Between the new baby and the holidays I haven't had time to sit down and write my birth story. However, I will tell you that Seamus Dutton Hogeland arrived at 12:07 on November 29.  He was 8 lbs 2 oz and 19 3/4 inches.  He was born at home on my bed.  I am so thankful to have gotten to experience homebirth and not just witness it!  I learned a lot that I know will make me a better doula and educator.  I promise to tell the whole story soon! 

On August 13th I got a call from an expectant mama saying that it seemed like a good day to have a baby!  I have been really looking forward to this birth and was ready to go!  I went over about 3:30 in the afternoon to find mom in good spirits.  One of her midwives checked her and she was 4 cm.

We sat and laughed and talked and listened to music.  She has had back labor with each of her pregnancies (this was her 4th) so we took turns giving her counter pressure and rubbing her back.  She spent time on the birth ball and on her hands and knees.  Everything was so peaceful and she was handling labor really well.

A little bit later the midwife checked her again and she was at 6 cm.  She couldn't believe how well it was going to be so far along.  After a little more time things started to get a bit more intense and she decided it was time to get into the tub.  It didn't take long to fill and she loved being in the water. 

Her husband was very supportive and stayed by her side, holding her hand as she started to transition.  She did an amazing job.  We kept cool rags on her and gently reminded her how strong she was and what a great job she was doing. 

It wasn't long at all before she announced that the baby was coming.  At this point I sent her older daughter (10) to go get her brother (4).  After an intense, but brief, few contractracions mama welcomed her beautiful baby boy into her arms.  It was 9:10 pm.  He was 7 lbs. 8 oz. and gorgeous! It was so wonderful to see her bring him into this world surrounded by family and friends. 

He was a bit sleepy after all that work and nursing took some time to really get going.  But they are all doing well and had such a great experience. 

This was also my first time to encapsulate a placenta.  Her wonderful husband cut it up and I did the encapsulation.  The whole process went much smoother than I had expected.  It really inspired me to want to offer this service to more new moms.  So I contaced Placentabenefits.info and have begun the certification process! 

This birth was perfect from start to finish.  As always I felt so blessed to be a part of it!

I am very exciting to be officially offering childbirth classes and breastfeeding classes.  I have been preparing for this and getting everything in order for quite awhile.  The childbirth classes will be offered in a 6 week series. These classes will be 2 hours long.  I am also offering a condensed 8 hour Saturday course. 

My doula clients will receive a discount when they take this class.  I really find that moms who have taken a class (especially one outside the hospital) they feel more empowered and calm going into their birth.  I hope others enjoying taking these classes as much as I enjoy teaching them!

Breastfeeding classes are also available now.  I can teach these classes in the evenings or on Saturday as well.  Even though breastfeeding is a very natural act, our culture doesn't really give us the chance to see it as such.  Taking a class gives you the confidence to know that you can breastfeed AND love the experience. Again, I hope others enjoy taking this class as much as i love teaching it.

I really look forward to getting these classes going regularly!

http://bhammag.com/bhammag/baby-1.aspx

I put the part where I am mentioned in bold.  It is near the end of the article.

Supporting Natural Childbirth

Local obstetricians and doulas assist women wanting an unmedicated delivery.

BY KIM HILDENBRAND PHOTOS BY BRIAN FRANCIS

The birth of Amy Pyper’s first son in 2007 did not go as she’d expected. She was given oxytocin to induce labor before her due date when her obstetrician worried her baby would be large. During labor, epidural anesthesia was administered to help her manage the pain. “I pushed for two and a half hours,” she recalls. “The nurses had to tell me when to push. I couldn’t feel anything.”

Because the pushing was ineffective, the obstetrician attempted to use forceps to extract the baby three times without success. Next, the nurses performed fundal pressure, locking arms and pushing on her abdomen from the outside. Finally Pyper’s son was born, weighing 7 pounds 3 ounces.

“I felt like I didn’t even birth my own baby,” Pyper says. “I was just lying there while the doctor pulled and the nurses pushed.”

Next time, she hoped, would be different. Next time she wanted to attempt natural childbirth.

WHY GO NATURAL?

While definitions vary, natural or unmedicated childbirth generally means laboring and giving birth vaginally without the assistance of pain medication and with minimal intervention. As well as forgoing epidurals, women giving birth naturally generally try to avoid other interventions such as induction, artificial rupture of membranes and episiotomy. Some choose to hire a doula (a professional birth coach) to help cope with the pain.

