Jul 16, 2018 | Epidural, Hospital Birth, Pain, Partner Attended, Vaginal Birth
When I was pregnant with my second baby, I was under the care of a high-risk OB due to my history – previous miscarriages (one in the second trimester), and a subchorionic hematoma. At my regularly scheduled 39 week appointment with my doctor, I told her I was really...
Jun 4, 2018 | Hospital Birth, Midwife Attended, Speaking up, Vaginal Birth, Vocalizing
April 9, 2018, I woke up at 3:30 am to one of my roommates yelling at her dogs. The previous night, we had eaten fried gator tail medallions, which I maintain as what actually triggered true labor. I felt the first contraction around 3:40 am. I had been having bouts...
Mar 21, 2018 | Episiotomy, First Birth, Guilt, Hospital Birth, Midwife Attended, Speaking up, Vaginal Birth
Four days before my due date I started to experience severe period like pains. I didn’t think much of it as everyone was telling me that first babies never came on time; let alone early, so I carried on with my day as usual. By the evening the pains had worsened...
Mar 14, 2018 | Breast feeding, Doula Attended, Empowered, First Birth, Hospital Birth, Ring of Fire, Spiritual, Vaginal Birth
On Thursday, July 20th I sat in my office at work looking around feeling super anxious and ready for Giselle to be here. I was 39 weeks and 4 days pregnant. I had contractions come and go but they would always subside. I was staying super active. I was taking the...
Oct 4, 2017 | Doula Attended, Empowered, Vaginal Birth
My first birth fell far from the natural ideal I had imagined. I was in my early 20s and in a rocky marriage to a chronically sick husband. At 37 weeks, after being plagued by a misbehaving gallbladder throughout the pregnancy, I was told we needed to induce for a...
Aug 31, 2017 | Empowered, First Birth, Hospital Birth, Pain, Partner Attended, Vaginal Birth
Freckles It was autumn when I peed on a stick and saw two pink lines. The very word “autumn” brings a flood of sensory memories, suffused with nausea: cool, crisp days; the colorful trees of old St. Louis neighborhoods; the Indian masala chai my husband used to make...
