May 10, 2016 | Empowered, First Birth, Hospital Birth, Midwife Attended, Partner Attended, Vaginal Birth
Right from the moment I found out I was pregnant, I planned on using visualisations to help me through the birth. My story tells how they worked for me. Contraction like pains and a bloody show on the Wednesday evening, two days before my due date was all the...
Apr 20, 2016 | Empowered, Hospital Birth
My ordinarily cautious husband was speeding. Pat, the other grandmother, had phoned half an hour ago, “Get on the road, the kids are headed to the hospital.” We lived only three hours south of Dallas but this time the drive seemed interminable. “Faster, faster,” I...
Jan 19, 2016 | Empowered, Fast labor, First Birth, Home birth
I gave birth at home after six hours of active labor, which is relatively short for a first-time mom. I lost a lot of blood, but not enough to warrant hospital transfer. I needed stitches, but I’ve healed well. For the first couple days postpartum, I couldn’t stand up...
Aug 17, 2015 | Empowered, Hospital Birth, Partner Attended, VBAC
I didn’t believe them. I wanted to feel it. As we made it to the center of my suburban street on a gorgeous warm summer day, more of my waters leaked down my leg, sliding past my green summer dress as I held onto my partner through a contraction and my best friend...
Jul 27, 2015 | Empowered, Home birth, Midwife Attended, Partner Attended
Both my sons were born at home. Calm, Serene and blissful; my first son was born still sleeping into a pool and gave a gentle sigh for his first breath, to a delighted audience of four, myself, my husband and two lovely midwives. Loud, raucous and exhilarating; my...
Jul 16, 2015 | Empowered, Home birth, Hospital Birth, Midwife Attended, Speaking up
The Power of Speaking Up Earlier this year, I’d been asked to speak about my birthing experiences to the board of the Birmingham Women’s Hospital. The group I addressed on 26 March 2015 makes important decisions in relation to women’s birthing and post-natal...
