped me feel confident and safe for our homebirth. They are also very empowering in that they had lots of information for me but always let me make the decision that I felt was best for my family. Claudette is a very busy woman, but she is able to fully tune in and connect with me when I need her. She is extremely knowledgeable about all aspects of the birth process, alternative and conventional medicine.

Aurora's Birth Story

2009-10-14T20:23:00.002-07:00

Aurora's Birth: The Real Deal
11:48 PM Friday 20th June
9 Pounds 5 ounces, 21.5" long, 15" head
Minutes into Cancer, on the Solstice

Aurora's birth was magic. Pure magic. On so many levels, for so many reasons.

My first birth was traumatic, an iatrogenic cesarean for care provider impatience. It should never have happened that way.

My second birth is best characterized as "running uphill", and through nine months of fight, with the world and my own head, I had a triumphant home birth VBAC.

This birth? This was how it should be, for every woman, every where.

Prelude
Our story starts with the pregnancy before. I was 11 weeks along, and on July 31, had a miscarriage. We had moved aboard s/v Excellent Adventure by then, and I labored with that miscarriage for seven hours, alone, watching the moon cross the sky, passing blood and flesh and sobbing like I was dying, for the grief of the pregnancy I was losing. In between hideous gushing contractions, I went outside on the deck of the boat, and listened to the sea swirling along the length of the seawall by the boat, and to the "sailor's serenade" of the wind in the rigging of the other boats in the marina.

I was drained physically and spiritually. I found Mina, my spectacular acupuncturist, who treated my body and my soul. I recovered pretty quickly, but was still a little off my game. Two weeks later, I had another "mini miscarriage", where I bled heavily for eight days. Anemic and exhausted, drinking Floradix straight from the bottle, I mourned. A scant week after that, I flew to Cincinnati, OH, for a working conference of birth advocates. I got dehydrated from the plane trips, exhausted from staying up too late talking to my friends, I ate horrible food, drank way too much caffeine, and jumped from the hot tub to the icy pool over and over again, thinking it was somehow purgative, and saying "well hey, if I can't be pregnant here, at least I can enjoy myself!"

When I got home, naturally, because of the time change and the residual effects of the miscarriage, my charting (NFP) was off. My temperatures were high. I waited patiently for the next fountain of blood. Any day now. Yep. Any day, I'm expecting that temperature drop that signals the coming menses. And I passed my normal time... and kept going. My temps stayed high. Incredulously, I looked at my charts, at the proof that I was somehow pregnant. I can't take normal pregnancy tests; my body's hormone levels, while they do support healthy pregnancies, do not register on blood or urine tests. We'd had sex precisely once, precisely one week after that huge second bleed, right before I took off for the conference. By all the rules of NFP and of biology, this pregnancy was impossible.

I held my breath for the entire first trimester. I lived in dread as the time to my last miscarriage approached, and blogged tentatively about mashed potatoes, rather than about being pregnant. And that date passed. I was a normal, exhausted, nauseous, but completely pregnant woman, with a baby that was going to stick. Celebration! I called Claudette, as much to have someone to be happy with, as for actual care. Mostly, she and I talked revolution and overthrow of the current obstetrical system during my "prenatal" visits. I know enough about my body to keep tabs myself, and to course-correct when necessary. So I gestated in peace, bonded with my baby, and had the calmest pregnancy yet.

The only emesis during the pregnancy was during the third trimester, at JavaOne, the annual Sun Microsystems Java programming language conference. Moscone Convention Center, where it's held, was hit by a norovirus outbreak, and when the Health Department found out that a pregnant woman was involved, they panicked utterly, and demanded that I "consult with my OB" to make sure I was safe. So from my hotel room, I phoned Claudette who listened patiently to me freaking out, laughed a little, said "sweetie, it's called the placental barrier for a reason; your baby is safe as long as you're not dehydrated." So the hotel bought me coconut water, and I recovered more rapidly than my coworkers.

Trust Birth
During my second trimester, I was given an opportunity to speak at the Trust Birth conference. And the conference was incredible. I got to spend three solid days immersed in the beaming encouragement and approval of women from all walks of life, like a dose of Vitamin Birth, and I have never felt so supported in my life. I learned all kinds of things there that ended up being very helpful to me during labor.

I felt fabulous, the pregnancy progressed unremarkably. For my extended prenatal care, I retained the services of a phenomenal team, Conrad and Mina. They believe that your body cannot accept an acupuncture treatment without being in alignment, and cannot be in alignment without the muscles being relaxed, so they do a 30 minute massage, followed by adjustment, followed by an acupuncture treatment. I was being relaxed, aligned, and balanced, and felt better than I'd felt in my prior two pregnancies. Mina, who is a phenomenal healer, was able to move the baby around just by rubbing my belly gently; the baby would rotate to stay in contact with her hand. I've never seen repositioning done so easily before; imagine how the birth world could be changed if more people had this skill!

During this time, I had a sit-down conversation with Don, the harbormaster, about my plans to birth on the boat. I'd done my homework in case of emergency. The local fire department has a five minute response time (that is, five minutes from when I call to when they're at the boat). Then it's seven minutes up the hill to the nearest and best hospital, Alta Bates, which amusingly enough was the backup hospital I'd chosen for Kestrel's birth too. They're really decent and care-based and I've heard a lot of very good reports back from women who've ended up there. So I was 12 minutes from emergency care, which is better than I was in our house. Yet there was still this lingering perception with people that I was having a "stunt" birth. Whatever. Don was totally fine with it, seeing as how he's a smart man and realizes there's not a darned thing he could do about it. Living in a marina is a lot like living in a small town, though, and word gets around. And not one, not two, but three people took their "concerns" about the "danger" of my birth plans to Don. Bless his heart, Don's response was "why don't you go ask Laureen for her research on this... if you dare. Then come on back and I'll have Band-Aids for ya." Turns out the maintenance guy here, Thomas, was also very much on our side; his sister has had five home births. And, as he put it "people have died here in the marina; it's nice to finally have a birth here instead." So our unconventional plans continued unharassed.

Having had a homebirth with Kestrel, we pretty much knew what to expect in terms of my attitude and needs during labor, and physical logistics. I pulled together the stuff we were going to need over the course of a week or so... some chux pads, a tarp for the bed, spare sheets, coconut water for hydration, mag-phos for the hideous leg cramps (which didn't happen this time), and all the supplies for the new babe. And then... we were set. Oh, wait... and we had the takeout menu from our favorite sushi place. Critical, that.

Mystery
By the third trimester, I'd started showing the wear, and as the pregnancy went on I got bigger, as only a woman with a very short waist can do. It's no wonder to me that induction rates in this country are so tremendous; pregnant women get driven to it by the relentless pressure placed on them by clueless but well-meaning bystanders. I got asked if they were going to "let" me get any bigger? Why I hadn't induced? Wasn't I ready to have the baby yet? (I nearly slapped that person). And then the obvious-yet-attempting-subtle phone calls from people "just to see how you are" which is a code phrase for "have you had the baby yet?" Sometimes, you gotta just pass up the opportunity to educate, and respond to a question with the only answer possible. "Oh, I had it weeks ago, but I jammed this basketball up there cause I think fat and waddling is a good look for me."

I only had one really strong pregnancy dream this time. Everyone and their dog was speculating about the gender of this baby I was carrying. So in my dream, I laid down to labor, pushed the baby out in one strong push, and brought it onto my chest. The baby was a perfect Shiva, complete with crescent moon headdress, and third eye, which winked at me. I woke up laughing; Shiva is often considered to be androgynous.

I nested this pregnancy, which I hadn't done before. I arranged, organized, and cleaned. The relaxin hit my system with a vengeance, and my pelvis separated about a month and a half before the birth, which made going up and down the stairs in the companionways sheer torture, so I had to plan my trips across the boat more carefully than I'd plan trips across the Bay. Jason nested too; because I was so confident in myself and my choices, I really hadn't involved him in the pregnancy much. When he finally had something to do, "set up the birth tub", he finally had a target for his own birth tension, and so he not only set up the tub in our cockpit (which involved removing the installed table there), and created a heater for it, he also converted the cockpit into a sanctuary for me, with electric fairy lights, hanging candles, crystals, incense, privacy drapes, stacks of clean towels, and a power plug for my laptop. It was gorgeous, and I have no pictures of it at all; we were so absorbed in the creation, we utterly forgot to document.

It Begins
Prodromal labor began nearly three weeks out. I got excited, but kept it to myself, other than the gasps that from time to time I couldn't hide. Jason got ridiculously solicitous, stuck by me like glue, and asked if he should start heating up the tub pretty much nightly. I was ready, and then some. I sailed past 40 weeks, past 41, and into 42. All the other women I knew who were pregnant at the same time as me had their babies. I wrote pleasant congratulation notes, all the while stewing that I wasn't there yet. And then finally, I went into labor. Hard, sharp contractions that I had to concentrate through. Fabulous!

...and then they petered out. I did that three times; went into labor that was unmistakably labor, only to try to "rest" through the contractions, and have them disappear. I woke up each time hugely, wildly disappointed. I allowed myself a few solid cries, hoping the release would make things get moving. But no such luck. We eased into 43 weeks, and sailed past all but the very last of my calculated due dates.

On the evening of June 19, labor started up again, and I was so disgusted with the start and stop thing, I didn't even say anything. I tried to palpate the baby to assess position, and couldn't feel anything like a landmark through my rock-solid belly. The pains were long and low and down in front. So I just coped. I drank water, ate a huge dinner, and resolved to endure another false alarm. And as 8:00 PM and 9:00 PM and 10:00 PM rolled past with no easing, I decided that maybe Jason should turn the heater on for the birth tub.

I was able to sleep a little between 10:00 and 2:00 AM. But then the contractions got too serious to sleep through, so I got up and headed out to the birth tub.

The Journey Across the Sky
At some point in the past, I read that there's a native American group who believes that labor is so the woman's spirit can journey across the sky to bring her baby's soul to earth. I wasn't really too sure about that, until this labor. The night before had been the full moon, and it was with some shock that I realized that there I was, in my birth tub, watching the moon cross the sky, exactly as I had been for the miscarriage all those months before. And it seemed to take no time at all. The ocean would rock, the boat would rock, then the tub would rock. I was being cradled in a virtual sea, meditating on a brilliant full moon, pulling it all into a rhythm with the surges in my body.

Around 4:00 AM, I remembered that I'd wanted to watch "Henry V" during labor, so I popped the disc into the laptop, and watched while the moon and the sea and my belly continued on in their rhythm. I adore Henry; it's a film that never fails to inspire me to persevere. And since I had insane long labors with my boys, I assumed I was at the beginning of a long journey, so I was sort of reserving myself. I watched the movie, and at the end of it, was surprised to find myself still in labor. I was also sort of concerned and assuming that it would peter out again, but it was still going strong. I sent out an email to all my support folks, letting them know that this was it, and to light candles or pray or do whatever they wanted to do in the way of support.

I spent the rest of the morning drifting in and out of the present, getting in and out of the tub, cuddling with the boys, trying to rest between contractions. I have never been so spacey during labor. I listened to Loreena McKennitt, and realized at one point that it wasn't that the song I was hearing had gone on really long; it's that I had spaced out the entire hour and a half of my playlist and tuned back in at the same song.

The things I learned at the Trust Birth conference kicked in here. I noticed that all of the unassisted birthers, and all of the women who had really great births, all communicated with the baby during labor. So as each contraction picked up intensity, I'd chant "baby, baby, baby" to get me over the peak and down the other side. I visualized this little person rolling around, getting into position. And I actually felt the baby moving with me, with the contractions, lining up to come out and be born. It was triumphant in a way I can't even describe. The baby and I were a team, we were focused together on this dance of birth. I was so amazed, I forgot to hurt. It was intense, it was brilliant. I kept it up; "baby, baby, baby, come on out, baby". I whispered it, I growled it. The contractions got more and less intense, depending on how the baby was moving at any point. I drifted off, I dozed. I moved back in and out of the tub, into my berth like a denning animal.

Before long, it was nightfall. I was in the tub, and Jason was sitting with me. Claudette called for a progress report, and I was chatting happily (and apparently somewhat disconnectedly) with her when a contraction hit, and I handed the phone to Jason. Claudette asked him how long I'd been unable to talk through them, and he said "oh, only like an hour." She asked if it would be OK "if I was just in the neighborhood". I thought this was gloriously funny; she lives about an hour and a half north of me. Once she was in range, she phoned again, and asked if she could stop by, or if I wanted my space still. I was so disconnected, there could have been a parade through the boat and I wouldn't have noticed, so I told Jason to have her come by.

In between the call and her arrival, I felt the need, quite strongly, to be down in the berth. I made it only as far as the galley, before I had to stop and breathe. Claudette arrived, quietly, and just listened to me for a few minutes. She gently said "hey, lady... you sound kinda pushy."

I laughed at her. I have insane long labors, and I was only 26 hours into this one, so I still had ages to go, right? She was there just cause she wanted to be, and I still had miles to go. I opened my mouth to say something just like that to her, when this animal grunt came out and I felt the beginnings of a push. Able to say only "huh!", I made it the rest of the way to my room, when a full-on pushing urge hit, and my waters broke. I laughed as Jason went to wipe the floor, at the amusing picture of the waters cascading through the floor and into the bilge, and then into the sea. I had been part of the ocean in labor, and now I was creating ocean water. It was funny, and I could not say a word of it, because there was another push. Still without having seen me, Claudette suggested I try laying on my side to help bring the baby down.

I laid down, and proceeded to have the most excruciating pain of my life. I knew I had to do it (it felt right), but still, oh ouch! I moaned "I can't, I can't, I can't" over and over. Jason gave me the encouraging "yes, you can, babe, you are doing it!" and I snarled "SHUT UP!" (I've never yelled at Jason in labor before, so this was a big deal.) He flinched, and took the opportunity to go to the boys' room, to ask if they wanted to come see the baby be born. Rowan woke briefly, yawned "I'll meet her tomorrow, Papa" and went back to sleep. Kestrel didn't even stir. Notice... Rowan chose the right gender. He's like that. He also knew I was pregnant, both times, before I did.

After about 10 minutes of this, I instinctively rolled onto my knees, grabbed Jason's shoulders, and was overtaken by an earthshattering push urge. He rubbed my shoulders, and I snarled "DON'T TOUCH ME!", he reflexively pulled back but, another urge, and I was leaving clawmarks in his shoulders. He held up brilliantly.

Suddenly, the push just.... stopped. Everything stopped. I gasped, and breathed, and got very, very still. It seemed like forever, although it can't have been more than 30 seconds or so. Then the overwhelming push urge one more time, and I felt something give huge resistance, and then let go as the baby slid out of me.

Claudette swooped in under me and grabbed the baby, and started counting loudly, "1...2...3...4...5". I had no idea what she was doing; I was frozen in an arch, like my body had gotten stuck. I looked down as she unwound loop number 2... my baby had the cord looped around the chest both directions like bandoliers, and three times around the neck. I didn't even look at gender, I was so fascinated by those loops around my baby. Who was not breathing.

Claudette laid the baby back down on the bed, and I sat back down. I could feel the cord still pulsing inside of me, across my leg, and down into the baby. I had a sense of complete, utter calm. I noticed that my baby was female. But mostly, I was just in this little bubble that was just she and I, that other people kept moving in and out of. She wasn't breathing still, and I caressed her chest, singing "breathe, baby, breathe" to her. Jason wanted to freak out (she came out so fast he didn't even see that the cord had been around her, so wasn't sure what was going on) but I wasn't, so he didn't. He didn't know what I knew, that she was still connected to her cord, which was still connected to the placenta, which was still connected to me, so she was still receiving oxygen. No need to panic. Claudette suctioned the baby, bagged her a few times, and she began to breathe.

