This I Believe

I believe in the power of a woman to bring forth the life in her womb.

In today’s medical world, birth is treated like some sort of disorder that must be managed, that only doctors can deliver babies. I’m here to tell you that pizzas are delivered, babies are born. It is no wonder that with a medical agenda many moms-to-be are confused about how to handle a process that was supposed to be natural.

It was with the normal fear induction that I allowed myself to be a victim of a hospital birth. Afterwards, when dealing with the anger I had about the episiotomy and the hiatal hernia condition caused by the birth, I started to believe that I would only stick with the one child, never wanting to experience the horrors of medical rape again. I felt raped when the doctor cut into my body against my will.

Then a friend of mine told me about homebirth. I thought about some old hippie lady, maybe even a pool of water, and a whole lot of pain–with the potential of a dangerous situation waiting to happen. When I let down my prior medical biases, I started my research. I chose the least medical, but still legally qualified, professional possible. The last obstetrician I’d seen snidely wished me good luck when he heard I wasn’t going to receive his treatment for my pregnant condition.

My water broke while I was sleeping in bed and the contractions kept coming. The midwives came, and I felt like I wanted to push and puke. The pain was familiar, but big and often. The pushing really felt uncontrollable. Unfortunately, there was a surprise. My daughter was breech.

Had that been determined on a 3rd trimester ultrasound, doctors would have insisted upon intervening in the birth–either with a version to turn the baby or a guaranteed c-section. Had I known the baby was breech without an ultrasound, a chiropractor and exercises could have maybe turned her. In the end, if I tried to get up and walk to the car to go to the hospital, the baby would have fallen out of my body on the way downstairs.

So with oxygen at the ready and a doppler monitoring, the midwives guided my pushing and the baby to make sure it would all work out. Most of the baby came out and it was found that the cord was around her underarm a couple of times, as well as her neck. With only 1 heartbeat deceleration, I stood next to the bed for 1 big push (through the “ring of fire”, aptly named) and the baby was out. The midwives simply uncoiled the cord, no big deal (no oxygen needed), and I held my daughter.

I’ve never felt more empowered and amazed by something I’ve ever done in my life! I am so grateful to my husband and my midwives for helping me do the best thing for my child: a gentle birth.