Welcome to Birth Stories!

I went into labor on the 15th of December. It was a beautiful Sunday. I woke up at 5 AM, it was still dark outside, and the snow was beginning to fall. I texted Julie and told her I thought it was going to be baby day. She responded almost immediately and we said we touch base after an hour or so. Then it was time to wake up my husband. He jumped out of bed and asked if he needed to fill up the birth tub. He knew that was his main duty and he was ready to go! Ha ha. I had to remind him the baby wasn’t going to fall out that second. We made coffee, watched our toddler catch snowflakes on his tongue, and soaked up the last moments of us being a family of three. 

A little while later, the Contractions pick up and I start getting nervous about Julie and Kara making it here in the weather. Julie happily made her way here and we just drank some coffee and chatted. I started getting emotional because I was missing my first baby. He went to my mother-in-law‘s house knowing he would come home to a new baby brother waiting to meet him. My contractions weren’t as consistent at this point because I was feeling stressed out. Julie was doing her best to get me back on track and suggested we make cinnamon rolls. I loved this. I am a baker so that was right up my alley. I go to grab some flour only to discover I didn’t have enough. Dang it. 

At this point, it’s probably 12 o’clock or so. My contractions were getting a bit more intense but I didn’t feel like anything was happening. I remember thinking “ugh, I just want to be a 7!”  I didn’t feel like I was progressing at all. By this time, I was feeling defeated and thought I had called her out here in the snow for nothing. Julie suggested she could check me if that was something I’d be interested in. I was all about it. She checked me and guess what??! I was a SEVEN!  My mood totally did a 180! ”YAY.  We are having a baby soon!“

My husband finally gets to fill up the tub. This is his moment. Ha ha. I pace up and down my tiny hallway. My body then started to take over. I start counting my breathing and pointing my toes like my old ballerina days. I didn’t expect that’s what my body would do, but hey, it was working. That’s worth saying again. YOUR BODY KNOWS WHAT TO DO. Trust it. 

We had the birth tub set up in our living room. It was almost Christmas so our tree was on, fireplace was on, and the snow was falling. We don’t have a TV in our living room, so my husband brought up his tiny laptop and we watched elf. It was basically my dream moment.

I start getting emotional as the pain sets in. Once I was fully dilated, it didn’t take long. I think I pushed maybe three times. I told them both before hand that I wanted to catch him. After I got him out, I didn’t think that I could do it but Julie said “yes you can“ and I pulled my baby out of the water. Ahhh, he was here. We stayed in the tub for a bit before going up to our bedroom to examine him and cuddle. To me, it was the most perfect and beautiful birth. Kara and Julie were there every step of the way, in the best way. Charlie came into the world surrounded with love from his parents AND his midwives. They cleaned everything up, started some laundry, and left us to enjoy our new baby. Almost immediately after, I sent my husband to go pick up my first baby. I hear the door open and the sweetest voice shouts “where is my baby brother???!“ Before I knew it, I had my two baby boys with me in bed and life was complete. <3

I accidentally delivered my third child in the car while we attempted to drive to the hospital, so I knew when I got pregnant with my fourth that I wanted to have a home birth. The experience was nothing short of incredible. Around 9 am I knew I felt different and our baby would be coming at some point that day.  I was able to continue doing life with my other three children as I labored on and off throughout the day.

My husband was here along with my best friend and I was able to labor with ease in the comfort of our home.  As things grew more intense Julie arrived and I had such peace knowing I was in her care. Just over an hour after she arrived our son entered the world surrounded by his siblings, who watched the whole process in awe. 

Bringing new life into the world is one of the most vulnerable and intimate things a woman can do. To do it in my own home was incredibly empowering.  I would never choose to do it any other way again. 

SWEET FAMILY!

When I met Julie and Kara at their office “meet and greet,” I immediately knew these were the women I wanted to provide my prenatal care and attend the birth of my 3rd child. My first birth was in the hospital with a large midwife practice and my second was at a freestanding birth center. Unfortunately, I felt the care I received in those practices and at birth resembled a “medwife” philosophy and I was just another rushed number in a long queue of patients.  True informed consent was not provided and I was at the mercy of each establishments “rules.”  Therefore, when it came time to choose my prenatal care for my 3rd pregnancy I decided homebirth was the right path.    After  my first prenatal appointment, it was clear that I had made the right choice  I loved going to their cozy office with no long waits  I frequently brought my children and both Julie and Kara involved them and allowed them to help.  I never felt rushed and often we would get lost talking and getting to know each other. 

 There were some tests I wanted to skip or seek alternative testing options and they both provided true informed consent, meaning they presented the pros and cons, what they usually do in their practice, alternatives, latest research and then left the choice up to me and fully supported what choice I made. Additionally I was given both their cell numbers and was encouraged to call or text with any questions or concerns and they both always responded in a timely fashion.  My labor started when Kara  out of town, but Julie was wonderful during my birth. We communi by text in the early stages of labor and she even offered to sleep in her office to be closer to my home. My labor moved swift, so she only arrived about 90 minutes before my son was born, but she was very respectful of how I wanted to labor and although I was in the zone laboring , I remember seeing her sitting in my hallway being a quiet observer allowing my body to do what it needed to do.  I wanted to catch my baby and I did! 

 Julie unobtrusively observed while I snuggled my son in the birth pool and it was a peaceful and gentle welcome to the world, such a contrast to how my other two were welcomed with rough towel rubbing and nurses interrupting to touch baby.    It  truly  was  everything   I wanted  in  a  dreams  birth.    When  it  was  time  to  transfer  to  the  bed  and  shower,  her  compassion  and  love  of  the  entire  birth  process  showed  and  it  was  such  a  blessing  to  be  aided  by  someone  so  caring,  thoughtful and  respectful!    Thank  you  Jukie  and  Kara  dor  amazing  care  during  such  a  special  time  for  my  family    i  am  left  with  nothing  but  positive  and  amazing  memories of  my  prenatal  care  and  birth!