I held her close to me, and felt the most incredible surge of animal protectiveness. I just sat there and held her and watched her breathe. Somewhere in the back of my analytical brain, I was thinking about the Furyans, whose babies are born strangled with the cord. I had apparently done just that; the stall and the tug I felt was most likely the cords tightening around the baby on her way out.

The assistant midwife came back into the room after about 20 minutes, and asked if I had any urge to release the placenta, or if I wanted her to help. Apparently I snarled at her (I don't remember doing it), and she retreated again. I went back to holding the baby and watching her, touching her limbs, her face, and just being utterly absorbed in her being.

Finally, about 45 minutes after her birth and about 40 minutes after her breathing had been established, the placenta detached, and I delivered it with a halfhearted halfpush. This is somewhat remarkable, as my placentas with both the boys were detached and out within 10 minutes. Apparently, this time, my body knew that the baby needed more, needed a longer attachment and a continuation of her oxygen source past what her brothers had needed. The pulsing of the cord stopped almost immediately, and Jason cut it. The midwives examined it, and discovered it was a nearly velamentous insertion.

I left the baby in Jason's arms, and made my way to the other side of the boat for a shower. Cleaned, dried, dressed in my happy tie-dye jammies, I got one stitch on each side (which I wouldn't have bothered with, except for the requirement of incessant stairclimbing here), and then had a moment with Jason, where we stared at our new baby girl, and she let us know that her name was Aurora Miranda. I also realized at that moment that it was still the 20th, so I'd had her on my friend Dana's birthday, which also happened to be the Summer Solstice this year.

Dance of Spheres
And thus began the rhythm of our days. We snuggled and nursed. Her brothers came to hold her and adore her. I had the best, fastest, most complete recovery I've had so far. Four months later, it's still fabulouser and fabulouser by the day. She's an amazing creature.

I am so incredibly grateful I had her at home. Had her cord gotten messed with, the breathing thing would have been an emergency instead of just another transition. Had a care provider less skilled than Claudette seen all those loops of cord around her, they might have panicked. But no panic was necessary. Had someone gotten jumpy and "assisted" me with the tardy placenta, the velamentous cord would have ripped out, creating hemorrhage. So many elements of the disasters I've seen in other births that were avoided just because I trusted, and was surrounded by those who trust.

This birth had a few things to teach me. I learned that indeed, every pregnancy is different, as is every labor. She was completely anterior, 100% of the time, with no need to reposition, which was new, and different, and so incredibly much easier and less painful. And because of that, I know now that in fact my labor with Rowan was one of the hardest things a woman can do (posterior labor with a baby who's both huge and asynclitic), and there's a little easing in my heart of my feelings of failure about not having been able to birth him. I'd also like to toss out a great big fat neener to the midwives and OBs who told me that my malformed pelvis must have forced my baby into a posterior position and those were the only kinds of births I'd ever have.

I also know, now, that one of the great hidden truths in birth is that it is a dyad effort. The baby is there and participating, just like the mother, and you separate those two awarenesses at your own peril. In my first two births, I thought the baby was a passive part of the event, but I know differently now.

Aurora Miranda, my solstice girl. The adventure begins...

Kestrel's Birth Story

2009-10-14T20:23:00.001-07:00

Prelude
The Fears: Inability to birth. CPD. FTP. Secondary Infertility. Uterine Rupture. Denial of VBAC.

This pregnancy was long in coming. I'd had a cesarean with my first child, Rowan, and all the pain and fear and misery and feelings of failure and depression that come along with that. Lots of women sail through birth, and entirely bypass the transformative experience that it can be. I know that for me, the gift my Rowan Thaddeus' birth gave me was to have my worldview ripped apart and reassembled with staples and vicodin. I had taken birth for granted, as something the women of my line just do...and it was not so for me. I had to find an entirely different path.
I had huge secondary infertility fears. So of course, in my birth-as-transformation path, I was dealt a miscarriage at around 10 weeks gestation; a so-called "silent" miscarriage, where my body reabsorbed the whole thing. Turns out, the miscarriage was as critical a part of my path as all the rest had been. The cesarean left me very bitter about caregivers in general, midwives in specific. So when I was pregnant with what ended up to be the miscarriage, I approached the search for a care provider with not a little cynicism and attitude. So it's probably not surprising I got a lot of that back. But I did find one gem; Claudette, a midwife for whom it's truly a calling. She was very kind to me through the miscarriage, very patient, and, shockingly, exceedingly practical. It was a lovely combination, and I filed her away in my head as "people of quality".
The other thing I researched, obsessively, was the VBAC climate in California. It was not good. I discovered, through many demoralizing calls, that the nearest hospital to me that even entertained the notion of allowing (ha!) a trial of labor was over 50 miles from me. Pretty sad, when there are two hospitals within five miles of me. The fact was, if I showed up at a hospital, I would end up cut. This was sobering and saddening, but it forced me to be determined in my planning. If you have no acceptable backup, the only way out is through. I let people know that I would not hear the term "VBAC" applied to me, because I was having a baby, not a VBAC. The term gave too much power to the last birth, and not enough credit to the future.

The Pregnancy
The Fears: Care Providers, Being Eaten Alive by The System.

In the interlude between the miscarriage and getting pregnant, I stumbled onto the idea of unassisted pregnancy and birth. And it just... resonated. Looking back, I think it resonated so hard because I still had a lot of hate in my heart, and a lot of feelings of being utterly unsupported by the medical/birth establishment. I read. I researched. I analyzed. And decided that the start of my unassisted pregnancy would be the rejection of all prenatal testing and monitoring.

You don't realize how enculturated you are until the bazillionth time you drive past the pharmacy and have to exercise force of will to keep from driving in and getting a pregnancy test. Even goofier in my case, since I'd been charting, knew within a day when I conceived, had my temperatures to back me up, and I'm one of those women for whom pregnancy tests don't work. But still... there was the lure of the little pink line. I resisted. And that resistance made me that much tougher in researching and then rejecting each and every other potential prenatal test. I never saw a doctor, a midwife, or any other formal care provider.

And it was glorious. I reveled in what I knew for myself. I built up my shattered confidence in my knowing of my own body and what it was doing. I got massages and acupuncture treatments and chiropractic adjustments. I did yoga every day. I ate fabulously well. I felt really, really good about my body and what it could do. And the pregnancy progressed completely unremarkably. Zero drama. Zero stress. No arguments. Just gestating in peace. Incredible.

Going into Labor
The Fears: Eternal prodromal labor.

Contractions started about a week out. No big deal, very mild, but it was part of my new body awareness and personal calm that I could feel which twinges were Braxton-Hicks contractions, which ones were priming my cervix, and which ones were just dehydration. I cherished my sleep, took extra long naps, and settled in. Since last time I'd spent the weeks leading up to birth exhausting myself, I spent this time recharging. Ahh...
I was also very nervous about calling it labor too early. I'd done so much prodromal labor, and it was so disappointing, that I was kind of in denial this time. Also, Rowan was 4 weeks overdue, so I was also in denial about going into labor "on time". I thought I still had a month or so to go.

No, Really; Labor
The Fears: Pain. Swelling. Pushing. Failing.

Monday morning, May 30, 2AM, I was awakened not by my customary need to get up and pee, but by a very strong contraction, lasting nearly 2 minutes. Huh. OK. Started losing the mucous plug, which was neat, because I don't remember doing that before. Went back to sleep. Continued that pattern (contract, wake, back to sleep) until about 10AM. Got up, and started quietly organizing my space. I tried to hide the contractions, since prelabor had been the bane of my prior pregnancy. But these contractions kept getting stronger and closer together. Eventually, I just gave up the fight, told Jason it was time to focus, and started really working with them.

It's tough to simultaneously be calm and pacific and opening through a contraction, and try to help it be "productive" as well. What's that about? And since last time, direction to push prematurely is part of what went wrong, I had to really focus on that fear, and try to banish it. But tough!

I tried to just breathe through them. That lasted through Monday, and into Tuesday morning. By dawn Tuesday, I was unabashedly vocalizing. Apparently I scared some of the neighbors. Sometime in that time, my waters broke up high, so I was trickling fluid. Rowan was incredible...he'd come over, kiss my belly, tell me he was making it all better, and then yell along with me. What a guy. Didn't seem the least bit scared. I took a lot of comfort from that...
By 1:30 Tuesday afternoon, after 20 hours of pretty intense labor, I was exhausted, I was scared, and I was wondering what the hell I'd been thinking to not just schedule a repeat cesarean. I had also started bleeding a small amount, and passed an odd bit of tissue. They say the mind gives up far before the body does, and I think they're right. I gave up. Just...gave up. But Jason wouldn't let me. While encouraging me, telling me that I wasn't allowed to give up, and that he knew I had more in me, he found Claudette's phone number (which, in an interesting psychological spin, was NOT in the basket where I'd put every other thing we could potentially need for the birth). He found it, called her, described the situation, and held his breath while she thought about it. For about ten seconds. "I'll be there as soon as I have someone to pick up my kids!" she said. No hesitation. No lecturing. A calling.

She showed up around 3:45, and the assistant midwife, Paula (as I later found out, the only person in the area who didn't basically say "throw the crazy u-birther to the wolves"), showed up around 6:00. They were quietly reassuring. They were calm. They were practical. Claudette assessed babe's position, and confirmed that he'd swiveled posterior. Thus, my labor stall-out. I got on hands and knees and leaned on the birth ball, and they applied ice to my sacrum ("They hate ice", she tells me. I can't say but that I don't agree, I hate it too!). Every time I wanted the ice off, Jason talked me through keeping it there. Ugh!

Apparently, I'd sent some wave out on the psychic hotline, because everyone showed up at my house after that, hell-bent on being supportive and encouraging. My sister in law Stacey, who'd been at my first horrible birth, her husband Mike, my brother in law Marc, my friend Isabel...we also got more phonecalls than we'd had in the prior several months. Everyone pitched in to provide food, to keep Rowan entertained, to do laundry and keep things tidy. I was totally oblivious, focused on the contractions, on moving from the bathroom to the bedroom, to moving the baby back around the right way. Any time I moved even the slightest bit into a bad position, baby flipped posterior, and we had to coax him back. I burned a lot of energy that way, but learned so so so much about my body, and about my prior birth.

Very respectfully, Claudette asked to check me. Fully dilated! WHOOT! Time to push...

...and push. And push. And push. I had zero urge, and was really scared to push. Might not have been brave enough at all, had I not had that confirmation that I was complete, since pushing against an incomplete cervix was part of what stalled my labor out last time. Jason counted out the pushes for me, push for a count of ten, breathe in deeply twice, push for another ten, breathe another two, push another ten. Rest as minimally as I could stand to, and do it again. Two hours worth. Thank God for strong thighs, a sturdy sink, and other people counting, because I was so deep in focus, I couldn't keep count myself.

People kept appearing at my side, offering me watermelon gatorade, which sometimes I drank and sometimes I snarled at. Paula tried to get me to eat a spoonful of honey, which I puked back up into the sink immediately. Cool washrags appeared at my brow randomly, sips of water; it was all a blur. Somewhere in there, Paula fed me a homeopathic remedy to deal with the leg cramps I started having. Claudette turned all the lights in the room off, which startled me a bit. "Your brain makes more oxytocin in the dark, this'll be better for the baby." I looked around, and realized that she and Paula had set up all their newborn stuff...Wow. They weren't hedging, like the midwives last time. They were setting up their gear, like it was only a matter of time before I had that baby. And I don't think they intended it to be the statement of faith that I took it as. But it made a huge difference to my attitude. I realized that even at that point, I was still questioning, but they weren't.

About half the time, the "urge" kicked in, and I felt like I was turning myself inside-out. The other half, I felt like I was pushing against the immoveable object. I couldn't feel the baby moving down, I couldn't feel any progress, I felt like I'd been torturing myself for two hours for nothing. "Reach down and touch your baby!" Claudette told me. I reached down, and sure enough there was the head, just about an inch up the birth canal...but there was also... "What the hell is that puffy thing?" I yelled, just before another urge-push, that brought the baby up to my perineum, and returned my focus entirely to what I was doing.

The burn of the "Ring of Fire" was definitely there, but compared to the contractions, it was no big deal. I eased the baby's head up to my perineum, then backed off. Then up to it. Then backed off. Oddly, this was very instinctual; I just knew that I had to do this bit very, very gently. Warm cloths and hands supporting my perineum were just irritating, and I snarled at whoever was trying to support it. Finally, the urge, stronger than any of the others, to get the baby OUTOUTOUTOUTOUT!!!!! My water broke, explosively. PUSH! There was the head! PUSH! And plop. There he was. He? Yup. He.
My baby was a boy! No one thought I was having a boy!!! I went to swoop him up, and Claudette said "short cord! Be careful!" I could not quite get him to my chest, with how tight the cord was, but it didn't matter... I don't think I'll ever find the words to describe how utterly enthralled I was by his eyes in that moment. He was quiet, alert, and the most gorgeous thing in the entire universe.

The placenta came about 10 minutes later, with very little cramping and no effort whatsoever. Jason had to call Claudette and Paula back into the room, because they (and everyone else, but I was totally unaware of any of it) had retreated to allow us some family bonding time. No one thought the placenta would come that fast, but there it was. I bled a tiny bit additionally, but not even enough to wipe out an entire chux pad.

We waited until the cord was totally limp and drained, and the baby no longer startled when we touched the cord (a tidbit I picked up on some birth list or other; baby will startle if you touch the cord on the placenta end, if it's still pumping). Rowan and Jason cut the cord together. I spent this happy time getting four stitches.

Epilogue
The Realizations: CPD means nothing to me. The Birth Machine can't stop me. And it's OK to get some help from your friends.

After the jubilation set in (seconds after I felt him come out of me), the first thing I realized was that I HAD DONE IT!!!! Nothing I ever accomplish in the rest of my life will ever be that empowering. Later, after we'd measured his head, did the full impact hit me; not only was his head the same size as Rowan's, but with the nuchal hand (which is what the "puffy thing" was that I'd felt when I reached up to touch his head coming out), I'd birthed something significantly bigger than what had gotten me a CPD diagnosis.

Victory? Victory is sweet.

Much later, probably the next day, I started thinking about writing this story, and about milestones in the experience. And it occurred to me that, had I been laboring under the care of an OB, a MedWife, or had I been anywhere but home, I would have been cut again, at several different points in the adventure. My water broke significantly before the 12 hour limit. I labored far longer than I "should" have. Baby went posterior several times. And of course, I did give up once. That's four places that being home saved me from the machine, saved me from the knife, saved me from that horrible place in my head again.

Perversely, I also think that without the cesarean, I would not have appreciated this miracle. I have spent the two weeks since this birth comparing all the minute details, and having my world rocked. But without that first hideous birth experience, I wouldn't have known what of this to appreciate. I will tell Rowan, when he's old enough to understand, that he was my learning baby, and I will tell Kestrel that he was my confidence baby.

