Hi Baby. You don’t really understand, but today is your FIRST BIRTHDAY. We made it! And of course, we are celebrating in style by waking up at 5 AM! Little Brother, you have taught me so much this year. This past year has radically transformed the way I view the world, and I owe that … [Read more…]
August 25, 2015 – 39 weeks, 6 days I had originally planned to title this post “Strong enough? Finding the balance between female empowerment and dependence on God.” And I’m going to talk about that, I promise. But I realize, at 1 day shy of 40 weeks up at 5:30AM having contractions, that I can’t … [Read more…]
Each week that passes of Little Brother’s life, I’m more grateful. Not just for him, but for Ezra too. And for the cesareans that brought them into the world. I’ve spent the last 29 posts talking all about this experience of trying for VBAC and everything that went into it for me. I’ve given advice and shared … [Read more…]
It’s okay to be disappointed. It’s okay to say, “This is not what I wanted.” It’s okay to grieve and cry. But there’s no such thing as a “failed VBAC.” Because you cannot fail at birth. You cannot fail at bringing a child into the world.
Cut, Stapled, and Mended: When One Woman Reclaimed Her Body and Gave Birth on Her Own Terms After Cesarean by Roanna Rosewood was the only book I read while I was pregnant. Roanna is a HBA2C mom who wrote her story in a memoir format. This book covers not only her three pregnancies but also story from … [Read more…]
Today I’m opening up my blog to friend, fellow blogger, and “stand in the gap” friend Jessica Hoover. Jessica is a doula with a heart for moms whose births don’t go to plan. She’s here today to share a bit about her births and how to best form a birth plan. I gave birth naturally … [Read more…]
July 22, 2015 I’m 35 weeks pregnant today. Last night, we attended the 2nd week of our two-week “childbirth refresher” course at the hospital where we will be having Little Brother. Another mom asked a question about catheter procedure during epidurals and spinals, and I almost gasped. Just like that I remembered that the night … [Read more…]
Written on April 30, 2015 23 Weeks, 1 day Last week I realized that I didn’t remember what the pain felt like. I know it was bad and there was screaming, but it’s a blur, and I have no physiological memory of it. All that changed last night. I had a nightmare. I was at … [Read more…]
Optimal fetal positioning is a hot buzzword in the natural birthing world, especially when it comes to VBAC. So what is it all about, and why does it matter? More importantly, what does the scientific research say? My Story I remember lying there on the operating table when they came back and told me my first … [Read more…]
Birth affirmations. Those wonderful mantras that mamas repeat to themselves in pregnancy and birth to maintain a positive outlook on birth. When I was preparing for my VBAC, I ATE THEM UP! (You can view the complete list of birth affirmations I used in pregnancy here.) Looking back, I almost find it humorous. Other times, … [Read more…]