L & J contacted me at 36 weeks gestation inquiring about Your Birth Helper's availability to provide labor support services. They knew they were late to the game but luckily the doula team had space remaining on the calendar for the rapidly approaching estimated due date. The next step was a free consult: where questions were answered, two page contract was signed and deposit payment received. Once this was completed, support services began (including our special perk of 24/7 text and call support). I assisted the expecting parents in creating both a vaginal birth preference sheet as well as a separate cesarean birth preference sheet. The couple took hard copies to discuss with the birth team at the next appointment. Based on their preferences, it was determined Northside Forsyth might be the better fit for their desires birth experience. We scheduled a virtual two hour labor workshop via zoom for a Monday evening (which turned out to take place only five days before the surprise gender's arrival). It is never too late to train, educate and empower. And I think L&J would agree that the information learned at the workshop was still pretty fresh on their minds. Three days later, the 39 week appointment came and went. L&J followed some recommendations from the midwife- including curb walking, red raspberry leaf tea, and dates. By Friday morning, L was having short early labor waves that were 20 seconds. The surges stayed mild and easy to work through. They got more and more frequent throughout the day, but remained around the 30 second mark. I encouraged her to not give these much notice until closer to 60 seconds each consistently. L texted me that the surges were intensifying around 6pm and were 50 seconds each. By 8pm, they left their home to head to Northside Forsyth. They arrived and were admitted on the labor and delivery unit in Cumming, Georgia. Internal exam revealed the cervix was 5 cm at that time. Two hours later, L&J requested me to join them for assistance. I arrived by 11pm. J&L were coping well with the use of music and relaxation sounds. I reminded L to empty her bladder if she had not done so recently. Next, we used a variety of laboring positions. L was able to cope well when swaying side to side. She experienced some back pain that was relieved with double hip squeezes as well as a hands and knees position. The next internal exam revealed 9.5 cm dilated cervix. We continued with position changes every 20 minutes which included the squat bar, forward leaning, and standing. L was becoming quite worn out so we opted for a side lying position with peanut ball between the knees. She also was given some juice to give her more energy. By second stage, midwife Keeanna and nurse Gina remained bedside. Pushing took longer than we had hoped but L never complained. She was quite the trooper and never asked for pain management. Many push positions and strategies were utilized but babies posterior position made progress difficult. After pushing for several hours and an informed consent discussion was had; Pitocin was ordered and planned to be administered (but baby was born before it was ever officially added to her IV). Baby's head was crowning for a bit. L asked for any and all tips and suggestions to "just get it out". I gave a few gentle reminders like chin to chest and elbows out (similar to a row machine position). Charge nurse Nicole joined the room and was the perfect cheerleader and motivation. Surprise gender was born Saturday morning on December 17th 2022. As planned, J announced the gender upon arrival. It was a sweet baby boy, name to be decided on day 8 in accordance with Jewish tradition.

The labor journey to Veda Estelle began on a Sunday with mild contractions. Being 8 days over due, and losing my mucous plug (in its entirety combined with bloody show), I decided I would not be attending church... something tells me seeing what a sweet angel I helped into this world, God would forgive me. What can I say about my husband coach? Let me go back to when we were just eight years old. We not only had the luxury of growing up together, but also being childhood sweethearts. We were also each other's first kiss. Dallas has shared he always knew he would end up with me, but I was not sure about that all those years ago. We hung out as teenagers, but did not date during those years and found ourselves dating after high school. We married June 24, 2018 and wanted to enjoy being young married for a while prior to starting a family. Several years later, we found out we were expecting, but sadly miscarried in the first trimester. Looking back, I wish someone would have encouraged me to share my news and grieve. Because, I was only 8 weeks along we hadn't yet shared our news. Since most loss occurs within the first 12 weeks, and because we had not yet announced our pregnancy, I just felt it best to consider other pregnant friends feelings, instead of bringing a negative vibe to the room. Frankly, I did not know how to talk about what I was feeling, so I found it easier not to share my loss at that time. Clearly, being our first pregnancy, Dallas was also disappointed and sad, but as a man, his concern was first and foremost for me and what I was going though at the time. Some knew I seemed to not be my normal self, they just didn't specifically know why. Each woman and couple has to decide how to best handle such devastating news. If I could go back in time, I would not have tried to hide it. Whenever loss occurs, we rely on our family and friends to surround us. God can also bless us through the comfort of others or empowering stories of personal loss that so many experience, but if we hide it we bear the burden of loss alone. Like a lot of women, time for my period came and went and well, let's say there was a personal emphasis on the "went and never came back for a total of 18 months!" My Meemaw was ill at the time, and I hadn't missed my cycle at all. Then one day Dallas said, "Don't you think you should take a test or something?" But, deep down, I already knew I was pregnant with our rainbow baby! Fast forward to the photo above. We were around 36 weeks along and growing closer every day to our baby's "BIRTH" day. I was blessed with a very uneventful, healthy pregnancy and simply felt great. Well, until the very end when we are out of space, more challenged to get adequate sleep and your due date comes and goes. The dreaded hormones have a way of robbing us of JOY when we are tired of being pregnant and ready for a baby in our arms. Despite the growing anticipation of labor beginning, we welcomed the last few days and weeks of pregnancy knowing as a healthy person we were likely to go beyond my due date. Deep down, we were ready, but apparently our baby was not. Soon there was talk of being over due and offers to consider induction. We graciously declined and continue to focus on what we had control over, eating well, exercising, relaxing and prepping my body naturally for labor. We were confident in our decision making to wait for spontaneous labor to begin, because we had educated ourselves. We took the Your Birth Helper® Symbiotic Birth course with Pam virtually. I wish I had spent more time relaxing my mind and not only focused on learning about labor, but actually applying it before contractions commenced. Next time, I will be way more intentional and religious about my practice time. Now back to that Sunday morning... the reason we skipped church, finally our baby was coming! I was the putsy- putsy laborer. Although, it can be a more manageable labor, the challenge is it seems to take FOREVER! So, we started this story with the bloody show and came to finally cross the finish line of my labor marathon TWO DAYS LATER. I didn't just have to wait 8 days over my due date for labor, but now I get the SLOW TO PROGRESS labor cards.... what next? Pitocin began around 9:30 p.m. due to contractions slowing down. Dallas wanted other dads and labor coaches to know, he wished he had taken more snacks or arranged for different food options to sustain him through his two days of labor coaching. He found it a necessity to wear comfy clothes, as well. He couldn't rest, because adrenaline was flowing, and obviously not to take away from my challenging work, his hands and arms were super tired from assisting with counter pressure to ease the back labor and at one point before pushing, I wanted constant double hip squeeze with each contraction. Needless to say, even taking turns with our doula, he found the physical aspects of assisting me tiresome, especially since neither of us had gotten any sleep for quite some time. Lastly, Dallas wanted the men to know it is not just physically challenging to coach a woman through natural childbirth, but it is also quite the mental mind game requiring a level of preparedness. Meaning, you should expect labor to have its challenges. I had two sisters and multiple sister-in-laws, who all experienced something different, and because I was aware of the challenges they faced I was better prepared for ours. My suggestion for women who endure back labor, KNOW the various POSITIONS that can bring about some form of relief. Sadly, with the use of Pitocin to bring about stronger contractions, I was not able to utilize the tub to relieve my back discomfort. When I was finally completely dilated, with the baby still in a form of posterior rotation and the contractions mostly being felt in my back, it was a no brainer to push on my hands and knees using the top of bed to help hold my position. I found the staff at Atrium Pineville LDR to be both absolutely