Most importantly, though, I think a very big hole in me was healed, not just with the birth, but with the midwives being present after all. They both took a risk on attending me. Claudette had only the vaguest notion of what I was like, Paula had none at all. Both were, realistically, risking all kinds of legal disaster, depending on what situation they found when they arrived. And they both have so much faith in birth (not in me; they didn't know me), that they showed up, and provided that bit of support I needed to drive a stake through the heart of the last of my fears. They were there for me, and therefore, I am healed.

Brian's story of Adeline Joy's Birth

2009-09-15T23:00:00.000-07:00

For the birth of our second child, my wife and I knew that we wanted a different experience than the first. Not that the first was all too bad (in the hospital), but we wanted a birth that was free of intervention, and the stress of the hospital. Choosing to have a homebirth was not an easy process. Being surrounded with friends and close family working in the medical profession, there were many doubters of our plan. In fact there were several instances throughout the pregnancy where we were indeed swayed by such doubt.

Choosing a midwife to perform the prenatal care and the birth attending was simple as we only knew of one in and around our location. We were just lucky enough to have Claudette in our area, because she was truly remarkable. When faced with the doubt in our minds, and the voices of our friends, Claudette, and her calming demeanor steadily and professionally swayed us back in the direction of homebirth. We are so thankful that she was a good voice of reason in our heads during these times of doubt. She never directly persuaded us; rather, told us all along that this was our decision, and our birth. In the end, we knew we wanted our birth plan not to be defined by often misinformed and doubtful influences, but instead as we pictured it; in the comfort of our home and surrounded by people of support and familiarity.

Throughout the pregnancy, Claudette and her partner, Dana were very attentive to my wife and her needs. Not once did we question whether or not we should be seeing an OB. Thoroughly and with great care, our midwives followed the progression of the growth and health of the child within. As our pregnancy was completely free from complications, we never had to make any decisions; however, we asked a lot of “what if” questions of Claudette (due to our medical friends), and she answered them as well as any doctor could have in our opinion. We were truly 100% confident of our midwives abilities, and were completely ready to experience a home birth.

When the short and easy to manage contractions started one day, we were excited about the events that were about to take place. Free from stress, and ready to labor, my wife quietly worked her way through early labor in the comfort of our home and with walks around our neighborhood. Claudette was there to answer any questions that we had and was regularly checking in with us despite the fact that she was involved in another birth (or two) during the day. As contractions progressed, Claudette continued to gauge the progression of events, ready to react in due time. The labor at home was incredible in comparison to hospital labor (maybe because at the hospital we had a TON of pitosin), but for anyone reading this thinking about homebirth (and any husbands reading this too), I can tell you that laboring at home is way better than the sterile environment of the hospital. Being in total comfort, and doing what you want, free from liability, women are able to labor in relaxation, which makes it go more quickly and smoothly.

As time progressed and we knew it was time to contact Claudette and get her over to our home, we had experienced about four hours of active labor by ourselves. When Claudette arrived, she checked my wife, and found that we were beginning transition (7-10 centimeters dilated). Claudette went into action, carting the “hospital” into our house. Suitcase after suitcase of “just in case” equipment was wheeled in and set up. Dana, the other midwife involved also arrived shortly thereafter. We had a couple of our friends come over as well to be a part of the experience. By the time my wife got into the tub, we knew it was going to come very quickly. Claudette and Dana provided additional support and guidance by helping my wife get into different positions in order to bring the baby further down into the birth canal. We did not get this kind of advice in the hospital, likely because they do not want you to move too much due to liability. As the baby began to crown, Claudette and I got into position to deliver the baby. As the baby came out, I was able to “catch” it. It was awesome to think that I would be the first one to touch this baby.

After the initial delivery, Claudette and Dana were very sensitive to mom and baby being able to spend uninterrupted time together. My wife and I were able to spend quality time with the baby, soothing and beginning to nurse our new girl. In the hospital tests are immediately performed, which I believe is a way to move you through the process as quickly as possible. Once we had our time of connection, Claudette and Dana did all the necessary tests on the baby and thoroughly checked my wife to make certain that all was ok. They stayed for about three and a half hours after the delivery, working and making certain that everything was fine. The midwives were completely attentive to our needs, everything from proper nursing to bringing my wife tea, and then cleaning up our home from the labor process. After everything was packed up, the baby was checked out and my wife felt great, the midwives left our house and drove off to the next delivery. (literally)

I completely understand that homebirth and truly natural childbirth is not for everyone. I understand that many would say that they would feel safer in the hospital. I too had those feelings during different times of this process. My wife and I asked Claudette some tough “what if” questions. Claudette satisfied all of our fears by answering confidently. In the end, after considering all of the facts (statistics too), I can attest that I felt much safer with Claudette and Dana than I would have ever felt in the hospital. Birth does not need to be a medical process. If you are sick or dying, go to the hospital, if you need surgery, go to the hospital. If you are pregnant and beginning the process of envisioning your ideal birth, consider using a midwife and having your baby at home.

Juniper Cierra's Birth

2009-09-15T22:51:00.000-07:00

In the month of July, one summer, I had my first home birth experience. Led to Claudette through my older sisters birthing experience with her, I felt I was in good hands although I was surely entering into unfamiliar territory. This was to be my 2nd child though I haven't birthed in 12 yrs.! I was 17 then and in the hospital, totally on their watch and catering to their own conveniences.
I had friends made aware when I was in labor so that the prayer chain would be in effect. I believe it was. I was afraid of the unknown, of tearing especially since I thought I am a good candidate for a large baby. My husband is a tall husky guy and I am all of 5'1! I was afraid of how I would do when the pain was too much! My mind got the best of me, God kept having to ground me every time. Needless to say, I was clinging to Christ on every level. I prayed that He would show mercy, that the birth would go fast.
On July 29 my contractions were rapidly growing closer and harder at around 6pm. Shaana was able to fly over anxiously awaiting my babies arrival! Claudette was there in no time totally prepared and in good spirits. I had a team of 2 experienced women who completely cared about my well being and the coolest part was it was in my very own house!
I stayed calm and focused as everything happened so fast. I remember at one point in my birthing experience feeling the intense pain and asking God for help out loud and then I heard Claudette behind me start to pray as well, knowing exactly where I was at. I didn't know this at the time but as I was trying to push Claudette observed my baby as her head was out for some time. Without progress after a couple pushes, Claudette had reached in and rotated my babies body inside me because she wasn't doing it on her own. We were then able to deliver her easier.
My little girl was born 5 hours after their arrival. I felt comfortable with my support system to have just let myself do what I needed to do. God kept me strong for the majority of the time and...yay….I didn't tear. I had a very painful postpartum with Uterine Atony. Even in that, God showed His grace towards me. Claudette knew just what to do and without a bunch of medication! Shaana's presence and soft voice was exactly what I needed.
I am so thankful to my Lord for His awesome gifts in my life! I am expecting another baby in December 09 and I know I can trust in the expertise of both Claudette and Shaana. Also, as a woman, I now know what my body is capable of due to Gods own design. So amazing!

Who is Claudette? Disclosure

2009-09-15T22:24:00.000-07:00

Informed Disclosure

I, Claudette Coughenour, have been providing professional birthing services since 1989. I received my initial training and apprenticeship from 1985-1989, at the Gentle Birth Center in Burbank, CA (which is now the Natural Birth and Women’s Center). Concurrently attending home deliveries with four ACHI trained midwives, Tonya Brooks LM-CPM (founder of the Association for Childbirth at Home International, ACHI), Pam Jesse CM, Lori Jensen CM, and Diana Kramer RN. During this training I became IV and Phlebotomy certified through Holman Laboratories (CA accredited). In this four-year apprenticeship I also became a certified Childbirth Educator, Lactation Counselor, Doula, and Certified Midwife through the AIMS program (ACHI Institute for Midwifery Studies.) From 1989-1995, I attended deliveries as a ACHI certified midwife and trained three apprentice midwives. In 1996 our family moved to Ohio, where I attended deliveries in Amish country, often working with Freida Miller, and other Mennonite midwives until 1998. Also, in 1996, my sister (Charlotte Sanchez CPM) and I started our midwifery practice called Sisterhood Midwifery Care, serving families from Detroit to Toledo to the Amish in Ohio.
I became a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM) in 1997. This is a national certification sponsored by North American Registry of Midwives. I became a California Licensed Midwife from 1998-2005 and trained several apprentices while being in business as Sisterhood Midwifery Care. In 2005, I became a Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator. I first acquired my certification in Health Care Provider CPR and Neonatal Resuscitation in 1993. I have kept all the previously listed certifications current.
I received my bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and am currently working towards a Masters of Science in Midwifery at the Midwives College of Utah, thru classes and research using the Microbiology Lab @ Napa Valley College. I am also a preceptor and BSM (Bachelor of Science) Reviewer for the National College of Midwifery in Taos, New Mexico. I am an active member of the California Association of Midwives, (CAM), Lamaze, ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network), MANA (Midwifery Alliance of North America), ICTC (International Center of Traditional Childbirth), and a board member of Mom’s In Bloom (Solano County Resource Center). I attend peer review meetings regularly through CAM and the Sonoma County Peer Review group.
Since 2005, I have been working in a group practice, New Life Birthing Services, which consists of Claudette Coughenour CPM-CD-LCCE, Dana Fox LM, Susanna Napierala LM, Luna Armstrong LM-RN, Shaana Keller CD-DBE, Kellie Fuller CD-CBE, and Katie McGuire RN. I also work along with Selena Green LM-CPM at the Sacred Birth Place (a birth center in Oakland, CA) and Rosalie Anchordoguy CNM.
I believe parents (women) should be involved in their own health care and make informed choices concerning treatments, therapies, and interventions that could assist them and their newborns. I am committed to assisting women give birth as naturally as possible with least amount of interference or intervention. In order for parents to accomplish this, they need to educate themselves concerning diet, exercise, supplements, chiropractic….and refrain from the use of certain drugs/medication and alcohol during the childbearing years. Parents need to attend childbirth classes to gain a better understanding about pregnancy, labor, and the birth process. It is necessary for parents to learn coping techniques to deal with the discomfort of labor, breastfeeding and latching techniques, postpartum recovery and newborn care. My goal is to help educate, encourage, and assist women with the transition into motherhood whether they are delivering in a water birth tub, at home or in the hospital. I want to help parents learn how to ask questions and stay informed with the health and education of their children. Whether they are delivering at home, a birthing center, or at the hospital.

Jody's Birth Video

2009-06-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

Annie's Birth

Willow Sander's Birth Stories

2009-06-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

I have had three children, three wonderful boys. I was born at home myself, so I thought about it with my first, but decided for one reason or another, that I should play it safe and have him in the hospital. I ended up getting really high blood pressure towards the end, and being induced at 37 weeks. I started the induction on a Monday night, and he was born on Saturday, 5 days later, by C-section. Once my water was broken, Friday morning, I finally started having regular contractions, and after 20 hours of pitocin- induced contractions that were every 2 minutes and 1.5 minutes long from the get go, I decided on an epidural. Ultimately, the epidural caused me to have a fever, that caused my baby’s heart rate to speed up, that made me have a C-section. I didn’t get to hold him for 3 hours, and even then, it was only for a minute. His blood sugar was a tiny bit high, and because of that, they insisted that he have sugar water in an IV, and started feeding him a bottle. He was in the NICU for 3 days, and on the fourth day, he finally latched on, and after the fourth night after his birth, I got to take him home. I was in the hospital 8 days. The worst news is that today, he is 7 years old, and has severe disabilities, likened to Autism, Sensory Integration Disorder, and Cerebral Palsy. I don’t know how much of it was related to his birth, but you better believe I wasn’t going to risk that again. I wasn’t traumatized by his birth, I was just so happy to be a mom, but I knew I could have done it differently. When he was 5 months old, I decided to become a doula, and in my training, I met a wonderful woman who is now a good friend, who had a homebirth VBAC with a midwife, who got me all excited about the idea. The doula trainer and I also became fast friends. Becoming a doula opened me up to a whole new world of people and ideas about birth. The fourth birth I attended was with my new friend and HBAC championeer Laine. It was a homebirth, but not only that, a breech homebirth. The whole thing was a very spirit-filled experience. We were praising God and lifting up His name the whole time. It was incredible. I was high from that experience. The midwife was Claudette, and I know that God had placed me there at that time in my life for a very specific reason. During the post-partum visit with my client, I said to Claudette, “I’ll see you when I’m pregnant”. Little did I know, I was already pregnant at the time.

So I excitedly planned a homebirth VBAC, or HBAC for my second pregnancy. My doula trainer Connie would be my doula, I knew it from the moment I met her. My HBAC friend Laine would also be there for support and to take photos. Even my childbirth education teacher with my first son, who first told me about becoming a doula, was the assistant to Claudette. It was perfect. I had no idea what my labor might be like, since the first was 100% manufactured. I felt safe and protected in the hands of God and of these incredible woman that He had placed in my life. I started having my first contractions the day after my due date on July 12th. They were random, but strong, and I was feeling them a lot in my back. The next few days were spent having contractions come and go, but they were always strong. We had a chiropractor over to the house to try to help turn the baby, who was clearly in the sunny side up (posterior) position. I was calm and still happy to be at home during this time. I just kept thanking God for the natural process of each contraction bringing the baby closer and closer to birth. My doula was there much of the time, as was Claudette. I think I should have paid her $10,000.00 for the amount of time she ended up spending with me. On July 15th, in the evening, I decided to get in the tub to try to calm my contractions down enough to sleep. Claudette headed home, and I headed for the tub. It seemed like almost immediately I went into transition. My contractions were coming every 2 minutes, lasting a minute-and-a-half each time. We called Claudette before she even made it home, and she returned. When she got there, I was 7-8cm. Soon after, my water broke. Sometime around midnight I was declared 9cm with a lip, but the baby, (my now 5 year old Elijah) was still backwards, and wasn’t budging. It felt like we did everything. My body started to get really tired due to days of labor, and Claudette broke out all the tools to get things moving again, breast pumps, B12, I even tried to push past the lip for a few hours. Finally, around 5:30am, we decided to go to the hospital for an epidural and some rest. By 9am I had the epidural, and to all of our surprise, I had actually gone back to 7-8cm. But while there I quickly went back to 9cm, and then again, stopped. We started a bit of pitocin, and that still wasn’t working. My doulas and midwife Claudette stayed by my side the whole time. I was so very blessed to have these woman on my team. Elijah’s heart rate stayed steady and strong, and all the doctors and nurses were wondering why they just hadn’t given me a repeat Cesarean already. But I knew, that as long as his heart rate was strong and steady, we didn’t need to worry. About 4:30pm my team had a “team meeting”. They said, Okay, what are we doing here, are we just going to let her sit at 9cm forever? We need to do something about it, and that they did. As my husband stood guard outside the door of the hospital birthing room, and told the hospital staff that we were doing a birth visualization, my team got to work. I got up on my hands and knees, (with an epidural), with the help of my doulas. As Claudette reached in and turned Elijah’s head, my doula Connie turned his body from the outside of my belly. It was a success, I was finally complete!!! I was elated. The nurses and doctors came back in and convinced me to turn back on my back so they could check me. I knew I was complete, but I couldn’t tell them how I knew. So once I turned back on my back, I was back to 9cm with a lip, of course. But I quickly got to 10. I could finally push around 5pm. After hours and hours of almost being there, he’s almost there, my epidural had worn off, and I was begging for them to get him out. Finally, at 9:12pm on July 16th, I felt my beautiful and big baby boy Elijah squiggle and squirm out of me, vaginally, the way I wanted it….. sort of. He was 9lbs 12 oz. I was victorious, elated, and also tired. Even though I decided to transfer to the hospital, I know without a question, had I not started at home, and had the amazing support of Claudette and my doulas Connie and Laine, and God on my side, there is no way I would have been able to have my VBAC. The best part of that, is that it paved the way to a easier birth for my next one.