Women choose natural childbirth for a variety of reasons, says Dalia Abrams, M.A., M.P.H. and a Lamaze Certified Childbirth educator and doula in Birmingham. “Some are concerned about the health of the baby. Some seek the empowerment that can come with birth. For some it’s a deep-seated belief that birth is natural and their body is designed to do it without medical intervention. For others it’s a fear of hospitals and medical intervention. For some it’s a mixture of all these things,” she says. Potential benefits of natural birth include a lower likelihood of a Cesarean section, forceps delivery or vacuum extraction; fewer drug-related side effects for mom and baby; and a faster recovery.

For mother of two Chrissie Brown, going natural in both her births meant “being able to experience all of birth.” “Some people tell you horror stories and say there’s no way you can manage childbirth without an epidural,” she says. “I knew that I could, though—it is what God designed our bodies to do.”

Kelly Simmers delivered both her son and daughter without intervention. “The births of my children were the two most powerful experiences of my life,” she says. “I was so proud of myself. I was so in awe of what my body had done for me. I still draw on that strength in my daily life, and I think I always will.”

WHAT ABOUT MIDWIVES?

After a high-risk pregnancy prevented Kelly Simmers from birthing with a midwife in Virginia, she was excited to use a midwife for her second pregnancy after moving to Birmingham. It was not to be. “I could not believe it—I literally could not believe it,” Simmers says. “I kept Googling and Googling, thinking I must be missing something.” She wasn’t.

Certified Professional Midwives are not authorized to practice in Alabama, and no freestanding birth centers exist. Women who want to hire a midwife or birth outside a hospital setting in Alabama must make difficult decisions: They can cross state lines to neighboring Tennessee or Florida; birth unassisted at home; or attempt to find a midwife willing to risk prosecution for attending a homebirth.

But supporters of midwifery hope someday this will change. The Alabama Birth Coalition, founded in 2007, is a grassroots movement of consumers who educate the public about evidencebased maternity care and work to license Certified Professional Midwives. “Our movement has grown from just a few dedicated volunteers to a network of hundreds of supporters across the state,” says Leanne Pearce Reed, M.Div., member of the board of the Alabama Birth Coalition. “We believe that every woman should be able to freely choose the setting for her birth—in a hospital, a birth center or at home. And she should be able to freely choose who attends her birth—an obstetrician and doula, a nurse midwife, or a Certified Professional Midwife. And we believe that no matter where she gives birth or who attends her birth, her dignity and her choices should be honored.”

BIRTH IN BIRMINGHAM

More than 90 percent of women in Birmingham use epidurals during labor, and the statewide Cesarean section rate is 35 percent. But many professionals agree that unmedicated childbirth is gaining popularity.

“I think there is only so far to either extreme the pendulum can swing, and I think we’re about to swing it as far as it can go,” says Jennifer Crook Moore, CPM, MA, MPH, a certified professional midwife and doula in Birmingham. “My colleagues and I—both midwives and doulas—are busier than ever.”

Tim Stone, M.D., of Sharp and Stone OB/GYN, P.C., notes that, in his practice, more and more women are asking him about unmedicated birth. “I believe natural childbirth is a growing trend in this part of the country,” he says, “and I think it is a trend that will continue to grow.”

Why? Some believe the Internet is the catalyst.

“Women are becoming savvier, educating themselves and finding the birth environments and care providers that are supportive of what they want,” Abrams says. “The Internet makes it easier for families to find services they want, and this is part of what is driving an increase in people taking private classes to prepare for unmedicated births, and in women hiring doulas to support them during labor.”

In addition, active support groups have cropped up. Birth Stories & More—which has chapters both in Birmingham and Shelby County—is a monthly support group for parents interested in learning more about natural birth and sharing information and encouragement. ICAN of Birmingham, a chapter of the International Cesarean Awareness Network, is a non-profit organization devoted to preventing unnecessary Cesarean sections through education, providing support for Cesarean recovery, and promoting vaginal birth after Cesarean. “We hosted our first meeting here in July 2008,” says Kaleigh Naylor, co-leader. “Including the two leaders, there were 10 women at the first meeting. Many chapters only start out with one—the leader.”

THE EVOLUTION OF HOSPITALS

Women attempting natural childbirth often have unique needs. To cope with the pain of labor, moms often prefer to move around, soak in warm water, bounce on a birth ball, employ breathing techniques and change positions, says Birmingham doula Kate Hogeland. “It’s best to find a doctor who is supportive of natural labor, who understands the importance of a birth experience,” she says.

That’s because when it comes to issues such as hiring a doula or moving around during labor, women giving birth in hospitals need the permission and support of their obstetrician, nurses and hospital. Fortunately for them, many local hospitals are responding to families’ wishes and in some cases even embracing natural childbirth.