wonderful and very supportive of our natural birth wishes. Our nurse was such a breath of fresh air. Special thanks to Piedmont OBGYN Midwife Susan Corbett for catching our baby! With great anticipation we awaited our surprise gender baby... drum roll please! Dallas had the honor of announcing the sex... "It's a GIRL!" Dallas proclaimed! He shared for a moment time kind of stood still, and that hearing our daughter cry for the first time was the most exciting moment for him. I was in a form of non belief myself for a few minutes, but she was here. She was really in my arms. We had a sweet baby girl! Our rainbow baby had arrived! The staff helped me turn over and sit back and relax for a moment as there was still work to be done. See, we think as soon as our baby is born, it is over. But, in fact literally third stage labor is just beginning. Considering how long I had been laboring, I was not surprised that my uterus was not properly clamping down after the birth of my placenta. I was immediately given both a shot of Pitocin and oral Cytotec to slow the postpartum hemorrhaging. Fortunately, the medicine did its job and I did not need blood. We named our baby girl Veda after Dallas, as his middle name is Vaid. Similarly pronounced, "Vaid" is a family name passed down several generations within the Helms family. We just gave it a girly touch. Dallas was opposed at first, until he heard the name trending as a new popular girls name. Special thanks to MTH Photography for capturing such beautiful pictures of our baby. We leave you with this verse, Psalm 127: 3, 4 3) Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. 4) Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are children born in one's youth. We hope that our story of both sorrow and joy has both glorified God, as well as, encouraged and empowered you! Many Blessings! Jade & Dallas

Meet Jennie! A very strong and determined second mom who wasn't going to allow back labor to rob her of her target birth experience twice! Her number one goal for both of her labors was drug-free / natural birth. With baby number one, although they lived in South Carolina, they trained twelve weeks in The Bradley Method®, otherwise known as, Husband Coached Childbirth with me in Athens, Ga. Her husband, Blake was very much a team player and she also complimented her experience with our YBH Doula team. Her baby was completely camped out in her back right behind her sacrum and was determined to not be moved. At the end of labor number one, the couple had to resort to a last ditch effort of transporting from the out of hospital birth center to Greenville Memorial to try an epidural, along with Pitocin to create stronger contractions to try to free and push the baby down. In doing so, the medical interventions allowed her to still give birth vaginally and avoid a c-section. She was bound and determined to accomplish HER BIRTH- HER WAY with baby #2. Instagram seems to have a way of making "giving birth" look so easy in their edited video clips and also depict water birth as common-place. Actually, water birth is still a fairly rare event. And, Mermaid birth (baby born en' caul under water) even more rare. One reason why is a lot of U.S. labor and delivery rooms do not even have a tub for you to labor in, let alone push and birth, or, they have only a set number of birthing suites with a tub and/or shower. Therefore, if it is a busy night, odds are there won't be one available for use for each mom who requests one. There are even fewer hospital facilities who actually allow water birth and practitioners who are comfortable catching over the side of the tub. I mean lets face it, it is an awkward position they have to get into. As for Jennie and Blake, the decision was easy. Birthing in a tub was the next best thing since the birth center was no longer open. Couples are fortunate to have a Prisma location in Greensville, SC, who despite closing the free standing birth center, still allows the midwives to support women who want to utilize the comfort of giving birth in water. Upon purchasing the hospital, they immediately shut down the free standing birth center. The obvious reason, natural childbirth, as in "low intervention drug-free" birth, does not generate a profit. The free standing Greenville Birth center was, by far my favorite, in three different states. I was quite disappointed for my north Ga and Sc birth family to lose such a fabulous option for healthy moms seeking an out of hospital birth place. It seems when birthing in a United States hospital, often healthy moms and babies are subject to the same interventions as unhealthy moms or those with pre-existing conditions. Out of pocket expenses are also another reason why some couples continue to be forced into growing hospital systems, despite having no medical indicators or pre-existing conditions, because insurance plans do not typically cover health professionals who attend and assist clients through home birth. There have been some lingering growing trends, especially since the pandemic originated, which have changed so much in regards to having a family oriented natural birth supported by a doula in a hospital setting. Most hospitals are still restricting the overall number of visitors in labor and delivery. Many no longer allow the option to have a birth photographer capture important priceless photos of their baby entering the world, and most no longer allow them to video their own birth experience. Therefore, there has been an increase of healthy couples now considering home birth than ever before and sadly not all states elect to license practitioners or midwives to practice home birth. South Carolina happens to be one of the states that does. Luckily, residents who are in and around Greenville, still have water birth as an option within the hospital. This can be a great option especially if their goal is to experience a low intervention / natural birth and /or a water birth and feel supported within the hospital LDR. Mom Jennie shared the following for our blog readers... Having taken the Bradley Method Natural Birthing Course, I felt completely prepared for labor with my first son. I wanted an all natural, unmedicated birth. I was able to manage the initial contractions with what I had learned. What I did not anticipate, nor felt the ability to manage once I was in actual labor was the excruciating back labor that went on for 16 hours. I caved to the epidural after my body was exhausted and would not progress. My son was born 8 hours after. My second birth, I swore up and down this time, if I had back labor again, I would get that epidural first thing, even though my true desire and goal was for an unmedicated water birth! I decided like Pam teaches to "simply focus on what aspects of labor I actually had control over." So, I practiced my relaxation techniques much more intensely, ate clean and exercised daily. I even added Christian hypno birthing affirmations to keep my mind and emotions focused on the ability to give birth as God had created my body, and acknowledge my strength comes from Him! At 37 weeks, my water broke at 3:30am September 18th. I laid back down, and tried to rest as much as possible. As contractions started, I just focused on relaxing, sitting on my birth ball, and did my breathing as practiced. My contractions started kicking in maybe around 9am. I was set on staying in the most relaxed state possible to go with the contractions, and not fight them. My sister was at our house for a visit that weekend. During my labor she had a seizure, in which my husband ran to tell me there was blood all over the bathroom floor. She fell and hit her face on the sink. He told me I needed to get my 3 year old, and take him to another room so he wouldn't see anything while he went to help my sister. What a way to get me out of relaxed mode! I kept breathing through contractions while trying not to panic as I clearly was worrying about my sister, all while tending to my 3 year old asking what was wrong. Unlike how adrenaline effects most during early labor, my contractions started getting more intense during all the stress. Some friends came to help with my sister, who ended up being okay, and they stayed with our son so we could leave to head to the hospital around 1pm. I tried to get back to my relaxation state on the car ride there after all the chaos that transpired by breathing slowly through each contraction while listening to the Christian Hypno birthing tracks. I had desired a birth center water birth over a hospital birth with a more relaxed and less medical energy so I chose Greenville Midwifery Care (the birth center closed after I had my first), where they have a midwife led unit at the Greenville Memorial Hospital with, nice, larger rooms with birthing tubs, showers, etc. We got to the the hospital around 2:30pm and my midwife came to check me. I requested not to know my number because I didn't want to get discouraged as had happened with my first birth. My midwife told me she would check me again in an hour since I must not have been dilated enough to be checked into the birthing room. The contractions became more and more intense as they were on top of each other. She checked me again in an hour and I had already dilated 3 more centimeters. As soon as I got into the room, I begged to get in the tub, but the water was running, and it wasn't filled enough yet. So I kept breathing through the contractions listening to the hypno birthing app, and trying my best to relax. Once I got in the tub things really picked up. Pam was there to help me get in various positions with