When I became pregnant with my third son, I was excited, but nervous. The last birth had been so long and hard, I was sure I wouldn’t have what it took to go through that again. But I contacted Claudette and she had all the confidence in the world that it would go smoother and faster this time, and I took her word for it. About half way through my pregnancy I started doing hypnobirthing, which was a huge confidence lifter for me. With Micah, my third and final son, I started labor with him May 4th, early in the morning. I laid in bed most of the morning, listening to my hypnobirthing CD’s, remaining calm, excited and handling the contractions with ease. There was no discomfort in my back, and I was thrilled that I was not having back labor this time. My contractions were anywhere from 7-10 min apart all day. The plan that Claudette and I came up with, is that we would not let me head down the path of a long, tired labor this time, and if it seemed to stall, we would take action earlier. So at 8 pm when my contractions were still 10 min apart, I was frustrated and asked Claudette if I could take a little Castor Oil to see if that moved things along faster. She agreed, and I took it at 8:30. She happened to be at Costco so she said she would come by and check me. I had the same doula team, (I am so lucky), but Laine had since moved to Sacramento, so I called her to let her know I was taking the Castor Oil, and she decided to just start to head down, better not to hurry. Also, my mom was on her way from San Diego that night, hoping to make it for the birth. Claudette got there and checked me at 9:00, and I was 6-7cm dilated, and 80% effaced!!! Wow!!! I was so thrilled. I was in hard heavy labor by the time I was 6cm last time, and I never even got there with my first, so I was thrilled. I owe my peace and calm and ease of the first two stages of labor to my hypnobabies, it really helped me to relax and have peace while still progressing in labor. At around 11pm my mom arrived with my sister, and Laine arrived from Sacramento. That is when things really started to pick up. My husband Jason called Connie about that time, and she was there by midnight. Then it was baby-having time! Contractions were coming on strong and frequent. I got in the shower, used the ball, and started to really get into my birthing mode. By that time the hypnobabies wasn’t helping, and I wasn’t doing a great job of staying relaxed. That’s okay though, I’m still very grateful for it up until that point. Micah started to turn towards an unfavorable position. I could tell by where Claudette was finding his heart rate. She said to me, we could try knee-chest for a half hour, or I can just go in there and manually turn him. I was all for the turn. I wasn’t going to let him get all the way over into posterior position. So once again, I got on my hands and knees and someone, (I don’t remember which doula, helped guide him from the outside, and Claudette moved him from the inside. I visualized him turning into the right direction, and prayed, and asked God for help. He did it!! We did it, he got into the right position, and now it was a matter of keeping him there. We used all kinds of ways to keep him in the right position. Soon after that, my water broke, which secured him into the anterior, or right position. It was at this point that I lost it. His big head was trying to move my tail bone out of the way, and wow did it hurt. Even though Claudette told me I was 9cm, I assumed it would be hours before I could push, since it had been last time. But because he was in the right position this time, I quickly got to 10. I was fighting it the whole way. I didn’t believe he was really coming down. Well, in this case, the power of the body is stronger then the power of the mind, because he moved down. I was declared 10 and told I could push, but I didn’t have the urge, and I started to worry because I never felt the urge to push last time either. I decided to get in the tub at this time, which I was staying out of out of fear of the water moving him back into the wrong position. As I lifted my leg to get into the tub, a strong contraction came on, and Wow……… I started pushing. Before I knew it his head was half way out as I was squatting next to the tub. I yelled, he’s coming out, someone get my mom, who was downstairs with my sister at the time. With only a few more pushes his head was completely out. He had a little trouble getting his shoulders out, but with Claudette’s quick fingers and skill she hooked him under the shoulder and helped to guide him out. He was a little purple when he was first born, but with a little oxygen and talking to, he pinked up and cried. He was 10lbs 4oz, and I had no tearing. Wow!! I did it. It was literally the second best moment of my life. (the first was the day I got married). The whole thing was surreal. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. He has turned out to be the sweetest, calmest baby yet. He was born in his very own bedroom, and I always tell him that. One thing that I missed with my other two births, was the moments after birth that I got to hold, and cuddle, nurse and talk to my baby moments after birth. I had seen the photo of other couples holding their baby, in their own bed, right after birth so many times, and I wanted that experience for my own, and with the help of God, Claudette, and my whole birthing team, that dream was realized.

I honestly can’t say enough about Claudette. I wouldn’t trust anyone but her with my births. Her depth of knowledge and skill in birth is unprecedented. I have been blessed to see her skill many times over, as I have attended 7 births outside of my own with her, 4 of them VBACS. She knows more about birth and pregnancy then any doctor or midwife you or I have ever met, I promise you that. And the best part, is that she prayed for me, and ushered in God’s spirit and called on the name of Jesus through the whole process. I could not ask for any thing more then that.

Anne Giosso’s Birth Story

2009-06-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

I would love to share my birth story as it has some unusual aspects to the other birth stories I have read so far on Claudette's great website: for one, neither my husband or I identify as Christians or are religious at all for that matter. What was wonderful for us is that that DIDN'T matter in our relationship with Claudette. She was so loving and kind and accepting of us for who we were, heathens or not! I cannot begin to describe how wonderful that was for me and how much I needed that unconditional support and level of professionalism.

Also, I came close to dying.

This was my first baby and I really wanted to stay out of the hospital. My cousin had had 2 homebirths and we talked and I felt it was right for me. My husband agreed and we found Claudette through our local acupuncturist--very word of mouth.

When the big night arrived, I entered hard, intense labor from the get-go. I remember begging to be told if I was in transition because I didn't think I could go much longer and was so relieved to hear, "Honey, you've BEEN in transition." Claudette was really great at making suggestions and quietly but persistently getting me to follow them! I was worried about her the whole time because I knew she had literally just gotten done with another delivery and hadn't any sleep. Her assistant at the time, Kelly, was great in that she really filled Claudette's support role while Claudette caught a few zzzzs in the spare room.

And yet, when things got rough and I got frightened, I cried that I only wanted Claudette with me, and she would rouse herself and calmly kneel by the tub and hold my hand and re-assure me over and over that I was fine, I was normal, I was in labor. Her hand felt like a lifeline to me in those dark moments of transition.

The biggest bang to my story was actually the afterbirth, because after 2 hours of hard pushing and finally getting my baby out, the afterbirth didn't come! Blood began to gush and Claudette began to pace. Medications were administered and she calmly kept asking me if I felt any contractions. "No", was my constant reply. Finally she took a deep breath, cleared the room, and told me she had to go in once to check where the placenta was and then she'd have to go in again to get it out--or we were headed for the hospital fast. I didn't really realize what was about to happen, but got with the picture quick when she had to go in up to her elbow 2 times to save my life. And save it she did, thankfully, on that all-important 2nd go; placenta out, bleeding magically stopped, anemic new mommy in a daze but alive and going to stay that way!

Yes, she did all that--on no sleep and only having had one other woman experience adherence of the placenta and near bleed-out in all of the 2000-odd births she'd attended!

Claudette's professionalism and dedication to her calling is truly God-given--and yes, that's coming from this non-church go-er! (I never said I wasn't spiritual...:)).

Anne and Dan

Birth Stories of my three girls

2009-06-02T16:20:00.000-07:00

In August I had my first born by emergency C-section. Not at all what we had planned. We took Bradley classes and read lots on homebirth and hospital birth. But we weren't ready to make the leap for a homebirth, money wasn't there and we thought we could do it naturally in a hospital. Long story short, my time ran out in the hospital, I had been there for the 12 hrs, so my doctor called the nurses several times and we ended up breaking my waters. Claire's cord came out first and we had to put me under to make us all safe. Come to find out later that Claire was too high and she should have never broken my waters.....After many months of anger and frustration we knew we would never do that again!! A year and half later, my friend delivered a beautiful baby boy at her home with Claudette. I was pregnant and struggling to figure out what we were going to do. I kept thinking I could never have Claudette, because I don't live close enough to her, but my friend was almost 2 hrs from Claudette. And I was 1 1/2 hrs from her. I interviewed many midwives, but we kept coming back to the fact that she is Christian, which is very hard to find in this field. As soon as I talked to her on the phone I knew this is who we would use. When you go to an appointment with her, she is all yours you can talk to her about anything. She will spend as much time as she can answering questions. During the appointments I learned more about my body than I ever knew. She knows so much and has seen it all. Then when it came down to the birth this is where she shines!!! She was amazing. When she arrived after a several hours of beginning labor she checked me and I was at 8 cm. I stalled there for many more hours, my waters again weren't breaking on their own. We prayed a lot, because my next decision would rely on trusting in God and in Claudette for knowing what was best for us. We had done everything we could do to move Catherine down to the correct position and she felt the next best thing was to break the waters. We all prayed together and separately then she made the bag weaker and my next contraction broke the waters, after that everything went so fast! 40 minutes later I had a beautiful baby girl in my arms. Such a blessing. God was there for us then and he was there for our third. My husband and I had moved farther away from Claudette so I was worried about her making the long trek up to the birth. I had nothing to worry about. In fact there were a few times I thought I was going into labor, so I was able to see how fast she could make it to me. I wasn't trusting God, but by the end of the pregnancy I had to. My labor this time around lasted almost an entire month. Many nights of thinking I was going to have the baby, but then nothing. Lots of practice. Lots of phone calls to Claudette, and lots of prayers. After she was 1 week past her due date we decided to try some herbs to speed things up. The next morning I lost my plug and Claudette came. I trusted that everything was going to work out for the best and it did. 5:30pm I was 3cm. I took Castor Oil, and 2 1/2 hrs later, I was at 6cm, and 20 minutes later Julia Marie was born. Julia is my beautiful miracle baby. She had an anomaly with her placenta that we didn't find out was there until after it came out. She could have yanked on her umbilical cord at anytime and died. God is good! Then at birth her heart rate dropped and was non existent for a time. I had complete faith in Claudette and Jesus that she would be okay and she was. 3 months later, she is bright and laughs all the time. So far my best behaved baby yet!! I love working with Claudette, I almost want to get pregnant soon so I would have an excuse to see her again.

Love you,
Carrie Armstrong

Water birth vs. Epidurals

2009-03-27T13:19:00.000-07:00

A Woman Sings Through Her Contractions - 10 lb baby waterbirth

2009-03-20T20:14:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful video, shot by her daughter, of a woman singing through a couple strong contractions. Later, she gives birth to her 10 lb son in the water. Such a beautiful song, and such a wonderfully sweet way to give birth! Big difference from a hospital, huh?

Austin and Wyatt's Birth

2009-03-18T00:16:00.000-07:00

Austin's Birth...my first v-bac

My home birth journey began many years ago with the birth of my first son. I read a lot of books and decided I wanted a natural birth experience. So, I took Bradley Birthing classes and was going to have a natural birth experience in a hospital. Little did I know a natural birth was not what I was going to experience. My son was breech and the doctors told me I had two choices- emergency c-section, or scheduled c-section. The natural birth I dreamed of was not going to happen. With that I ended up feeling robbed and less of woman with a big ugly scar to remind me of what I could not do on my own.
Fast-forward five years and I am expecting my second child. I have tremendous fears of having to have yet another c-section. I had a doctor who did not support me in having the birth experience I was planning for. So, I started looking for another doctor. I looked at birthing centers and the answer was the same everywhere…you are not going to have the natural birth you have always desired. I was heartbroken. So, I was going to make the best of this situation and make the pregnancy extra special. I wanted to have a touchable reminder of this journey. I searched online for someone who made belly casts. I found a wonderful woman who asked my story. After telling her my story she referred me to one of her clients who had three natural v-bacs and loved to help other women wanting v-bacs.
After telling my story to her she asked me a question that changed my life.” Have you thought about having a home birth?” I didn’t know what to say except “you can do that?” I had no idea that home birth was still around. She then gave me the number to her midwife and we ended our conversation. I had a lot to think about. When my husband came home from work that night we talked about the phone conversation and decided we should meet this woman and at least see what it is all about. The very next day I called Claudette. We set up a consult with her and that was that. We went to meet her, I was already six months into this pregnancy and had no idea what to expect. When we pulled up in front of her house I was nervous. What kind of backwoods situation am I getting myself into? We got inside and Claudette was finishing a prenatal exam. She came downstairs so bubbly and full of life and before she even started talking to us I felt a wave of comfort come over me. She sat down with us we talked about home birth and her role. She gave us some information to go over and said go home discuss it then let me know what you decide. Well I knew inside that God had his hands in this one and my husband and I agreed Claudette was an angel sent to us, to help us experience the miracle of birth, the way God intended it to be. When we asked Claudette to be our midwife and she agreed my fears were almost completely gone. I still had a little fear that I would have to be rushed to the hospital for another c-section.
We lived about an hour from Claudette and the day of my birth we had gone in for a prenatal. Things were good and we went home. My husband went to work and I went over to a friend’s house to have dinner. After dinner we went for a walk and I felt the baby drop. I told my friend and she said ‘you’re in labor. You need to call Aaron and your midwife.’ I refused; I did not feel I was labor. I did not want to make my husband leave wok for nothing and I especially did not want to make Claudette drive so far for false labor. So, finally about an hour later the contractions were getting uncomfortable and I wanted my husband home. He came and picked me up and brought me home. I lost my plug in the toilet and called Claudette but told her not to come; I was not in labor yet. My contractions were not consistent and it just did not feel like labor. After making my poor husband finish last minute cleaning, because I could not get off of the toilet, then yelling at him for leaving me alone in the bathroom. He said ‘we are calling Claudette to come, you are in labor’. I was still in denial, but let him call her.
We took a shower together hoping it would make me more comfortable…not so much. I went to lie down on our bed and was starting to shake uncontrollably with each contraction. I thought to myself these are really starting to hurt…a lot, I don’t think I am going to be able to do this birth at home thing because I am still not in labor. Claudette showed up and set up with Aaron, they got they tub ready and we were still waiting for her assistant to get here. I was in transition, but because my contractions were not consistent, I still did not think I was in labor. Soon the tub was ready and I was able to get in…AHHHHH It felt so good to have a contraction in the tub. Claudette’s assistant had arrived and was parking he car when I had my second contraction in the tub. Just then I had this UNCONTROLABLE urge to push. I felt as if some force took over my body and was making me push. Claudette’s assistant came in as I was pushing. In four fast hard contractions Austin was born, in the kitchen of our apartment. I could not believe I had just given birth to a healthy baby boy, v-bac, at home. It was amazing!
Austin’s birth for me is reminiscent of a freight train. It came on fast and hard, and finished just as fast and hard. It was joyous and transcending. I was somewhere else, kind of euphoric. I finally felt like a proper and empowered woman and mother. We were so blessed to have Claudette in our lives.