Julianna, being my fourth child and second home birth, seemed to be my most relaxed birth.  I knew exactly what I wanted when looking for a midwife.  When I met with Julie for the first time, she told me about her and Kara’s practice and their experience.  After I shared my expectations (having the most natural pregnancy and labor as possible) regarding homebirth, I knew that I would mesh well with Midwife Partners.

The morning of labor (though I wasn’t sure if it was labor), I started to have light bleeding followed by what seemed like Braxton Hicks contractions.  I never had bleeding with my other labors, so I wasn’t convinced that “today was the day.”  The contractions spanned throughout the morning and afternoon.  I texted Julie and made her aware of my symptoms.  That evening I went to my previously scheduled appointment with Julie.  My contractions were becoming uncomfortable.  Julie even asked me if I was sure I was not in labor, to which I replied “No.”. 

After the appointment, my family and I went to dinner at a nearby restaurant.  During the meal, I couldn’t sit down because of how much the contractions hurt, though they still seemed pretty random and far apart.  We hurried our meal along just in case though. We arrived home and immediately put the other three children to bed.  I sat in a bath for a little bit it wasn’t helping.  I then accepted that I was in labor.  I texted Julie and let her know that the contractions were becoming stronger and more regular.  She immediately called and assured me that she would be there soon.  I told her to take her time and that it would probably be awhile since I usually labored around eight hours and the contractions were still five minutes apart.  I  am  glad  that  she  didn’t take  my  advice  because  as  soon  as  i  hung  up  the  phone,  the  contractions increased  to  two  minutes  apart.    Thankfully,  30  minutes later  she  and  her  team  arrived.    

I  was  barely  aware  of  what  was  going  on,  but  Julie,  Kara  and  Ashley  (a  student)  seemed  to  work  effortlessly to  prepare  the  room  while  my  husband  helped  me  through  labor.    Everyone  was  so  helpful  and  patient.    They  offered  ideas  of  different  positions  to  labor  in  to  help  make  me  more  comfortable.    At  one  point,  Julie  even  pressed  on  my  back  during  a  few  contractions.    Everything just  seemed  to  go  so  quickly and  seamlessly  that  I  hardly  remember  it.    But  that‘s  a  good  thing!    Baby  Julianna  came  about  30  minutes  after  the  arrival  of  our  team!    She  was  beautiful,  perfect  and  had  a  full  head  of  dark  brown  hair!    As  soon  as  she  came  I  asked  if  it  was  really  a  girl!    (My  other  3  are  boys  and  I  never  fully  believed  the  ultrasound technicians!)    My  husband  and  I  are  so  thankful  for  Jukie  and  Kara  and  how  they  made  every  bit   Of  our  exoerience  wonderful  and  memorable.    

SNUGGLES!

After a relatively easy pregnancy, I went into labor at exactly 41 weeks. For more than a week I had been feeling contractions in the evenings and on multiple nights felt certain labor was going to begin. I felt a bit cranky and more ready than ever to meet my baby. At my 41 week appointment that afternoon, Kara was so calm and positive. She assured me the baby was fine and was ready to come at any time now. That night  around 1:30 am I was woken up by my contractions. I knew it was finally the real deal when they didn’t let up after I got out of bed and went to the bathroom. I laid back down for a little bit and when the contractions started to get stronger I let my husband MJ know labor had begun. I continued to labor in bed for a while and moved to the birthing ball when the contractions became too uncomfortable to stay laying down. As labor progressed I alternated between the birthing ball, the shower, and eventually the toilet when the contractions really got intense.   MJ kept asking if I wanted to call Cara and Julie, but I kept assuring him that I was fine and didn’t need to call yet because my water hadn’t broken and I was fine.

Finally, around 4:30 in the morning MJ insisted I text Kara and Julie, which was great judgment on his part. Right after I sent the text I started throwing up and I knew it was go time. Julie called me, asked me a few questions and said they’d be on their way. MJ got the bed ready putting down the plastic and extra sheets, and  got out the birth  kit.. Kara  and Julie arrived and got their stuff set up just before I started pushing. I knelt on the bed holding onto MJ while I pushed. When he needed a break I held onto Kara and all the while Julie monitored the baby’s progress. I’m not sure how long I pushed or how many pushes it took to bring Ayah  into the world, but it didn’t seem like too many. I had one brief moment of doubt when I was feeling really tired and  the  pain  was  at  its  most  intense  that I  doubted  if  i  could  finish  pushing  her  out.    That  moment  of  doubt didn’t  last long when I  remembered she  was  already  partway down  the  birth  canal  and  it  was  much  too  late  to  quit.    With Kara,  Julie,  and  MJ’s  encouragement and  gentle coaching  I  pushed  a  couple  more  times  and  Ayah  was  born.

Ayah was born just before 6:00 am that morning. I felt elated that the hard work was done and that I could finally meet her. Julie laid  her on my chest and MJ and I just marveled at how beautiful she was and how miraculous birth is. After I delivered the placenta, MJ’s mom brought in our older daughter, Maryam, to meet Ayah. Maryam looked stunned and confused by a whole new person appearing  in our house while she was sleeping. Kara and  Julie stayed for a little while to help me into the shower, weigh Ayah, and clean up. Resting in my own bed afterwards and snuggling Ayah felt incredible.