the peanut ball and helped me manage, coached, and encouraged me. I knew I was in transition because all I could say was "I can't do this!" Repeatedly as I proceeded to do it regardless haha. The contractions were so rough all I wanted to do was push because for me pushing was relief, much easier than the contractions themselves. I kept feeling the need to bear down so I asked if I could push, and after receiving the green light from my midwife, I pushed and pushed repeatedly. I knew I wasn't pushing with the best form. I couldn't get a good hold of the handles in the tub so I was sliding all over trying to push and more energy was going into hanging on than to my lower half. My midwife checked me and I was not quite a full 10 centimeters. So she did a scrape to open the last part. I still couldn't push well enough in the tub after that. I could feel his head in the birth canal, but he wasn't coming out. Finally Pam said, "Come try to push on the toilet." Since the toilet is a place our lower halves tend to relax more easily anyway, it made total sense. They helped me to the toilet. After a few pushes on the toilet his head emerged, and I stood to push him the rest of his body out. The successful push was the biggest relief ever! My midwife caught him and handed him to me. My baby was born looking to the right side. I let out the biggest cry of relief! Pam confirmed what I had suspected, that I had been in another back labor scenario, but luckily not full on posterior. Regardless, I did it all drug-free without fully knowing that's what I was dealing with. And, I did it naturally! Immediately, I was overcome with love meeting my Arlo Patrick Harrison at 7lb 7 oz, 20 inches long born partially on the toilet, and part standing... no doubt he is destined to do great things! 😜 With assistance, I carried my son back to the hospital bed dropping blood like a murder scene the whole way. No epidural this time and no tearing! I couldn't believe it! I was so proud and thankful it was all over, so I thought... well after second stage pushing comes third stage. In my case, it was just the beginning. Once the placenta releases from the uterine wall, the uterus is supposed to begin clamping down to slow the bleeding from the placental site. These are what they call after birth contractions. We asked Pam if she wanted to do the honors and cut the cord. Our little Arlo decided he wanted to help Pam and also grabbed the scissors as our midwife clamped the cord. Going natural, I did not require an I.V., but because my bleeding was picking up, they immediately administered an injection of Pitocin directly into my thigh to help the bleeding slow. My uterus simply was not having it. Sadly, my blood loss continued to increase. After I birthed the placenta, my midwife expressed her concern, because I was losing more blood than I should have been. My third stage of labor definitely had some challenges. I utilized my sleep mask to help calm myself and recenter as I fed my baby for the first time. Nursing can also naturally slow bleeding, but a second medicine Cytotec was also used. I could tell I was making the staff nervous. I had lost enough blood from the hemorrhage that my hemoglobin dropped really low. They continued to encourage me to get a t least one unit of blood. I was so freaked out, because electing to receive donated blood created huge anxiety for me. However, just a few hours of postpartum with my newborn, I could tell I felt off. I was extremely weak and even looked pale. I finally agreed and was administered a unit of blood. Getting the blood was the right decision for me. I literally started feeling better in a couple of hours! The doctor said even with my prescribed iron pills, it would take months to get my hemoglobin levels up to normal again, especially while breastfeeding. I was determined to do my part. So, after birth we had our doula pick us up Cava's. I had everything on my green leaf salad. From lentils, veggies, to lamb. When I went home, I focused on what I could control in regards to building blood, by consuming tons of collards, leafy greens, salads, beets, and all high iron foods. When I went for my checkup just TWO weeks later, my levels were NORMAL! That speaks volumes of what a good diet can do for women during pregnancy and after. Here is a quick summary... - checked in the hospital and entered the birth room around 3pm. - second stage labor (laboring down and actively pushing) really only lasted 2-3 hours. - baby was born at 5:58 pm. - total labor 12* hours versus my first (24 hours). *I also ate my 6 dates a day in the last 4 wks, which has been proven to significantly shorten labor. -Survived two back labors! One with an epidural, and one all natural unmedicated! A few tips for readers: I would say the best parts of my second labor were it was by far easier to manage than my first, despite the back labor again. I do believe The Bradley Method training®, practicing relaxation, being more mentally prepared to overcome hurdles, believing and having faith I could do this, listening to my Christian hypno birthing tracks which focused on scripture and positive affirmations, and laboring in the tub, ALL helped me to achieve my birthing goals! Not to mention, the strong support of my amazing Your Birth Helper® Doula, a very encouraging nurse and a competent, attentive midwife! The worst part of my second labor was the postpartum hemorrhage which directly following pushing out my placenta / afterbirth, which set my healing at a slightly slower pace. But, by the time my 6 week OBGYN checkup came around, I definitely felt completely back to normal. Being healthy and low risk before labor and birth, combined with good nutrition (extra blood building foods) and adequate rest in the first two weeks after, I really felt healed. The preparation of my body from second trimester on, was definitely the key to bouncing back much sooner than I had imagined. And, I am very thankful for that, because toddler boys rarely ever sit still....lol. The video below captured the excitement of our first son Opie meeting his brother. Such precious memories. I hope you have found some part of our second birth journey helpful. Best wishes for a beautiful birth, Jennie, Blake, Opie & Arlo

Sometimes, due dates come and go. In fact, most healthy women will carry beyond their estimated due date. Few pregnant moms want to hear this. There are lots of well meaning people, but the problem remains when your estimated due date comes and goes, these same well meaning people often make very disparaging remarks. Statements such as you haven't scheduled your induction yet? Are they talking c-section? Oh my shouldn't you have had the baby already? If you carry much longer your baby may get so big that you can get him out...people just have a tendency to go there even when they could choose something positive to say. Consider how much more motivating if you said, Wow any day now you will have a baby in your arms! Your labor could happen anytime! Every baby and mom are unique, your body knows what to do. Good for you for doing what you can to encourage labor and prepare your body for giving birth! Those would all be extremely welcomed comments to a near term mom. Sometimes, you may need to reconsider going back home if your labor is slow to progress, especially if your medical team encourages you to do so. As you can see here, triage rooms are quite lacking in comfort measures. Specifically, the bed is sadly far from relaxing. You would be way more comfy in your own living room, own bed or bath tub. Genevieve decided she preferred to stay in the hospital vs. get back in the car with her back labor pains. She used hands and knees to try to relieve her back discomfort, but sadly they remained in the triage room for almost 8 hours. When our body relies upon relaxation to progress during labor, you can see how this uncomfortable situation in triage may contribute to more tension which works antagonistically against progressing labor. When the couple finally were assigned a room, Genevieve opted for use of epidural to try to relieve the back pain and progress labor. They were both awfully sleep deprived, but even with a little rest much hard work was ahead of her with second stage approaching. After almost three hours of pushing, entirely exhausted from her long journey into motherhood. Mom and Dad opt for help with vacuum extractor to get her posterior baby under the pubic bone. Although, it was not their ideal birth experience, Genevieve just kept visualizing her baby exiting her body. And, with the help of a supportive team did not have to result to caesarean section to give birth. The good news is they did not give up and with two more good pushes, along with the help of their OBGYN, their beautiful handsome son emerged. Something tells me everyone in the room was relieved and couldn't get enough of that head full of hair! Welcome to the warrior woman club Genevieve ~ girl, you did it and K.P. worked right alongside you all the way! WELCOME TO THE WORLD CHARLES HARRISON!!!! Your parents worked extremely hard to bring you into the world safely, but something tells me they have already decided it was worth all their efforts... even days worth! On behalf of the #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam we salute your efforts! Special thanks to the midwives of Carmel OBGYN and the supportive nurses of Novant Matthews. It was our pleasure to serve you in preparing for your labor marathon. You began as students, but you end as family, #CharlotteBirthFamily! Thank you for choosing yourbirthhelper.com & teams!