Wyatt's Birth.....
Then it came to be we were expecting number three.
Claudette was the first person we called. Here we go again but this time we are doing it right, from the start. Wyatt’s birth was very different from Austin’s freight train experience. Labor started on a Saturday, I called Claudette to let her know what was going on and after several hours of consistent contractions Claudette came down with Shaana to welcome Wyatt into the world. By the time they got here, contractions started slowing down. We tried to get them going again, but by Sunday night there was still nothing. Claudette and Shaana went home.
Wednesday, Claudette called me she was going to be at a baby naming party close to me, so she stopped by and checked on me before she left for the party. Claudette also said she was going to call and check on me before she goes home because I was having good contractions but they were not to close together. It was also Claudette’s anniversary and had a special dinner that night with her husband. I did not want her to miss that so when she called I said go to dinner and I will be fine. She knew better. She called Shaana and she came back and set up for the birth again. I felt awful I was making her miss her dinner. Labor was very relaxed this time around. I was laughing, joking and taking pictures in between contractions. Claudette, Shaana, my mom, my husband’s mom and my friend (who watched the other boys while we labored) went to the other room to give us time alone together while I labored. It was magical!
Claudette finally said it was time to fill the tub up J I got in and after one of my contractions I asked for another contraction to come. Shaana laughed at me but I knew that each contraction I had was one contraction close to holding my baby and I wanted to hold my baby already. The time came for me to push and shortly after, we welcomed baby Wyatt into the family. I did it again. Like a soldier goes to battle with weapons in arm. I went to my birth armed with God and Claudette. I came out victorious!
I truly believe with all my heart and soul that Claudette was knitted together in her mother’s womb, to be God’s warrior for birth. She continues to fight the system for justice in birth. This is our God-given right and you don’t have to fight alone for your right, just get Claudette on your side!We are now expecting number four and will continue on our natural birthing journey with God in our hearts and Claudette by our side. We will be triumphant once again!

Kellan's Birth

2009-01-29T21:28:00.000-08:00

Kellan's birth was my fourth and my second home birth. Claudette was recommended to me by a friend and I was so excited to meet her as soon as I found out I was pregnant. She impressed me with her calm, happy demeanor. I started my prenatal care and was so blessed by her. When I had questions, she answered them and nothing ever seemed to be too big of a deal. She would listen carefully and answer calmly - it was such a blessing!

I have a history of fast deliveries and wasn't sure if this one would follow suit. I had been nervous that my husband wouldn't make it from work in time especially since he is a pilot in the Air Force. When I was 37 weeks I threatened to go into labor (my husband was in Spain) and called Claudette near tears. I prayed and took an epsom salt bath and thankfully the labor stopped. My husband arrived home and to our astonishment three weeks passed before labor started again. I had never carried a baby to 40 weeks before so I was feeling huge and well past my time of delivery.
The night before my labor started I could tell something had changed because I could hardly walk. In retrospect, my little baby had dropped even more than before. I was in complete denial that I would have the baby any time soon and was determined to attend my baby shower the following morning.

I was wrong. I woke up around 2:15 in the morning feeling funny. For the first time in all four of my pregnancies I couldn't feel any muscle pain or abdominal pain with my contractions. All I knew was that something was different. I woke my husband about 10 minutes later and asked if I was having contractions because I honestly couldn't tell. He said that I was but since they seemed so mild I went to the bathroom then crawled back into bed. I was feeling great.

Around 2:40 we called Claudette. I was hesitant to wake her since my contractions were not hurting at all. I decided it was a good idea though since I had a general feeling of a baby trying to come out. As soon as we called her I felt bad for doing so because the next contractions were quite calm.

They did pick up again, still with no pain - just pressure, so at 3:00 I woke my mom and started milling around my bedroom looking for a skirt to wear. (I do like to be modest even giving birth :-) Every contraction I would find my husband, lean my head on him and walk in place. That felt great and the bed which we had so carefully made up looked mighty uncomfortable so I followed my instincts and stayed on my feet.

Around 3:40 I felt like my water was going to break but didn't think it could so soon since it had always broken at 10 cm in the past. I still wasn't feeling any pain although the pressure was increased. In between contractions, I informed my husband and mom (Claudette was still on her way since we lived a ways from her home) that my water was going to break and asked them to put down extra towels. Sure enough, my water broke and brought my little baby boy all the way to crowing. It was amazing. The next moment his head was out but I suddenly realized that his body was not coming. I stood up and told my husband something was wrong. He was so calm and after checking me he realized my baby's shoulder was stuck. He stayed calm and told me everything was going to be alright while he slipped his finger in, wiggled the stuck shoulder a little and popped it out. My baby boy was born! It was so natural and wonderful! It was also a miracle that his shoulder was fine and I was not torn.

Claudette arrived about 5 or 10 minutes later and took such good care of us! I was so impressed with how long she waited to cut the cord. It was so relaxed and peaceful. My little guy weighed in at 10 pounds even which surprised us all. Thank you God for blessing Kellan's delivery Claudette for all your care!

Gianna's Birth- Caleb Joshua's sister

2009-01-29T12:35:00.000-08:00

Gianna’s Birth

I wanted a baby, I needed a baby, … please God, this one request to give me hope in the midst of my trial. Emergency surgery, the collapse of my thyroid, depression, arthritic like pain, and lack of energy was my lot in life. No doctors could help
me get better, no medicine, not even a perfect diet and beyond that I was infertile.

I had asked for prayer several times from many people, but I had never gone to the pastor of my local church for prayer. Finally I humbled myself and went to be prayed for.

Shortly thereafter my sister called to tell me of a doctor that helps people wean off thyroid medication and heal their thyroids. I began his regimen and within a few weeks the cloud of depression began to lift.

It was Christmas. Nick gave me a gift of a Willow Tree statue of a woman with a baby. “This is for our baby that’s coming,” he said.

When we returned from our Christmas travels, I found myself pregnant! After so long of waiting, it seemed too good to be true. And I struggled to allow myself to accept the joy. Besides that I was weaning off Armour thyroid medication onto glandular products and the withdrawals were demanding physically and emotionally. The doctor said my baby would be OK through this, but I questioned him and beyond that our interviews were only by phone. But even though I didn’t know if I could trust him, his regimen was the closest thing to help I had found, and I was quickly able to completely wean off the drugs. But my body was not strong for this pregnancy, it had begun in weakness and it seemed to be much more demanding than my first pregnancy. I developed chest pains and a racing pulse. I was told that the baby could be brain damaged because of my hypothyroidism.

I remember the words of hope given me by my long time Bible study leader, “You can be a hank, a hair, and a piece of bone but that baby will get everything it needs.” I really held onto those words because I needed someone to speak hope into my life instead of questioning the crazy path I was on- I needed her faith. I had the opportunity to attend an event with Joni Eareckson and it helped me to accept the fact that I could have a child with a disability.

Finally I started to find peace even when my pulse was over 100 and even when I had trouble finding the baby’s heart beat. God gave me that peace that trusts God for a good outcome though the process isn’t perfect.

Before my last birth, I had done a birth meditation , but before this birth I was reading through the New Testament. I’d been through birth before so I didn’t focus so much on preparation for the birth. In hindsight, I wish I had…

On Labor Day, a Monday, Nick stayed home, we had a lazy day and then wrapped it up with going to the Missions Springs Pool. Daddy and Caleb swam and I watched.

The following day, I received my verse for the birth, Hebrews 11:6 “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”

Shortly after that my friend emailed to ask me my status. As I emailed her back I was having some cramps. Then I called my sister to talk, as we talked I had some cramps. She told me I was in labor and that I should call the midwife just to let her know. I didn’t think it was that big of a deal, but I called Nick and then called Claudette to let them know I was feeling a bit crampy.

My sister called my parents, and they, fearing I would be in denial again like my first birth, called to tell me that I WAS in labor. As I struggled along talking to them they told me that they could hear I WAS having a contraction – which I denied because I wasn’t. I was only huffing and puffing as I tried to make dinner and watch Caleb . It was pretty funny to be sure.

Nick and I had already made plans to go to Costco that evening. Feeling the possibility of the birth in the air , when Nick came in asking if we were going shopping I said yes. For sure I wanted a full fridge with the baby on the way. The cramps subsided and it wasn’t until we were in the checkout line that I felt I wanted to sit down.

When we got home Nick forbade me from doing the dishes and forced me to lay down and rest. That was tough since I wanted to give birth in a perfectly clean house.

But none the less, I laid down, next to Caleb to rest. I felt very sad that once the baby came I couldn’t sleep next to Caleb anymore. Caleb had always slept with us and always next to me. Now we were anticipating him sleeping on the other side of Daddy with a guard rail. So that night as almost a gift from God, Caleb reached out and touched my head for a good part of my resting time and during a lot of my early contractions. It was very sweet and I’ll always remember it.

Claudette called probably around 9:30 to ask if she should come down. I told her I still wasn’t sure, because the contractions weren’t at all regular. But by 11:00, I was starting to time them more and getting up from my resting to eat a treat of yogurt and fruit knowing I’d need the fuel to make it through the night. Around 1:00 a.m. we decided to call Claudette so she’d at least be able to sleep at our house. My contractions were kind of spaced out but they were progressing. She arrived at 3:o0 a.m., checked the baby and took the chance to get some sleep. Soon after she arrived I began my typical, I can’t handle this routine—running from the contraction to get away. So Nick helped me start up the tub, sterilizing my feet, and pouring sea salt into the tub. The contractions were somewhat better in the tub. But they were still coming slowly. I believe this may have been a result of my low thyroid. I was sipping red raspberry tea and I could tell that was helping to bring them on. Nick was busy as usual, telling everyone I was in labor, and running around doing errands for me: making me eggs in a frame, taking care of Caleb, etc. I told him to try to call Lynn Wagner, our friend, at about 6:00 a.m. to come help with Caleb, but he didn’t want to wake her that early. It was probably about 7:00 a.m. when Claudette came to check on me. My contractions were getting really hard. Nick was in and out trying to get Caleb food and I was feeling like I really needed him. I sang one of my scripture songs to try to get my mind off the pain. I remember Nick bringing Caleb in to the bathroom to say hi to me. Claudette was in and out of the bathroom, setting up for the birth. Her assistant had not arrived and so I suspect she had a lot of pressure to be prepared to do the birth alone. I had some floating pillows in the tub with me. I was starting to make A LOT of noise. This birth was so much more intense than the last! But even as I was in transition, the contractions were really spaced out.

At about 8:00 a.m. when Lynn arrived I must have been really in transition. You might have thought I was swearing, but I was really calling out the Lord for help and the entire neighborhood heard my prayer. I was a little bit concerned about what position to give birth in. Every time I came out of the water I felt very frustrated. Every part of my body needed to be submerged. Claudette sterilized her feet and hopped in the tub to check me. She announced, “You could have this baby next contraction.” Nick, didn’t hear this. He said he was going to get the camera. I told him not to worry about it, but he was gone. Then just as Claudette said, my body started to push with the next contraction. But not just a little urge to push. This was a freight train going through my body and Gianna’s head was born. Wow – I was stunned. Claudette was grabbing at the baby’s head. The baby was born in the caul, so she had to immediately rip the bag off her head. Claudette told me to push again. I was so stunned, I didn’t even do it. I was thinking wow, what just happened, I’m not moving, my body will have to do it. Thankfully, my body took over and woosh, Gianna was born. Nick, in the other room connecting his camera to the tripod, heard the woosh and started to wonder. Then he heard Gianna’s first cry. He had missed the birth. But thankfully he had captured the audio of her first cry.

I remember being in total shock, I couldn’t believe that the amazingly intense birth had just come to an end so quickly. Once I got to the bed, Gianna nursed voraciously as if she was a pro. Claudette did an amazing stitching job that was necessary mostly because of poor healing after my first birth.

We were all grateful for a beautiful daughter and a safe delivery even when my health was not perfect. God’s strength was enough and he allowed me to get through a difficult pregnancy, and intense birth to bring my first daughter into the world. What a treasure Gianna is – thank you God for my perfectly healthy blessing.

Gianna’s song : (Gianna means God’s grace, Laurel means victory)

Gianna Laurel, God’s grace is sufficient for Thee
Because of Jesus, we have victory from sins curse we’re free
No weapon formed against you can stand
No trial nor temptation can snatch you from his hand
Your weakness he’ll replace with strength by His grace
Gianna Laurel, God’s grace gives the victory.

Caleb Joshua's Birth

2009-01-29T12:30:00.000-08:00

Caleb Joshua’s grand entrance into our home

On Friday, April 8th Nick’s dad had come to visit to help Nick and I with the bathroom and some car problems we were having. Then we went shopping – Safeway, Costco, and Kmart. I had been very tired that week and I was taking lots of naps.

On Saturday, we had Swedish pancakes for breakfast. I talked with two people on the phone that day – Karen and Brenda. They both mentioned how quick their first births were. I took my usual walk down the hill and back – I had gained a whopping 40 lbs. with my pregnancy. Then I set out to make dinner. I wanted to use my new pressure cooker so I tried Chinese chicken. Everything seemed like such a big effort. I burnt the chicken and the vegetables were soggy!!

But nonetheless we ate it, Johnny left for home and Nick and I enjoyed a nice quiet evening together reminiscing about college days. I had forgotten to take my borage oil for several days so I took a little extra and also checked myself to send the information to Claudette. It seemed that my dilation had not changed since my last appointment. (approx. 1 cm, 75% effaced).

That evening I woke up around 2:00 a.m. and had 3-4 contractions. That was a bit unusual for me, but I figured that my body was warming up a bit and I was able to go back to sleep.

The next morning at 9:00 a.m. I had a bit of show. I also started having contractions shortly thereafter. For breakfast I had some cereal and whole wheat bread with almond butter. I hadn’t done the dishes from the night before so I quickly got to work. Nick wasn’t feeling well so we had decided to stay home from church. He was playing Tetris and I was vacuuming and picking up. But every 5 min. I had to lie down on the couch for a contraction around 1 min. long that was mostly in my legs. I’d call Nick over to help me breath and time the contractions. His voice was so soothing. There was a slight bit of irregularity in the contractions – one break of 10-15 min.

Since my training was in midwifery, I began telling Nick stories of first time moms in early labor. They were usually almost in tears when I proclaimed, “Sorry honey, but you are just not in labor yet.” I had Nick and myself convinced that I couldn’t possibly be in labor yet. (Although my rule of thumb has always been –if contractions are 5 min. apart 1 min. long call your midwife.) I took a warm bath to see if that might slow things down. It didn’t seem too.

We turned the Chinese chicken into chicken soup and then after lunch we hung out in the bedroom. I was having contractions and Nick was working on the computer. I was calling for help so sweetly at first he wouldn’t help me. So I had to get his attention. I started suggesting that maybe we should prepare the bed for the birth, but Nick said , “Naw, we’ll wait until its more serious, I don’t want that plastic stuff on there.”

At 2:00 p.m I checked myself again. I couldn’t detect any change. I became very discouraged because the contractions were beginning to intensify. I worried that I might not be able to make it. I suggested we call Claudette even though I could detect no cervical change. Nick had me wait until he was off the internet – another half hour. Then I called Claudette at 3:00 p.m. and told her what was happening but that I wasn’t apparently progressing, so we’d just call her later if things progressed. All this time the contractions seemed to hit me mostly in my legs – I didn’t expect that and it led to my belief that this couldn’t be the real thing.

Then contractions were picking up. I’d jump off the bed in the middle of contractions or roll from side to side. I was running around in circles, counting in a random fashion and being very irrational. After every contraction Nick and I would just start cracking up. Then I prayed and decided to call Mom. The verse the Lord had impressed on my heart as I had meditated for the months before the birth was, “Be not afraid of sudden fear…” Proverbs 3:25.