All the major local hospitals now allow doulas and encourage families to create birth plans to outline wishes for labor and delivery. Rather than relying on official policies, most provide individualized care based on patients’ wishes. Some even have staff complete additional training on natural childbirth techniques. “We have nurses who argue over who gets to be at the natural deliveries,” says Amy Beard, administrative director of Women’s Services at Brookwood.

Perhaps the biggest change recently is that some obstetricians at Brookwood Women’s Medical Center allow waterbirths for qualifying women. “I’ve attended three waterbirths so far, and all of them were really good experiences,” says Jon Adcock, M.D., of OB-GYN South. “We consider our practice to be a ministry to patients, and part of that means being open to changes and new techniques.” Brookwood also offers one-on-one nursing support, birthing balls and birthing bars, and large suites for moving around.

At St. Vincent’s Women’s and Children’s Center, most physicians accommodate women’s wishes to move around by using a heparin lock (which allows IV access while not requiring connection of fluids until needed) and adhering to guidelines for minimal fetal monitoring, says OB Manager Colleen Shores, RN, BSN. The birth suites features tubs for soaking during labor, recliners and glider-rocking chairs. Women also can request birthing balls and a labor bar. “As an obstetrician, it’s important for me to be supportive of women’s wishes,” Stone says. “They’re the ones in labor, not me.”

At Princeton Baptist Medical Center, obstetricians are supportive of natural birth, and women’s preferences regarding issues such as avoiding intervention and changing positions are allowed if the baby's well-being is not compromised. The birth suites feature bath tubs with grab bars.

The new UAB Women & Infant Center offers showers equipped with labor-friendly chairs, as well as grab bars, squat bars and birthing balls on request. Each room is also equipped with a DVD player in case patients want to bring soothing background music.

Natural childbirth mom Chrissie Brown appreciated the amenities at the hospital where she gave birth. “I used almost everything they had available during labor,” she says, “including the shower, the birthing ball, the bed and the space for walking. I even labored on the toilet.”

Ultimately, every experience will vary depending on not only hospitals, but on specific obstetricians and nurses, and can even vary during the course of one birth. “I was in labor during a shift change, so we had two labor nurses,” Kelly Simmers recalls. “The first wouldn’t let me get out of bed although I was begging to, and the second nurse immediately dimmed the lights and told me I was doing great. I knew right away she was on my side.”

When it comes to achieving natural birth in a hospital setting, Stone and Adcock both stress that communication among obstetricians, nurses, and patients is the key. “With good communication and open-mindedness,” Stone says, “natural birth can be a positive experience for everyone.”

And for Amy Pyper, whose first birth was so challenging, the birth of her second son in December was a very different experience.

Pyper hired a midwife and chose to avoid any interventions, including induction. Four days past her due date, she awoke feeling gentle contractions. They gradually intensified throughout the morning, and her son was born four hours later. “Nobody told me what to do,” she says. “My body did what it needed.”

Her baby weighed more than 9 pounds and came out with his hand on his forehead, but Pyper felt great, with not so much as a tear.

“I was so happy. I said, ‘I did it!’” she says. “It was so incredibly healing.

This past weekened I attended DONA's Postpartum Doula training workshop.  It was so much fun and I learned so much.  I can't wait to start working with new moms, babies, and families!  I already have my three certification families lined up and should be finished the whole process by September!  

I have had so many births that I haven't had much time to blog about them!  I had two births that were super fast and the babies arrived within 30 minutes of getting to the hospital!  They were so exciting and amazing to witness.  

I also had a hypnobabies birth this past week that was a great experiences.  The mother was a first time mom and she did an incredible job. I was so proud of her and her husband!  

The joy I get from being a part of these beautiful. life changing events is indescribable.  I am so lucky to be able to do this work.  Each time I see a child born it is witnessing a miracle.  I can't wait till my next birth! 

In the wee hours of March 22 (2:30 A.M. to be exact) I got a phone call that my client was having contractions 2-3 minutes apart that were lasting a minute.  She had been having them for about 45 minutes and was confused because she had not expected her contractions to come on so fast.  We talked and decided to give here a little bit longer before I joined her.  About 45 minutes later Her husband called back and said they were still staying consistent so I headed over to their house, which was about 25 minutes away. 

When I got there she was looking beautiful and excited!  I began timing her contractions and they were indeed 2-3 minutes apart and lasting about a minute.  We stayed at home another 30 minutes or so.  She had a few very intense contractions so we decided to head over to the hospital. 