Sometimes, despite all of our planning and preparation, things can unexpectedly change in the early weeks of pregnancy and miscarriage can follow. However, many aren't aware, there are just as many, if not more unexpected outcomes in the last few weeks of pregnancy. Many of which, are also out of our control. I often share with women who have suffered loss, infertility or other obstacles, the next time around, FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL. There are so many unknowns and women particularly who spend their time mulling over all the "what if's" will create elevated levels of anxiety in which she doesn't have to endure. The best analogy I often share with clients, "Stop viewing the entire forest and all that could happen and simply face the tree that is in front of you right now." It is a much easier way to live and a much more relaxed state of being, if so. As most laboring women would share at the time of contractions, RELAXATION does NOT come easy. It must be practiced and mastered. There is more to relaxation than just turning off muscles. We call it physical relaxation. But, to master the unknowns in the mind... well, the battle is real for soooo many pregnant moms and even a lot of fathers too. We call that one mental relaxation. And, it doesn't stop there! Then there is this thing called, Emotional relaxation. This one is one of the most important forms of relaxation, because mom has to be okay with what she feel about what is happening to her. Previously, Amber and Brian unfortunately had lost a baby at 10 weeks. She had a history of uterine fibroids, but no one could determine why specially she had experienced loss of her first baby. At her very first appointment, she was not measuring accurately based on how far along was speculated. In the weeks following, Amber had began cramping and spotting. Her bleeding continued to increase and the OB/GYN appointment confirmed their loss. It was a big blow to the couple as it is for anyone who loses a baby at any point of pregnancy. The doctor failed to administer a RoGAM shot at the time despite her being RH-. She bled for 6 weeks following to the point of saturating adult diapers. Upon following up with her medical team, she was advised to go straight to the hospital and tell them she needed a RoGAM shot. I had the privilege to train the couple 12 weeks in The Bradley Method® at the farm. Their goal remained low intervention, natural birth, or at the very least only experience what is truly medically necessary to safely give birth to their rainbow baby. When the couple learned they were pregnant again, they knew they needed to educate themselves and become advocates for their own healthcare and the well-being of their unborn baby. About 7 weeks into their training and after creating their birth plan, they realized they needed to choose a different practice to increase their odds of meeting their personal birthing goals. The couple selected Women's Healthcare Associates and birthing at Piedmont Athens instead of Eastside Snellville. They were very pleased with the change (especially during the pandemic) not just the individualized personal care she received with WHCA Athens midwives, but also the time with Dr. Allen in reviewing informed consent for her treatment plan. And, especially for giving personal attention and consideration to Amber's pain management preferences. How do you feel the pandemic affected your overall pregnancy and birth experience? - I tested positive for the virus and then Doctor Allen ordered the COVID-19 blood test and it showed I had the antibodies. They didn't have to use the COVID surgery room nor the surgical COVID protocol. My baby was also tested for COVID-19 after birth, as well. The pandemic restrictions made my hospital stay shorter which was great, and also limited visitors which was also a blessing since I was recovering from surgery. However, it also robbed me of my planned doula experience and the hospital denied me doula services before and after planned surgery, which was sad. Piedmont Athens was allowing doulas for labor only at the time, but since my baby was breech and I had to have a belly birth, they did not allow her to attend. Pam was also very sad, but she planned a relaxation day for us at the farm and we enjoyed a lunch out before my scheduled surgery. as well. She also offered us some extra TLC at a later time in the form of a postpartum relaxation day in months following. The pandemic created many obstacles and not just for couples, but also for doula's and medical staff, as well. I, personally, do not like to miss a baby born as in ever! It hurts me. I love my job and I have spent months helping the couple prepare for their big day only to be denied access to assisting when the big day arrives. We Your Birth Helper Doula's live for labor day! However, Piedmont Athens was far from the only hospital restricting doula's from attending during the pandemic. In fact, I personally had clients in my tri-state area who sadly endured such restrictions in every direction from Gwinnett county and beyond, to Greenville, SC and even Charlotte, NC. It seemed overnight the birth of COVID-19 became the death of doula support as we knew it during 2020. It was extremely challenging for couples during pregnancy in 2020, because their spouses/ partners could not even attend monthly prenatal visits together, in person. Then you had us doulas having to switch to virtual support by text, call and facetime in most hospital birth locations during the pandemic and some till to date, not allowing us bedside. Many nurses and other hospital personnel have had to remain in masks, shields, scrub suits and even respirators for a 12+ hour shifts, etc. had to limit the number of hospital locations they practice in to cut exposure. Also, attempting to convince every single patient who enters into labor and delivery even if ready to give birth to take a COVID-19 test. Couples, who feared being cheated out of Doula bedside support by their individual hospital restrictions, even reverted to switching birth places and even considering home birth, who ordinarily would not have. They liked the fact the out of hospital midwife could do their prenatal care during the pandemic madness and that Dad/Partner could be present during appointments. As for labor, they liked the fact that in an out of hospital birth experience, other family members and siblings could still be present for the birth. However, readers should consider carefully this decision as every mom is not a prime candidate to give birth at home or in an out of hospital birth center. If mom or baby is high risk or a higher that average risk applies, the couple should re-evaluate are they in the right place for them and baby, pandemic or not? This was the case in Amber's situation with several increased risk factors including: maternal age, a history of former bleeding scare, now breech baby, these variations alone could potentially result in increased medical complications at time of labor and birth. Simply put, the pandemic alone is not a valid single reason for a woman to give birth at home. One should carefully evaluate all the pros and cons of birth place locations: home, out of hospital centers and in hospital facilities and make the decisions best for them and their baby of where and with whom (midwife or doctor) to safely give birth. Remember, regardless of near term unexpected changes you can still find the JOY in your baby's birth no matter how the baby exits your body. My YBH trained couples just find it way easier to find JOY and be way less stressful after being educated and knowing how to acquire informed consent. Much anxiety is removed when you know how to determine if the offered test, procedure, intervention, drug, surgery, etc. is medically necessary or not. And, even in the worst possible outcomes, you will sleep better at night knowing you did your part to do everything in your power to avoid such an outcome that wasn't part of your "birth plan." When you reached out to Your Birth Helper regarding navigating belly birth after learning baby was breech, what fears or concerns did you have initially and what helped you overcome those fears? - My main fear was the surgery and the drugs. I chose The Bradley Method®, because I wanted a drug-free birth. After speaking with my doula, Pam and learning there are a variety of medication choices, I was able to speak with my doctor and request options regarding pain management. In having the knowledge of what drugs I could choose from allowed me to both advocate for and help execute the safest birth for Sawyer and the best recovery for me. All of which helped overcome the fears surrounding cesarean. Amber had learned baby was breech when they sent her to a specialist appointment around 30 weeks gestation. I had her begin spinning babies exercises. She also tried external version at her doctors office. Dr. Allen tried her best, but attempts to turn baby failed. It was so very painful for mom as baby boy was buried deep in her pelvis. That was when the couple made their decision for gentle c-section. If you look closely below you can see one obvious issue... baby seemed to get a little tangled up with the cord wrapped over the top of his right shoulder and seems to come out looking at mom like, "whew thanks for the help, it was a tight squeeze in there!" What aspects of your natural birth training in The Bradley Method® do you two feel contributed to a more enjoyable belly birth? - I would say knowing what we learned about medication and what is medically necessary and what isn't, helped us make medical decisions more easily and knowledgeably which helped me relax. I wanted as drug free a birth as I could get even with surgery. What would you want to relay to an expectant mom or dad who may feel childbirth education is irrelevant if they think they want epidural or surgery to give birth? - I would say they still need to know what to expect when it comes to baby care choices in the hospital (skin to skin, to bathe or not to bathe, etc.) and postpartum (how long you will bleed, what you should and shouldn't do). That doesn't change just because of an epidural. Also, that there are still medication choices to make even with an epidural, which most don't even realize there are options. Congratulations Fleming Family! It was my utmost pleasure to assist you with your childbirth training and preparing your body for the best possible outcome. Even when surgery is required, women will still heal better and faster having been physically, mentally and emotionally prepared for labor and to "give birth!" (Even when the OBGYN is handling the "giving you a baby part"). Welcome Sawyer John born just in time for a 2020 tax deduction on December 28th! Special thanks again to Dr. Stephanie Allen, OBGYN also named Doctor of Year in Athens, Ga for her support, as well as, all the staff of Women's Healthcare Associates and the supportive nurses of Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center.

Special thanks to Piedmont OBGYN and midwives Tina and Eva. Also, nurse Emily Caravaggio who works night shift 7p- 7a she was such a breath of fresh air and extremely supportive of low intervention natural birth! And, of course our own Nancy Cook, BSN, CD for all the TLC during the golden hour and postpartum. It is always a JOY when we get to birth multiple children for our YBH VIP CLIENTS!