I was crying on the phone with my mom and I’d throw down the phone for each contraction. She suggested I do the breathing. It had worked up to this point but it was just getting too hard at that point. Nonetheless I tried. She also suggested we try the tub. Of course she had wanted to be with me and wasn’t leaving for another two days so she was very disappointed. Nick was in the bathroom trying to prepare it for me. I had not cleaned the tub yet as the room was still under construction – but getting closer to being done. Nick had to move all the tile he had laid out and start the water boiling on the stove ( we have a 130 gallon tub, and a 50 gallon water heater – oops!).

Then my water broke, I hung up on my mom and Nick called Claudette. He was still pretty calm thinking we had lots of time but I told him to tell her to get here fast. Then I got into the tub. Almost immediately I was having the urge to push. But I could handle the contractions better in the tub. I became a bit fearful because I didn’t know how far I was dilated and I was pushing some inadvertently. But it seemed out of my control and so I determined I didn’t care and I would just have to do my best.

Then I had the time of my life. I started telling Nick where to go to get all the supplies we needed. Since the bathroom wasn’t yet finished I hadn’t moved supplies in there. My mind was somewhat preoccupied with giving him directions. During contractions I would reach my hand into the air and hold God’s hand. Or sometimes I would spin in the tub. God’s peace was with us. Nick was awesome, and got everything ready.

It wasn’t long before I knew the head was right there. Nick spoke on the phone with my dad and my dad told Nick that Nick was going to be delivering the baby. During the entire labor I had not taken the babies heart beat once and as I sat in the tub I realized it wasn’t going to happen. And I wasn’t too concerned because the head was coming quickly! I had Nick get the camera to take pictures of the crowning. Nick was worried because the head looked deflated to him, but I was peaceful and so he didn’t voice his fear.

Nick caught our baby at 5:25 pm. The baby came out posterior–the largest head diameter possible– I reached for my baby to hold right away – he was a little blue so Nick handed me the oxygen and we got him pinked right up. After he pinked up I discovered that he was a boy- Caleb Joshua. Nick had already seen at the birth.

How miraculous, how delightful, how perfect. Just Nick and me and Caleb with God’s help. I was elated. My first midwife job all by myself with the assistance of my husband. We didn’t have time to kiss and bond and all that though – there was work to be done and not many hands to do it. After about 10 – 15 min. I had Nick take Caleb, bundle him up and put him on the bed so that he could help me to deliver the placenta. After that he helped me onto the bed where I attempted to nurse.

When Claudette came she looked shocked– what had happened? Well for one I hadn’t called at the first sign of labor as she asked me to. I’d just been in major denial until transition. But she began to do her job
very skillfully– the stitching. She probably knew she could have saved me some of those stitches had she arrived earlier, but she was gracious. Nick got right on the computer to send out pictures of Caleb Joshua to the whole world. I talked with Amy and Mom and Dad. Then I had Nick take homemade lasagna out of the freezer to put in the oven. Soon all was cleaned up and we were sitting in the bedroom eating delicious lasagna. I was overjoyed to have such a yummy meal after my delivery – I truly felt like a queen that day. I was ready to have another baby, what a fabulous experience – there are no words to describe my joy. Caleb still had not nursed well – he was very sleepy from the whole experience! But later in the night he woke up and made up for it, nursing for probably an hour. He was so perfect, with beautiful skin, a perfect shaped head, and not a bit fussy. He weighed 7 lbs. 13 oz. and was 21 ½ inches long.

The following day Claudette arrived for a postpartum visit. She gave
me so much good advice and helped me to have a successful recovery.
We were so pleased with her thorough, caring , and listening care. Even though she didn’t make the birth, we needed her skill and support afterwards and truly had the best midwife ever.

Caleb’s Song:

Caleb, be bold, Caleb be a devoted one
Caleb of old he wholly followed the Lord
Caleb and Joshua went into the promised land
They knew by faith, God would give it into their hand.

Caleb, be bold, Caleb be a devoted one
Caleb obey and wholly follow the Lord
Caleb Joshua go into the promised land
We know by faith, God will give it into your hand.
We know by faith, God will give it into your hand.

Faith--A Dad's Perspective

2008-11-17T16:46:00.000-08:00

Our daughter, Faith, was born In June.
She’s the 6th child, and newest member of our household. This was our first experience with home-birth. Though I had fears initially, Claudette’s proficiency, professionalism and confidence were very evident and appreciated at the time of delivery. My wife had had 2 C-sections prior to this natural at-home option. I was afraid of the possibility of things turning bad and trusted God to work through Claudette’s able hands. God was faithful, as always, and carried us through the fear and anxiety. As delivery started, the placenta was in the Baby’s path. Claudette saw and worked around this potentially dangerous situation with a sure hand. As my wife was laboring to deliver Faith, the Baby decided she liked it nice and warm and kept tucking herself back in. At this point, Claudette stopped and prayed. Two pushes later, I had a baby daughter in my arms. Her health has been better, so far, than any of our other children. I don’t know if Claudette wants to travel the 95 miles to deliver our next child (God willing), but I’d sure like to have her there. I guess that’s the point of my testimonial. Thank you Claudette.

A Christian's Philosophy on Birthing

2008-10-16T14:34:00.000-07:00

God wants to be involved with everything in our lives--including having a baby.

On Inducing Labor

Even the timing of the birth is God's timing. A baby comes forth "in the fullness of time". Rebekah bore her twins "when the days to be delivered were fulfilled", and Elisabeth's "full time came that she should be delivered". The obvious implication is that we should allow God to determine when our children come forth...even concieved! Inducing labor merely for convenience (of the mom or the doctors) is tantamount to telling God, "I'm sorry, God, but your methods are not satisfactory. We'll improve them." Induction could be aptly compared to helping a butterfly out its cocoon; you'll damage it or destroy it every time. We should just let it come out in its own time.
Keep in mind your "due date", as you are told by your doctor or midwife, is based on the average length of gestation for millions of women. By the very definition of average, half of all women will go "overdue"! (overdue is in quotes because this is the world's definition of "due") But God is never late; He will bring forth your child when He wants to. Every woman is different in her optimum length of pregnancy; perfectly normal babies have been born to perfectly normal mothers who consistently carry their babies for ten and a half months! When your baby is actually due to be born, he will be; don't let anyone talk you into letting them induce labor, just because you're "overdue". When someone decides to induce or augment labor without consulting God, he exalts himself in that he is attempting to usurp one of God's jobs. Psalm 229 has David saying, "Thou are He Who took me out of the womb." Unless He explicitly directs us to do so, we are not to "help" God by stimulating labor.

Why induction not a Good Idea Anyway
Labor induction or augmentation is usually done with a uterine stimulant, such as synthetic oxytocin. Given intravaneously, synth. Oxy. causes the uterine contractions to be harder and longer, and it allows less time between contractions for a good blood flow to return to the baby, uterus, and perineum. This deprives the baby of oxygen longer, naturally to his detriment. But many people who don't fear God don't really consider the harm done to the baby.

Just Another Mouth to Feed?!?
Seeking God in prayer and studying His word will soften your heart towards the little one growing in your womb. You will see that your baby is, in truth, a blessing. Even if this pregnancy was unexpected, even if you can't see how you can possibly feed another mouth, even if you've been told you can't have any more children or else you'll die, you'll begin to see as you grow in the Lord about this, that indeed children are a heritage, a reward, and happy is he who has a bunch! (Psalm 127:3-5)

An Unexpected Pregnancy!
You'll begin to see that the unexpectedness of the pregnancy was probably just because you forgot to ask God what HIS plan for the children in your life would be! You will see that God doesn't make mistakes of timing, He will supply all your needs, especially food for your and your children (Phil 4:19, Matt 6:31-33, Psa 37:25). You'll begin to see no matter what the dire predictions of the doctor may have been, God is BIG ENOUGH to overcome them. He has promised "blessings of the breasts and blessings of the womb." (Gen 49:25)

But I had a miscarriage last time!
Do I dare try again! Yes! One of God's promises is that He will give you a fruitful womb. This not only covers the inability to get pregnant, but the inability to carry it to term. Exodus 23:26"There shall nothing cast their young (miscarry), nor be barren, in thy land; the number of thy days I will fulfill". Notice the "number of they days"...God knows the number, and it may be different than your neighbor's, or your friend's days. Be satisfied that God is blessing you with a baby!

God wants us to have healthy babies! And He wants us to have a healthy birth...and a healthy life! 1 Tim 2:12-15 the goodness of childbirth and beyond..."saved" in childbirth means protected, preserved, do well, be made whole, save, deliver, heal...
This Means:

*Complete health for the mother and the baby, during it all-prenatal time, labor, delivery, postpartum. This includes all the things that satan tries to bring fear through: Maternal high blood pressure, glucose in the urine, "I"ll have to have a C-Section", or the 'baby's dead' fears...all that stuff the father of lies tells us.
*No need for forceps, IV's, episiotomy to help baby out
*NO perineal tearing or even "skid marks", those vaginal abrasions that sometime occor during birth
*No need for baby massage or resuscitation efforts to start the baby breathing...he already will be
*No hemorraging after the placenta is delivered
*No problems breastfeeding. No painfully engorged breats, sore or cracked nipples, no breast infections, no drying up before weaning

No Painful, long, drawn-out exhausting labors!
A more accurate translation of John 16:21-22 should read (from the Greek translation of the words tikto, lupe, and thlipsis) "A woman when she is giving birth hath (emotional) sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the pressure (compressing together, squeezing), for the joy that a man is born into the world.

Our culture, NOT the Bible, says its long, painful and drawn out! God's concept of childbirth has been badly represented by Bible translators whose own ideas have been heeded more than the inspired Word of God. Helen Wessel's book Natural Childbirth and the Christian Family has much more complete and detailed study of God's Word in this area.

Six reasons to have a home birth

2008-07-09T16:46:00.001-07:00

I met Claudette when I was pregnant with our sixth child. We had the first five in the hospital and all had gone pretty well. We did them all naturally. My husband and my sister were there as my support team and they were great. All of their deliveries were pretty straightforward, although my first son’s head was gigantic and he had the cord wrapped around his neck, so it was a long time pushing, but all in all, things went pretty well. But as soon as the babies were out the experiences went downhill. They would rush you to push the placenta out or just pull it out for you and the postpartum department was always unpleasant. Taking your temperature in the middle of the night, just after you and the baby had fallen asleep. Also, because of all the liability they have, there are procedures that they follow that are totally unnecessary. They just can’t look at you as an individual and decide things for you, they have to follow procedure.

I didn’t really fully realize how much of all the tests and things they do in the hospital are unnecessary until we had our sixth baby at home with Claudette. Right from the beginning she was good about telling me what was necessary and what was not. She made decisions on my past experiences and my medical condition. That was something new to me.

My husband and I believe that children are a blessing from the Lord. We welcome however many he may send us. At Kaiser when you go into the OB department and you are pregnant with your fourth and fifth baby, they look at you like you are either crazy or stupid. They always want to talk to you about birth control. They offer to tie your tubes if you need a cesarean. They ask what kind of birth control you are going to use after you have the baby. It is very hard for them to understand a family who is letting the Lord decide the number of children he gives to them. Claudette was always supportive of that decision and was really good with my kids. I loved having appointments in her home and it was nice being able to have my kids with me (and they loved the toys).

The birth went great, although I waited a little too long to call her, but she made it. She literally was at our house 5 minutes after we called her. It was great to just be laboring here at home and having everyone doing regular things. My husband and kids were gardening and my sister, my daughter and I were just walking around the neighborhood as I had contractions. Once things got serious, the baby came quickly. Claudette arrived a little before she was born. She came in with all her gear and was very calm. She quickly got ready, checked me and told me I could push. I think it was 2 pushes, maybe 3, and my daughter shot out like a speeding bullet. No stopping to rotate or anything, just both shoulders at once and there she was. It turned to be a blessing that she came out so quickly because she had a perfect knot in her cord.

She was just a little blue and Claudette gave her a little shot of oxygen and she turned a nice pink. It was great. Then we just enjoyed her for awhile before we had to proceed and this is where Claudette’s services were far above anything that I have ever experienced. The way she cared for me after the baby was born was wonderful. Her knowledge of herbs helped me to have the best and shortest recovery period I have had with any of my births. She took care of the baby and I so well and then what a blessing to be in our own house in our own bed. And the home visits afterward were a real treat.

Thank you Claudette, your love for the Lord really comes through in the way that you care for women giving birth and for their newborn babies. Bless you,

Rebecca L.

Chris's Testimony

2008-06-11T17:15:00.001-07:00

I started my birth story being treated in a university-based hospital, because they considered me a high-risk birth. I was 43 and had undergone IVF to get pregnant. While the doctors there deserve respect and acknowledgement for their intelligence and commitment, the model of medicine they were practicing was not a good fit for me. When my doula recommended Claudette, I was hopeful that I might be supported in the way I imagined I could be. A homebirth was a dream, but could it become a reality?

The first meeting with Claudette was magical. She was a force of nature. Smart, caring, compassionate and no-nonsense, she immediately put me at ease and let me know that having a home birth was not only a possibility, but the safest route. She provide me with so much information, written and otherwise, and a passion for birth and for supporting women that inspired great trust. Having our pre-birth visits in the comfort of a home, while knowing that she had all the medical knowledge I needed, was comforting. Her availability for phone consultation during the last few months was invaluable to me as a first-time mother. I was also diagnosed with Strep B, a common issue for women, and the hospital docs wished to place me on IV antibiotics. Claudette helped me resolve the issue so that I could have a home birth.

The actual birth itself was the most powerful experience of my life. We had two tubs set up, one outside and one inside. My heavy labor started in the middle of the night and the tubs provided good relief for my significant back labor. When Claudette arrived, with barrels full of medical equipment and her jaunty smile and confident demeanor, I knew everything was going to be alright. I also appreciated Claudette’s faith, as I was raised Catholic, but while I had pursued other religions, a faith in a divine being was important to me. Throughout my labor, Claudette was so calm, loving and reassuring while always knowing exactly what I needed whether it was a bit of oxygen or a shot of B-12 for energy. She was so hands-on, that I always felt that deep womanly support that she transmitted through her powerful hands. At times when the pain of labor became intense, Claudette would offer a glance, a smile or a strong hug, while also possessing the demeanor of someone who truly knows her craft. There were moments when I thought I needed to be in the hospital, as the pain became so strong. Claudette communicated, verbally and non-verbally, to my deepest self, the one who knew, but had forgotten, the strength that I possessed as a woman.

The aftercare Claudette provided was also superb. Coming to the house during those first few days was so essential. All of her recommendations were the wisest and my recovery, as a then 44 year-old (my daughter was born a day after my 44th birthday), was speedy and complete. My daughter is happy, healthy and an angel. I believe that Claudette’s wise counsel and love, and her support in allowing me to have a homebirth, were major factors in my daughter’s beautiful entry to this world. I have deep gratitude to Claudette and her team.

Selena M. Green, LM, CPM

2008-06-11T17:15:00.000-07:00

Selena is a Licensed Midwife in the state of California with over twelve years prior experience as a labor assistant. Selena has attended births in the hospital, birth center and home settings throughout her career in labor and birth. She served as a Clinical Director for six years for a local woman's clinic and is active in the women's community in the Bay Area. She is certified in infant and adult CPR and is consistently growing her knowledge base by training with other experts in birth-related fields. Selena is also a licensed Level II Reiki practitioner. Sacred Birth Place.