We got to the hospital and they checked her.  She was 4 cm and 70% effaced.  Not a bad start.  I know she was excited and thinking her baby was going to be here very quickly!  However, her contractions started to space out a bit, even going to about 7-8 minutes apart for a time. 

She labored like that for a bit and then her contractions began picking up steam again.  She loved the birth ball because it helped her hip pain so she labored there for awhile.  About two hours later the nurse came in and checked her again.  She still at 4 cm but had effaced to 80%.  Mom was very frustrated by that. 

We decided to start walking the halls.  We did a few laps and then her back was hurting to we went back to the room and she took a shower letting the warm water ease her pain.  When she came back out, she spent some more time on the ball. 

At around 2:30 her water broke.  She was now 7 cm and 90% effaced.  I know she was excited for something new to be happening.  She sat up cross legged in the bed for about 20 minutes before deciding that she needed to take a break and lay down.  We dimmed the lights and let her rest as much as she could. 

After a brief rest we got back up and walked the halls some more.  She was amazing.  She found her rhythm and really worked with her contractions.  After several laps we went back to the room to try some lunges.  The nurse checked her again about 5:00 P.M.  and she was about 8 cm.  She was getting very frustrated at how long things were taking.  However, she kept moaning through the contractions beautifully and reallydoing an amazing job.

About 6 she was 9 cm.  She stayed at 9 for awhile due to a small cervical lip.  However when the doctor came in, he said that she could push past it.  She did such a great job pushing!!! What a pro!  She pushed for about an hour.  At 7:23 her sweet baby boy was born!  He weighed 8 lbs 3 oz. 

This was an amazing labor.  Even though we went in thinking it would be short, mom kept up her spirits and pushed ahead.  It was inspirting watching her strength and focus.  She was a birth warrior!

Saturday February 27 I got to go on my first prenatal visits with the midwives.  I was already very excited about the day.  I learned so much and enjoyed seeing the mamas in their in their own homes.  Then after leaving our last prenatal at about 6:00 P.M, we learned that there was a mom in labor.  She lived over an hour away, so we all loaded up and headed to her house.  At that time she was 5 cm dilated. 

When we arrived at her house about 7:30 P.M. she was 7 cm.  She was doing a great job.  This was baby number 6 for her, and you could tell she knew what she was doing.  This was her first homebirth however and she was loving the freedom to walk, eat, and let her body do what it needed to do.  She was walking, smiling, and talking.  She kept saying how much better this experience was than her last births.  Her contractions were not consistant at first, but they did make her stop and focus. 

She was surprised at how good she felt and kept commenting at how she couldn't believe how easy it was.  After several hours of the sporadic contracions she seemed to get a bit frustrated that things were not moving faster.  The midwife checked her and she was 8 cm.  She and her husband decided to lay down in bed with the lights out and have some quiet time. 

After a good rest, she came out and got a bite to eat.  She experienced a few good contractions and decided it was time to get in the birth tub.  She enjoyed the water for awhile and kept saying how she much it helped her.  She decided to get up and take a bathroom break.  On her way out of the bathroom a contraction came and she leaned against the wall.  This was the contraction that broke her water! 

She got back in the tub and got a bit more serious.  I was with her wiping her face and neck with cool wash cloths.  She was such a pro.  She was breathing and moaning through her contractions, and smiling and laughing in between.  After a few contractions she sat up and the contractions started coming closer together.  Through all this her mother was playing guitar and her other children kept coming in to check on their mom and see if their new sibling was here yet.

Finally she leaned forward on her knees and rested her upper body on the side of the tub.  The contractions were very intense.  Her husband, her mother,  and I were sitting in front of her.  Her midwife and the assistants were beside and behind her.  She had so much support from all directions.  After a few more powerful contractions she lifted up on all fours and in just a couple pushes she welcomed her new baby boy into the world! It was 1:37 A.M.

She was truly amazing!  She trusted her body, went with her instincts, and worked through the hard parts like the pro that she is.  I felt so privleged to be a part of such a special event.   I can't believe how lucky I am to get to do this and I can't wait for the next birth!

My site is up and sort of running.  The logo is just a rough draft, but I am so excited to just have something up.  I am still learning how to do work this whole website thing, so please continue to bare with me! 

I am attending a natural childbirth class next Tuesday with a girl who will be my first certification birth.  I am giddy with excitement about the whole experience with her.  She is an amazing girl and I am so proud to be able to attend her birth.  

I am also going to start my prerequisites for the midwifery program at Aviva Institute in March.  I am beyond thrilled about getting to start working towards my long term goal of becoming a midwife.

http://avivainstitute.org/midwiferycertificate.htm 

So much is going on and I am enjoying it all!  I can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!