Brionna & Spencer both intended on avoiding induction with their second pregnancy. They educated, trained and prepared for a low intervention natural birth experience. Initially, some good news altered their decision- already 4cm dilated! She certainly was not expecting to have back to back contractions for three hours, nor stay 4cm dilated for over 7 hours, nor did she think a car ride back home sounded good. Their daughter was taken care of, their doula had arrived and everyone was ready to work on trying to naturally progress labor. Remember, the earliest phases of labor are typically the longest and you will progress much faster in your own relaxing environment, but Brionna was already there. This is why we encourage couples to make sure the 4-1-1, 5-1-1 or 6-1-1 labor pattern is met, prior to leaving for the hospital, as long as, no danger signs present. After many hours of labor, her contraction pattern continued to slow and both the midwife and doula, respecting her birth plan, encouraged Brionna to go back home. As taught in class, ACOG considers active labor to be around 6cm dilated and at least in a 60 second or more duration with a five minute frequency and consistent for over an hour (as in longer than 60 seconds). After reviewing their options, they made the decision to remain at the hospital and move forward with induction as her husband was tired, already missing work and both of them using their PTO (paid time off). Hormones and being tired certainly alter birth plans for a lot of couples. It was encouraging she was already 4cm dilated with only 50 second long contractions. They were just ready to finish the job. It was a challenging decision, because her first labor she had an allergic reaction to the drug Pitocin, which is commonly used in combination with epidural use to progress labor after the pain medicine slows contractions. The Pitocin caused her to itch and terribly irritated her skin. It wasn't long before she found herself in the self doubt phase of labor, however, they had sent their doula home and had not yet called their doula to return, instead they, moved forward with an epidural. What happens next pretty much sums up the unpredictability of natural childbirth and an unmedicated uterus. Brionna wanted me to remind you ladies and gents, that it doesn't matter what your cervical dilation is, when your body is ready to expel a baby, it will! And, when you get to the "I can't do this!" self doubt phase, you are closer to a baby than you may believe. Surrendering is a huge part of the process. Stay Staunch! Remind her it is just a contraction and focus on good positioning and mental and emotional relaxation. You both CAN DO IT, even though it is challenging work for both Mom and Dad, especially when we are so tired. Here is the induction story as told by mom Brionna Bramble of Rock Hill, SC. I sum up my second birth story this way, "It was one of the hardest, yet most rewarding thing I’ve ever experienced!" Highlights and Time line below: -Went in due to back to back non-stop contractions for 3 hrs, however they were still short of 10sec long for meeting the 5-1-1 milestone as suggested before arrival -Internal exam dilation upon arrival was 4cm, agreed to an aggressive membrane sweep -We were given a room and called in my doula around 5:30 a.m. -We walked, bounced on ball, did some positions to help engage and move baby down, utilized breast pump a few times to release oxytocin, etc. -Time went on and the contractions slowed -Second cervical check revealed still only 4 cm -We were given the option to go home, but we had been there for 7 hours already and we were just so ready to get him here -Started Pitocin to get the contractions going again and hoped to labor on my own, as long as I could, before deciding on epidural -Contractions had gotten pretty strong and some tears were flowing so, I decided it was time for an epidural -Anesthesia doctor arrived and placed the epidural at 4:30 pm -Midwife checked me immediately after and I was still only 4cm -With the next contraction she said I'm going to check to see if your cervix will stretch and she found it was and considered me officially at 6-7 cm - We opted to allow her to break my water - Midwife and the nurse exit the room -Instantly, I start feeling much stronger contractions and told Spencer something isn’t right. As I can still both feel and move my legs, but he reassured me the epidural was just placed and there had not been enough time for it to take effect and start working -Contractions became "what I thought in the moment" as unbearable.. so, -Spencer ran to get the nurse and she rechecked me. I was 8cm within minutes of them leaving and my baby’s head was right there -She messaged the midwife and went to get the cart for delivery -In those moments, I didn’t think I could do it (as in I felt everything), but our bodies are so amazing -Despite my technically having an unexpected unmedicated birth (since my epidural hadn't worked), I was still able to FOCUS and PUSHED out a 9.3 lb BABY without even a single tear 🤍 I’m so thankful to have had an amazing group of women coach me thru my pregnancy & labor! Your Birth Helper, LLC was truly amazing to us! Our Your Birth Helper Symbiotic Birth Doula's come alongside couples to both help them better prepare for variations of labor and overcome labor challenges together making the very best decisions for them and their baby. Birth can be made easier with education and training and much better when both hospital staff and birth support people work together so that Mom experiences the least amount of discomfort possible and for others what is only truly medically necessary, not routine. All of what we know helps to create happier "BIRTH" days! Congratulations Bramble family and thanks for sharing tips for our readers! Special thanks to Lena May, CD, CCE, YBHD, Nancy Cook, BSN, CCE, CD, YBHD and the amazing staff at Piedmont OBGYN and nursing staff of Atrium Health in Pineville, NC.

The Birth Story of the first addition to the Diaz Family ~ Michael Dean born November 3rd, 2017 @ 11:16pm I have never met a mom whose idea of fun was weeks of challenging contractions prior to active labor but it happens. It is thought that baby's position is what causes prodromal labor. So, if our body is actually trying to adjust baby's position, statistically speaking, childbirth experts believe around 15-30% of babies are posterior and up to 50% of babies tend toward posterior in early labor. You might consider a good chiropractor who specializes in adjusting the pregnant pelvis. The Webster technique is often recommended for breech positions but why not consider for simply encouraging a baby into a more favorable position? Even something as simple as an inversion position or correcting poor posture can help. But, what if you believe your baby to be in an optimal position and sadly subjected yourself to an internal exam during late pregnancy? Although, there is no way to no for sure, many expectant moms have shared prodromal labor began after an unpleasant or worse an internal exam in which the mom felt "violated" as in the labor and birth story of Shelby Diaz. Of course, there is no way to be positive, but something about bleeding not just a little spotting after an internal exam that had us all raising red flags. Why did she subject herself to an internal exam prior to labor? Good question. Did you know an internal exam is pointless unless we are in active labor or having some sort of warning sign such as spotting/ bleeding. In Shelby's situation, the purpose was to clear her to travel 7-8 hrs away to the beach. I know- I know but she really wanted to go. The couple trained twelve weeks in The Bradley Method (r) and had knowledge of he pros & cons of interventions like this. To be more specific, her doctor wanted to confirm there wasn't anything going on with her cervix, in which she would've asked her to refrain from traveling and instead she left the prenatal visit feeling very violated and bleeding for over 17 hours. 1). EFFACEMENT: Did you know there is natural prostaglandins in dad's semen? Better yet, did you know that semen deposit can often do what I say this way, "What got you into this - could get you out!" The natural prostaglandins can help efface/thin your cervix. The catch is you must keep the deposit up against your cervix for it to assist you. With a little teamwork from Stephen, Shelby arrived at her birth place 75% effaced. 2). WALK: Often early labor/ pre-labor contractions are brought on by activity especially walking. I am a big fan of inclines! I encouraged Shelby to tackle that huge hill in her neighborhood... she did a great job! Stephen even put us out the day of her scheduled induction at the street and she & I walked up that giant hill and to the house prior to heading out to the hospital. Also, did you know walking speeds labor around 28% you can't go wrong with change of positions & particular walking especially if an induction is involved sadly if the use of pitocin is used walking is often a big challenge unless wireless monitors are offered. Shelby arrived at her birth place 4cm with a little help from a huge hill in her subdivision. I am a personal believer of walking inclines to progress labor. 3). EATING UNIQUE FOODS: Although, it is not everyone's secret charm to get into labor, often we are successful in taking mom on a girl date, feeding her interesting foods (often things like eggplant, weird sauces, etc.) most of this success I believe comes from getting the gut all worked up. We do have a natural cleansing process that typically takes place during early first stage labor. Even taking olive oil shots with your meal could help with a more gentle cleanse. Only the desperate resort to castrol oil. I mean who wants to have contractions and diarrhea? Not Shelby- I didn't blame her! One of my favorite restaurants in Ga, called Provino's, will give you a free meal if you have the eggplant and go into labor, just make sure you sign the book. In Charlotte area, Hawthorne's restaurant specializes in their version of "labor inducing chicken wing pizza." The key in my opinion, try something different, something you would typically never consume... have fun and be adventurous. 