I wanted to share my story of how I came to feeling like a new mom after having five children, yes I did say five. Over the last 12 years I have been pregnant five times. I have four boys and one girl. All my boy’s pregnancy were hospital births attended by an OBGYN. All my boys pregnancy I gained a lot of weight, was huge, they were all big babies. My first son was 8.14, my second was 8.6, my third was 8.2 and my last son was 8.15. I never had any true complications with their pregnancy. All the boys labors were lay one your back, IV, Pitocin, use of forceps or vacuum if the doctor felt it was necessary, epidural, tearing, episiotomy and stitches. I never knew any better. I knew with my first son I didn’t want to use medications for pain, I didn’t want to use tools for delivery, I didn’t want any episiotomy but somehow it all happened and I just kept letting it happen. It kept happening because I was too scared to try something else, I thought I knew how to have a baby. It worked for me four times, right? Even though it was never really the experience I was looking for, I didn’t know how and where to find it.
After my last son I was done, I got my tubes tied. I had wanted a girl but at the time it didn’t seem possible. I had four beautiful healthy boys, what more can one ask for. And let me tell you four boys is a handful for sure. But two years after my baby boy was born we came into enough money to try and get our daughter, we had enough for one try and we went for it. IVF is a painful, stressful, invasive process, and I knew if it worked, I wanted the pregnancy and birth to be as stress free and noninvasive as possible. So I started researching options and came across Corpus Christi Birth Center Website. I contacted Beth before I became pregnant and told her my story
The day I meet with Beth, was the day I found out I was pregnant with my daughter, I was actually in her office when I got the call and when I shared the news she was just as excited it felt like I was sharing the news with family. I signed up with Beth that day and was only four weeks pregnant. My first really appointment I meet Shelley. She was such a calming force. I remember tell her about my boys pregnancies and that I gained weight and couldn’t help it so not to hound me about it. She said it was okay, she told me would work on it together. She talk with me instead of at me or over my head. She gave me guidelines that I had never heard before. She actually listened to what I had to say and I never felt rushed. Although I did in the beginning gain a lot of weight it was due to fertility drugs and not as much as me. But Shelley never made me feel bad. And when I would go in and just need to talk about my home life or boys she would listen intently and ask question and remember what I had say at my last appointment. She became my friend, I knew she actually care about my baby and me. I knew she was giving me the care I needed and not because I was patient number 5 that day. I felt comfortable asking her all the silly questions I never asked before. About breast feeding, about baby positioning, about personal issues anything I wanted and she would help me. and she was so inviting and honest. I decided that I wanted to try it out.
I should note here that my husband was not on board with the whole home birth thing. Any chance he got to try and talk me out of it he would. He didn’t visit the birth center till the birthing class when I was 30 weeks. He also starting working out of town which added stress on me to attempt the home birth possibly alone. But Shelley listen and supported me. My husband just wanted me and our daughter safe in the best way he knew how, as in Hospital birth.
I meet Karen at the child birth class she put on while visiting down here. I instantly like her for her no nonsense way, honestly, humor, caring and amount of information she was willing to share. I remember my husband walking it there and straight out stating he wasn’t happy with the home birth and Karen was like okay we’ll change your mind, we’ll give you enough information to make you comfortable. After that class my husband wasn’t trying so hard to get me into the hospital, he was willing to give it a try.
Time for Labor, I started contracting early morning, I texted Shelley to let her know but unfortunately my labor stalled out due to a family emergency. Later that night when everything was getting settled at my house, I texted Shelley again to tell her my contraction were about 15 minutes apart for about a minute and a half. I told her to get some rest because I thought I’d be calling in a couple hours. She thought she should come check me but I wasn’t convinced it was needed but I finally said if she felt she should, come on over. Thankfully she had a better sense than I, because when Shelley and Karen got here I was checked and was an 8!!!! I thought no way, this was way too easy. The whole time I was in labor I was eating, laughing, walking, dealing with the family emergency, thinking I was barely in early labor. Within three hours of their arrival I was ready to push, with my contractions never getting closer than 13 minutes apart but lasting two and a half minutes long.
Now here is the funny part, the whole time I was pregnant I was not concern at all with pushing, I was a pro. But that turned out to be my most challenging aspect. My baby didn’t find it necessary to be in a good position and I struggled and felt everything that I never felt with pushing my boys out. My last two sons I got out in two pushes each. Karen was able to focus my attention and get my daughter out. Now for a little scare, my baby wasn’t breathing at first but very calmly Shelley and Karen gave her a little O2 with a little forced air making her breath and cry the most beautiful sounds. Within minutes my baby was health looking and breathing and suckling. Everything was perfect. After our daughter was born, I remember the first chance my husband got he grabbed Karen hugging her, crying, thanking her for taking such good care of his girls, he mind was changed. The experience we had was worth the uncertainty. We both agree that we are so thankfully we chose this route to have our daughter it was perfect in every way. Our daughter was 6 lbs, 13 oz. and 20inches long.
Ever since the birth of my daughter, anytime I need Shelley or Karen they are here for me. I was having trouble breast feeding and Karen has been able to make me a breast feeding success. With me boys I was unconfident and gave up but with her I feel like I can truly breastfeed for the long haul. With this baby I have learn so much more than I ever knew with my previous pregnancies. I believe because CC Birth Center is so open and friendly I am able to ask more questions and receive more help when I need it. I am so thankfully to Shelley and Karen for attending my birth they were the perfect match for my family. These lady are friends for life!
Side note my four boys were here at the house with us and slept thought the birth, once morning came they didn’t even know what happened, it is so nice to be able to slide into your our bed and not disrupt your routine. My kids were able to get ready for school and leave just like they always would rather than if we went to a hospital and they had to stay with someone. And it’s wonderful to be able to eat your own food!