LillianMae's Birth Story

2008-06-11T17:12:00.001-07:00

When we found out we were pregnant again, the first thing my husband, Andy, and I wanted to do was change our insurance provider. The birth experience with our first child, Elizabeth, two years earlier had been a far cry from the natural unassisted birth we wanted. At that time I believed that the hospital experience we had was isolated to that hospital alone. So on we went planning our hospital birth at this “different” hospital.

By this point I knew that knowledge is power (especially when it came to having a baby), so we started taking a Bradley Method class. Armed with my Bradley workbook, I walked in to see my doctor. We talked about positions during birth, monitoring, and how much my daughter Elizabeth could be involved in the birth. To my horror I was told that I would be monitored at all times, and that I could not squat to give birth. And on top of that I was told that if I did not follow the doctors instructions, it would endanger the life of my baby. Fortunately I was prepared for this since it was just like the scare tactics I had read about in the natural child birth books.

I left the hospital that day absolutely crushed. I had planned my whole birth based on the idea that this hospital was going to be different..So where do you turn when the hospital has let you down? I talked to my Bradley instructor and called my best friend and they both had the same answer, “A home birth with a midwife, of course!”. I called Claudette that same day. We knew from our first meeting that this was the right way to give birth for us. I started to see Claudette for my regular prenatal appointments, and a bond and trust was formed.

I went to see Claudette for a checkup on August 22nd, a full week past my anticipated due date, and was told that I had dilated to 3-4cm. I figured that we would have our baby sometime within the next week. I was excited and refreshed knowing that we would meet our baby soon. What's another week, right? Around midnight that night I awoke to use the bathroom, again, and knew something was different. I went back to bed and told my husband that I didn't think he would make it to work in the morning. I knew I should rest because I would need the energy, but who was I kidding, I was way too excited to sleep!

Around 2AM I decided I was lonely sitting up awake in bed, so I called my mom to come over and sit with me. My contractions were still irregular and mild, so I continued to try and rest. Around 3AM I decided to wake my husband. The contractions were still irregular, but were gaining in intensity. It was 3:30AM when we called Shaana, our doula. She said she was on her way and instructed us to call Claudette. We took our daughter Elizabeth from out of our bed to sleep with my mom on the couch, so we could begin to prepare our room. We made the bed and started to get the birth tub ready, while taking breaks every few minutes to work through the contractions. By now I was sure that this was the day we would meet our baby.

By 4:30AM both Shaana and Claudette had arrived. Shaana worked with my husband and I on the birth tub, while Claudette made the final preparations. At 5:30AM Claudette decided it was time to check on the progress of the birth. At this point I thought I had a long way to go. The contractions were working, but didn't hurt much, and in between I was as happy and comfortable as ever. We found I had dilated to 7cm, so I was good to get in the birth tub.

My daughter Elizabeth had woken up by now and decided to join us. She splashed in the water next to me, while my husband and I worked to deliver our baby. It was about 6AM and it was time to push. Elizabeth thought she would rather go watch a movie instead, and we were okay with that. With each contraction I would push hard knowing that this is it. There is no turning back now.

Claudette was regularly checking the baby's heartbeat while we were pushing. Then, there was no heartbeat. I couldn't hear her anymore. I stayed calm because I knew I was in good hands. I was instructed to get my baby out, and get her out quick. After 3 more pushes, Lillian Mae Peregoy was born at 6:08AM. She had managed to pinch her umbilical cord during the last stretch of the delivery. As soon as she was out in the air, she began to breathe. Claudette cleaned the meconium from her mouth and nose, and Lily was breathing great. I lay there on our bed with my husband, my two beautiful daughters, and my mom, and I knew that this was the way was meant to be.

Allie's Testimonial

2008-06-11T17:09:00.000-07:00

I first met Claudette when we were close to giving birth to our third child, over seven years ago. When we got pregnant for the fourth time, I called her right away.

The first thing I think of when I think of Claudette is all her knowledge. This made our pregnancy and labor go so well with Allie. She knows so much about women’s health, and how to treat with herbs, vitamins and supplements, so when something was going on during my pregnancy, like varicose veins, she was able to recommend a treatment that was non-invasive. She looked at lab results closely and would recommend courses of action if a result was low or high. This was different than what I experienced working with Doctors. I felt she was so thorough in my pre-natal care. We’re not even talking about the birth yet! I was glad to try the water birth. It helped eliminate some of the pain I’d experienced with our first three births. It was still painful, but not as intense. I have great confidence in Claudette’s preparedness for birthing babies. She knows signs to look for if the baby is distressed. She knows how to handle difficulties that come up in birth. After Allie’s birth, Claudette helped us with two subsequent pregnancies. One ended in miscarriage. Thanks to Claudette’s direction we were able to understand that it was in fact a “blighted ovum”. Then when our fifth child was born, she assisted us with our hospital birth. She could tell by the fetal monitor that the baby wasn’t doing well with the position I was lying in. She adjusted me and the baby did much better. I have a peace when working with Claudette that the baby and I are in good hands. Thank you, Claudette!

Greggory's Birth Story

2008-06-11T16:54:00.000-07:00

If you had come to me just 2 years ago and told me that one year later I would be in a tub in my family room giving birth, I would have laughed and called you crazy! I had friends that had given birth at home, but I needed the security and safety of a hospital. I loved my doctor and modern science...
This was my fourth child. When we found out we were pregnant again, we were overjoyed! Each child was proof that God was multiplying his blessings in our lives. As the news settled in, we began to worry though.
I had a very long and complicated first birth that went on for 45 hours. It involved just about every medical intervention you can imagine short of a c-section or vacuum. I still hold many physical as well as emotional scars from the experience. I was not ready for my second pregnancy nine months later. It was almost a relief when they told me that they wanted to do a c-section three weeks early to avoid having me in labor due to an infection and breech presentation. Anything had to be better than the pain and frustration of my first birth. I was wrong. We took a longer break before the next child came two and a half years later. They automatically scheduled my repeat c-section when I hit 24 weeks. It was a bad surgery from the very beginning. I was delirious and vomiting for most of the time I was on the table. The anesthesiologist was having a very difficult time keeping me stable. When my son was finally born, I got a quick glance at him before they took him away very quickly along with my husband. It would be four and a half hours before I held and nursed him for the first time. It was heart-breaking for me but it was not the end of the ordeal. I developed an infection from the surgery. No one explained to me that the risk of complication in a repeat c-section is so high. I couldn't hold my new son or care for my other children. It was a good twelve weeks before I was out of bed, holding my baby, and starting the recovery process.
The anxiety of a third c-section was wreaking havoc on me. I felt out of control. I started reading more and I realized that I couldn't bring myself to risk another surgery. We wanted a large family and the thought of limiting the number of children we had was inconceivable. We wanted as many children as God would entrust to us. I was just having trouble trusting that God knew more about childbirth than my doctor. It took a while but I finally feared surgery more than a homebirth...
It was a slow labor considering that it was my fourth. I went into labor on 7/7 but my lucky day ended up being 22 hours later on 7/8. I thought back to my first birth a lot. This was VERY different. I got to walk around (much less painful than being strapped in bed). I got a nice warm shower during active labor. When I was thirsty I was able to drink. I didn't have a nurse walking in every couple of hours frowning because I was too slow. I was in control of the pace and it kept me calm and peaceful in the midst of the pain. I could see that drug-free was of magnitude less painful than pitocin. All that doubt about my ability to withstand pain was alleviated. I no longer felt like a wimp. In fact, I felt quite empowered! I admit that I screamed a bit at the end when those shoulders just wouldn't budge, but Claudette was an angel. She delivered him perfectly healthy with no broken collar bone, NO STITCHES, and TWELVE POUNDS!! :) I held him right away and I got up to walk an hour later! By far, my easiest birth and recovery. No one can ever tell me again that I can't do something. I finally have the confidence and faith of a mustard seed and a wonderful new view of the future for my next baby. I couldn't imagine birthing in a hospital now. Thank you, Claudette, for helping me find that courage and faith that I had lost! See you for the next birth, God willing :)

Mira Margaret's Birth Story

2008-05-07T21:30:00.000-07:00

My Estimated Due Date was March 1 according to my LMP. According to a sonogram done in Healdsburg the EDD was March 7. When I spoke to my doctor about it, he took out his calendar and asked, "When would you like to schedule the birth?" What? To my surprise and dismay, I learned that VBAC was no longer "allowed" at the hospital where he would deliver my baby. I asked what were my options and he shrugged, saying I really didn't have any. I went home in tears. I got in touch with a friend who had had a successful home birth after cesarean and she recommended her midwife, Claudette. I did some research online and found another really inspirational HBAC story where Claudette and Paula were the midwives. I called Claudette right away. She came to the house and met with my family. She looked over the records from my first daughter's cesarean birth and said, "No problem. I'm sure you can do this." I spent the next nine months learning about birth. It was a really wonderful time and I enjoyed my pregnancy fully. Check-ups with Claudette were relaxing and reassuring. She shared so much information with me and really opened my eyes to how sweet a home birth could be. On Thursday March 16, the Braxton-Hicks contractions became regular and started to feel painful and low at 4 pm. I went into real, undeniable labor at 9 pm and called Claudette at midnight just to let her know. I was sure it was going to be long, slow labor. I didn't know how long and slow it was going to be. I went to bed around 9:00 pm. I slept, waking up every 5 or 10 minutes with strong but not exactly painful contractions. For some reason, sleeping like this was perfectly fine. At this stage, the contractions were like slow, rolling waves. Early the next morning the pain was beginning to become difficult for me to "meet" and I found myself pacing and groaning just to surf over the peaks of contractions. I couldn't imagine riding in the car for 40 minutes each way to the 9:00 am appointment with Claudette, so I called to ask if it was okay to bail. She said sure. A little while later Paula called and asked me to come at noon. By this time the intensity of the contractions was back to being "bad gas" intensity and nothing more, so I agreed. However, every bump in the road brought on a new contraction with little jagged peaks. It was a miserable ride. Claudette checked me to find that I was effaced and 3 centimeters dilated. When we came home I tried to play with Sasha for a while, but I was really distracted. My friend Dolly (aka the Dolly Mama) called and I asked half-hopefully if she'd like to come play doula. To my amazement and delight she said "Yes!" She arranged for her husband to watch the kids and hurried right over. The contractions picked up again for real after Sasha went to bed. This is when I began to go crazy and I was so glad to have Dolly's help. She sang birthing songs (I'm the luckiest person in the world to have a friend like Dolly who actually knows birthing songs!) and helped me remember to breathe. She kept Miro from getting worried, too, and said wonderful things like. "See how strong Molly is? Look at how amazing she is!" I labored in the bathtub, walking around, on hands and knees, all night long. Finally I let Claudette check my cervix at midnight. I was 9 cm with a lip. The contractions by this time were incredible. They were squeezy, strong, painful, with steep, pointy peaks. Sometime around 3:00 or 4:00 in the morning Claudette and Paula told me to lay on my side to "iron out" the lip my cervix had developed. No way. This was physically impossible for me. I'd lay on my side, drift of to sleep for 30 seconds, and then get hit with the sharpest, hardest contraction ever. I'd have to sit up or stand up to get through it. They tried reasoning with me, but there was just no way I could do it. At some time (I really don't remember when) they brought in the fishy pool and filled it. I couldn't have cared less. I was so inward by this time I was barely aware of other people in the bedroom with me. I do know that the pool leaked, which was the whole reason I didn't want a water birth: Miro has a "thing" about water on the floor. I knew he would panic and piss me off, and I didn't want to deal with that. So me and my cervical lip went into the bathtub and left everybody to clean that up and deal with Miro. That was also the last I saw of the shower curtain I'd gotten to protect the carpet from the blood. (This was a very entertaining thought to me at the time: poor Miro didn't even know the horrors worse than water that were in that ratty carpet's future.) Around 8 am. Sasha woke up and I decided to push the baby out. I didn't feel a physical urge, but I knew it was about time to have the baby. I felt ready. I was no longer worried about uterine rupture or hospital transport. I got in the shower to try pushing by myself. I felt silly at first but then it felt absolutely right. Claudette discovered me by the time I was getting serious and she encouraged me to go right ahead with my crazy plan. She led me back into the bedroom. I put one foot on the bed frame and kind of semi-squatted, standing up, and pushed. I felt the baby's head, wrinkly, warm, wet and hairy. I knew right then she was a girl. I pushed again and meconium-tinged water poured out of me. Everyone started to scramble. I felt again and her whole head was out. Claudette was ready with some kind of necklace of tubes and gently suctioned the baby's nose and mouth while she was still just a head sticking out of my body. Paula counted, "one minute. One minute thirty seconds." I got on all fours. Sasha was saying, "You can do it, mama!" and I pushed the whole baby out. Mira Margaret was suddenly on the floor and I scooped her up. There was blood everywhere. Mira Margaret cried with a loud, vigorous wail. She was huge. Claudette judged the apgars with Mira Margaret in my arms. My sweet baby nursed right away. I climbed into bed with the baby at my breast. Sasha was right next to me and Miro was filming us with the video camera in one hand and his old 35mm in the other, laughing that the camera's disk was full just as the baby was born. 8:37 am. on Saturday morning, March 18. 10 pounds, 1 oz. The placenta was born at 9:45. That's over 30 hours of labor, and a half hour of pushing. I tore a little, six stitches fixed me right up, and I tore my cervix a little. Claudette said there was a little shoulder distocia going on, too, but the baby moved by herself before Claudette saw a need to do anything about it. It was long, but I was rested before I began and the weird sleep in 30-second intervals between contractions was quite satisfactory. Claudette and Dolly made sure I was drinking water and juice the whole time. Claudette fueled me up toward the end with double-strong Emergen- C and apple juice drinks. Everybody was so good to the baby and me. They tucked us in bed and Dolly made breakfast for me. When Claudette came back for the follow-up appointment all the tension of waiting so long for Mira to come was gone and it was really wonderful to see Claudette so happy. She so clearly loves what she does. It is truly a blessing to have had her help having the HBAC I needed for this baby.

Belly Casting

2008-04-26T15:20:00.000-07:00

Belly Casting
Belly casting is a great way to keep a beautiful long-lasting reminder of you and your baby's 9 month journey together. What a creative and artistic way to express yourself during this most creative time in your life! Since each body is different, each cast will be too; leave it simply white or decorate it with art. Your family can share in creating and decorating this cast and have a bonding experience with you and your baby. What a special way to welcome baby!

What is a Midwife?

2008-04-26T15:17:00.001-07:00

Midwifery
A midwife is an experienced childbirth professional, specifically trained in pregnancy and birth, who aids a couple in birthing naturally, usually at home.

We are knowledgeable in the use of herbs, homeopathics and other holistic medicines to support healthy pregnancy and birth, and we have special training in emergency care. We are advocate s of women and the normalcy of birth! We educate, guide, support and encourage women and their families to give birth in their most familiar environment, and in their own unique way. We will recommend the use of modern medicine when it is necessary.

What is a Water Birth?

2008-04-26T15:16:00.001-07:00

Water Birth
Water birth is a safe, natural, and clean way to give birth. Water's natural analgesic properties makes your birth more comfortable for you and your baby.

How does it work?

When you're resting in the water, you are weightless, the water calms and soothes you as your labor progresses. This eases the birthing process because your body can relax. It's a natural pain reliever! Babies are calmer when they exit the womb, because you are calmer and less in pain. It's easy to set up a tub, which fits into almost any room. We include the rental of a tub in our services; however you may choose your own.