4) STAY CALM: Did you know many women shut their own contractions down by producing stress hormones? Women are often guilty of staying in their head too much. Stop worrying about things you can't control and simply focus on your relaxation. Don't focus on the what if's of labor and birth. Visualize your perfect birth experience with a smile on your face. Go to the dinner party, unless the contractions are stopping you in your tracks- just ignore them as long as possible. Mom should also stay clear of stress, stay clear of those who stress her out and even avoid over excitement near term. "Be the elevator music", I say. The elevator music never changes its always boring- no peaks- no valleys, just plain & calming. Think this is easy, well tell that to the mom who has seen her due date pass her by or in Shelby's case, all her childbirth classmates birth before her... to say she was not thrilled about that would be an understatement, especially because she had been 2-3 cm dilated for weeks. 5). RANDOMNESS: Have fun. Don't get stuck in a routine near term. Switch it up- forget for a while you are pregnant take in a funny movie or enjoy a dip in the swimming pool, etc. Also, let us not forget that orgasm and nipple stimulation both release natural oxytocin. In case you are not familiar, oxytocin is your natural pitocin. Mom & Dad have fun with that random info... Shelby expressed her discontent with the breast pump- not her idea of fun before labor and not her idea of fun now... bless! Shelby and Stephen faced many challenges throughout pregnancy. The days leading up to her labor and birth were no different. Yet another reason why I am so exceptionally proud of their decision making. Some couples have few obstacles, sadly these two had more than their share near term. Let's start with her doctor dropped a bomb on her that she was going out of town and would not be present for her birth. She suggested an induction with one specific doctor who was on call that weekend because as her doctor put it, "the other doctors are more c-section happy." This catch phrase sent Shelby into a slight panic mode. Kind of hard to stay calm when the universe seems to be filling your space with a variety of stressful tension. We discussed a plan of action for her. Stephen & Shelby decided they would move forward with the induction and would do the prep work at home, arrive at their birth place, have minimal dose pitocin to begin labor. The good news is Shelby had been contracting for weeks. I was hoping it wouldn't take much to tip her into full blown labor. Her cervix was favorable 4 cm dilated already and 75% effaced. This should be a cake walk right? Let's not be fooled into ever thinking an induction is the easy way out. Man made contractions are not the same as what is felt when your body enters labor spontaneously. Proper training, however, can make all the difference. Knowing what to do during a contraction and what not to do is key. I was super proud of Stephen & Shelby for training twelve weeks in The Bradley Method ® training for natural birth. With knowledge there is power and boy would we need that power on induction day. The day started out great. We all met for breakfast @ Strickland's in Athens. We had a yummy filling country breakfast and then onto their home to walk the big hill and pack up. When we arrived at the hospital, little did we know what we would be walking into. It seemed Gwinnett Medical was covered up. We had been sent to the last available labor room and were told they were trying to "find us a nurse." Wow! That was certainly not reassuring...lol. Then the nurse enters, says hello my name is ____ and in a quite demanding tone of voice insists Shelby puts on her hospital gown. Shelby desired to wait till later to change out of her comfy clothes. The nurse replies, Sometimes emergencies occur and you may have to have a c-section therefore you must put on this gown... I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I saw the instant look of SHOCK on Shelby's face and I quickly intervened. I replied, Listen we are not your enemy here. I assure you when it gets close to having a baby she will be either half dressed or completely undressed before we birth a baby, she just doesn't want to change now. She bowed up at me and said, Are you a nurse? I replied, No. I am a Doula. She said, well I am and I have been doing this for 27 years. She has to put on her gown. I took one step toward her and said, I ALSO have been doing this for 27 years and this is not necessary! She finally left the room. We all were like REALLY? WOW! We literally prayed in the LDR room for productive labor & cooperation of staff. Next, IV time... Oh My don't even get Shelby started on this one. She would most likely have said it was one of the worst parts of her birth experience seeing how multiple nurses, etc. had to stick her 7 different times to successfully land a vein. We were having our own contractions upon arrival but well, after that horribly painful experience of simply establishing a line, yeah all that went away and we were back to little to no working contractions. Next up, pitocin. She began a regiment of 1 drop per minute. Each 30 minute block, the pitocin was turned up and with Stephen' s amazing counter pressure assistance, Shelby rocked every aspect of her hard labor. Multiple nurse changes long before shift change, even lost one after a man yelled out "HELP- someone HELP US... apparently their baby was coming and the nurse ran in to catch it. Thankfully, all the other nurses who attended seem to be very supportive of Shelby's birth plan. Her OBGYN also supported her desire for more of a hands off labor and internal exams were kept to a minimum. At one point, Shelby's back pain was getting the best of her and we strategized to come off the pitocin by utilizing an amniotomy late in labor so she could get in the tub for more comfort measures. It was a great choice for her. In fact, she didn't want to get out of the tub but it was necessary to birth a baby. Shelby assumed a hands & knees position on the bed to allow gravity to help her baby emerge. In amazement to us all, a quick few pushes and her baby was in her arms. Third stage labor quickly became one of her biggest challenges as the color was fading fast from her cheeks. The doctor administered multiple doses of pitocin to her thigh (as her IV had blown out prior to birth). She also received two other meds to get bleeding under control including cytotec suppository tablets, all in an effort to control excessive blood loss. Several interesting aspects were noted after birth. Her baby had managed to tie a complete knot in his cord. He is certainly a little miracle, as the knot in the cord could have created significant oxygen reduction to baby and even resulted in death. The good news is the average cord is 21 inches long, long enough to have a loop or two around its neck and still be born naturally. And, in the case of this little fellow, tie a knot in it and still be born just fine. He was a champ throughout the whole experience- fabulous heart rate through it all. Poor thing just couldn't figure out how to get in an anterior position, according to the back labor Shelby experienced...lol. Actually, Shelby had a previous back curvature which might be possible it had nothing to do with baby. With orange juice, food and TLC from her husband, mom and a vast extended family BABY DIAZ entered into his fabulous "Birth"day party surrounded by love ones. First Bath - he really enjoyed it thanks to this amazing baby nurse, Angie Myers! Sometimes, expectant moms endure challenges during pregnancy, some trying to get into labor, others during labor and some after birth and some like Shelby endured them all and yet still found the JOY in her baby's birth. I could be wrong but I think she would also tell you, although at times it was all consuming & overwhelming, she would give birth the John 16:21 drug free way, with the help of her husband coach, all over again. Third stage excessive bleeding leaves mom’s energy reserves depleted. You can’t go wrong with two full glasses of orange juice to replenish blood sugars, etc. In your third trimester of pregnancy, prepare in advance by eating blood building foods such as Liver. It is a quick way to build blood. This is especially important if you are a natural redhead, of asian decent, anemic, hypovolemic or Jehovah Witness. I know- I know, don’t shoot the messenger. Cover that liver with some white gravy- its still way better than a blood transfusion!! Your Birth Helper specializes in happy “birth” days! Our goal is to support the couple and their wishes for their birth. Shelby & Stephen didn’t just take a childbirth class or just hire a Doula. They educated, they trained, they applied and they joined the best darn #BirthFamily in Athens! You begin as clients you end as family! Welcome to #AthensBirthFamily baby Michael! -Breastfeeding support meet up- -Lunch with classmates- Three set out to have a natural birth & three determined moms succeeded with a little help from YourBirthHelper!!!!!!!!!! So Proud of these warrior women for training & applying!!!!!!! #YourBirthHelper #naturalbirth #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #hospitalinduction #Birthwithoutanepidural #ProdromalLabor #BirthFamily #AthensBirthFamily #ThirdStageLaborChallenges #HandsandkneesBirth #Doula #DoulaAssistance #BradleyMethod

And, that is a reminder from a couple who overcome abortion and was transformed through GRACE. Read their full birth story in our blog titled, Product of Grace.

Several years ago in Charlotte, I met up with a young woman named Allison. She had recently moved from Ohio. We met at the Chik Fil A in Ballantyne area and while her young son played, she shared where she thought she had went wrong with her first birth experience. Summed up like so, "We were uneducated and my OBGYN insisted upon a c-section at 39 weeks- big baby was given as the reason based on an ultrasound." She was eager for information and seemed to soak up every word. I shared some basic education with her that day: a proven nutritional & exercise training plan is the key to staying healthy & low risk, which increases your options in birthing and keeps you on track to reach your birth goals. Where and with whom you give birth matters. You need quality childbirth education to even know what choices are available during labor and birth, as well as, the "what if's"... okay what if its a big baby? Informed consent is another big part of quality education. If you do not know how to properly communicate with your medical team to retain their support, it typically only leads to more confusion and potential problems for the couple. For some reason, to this day, I speak with new couples in a variety of states who have NO IDEA they can make decisions best for them and their baby. Many uneducated couples are led to believe they simply must do what the doctor or nurse tells them and never even ask the informed consent questions: Is mom ok? Is baby ok? What is the actual problem? What is your proposed treatment? And, my personal favorite, If mom and baby are okay, WHAT ARE OUR OTHER OPTIONS? Newsflash... there are always other options but if you don't ask you will never know. In their defense, it is not their job to educate you, their job is practicing medicine. Like all the rest of us who do our job a certain way, they prefer to do their labor & birth work a certain way. Education and an understanding of how the body works, ways to reduce pain and discomfort and proven nutritional, exercise and relaxation practice is especially important for those seeking VBAC/ trying to avoid surgery, avoid induction or pain management in general. To better understand how Allison, came to completely different conclusions than her first doctor in regard to the best way to birth her children and ultimately achieve her target birth experience, allow me to share from her words! The Top Five pros and cons from each birth: With baby #1, Allison scheduled surgery, as her doctor desired, after a threat of big baby estimating 99th percentile was made, during late pregnancy ultrasound on May 23, 2013 Pros: an uneventful flawless surgery free of surgical complications. She shared it was nice knowing when he would come out, she didn't endure contractions and dad was able to be present with her. Knowing what she knows now, she shared, more than likely because they were uneducated, most likely would've had the same outcome in the form of a failure to progress c-section at a later time because she did not have a support system. Cons: Surgical recovery process, struggled with postpartum depression (partly bc I felt robbed of the birth experience I had always envisioned, issues with breastfeeding, baby had to be in NICU one reason was fluid in the lungs which is a known complication from a c-section and a general feeling of inadequacy that her body had failed her. With baby #2, Allison & Ben completed twelve weeks of natural birth prep in The Bradley Method®. She learned not only all the things that were in her control that could change her outcome, but also learned some tricks of the trade to better manage her contractions and how to maintain sufficient nutrition for a healthier mom, healthier baby, stronger uterus, sufficient placenta, etc. With the addition of a Doula, the choice of supportive midwives in a VBAC supportive birth place, she had significantly increased her chances of a vaginal birth. Pros: Well educated & trained, had an exceptional supportive husband coach, chose a supportive staff with an on call OBGYN, in case of medical emergency. Freedom to labor and successful Vaginal Birth After Caesarean with help from staff of Natural Beginnings at Davis Memorial hospital. Cons: extremely long labor 71 hours, nurse that mistakingly shared I was 7 cm and I was only 4cm, use of late labor epidural, an episiotomy and use of vacuum extraction. With baby #3, Pros: Drug free Natural Birth, natural tear (instead of episiotomy), much shorter 20 hour labor, incredibly supportive husband coach, birth team and birth photographer (which I definitely wish I had done with my other two births), even more prepared for this birth because of my experience as a Doula Apprentice. Cons: Week of prodromal labor, hospital birth vs birth center ( was required per a new policy set by NC medical board), push phase was still the hardest thing I have ever done, vacuum extraction was still utilized and felt out of control even with all my preparation (this is why a good coach and support system is so important to have). Me: What you feel in your words was the most beneficial prep during your Bradley Method 12 weeks Training i. e. Nutritional plan, exercise prep, relaxation practice, labor role play etc. ? Allison: a combination of it all - I would not have been successful without following a strict diet (to limit baby weight since we make big babies), knowing what to expect as far as different scenarios that could happen in labor and playing that out in role plays, exercises, and relaxation practices. Me: What you feel helped you the most? Include positions or tub, ball, etc. or certain relaxation techniques, such as 8th grade dance, counter pressure, music, low verbal noises, etc. Allison: because of the position in my womb my daughter was in, standing was the best position for me. Other positions just hurt, a lot. Even the tub was not pleasant. Knowing and understanding that there are plenty of labor position so helped me (and my husband) find the best position for me. If I had been in a hospital or birth place that was not as open to allowing a woman to labor as she chooses, I know I would have opted for an epidural (and thus leading down a slippery slope to more unnecessary interventions). I couldn’t have labored without my husband, he was the best coach, allowing me to use him and lean on him as I needed and constantly reminding me everything I should be doing. Low verbal noises and affirmation notecards also worked. It’s really important to understand yourself and how you handle pain to figure out what will work in labor. I knew for me, lots of praises and touches would not be the best for me and my support team knew that. Me: What was your Biggest challenge during Birth marathon #3? Allison: the push phase, hands down. My daughter was stuck under my pubic bone because of her massive head and after a while of trying to push on my own (on my back because I still had a lip of cervix and as I mentioned before being upright is all that felt tolerable so being on my back was excruciating) i consented to the use a vacuum to help my daughter not slide back up after a contraction. After 2 contractions with the vacuum, she was born! Because of my 2nd birth (also a vacuum birth but this one for 3 hours of pushing with a vacuum), we knew it was possible that I would need assistance again. And being ok with that was key to a natural birth for me. Me: Best Advice for moms who experience labor challenges who want to labor drug free? Allison: I’ve learned it’s a mental game. All a mental game. If you stay on top of the feelings of not being able to do it, or endure everything labor will throw your way, you’ll have a successful natural birth. If you surround yourself with supportive people who will continually remind you of the end goal, you will be successful. When you want to give up the most, that’s when you’re the closest to meeting your baby. Because even the most prepared, educated mamas can reach a point of giving up (I did!), preparing throughout pregnancy as previously discussed will be imperative for a successful natural birth. Me: Why did you decide to become a Doula Apprentice with YourBirthHelper.com and how do you feel your training & assisting other couples experience natural birth thus far helped pre you for your own natural birth? Allison: because of my first birth experience and it not being the optimal one I had envisioned thus leading to one of the reasons I had postpartum depression, I am passionate about educating other women before they have to experience what I did. I want to help women through pregnancy and the labor and birth process, helping them achieve their desired goals. And on the flip side, helping women achieve their goal of natural childbirth helped me achieve my goal of a natural childbirth with my third child. Another baby with a massive head came vaginally and naturally! All of my babies have had head above the 99th percentile and two came vaginally, thus proving my original doctor wrong. Watching and helping women have a natural childbirth has helped the mental game of “I can do this, I can’t do this” so much - yes I can! Yes you can! Allison represents a prime example of two major benefits of YourBirthHelper.com, she has stayed plugged into her #BirthFamily which allows her not only to be empowered by the stories of others but to give back sharing her experiences and has become a solid source of encouragement for so many expectant moms. In addition she has made some valuable lasting friendships and her kids have, as well. Also, her last two births represent our goal for our clients, #SymbioticBirth, a perfect blend of normality plus only medically necessary interventions. Together, working for the good of the family, respecting the couple's wishes for their target birth experience, supporting them through it and helping navigate through labor/ birth hurdles is so very important. Regardless of how a baby exits mom's body, regardless of the use of pain management or not, regardless of where she births in or out of