What is a Home Birth

2008-04-26T15:15:00.002-07:00

Home birth has been statistically proven to be safer than hospital birth. At the hospital there tends to be more interventions, infections, injuries, and fatalities. We are certified in neonatal resuscitation and healthcare provider’s CPR. I carry herbs, oxygen, and emergency medications.
(Did you know that you can give birth at home in the water? See the water birth link)

Benefits of Home birth:

You are able to labor more comfortably in your most familiar environment: your own home!

You are not surrounded by strangers or germs that are alien to you.
Your desires are more likely to be honored.
You don’t have to leave home to go somewhere else. Your favorite foods are easily at hand.
You are not hooked up to monitors and confined to bed. Dad can rest, too. After birth you’re allowed to rest together as a family without being continuously interrupted.
There are no shift changes; your midwife is there for the entire process.

Breast Pump Rentals

2008-04-26T15:15:00.001-07:00

New Life Birthing Services rents breast pumps. We have two styles: Ameda and Medela.

Ameda Medela

Breast pump rental is $50 per month, with an additional one-time fee ranging between $12-$30 (depending upon the pump). Contact us for more information on the breast pumps we have available.

Birthing Tub Rentals

2008-04-26T15:14:00.001-07:00

Birthing Tub Rentals

New Life Birthing Services rents birthing tubs to those who wish to have a water birth at home.

Four Aqua Doula Tubs Available for Rent
Rentals start at $250. Call us for specific rates.

Four La Basseine Tubs Available for Rent.
Rentals start at $75. Call us for specific rates.

Birth Pool in a Box rental for $150

We also have a variety of additional tubs for rent at $50

Included in all birth tub kits

Instructions
Air Pump
25ft Hose
Some hose adapters to faucet
Liner
Fish Net
Sea Salts
Cleanser

What is a Doula?

2008-04-26T15:13:00.001-07:00

A doula is a laboring couple’s assistant during a hospital birth. She is an experienced labor coach who supports and encourages mothers before, during, and after labor. A doula offers pain relief techniques, education, and options.

Statistics support the use of a doula. Fewer epidurals and other interventions occur when a doula is present with you in the hospital. It is less likely you will have a cesarean, and most mothers experience shorter labors and better mother-baby bonding. Breastfeeding is also more successful with doula support.

Doula Services

2008-04-26T15:12:00.000-07:00

Your doula arrives at your agreed upon meeting place once you've let her know your labor has begun. If you agree to meet at your home, your doula will arrive swiftly to provide comfort and coping strategies as required until you’re ready to go to the hospital.

Once you're at the hospital, she continues to provide comfort and care, which may include light massage, suggestions for position changes, or other recommendations. At certain points, your doula may also suggest you get into the shower or the bath.

Throughout your time at the hospital your doula helps create an environment conducive to your comfort. She may offer to play soft music. She may also make suggestions to your partner in how he or she can help care for you.

During your labor your doula encourages you and educates you on the pros and cons of various possible interventions. Your doula always supports you in making the decisions you feel are best for you and your baby.

Your doula remains with you throughout the birth until both you and your baby are in stable condition. After birth, your doula can provide breastfeeding support, if desired. Before and after labor, your doula is available for telephone consultations, if desired.

If you have questions about using a doula, feel free to contact us.

Newborn Care Instruction

2008-04-26T15:10:00.004-07:00

You will receive personalized instruction on how to care for your newborn as needed: including how to hold your baby, how to feed your baby, how to put your baby down, and all other aspects of newborn care.
We will be available to you for consultation after you give birth, if you have questions, concerns, or just need someone to talk to.

Breastfeeding Support and Alternatives

2008-04-26T15:10:00.003-07:00

As your midwives, we will provide breastfeeding support for both new and experienced mothers. (We recognize the importance of initiating a good latch for breastfeeding infants.) We also want to be available as needed for additional breastfeeding support. Our help and support can make a big difference. We can provide breast pump rentals for moms who want to utilize this technology. We will also provide education and options for moms who are unable to breastfeed or do not wish to breastfeed.

Postpartum Visits

2008-04-26T15:10:00.001-07:00

Postpartum visit schedules vary among our midwives. In general, you will receive a postpartum visit at your home usually within 24-48 hours of the birth. Then again at 3-5 days after the birth. Then, you come to her at 2 weeks and 6 weeks, more or less, as needed. At these visits we will weigh the baby, check your and your baby's vitals, assist your with breastfeeding as necessary, and provide any other counseling, education or support you need.

Attendanding your Birth

2008-04-26T15:09:00.001-07:00

We provide excellent and caring support for you during your labor. When your labor begins, contact us immediately. Upon arrival, we will take your vitals, listen to the baby’s heartbeat, and continue to monitor you and your baby throughout labor.

During labor we will recommend position changes as necessary, and may suggest herbs and homeopathics as well. We will also monitor the baby intermittently throughout labor.

We will deliver your baby, or assist the father or other family member in delivering the baby, as the case may be. Upon birth, we check you and your baby's vitals, perform a newborn examination, and remain with you and your baby until you are both stable.

Your Lab Work

2008-04-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

As experienced midwives we will provide complete, gentle care for women of all ages and offer the following lab services at the appropriate points during your pregnancy:

Complete Prenatal Profile
Urinalysis
Hemoglobin / Hematocrit Levels
Strep-B
Blood sugar levels

Prenatal Visits

2008-04-26T15:01:00.000-07:00

As your midwives we will see you once a month for prenatal visits until you are around 28-30 weeks. Then, every other week until 36 weeks. From that point forward, we will see you weekly, until delivery. At each prenatal visit we will listen for your baby's heartbeat (the best indicator of how your baby is doing), check your blood pressure and weight, perform a urinalysis, measure your fundal height and check the baby's position. During your visits we can discuss any issues or concerns you may have including the progress of your pregnancy. We are very committed to providing you with the support and education you need to ensure you and your baby's health and happiness.

Laine's Testimonial

2008-04-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Claudette was the midwife at two of my VBACs, and I have also had the blessing of attending several births with her as a doula. I have loved going to births with Claudette because I get to see "behind the curtain" to witness things I never noticed when I was the birthing mom. I am amazed at Claudette's incredible skills and how she carefully handles complicated situations with speed and precision. She assesses a birthing woman with all of her senses, not solely relying on a monitor or the clock. She has immense knowledge gained through both study and hands on experience, but she also relies on her heart and the Spirit to guide her as she tends to mamas in labor. Claudette's track record is beautiful, and compares to or exceeds the excellent outcomes had by midwives and birth centers in Scandinavia, where we find the best birth outcomes in the world. Claudette views a woman in her entirety, considering her health, emotional state, history, activity level, spirituality, support system, and all aspects of her being. She has helped over a hundred women to successfully VBAC when they would have been compelled to have a cesarean otherwise. Her knowledge of nutrition and the use of herbs and alternative therapies offers mothers many options for which traditional obstetric care offers only a prescription pad. She comes well equipped for emergencies and is prepared to handle intense situations without undue alarm.

I loved having Claudette's calm presence for my prenatal care and births. Her calm, no-nonsense way of communicating with me during my labors was perfect for me. She offered suggestions when needed, but also trusted me and my body to guide my labor. Her faith in birth brought a reassurance to me when I was feeling doubt in my abilities to get through it all. I cherished glancing up after a particularly hard contraction to see her whispering a little prayer on my behalf. As a Christian of a different denomination, I appreciated that Claudette lent her faith in the Lord to my own. Even though we practice differently, she easily blended into our family's spiritual rhythm at this sacred event. What a blessing it has been to have Claudette as a midwife. I would never consider giving birth without her there in the future.

Claudette recently helped me through a miscarriage, and it was so special to me that even though this baby was not ever going to be born and grow up the way I had hoped, it was still important to her. While the rest of the world looked at it as the loss of a fetus, Claudette helped me through the loss of my baby.

Connie's Birth Story

2008-03-25T12:01:00.000-07:00

Old thought: I have to have it all figured out before I can do anything.
New thought: Showing up, even with fear, has power.

These were the words that hung on my bulletin board over my desk during my second pregnancy.

After 13 hours of being completely dilated for my first child’s birth, I tearfully consented to a cesarean. His birth had been planned for home. But after 5 hours of pushing with no progress in his decent, I decided I should try the hospital.

Two hours and an epidural later, there still was no progress, but I was determined to make it work. Having spent years as a doula and many births as a midwife’s assistant, I knew that patience was often what was missing at births. Despite my knowledge, stamina, determination and patience, he did not come close enough for a safe vaginal birth.

I thought I was ok with this. To this day I still don’t know what more I could have done. But questions continued to lurk in the back of my mind. Was there something wrong with my body? Was there something in my head holding me back from letting him be born at home?

To resolve my mixed emotions, I put in work. I wrote. I saw an excellent therapist. I “cleaned house” as best as I could.

Joyfully, I became pregnant 8 years later with our second child.

I had to look into my heart, and listen to my head about where my baby and I would be safest and most likely to give birth vaginally. Home still felt right. I’d found a midwife I had great confidence in. I’d seen Claudette working at other births and she was smart, quick on her feet and kind. Statistically speaking home was the logical place to be. The political climate had changed and my chances for a vaginal birth were slim at any local hospital. Despite all of this, there was some small part of me that lacked confidence.

I started contractions on Sunday morning. They were really mild and continued throughout the day. I went to Costco, Trader Joes, the supermarket, Bed Bath and Beyond and a furniture store. It seemed like contractions were 10-15 minutes apart, maybe 10-30 seconds long all day. I didn't time them.

In the evening I made dinner and played Monopoly with my son. Michael is 8 years old.

I gave our doula and Claudette the heads up. My doula asked me to call her before I went to bed and let her know how close contractions were. That was around 6pm. I decided to time the contractions and was surprised that contractions I thought might be 10-30 seconds long were more like 50 seconds. So - all signs of smooth progress.

Around 10 I went to bed, but by 11:30 I realized that I just wanted to doze and didn't want to bother timing contractions, so I woke my husband Peter up to do the timing. At 12:30 he said he thought we should call Claudette. I asked how close contractions were and he said like 4-6 minutes. I decided I didn't believe him and said that we should time some more so we had something certain to report to the midwife. He said, "Are you gonna argue with me?" I laughed and said, "yes". Then I got up to go to the bathroom (seemed like there was a lot of pressure.)

I had 4 contractions pretty darned close and said "OK, call everybody in. NOW."

At 1:30am Claudette checked me and I was 8-9cm and plus 2 station. 8 years ago with my son Michael I'd gotten to complete, but never more than 0 or plus 1 station. The 8-9 cm was great news 'cause now I could get in the tub. I did not find out what station I was because I didn't want it to distract me.

As soon as I got in the tub, I felt the urge to push. I stayed in there for 2 hours, and then got out to see if it would move things along faster out of water.

The baby's head was "right there" for the next 3 hours. I asked everyone to stop telling me she was coming because I didn't believe it anymore. She just sat on my pubic bone for hours and moved down by a hair's breath with each contraction. I was in every position imaginable. We didn't know what the hold up was. But her heart rate stayed steady.

Considering I had spent over 13 hours pushing 8 years ago with Michael, my husband figured we were doing fine. I figured, an epidural might be real nice about now.

I asked to go to the hospital. I didn't think this was working. The midwife said she didn't think we'd make in time.

I went into the bathroom. My doula sat on the toilet, I squatted between her legs and pushed. After about 3 contractions I opened my eyes and saw someone with a lot of hair and very pink shoulders and a smooth back hanging out of me. I was shocked. I didn't feel this part at all.

I said, "Hey, would you take her out already!" I guess I had told every one to be quiet before this and they weren't saying a darned thing - so it was sort of up to me to discover this part.

I also think it's neat that suddenly, intuitively, I knew she was a "her" - we didn't know her sex in advance.

And so, after a total of 5 or so hours of pushing, she slowly slid out into my midwife’s hands. She was alert, but very quiet. I was stunned. I cried and cried. There was a part of me that didn’t believe I could do it, and yet, somehow, I had done it! Showing up, even with fear, had power! This time, my knowledge, stamina, determination and patience had paid off. Claudette asked why I was crying. I told her it was because I was so grateful to have had this experience. Without her believing in my ability, I don’t think I could have done it.

And there we all were...mom, baby, dad, doula, midwife and assistant - very happy - hanging out in the bathroom.

I couldn't have asked for more!

Valerie was one pound larger than my son. She is beautifully healthy. She was born on a holiday that has new meaning for me. It was Labor Day!

Submitted with gratitude by Connie S.

Sandy's Testimonial

2008-03-24T17:26:00.000-07:00

Sandy's Side
I just can’t say enough about Claudette. I highly recommend her, for all aspects of childbirth. I purposely wanted an experienced woman who could share in my belief that I could birth a child naturally, even after two c-sections. Two different people recommended her to me, and one of those was a woman who had 2 home births after THREE c-sections!! I knew she was the midwife for me. Then I found out she is one of the most generous, committed, knowledgeable, experienced, personal, caring, understanding professional having to do with childbirth (or childbearing women’s health) I have ever known. I have been under the care of two other midwives, and many obstetricians, and she outranks them all! She helped me through 3 miscarriages the previous year, followed by a wonderful VBAC, my first natural vaginal birth, at home the next year. I’m constantly referring people to her. She has won my loyalty, as you can read!

Sandy S.
Mother of 3
One water home VBAC after 2 c-sections
Costas Side
Our first two births, with other midwives, ended up c-sections instead of the home births we wanted, and they were traumatic for me. But Claudette, with her confidence and experience helped me experience a home birth, a natural birth, as it is supposed to be. Our third child’s home birth was the most amazing experience I have ever had. I always felt safe and confident that home birth was the right choice for my wife, and myself, with Claudette. She really proved herself to me I guess. We’d choose her again, absolutely.

Claudete Coughenour Midwife - References

2008-03-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

Peter Sultana MD & Connie Sultana CD 707-588-8026

Peter Dauterman & Becca Albiston CNM 707-642-1068

Mike & Angie Abegglen 707-568-5242

Kevin & Regina Lanteigne 707-463-6626

Jeremy Stuart & Kim Lyons CD 510-530-8910

Guy & Laine Holman CD 916-363-2182

Kito & Brianna Debritto CD 707-578-6642

Mark & Shaana Keller CD 707-588-9271

Jason & Willow Sanders CD 707-579-8538

Joe Davis & Cassandra Houghton CD 707-433-6614

Jon & Diana Martens 707-573-3891

Matt & Jeanie Burton 707-5681118

Eric & Joy Barnett 707-939-8317

Jean-Francois & Nicole Duccaroz 707-933-8080

Claudettes Coughenour Midwife - Qualifications

2008-03-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

24 Years of Birthing Experience

Over 1,200 Deliveries Attended

Certified Professional Midwife Since 1997 (North American Registry of Midwives)

ACHI Certified Midwife Since 1987 (Association for Childbirth at Home International)

California Licensed Midwife 1998-2005

Bachelor Degree Since 1980 from the University of Michigan

Master of Science Program from Midwives College of Utah Since 2005

Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator Since 2005

ACHI Certified Childbirth Educator Since 1985

Certified Doula Since 1989 (National Association for Childbirth Assistants)

Health Care Provider CPR Certified Since 1993

Neonatal Resuscitation Certified Since 1993

IV Certified Since 1986

Phlebotomy Certified Since 1986

Certified Lactation Counselor Since 1987