hospital, midwife or doctor, there are choices, lots of options. The difference is whether a couple knows the basics of how the body works, how to work with their body, how to acquire the options of birthing, choosing the best location and practice in which to do business and prepare accordingly because Birth much like your wedding day is a one day event- there are NO re do's... there is much to learn in nine short months and when we can successfully apply what we have learned, we might just find, The 3rd times the CHARM! The 2017 North Carolina Birth Story of the Year goes to Ben & Allison Termeer. Congrats to this power couple on a job well done. Something tells me Ms. Violet Mae will be one smart little girl and not just because her head size is in the 99th percentile, but because she has two excellent parents who will devote a lifetime of love, energy and devotion into raising her. Lastly, nothing would warm my heart more than to see you meet your latest goal of becoming a Labor & Delivery Nurse. You WILL no doubt be a blessing to all who have the pleasure of you assisting them in their very own happy "birth" day! Together, we can make a difference and bless others! Thanks again Allison for your dedication over the years to YourBirthHelper and the entire #BirthFamily! #ProdromalLabor #LongLabor #Charlotte #EpiduralFreeBirth #Birthwithoutanepidural #PregnancyEducation #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #ThirdBaby #ThirdLabor #BirthoftheYear #CharlotteBirthFamily #VacuumExtractorAssisted

Women empowering women! That’s what we do and if I do say so myself, “My Your Birth Helper Team does it so well!” Mom, Monserrat Resendiz contacted us desiring a natural childbirth. She had been medically induced twice and utilized epidural for pain managemen, but she believed she could both encourage spontaneous labor naturally and with training, guidance and encouragement she too could give birth naturally. And, that’s just what she did! YBH team member, Nikki Reeves, ICCE taught her labor workshop virtually. Her husband had to work and could not join the call and she was overseeing her other two kids, but she took lots of notes and no doubt shared with her husband just in case baby #3 decided to jump out at home, because it happens. Monserrat, who we call Santa started this new journey by trading her former doctors office and switching to Piedmont OBGYN midwives to have her birth wishes supported. She also decided to add a doula team to best manage her own labor drug-free. Instead of purchasing her relaxation in the form of an epidural, she learned to release the unknowns, leave her stress behind and not try to control her labor, but be present and allow her body do it’s valuable work. She also did a fabulous job preparing her body in advance. Lots of walking, weird spicy foods, stretching, pressure points and even THAI RED HOT soup. She was a willing participant in trying anything to avoid medical induction and her efforts paid off BIG! She not only achieved both of her goals, she had been baby in about one hour and forty minutes! Let’s just say upon arrival they got her out of triage REAL QUICK… hahaa! Yup, Baby Galilea Silva came so quick and unexpected! 😍 Special thanks to her husband for all his support, her mother for caring for the other children, Amelie’s Bakery Pineville for our awesome cocoa/ coffee, YBH Doula Lena May for offering her home/ subdivision for labor prep. Doula candidate Anniston Eberhart for all her help, midwife Eva Stover, CNM who quickly caught baby, her fabulous postpartum nurse, our own Nancy Cook, BSN, CD, and all the other staff who showed them TLC.

When I first met Dr. P, we immediately hit it off. Her zest for life and her passion to keep people healthy, free of meds and thriving is a view we both share very strongly. Our dedication to the natural process and overall health of individuals connected us. We are not opposed to medical intervention, but we prefer to do everything we can in our power to help keep those in our circles thriving naturally, focusing on “WHAT THEY CAN CONTROL.” Sometimes, medical intervention is necessary to resolve a number of issues life brings our way. And, we can’t always solve every health issue with good nutrition, exercise, chiropractic care, etc., but a vast number of health issues could be avoided if we put more emphasis on preventative care instead of the after effects of always treating symptoms instead of the cause itself. More particularly with pregnancy, labor and birth, focusing on the overall health of mom and baby, keeping them healthy and low risk, equals way more choices in regards to your birth plan and also helps with avoidance of unnecessary medical interventions. Most women can handle a labor contraction of the uterus, but what goes on between their ears: self doubt, worry, anxiety, etc., it has the ability to make or break your target birth experience. Now don’t get me wrong, we all want the contractions to stop before the baby emerges, but it helps to know what to expect during labor and to have practiced good positioning to ease labor pain, to know the self doubt - surrendering phase is supposed to happen to allow the baby to be born. Knowing these things can help remove FEAR. FEAR has no place in progressing labor. FEAR causes tension, which also causes more pain on top of the contraction. FEAR causes chest breathing aka panic breathing, which again causes more pain. These are things a woman HAS control over when much of labor we do not. However, if couples are not educated in the birth process and go into this blindly... well, you can see real quick how when women cannot bring themself to a level of relaxation in which the body can do its work, many end up purchasing their “relaxation to progress labor” in the form of an epidural and Pitocin to speed the labor back up after epidural slows it down. Birth Education and specifically (knowing how to RELAX during contractions) is the key to staying calm and also your best chance of avoiding unnecessary pain in addition to the uterine contractions. It is important to keep your body in a healthy state and remain low risk. This ensures you have even more birthing options in a hospital setting. I asked Emily the following questions for our readers to be better prepared for the growing family: Can you share how you would rate or compare / weigh differences between your first pregnancy, labor & push phase to second? - 1st labor & birth: It was extremely different as with 1 I really didn’t know I was in full on labor since, I had in my mind I wouldn’t be having a baby till the next day (thought I was being induced) and my push phase wasn’t exactly what I wanted as far as pushing position and a little more challenging. - 2nd labor & birth: early labor was much longer than I expected, but active labor went quickly and push phase was good. I felt like I had control over something finally! What has been the most exciting part of your second time journey and what has been you greatest challenges? - Seeing my first daughter get to be a big sister and growing and adapting to the changes. Going back to work with two and trying to get two to take a nap has been rough! Any tips for couples having baby #2 in terms of managing childcare, breastfeeding, household and your work/ business? -Remember, if things don’t get done well it is fine. Let the house fall apart for a few days, no one has ever died from a dirty house. What postpartum tips do you feel were most helpful and why? -This pp recovery has been pretty good. I’ve loved my high waisted compression leggings/yoga pants to help me not feel like I’m falling apart the first few weeks (although they are much harder to get off while holding a baby to pee). I had After Ease tincture for cramping, but didn’t really need it, only used it a couple times, and a postpartum baby blues tincture that I thankfully never needed to open. I wish I had had it the first time though. I see now how rough I had it the first 4+ months with my first daughter. Any tips for moms managing growing households? -It’s been a ride and just hold on for it. Enjoy it! It’s quick, but don’t be too hard on yourself when you lose it. Give yourself a time out away from the babies and collect yourself, they will survive even if everyone is crying. What was your most magical moments from baby #2? -Getting to hold her as soon as she came out and to just cuddle her for so long before we had to do anything else. She is such a sweet cuddly girl, I can’t get enough of her. Dad Cory, how do you feel your comfort level with labor and birth experienced with baby #2 was different from labor and birth with your first baby. -It was good, because knowing you are having a healthy baby makes a BIG difference! (First one was a little scary because we learned our daughter had a heart defect early on). In closing, remember to seek out a local Webster certified chiropractor to ensure your pelvis is in optimal alignment for baby's exit. And, don't forget infants can benefit from chiropractic care, as well. Baby's are used to standing on their heads, not being upright. Labor and birth are hard on them too. Sometimes after a great adjustment, we find infants are much nicer and sleep better, too! Dr. P and I, challenge you to give chiropractic care a try and don't be afraid to try non-medical ways to relieve discomfort during childbirth, like doula assistance during labor, for example. We capture priceless moments along the way and help guide you along your path into parenthood. You can never go wrong with other self care and preventative efforts like miles circuit or spinning babies exercises to help realign baby. Just remember, before reverting to medical intervention, try less invasive remedies. Save external version for a breech baby as a last ditch effort to avoid surgery. Try the above and try a Webster Certified chiropractor. It has a much higher success rate than external version and way less invasive- worth your time regardless! Take a self care break moms- you deserve it!