The word induction makes most women cringe. They immediately see their birth wishes going out the window. Some, have no idea what they are asking for or will be up against. Some even go asking for induction, even when it is not medically indicated. Women should know what would've been a "strong enough" contraction (when the uterus naturally creates it), now with drugs like Cervadil, Cytotec and Pitocin, for most will accelerate contractions to above average levels of pain, for often, a much longer length of time. Do some women still accomplish their birthing goals, despite the induction process, yes. However, many would share the domino effect of “one intervention leading to another” is quite exhausting and not an experience you just want to go asking for without medical reasons. Many Mom's have the challenge of weighing the risks and the benefits of induction, based on the medical experts advice, former medical history or possibly even pregnancy complications. The mom featured in this birth story, Megan, found herself in a quandary near term based of her preferences for her birth. Her desire was to transfer care, but unfortunately she found herself a little late in the ball game for that to happen. Therefore, she also had to be strategic to avoid medical practitioners in her practice, that were not supportive of the low intervention birth experience that she desired. This meant on top of having to weigh the medical reasons for induction, she also had to plan her induction four days in advance of when the least supportive doctor would go on call. As advocates for expectant moms, we want couples to remember, you are paying for a service. The best plan is doing everything in your control to stay healthy and low risk during pregnancy. If you and baby are ok, you will indeed have more options extended to you. Megan and Paul knew their induction was medically indicated, due to her medical history of former blood clots. Also, protocol with the use of Lovenox. It wasn’t, of course, their first choice to be induced. They would have preferred labor to begin on its own. Megan agreed to report to her birth place, CaroMont Health Gastonia at 4:30 p.m. on January 5th, 2020 to begin cervical ripening. Those who have endured an early induction, as in two to four days worth, would all share the challenges associated with doing business this way requires much patience, much strength and often the ability to go long hours without sleep or real food which creates a plethora of obstacles to overcome. Megan, Paul and Megan’s mom know this firsthand. Megan’s mother learned what I call “hospital sinus head” the hard way. After about 12 hours of breathing recycled hospital air, the poor sinus are stopping up, but her mom toughed it out for almost four days. Supporting both mom and dad. Going out to retrieve coffee, food, etc.. Some forget, the hospital does not feed Dad, only mom, well, if you consider broth & jello food. Other annoyances include, constant fetal monitoring with any use of drug/ chemical stimulant. Pain levels often increase from mere lack of mobility (even with a wireless monitor, if available). Any time induction includes a drug, (either to prep cervix, create contractions, epidural or other pain management/ narcotic use applies, you will be subject to continuous external fetal monitoring. This intervention alone causes many women a great deal of added discomfort, because the monitor must be positioning properly to get an accurate read of baby. The position can be good and the angle still challenge the reading. Baby's often hate the monitor and move in attempt to get away from it. A flat monitor head on a round belly, certainly doesn't help either and the velcro belts often cut into moms skin. Even the sticky pads from the wireless monitor, aka the Monica, still often irritate the skin, as well. Poor nurses, clearly chasing down baby for a good read is one of the most annoying parts of their job. Keeping medical interventions down, both for her safety and for the safest route of passage into the world for her baby was Megan's top priority going into this induction. For Megan, the worse case scenario was a failed induction leading to cesarean surgery. Anxiety stemming from the thought of potential childbirth complications, certainly increases fear. Fear leads to panic breathing which also increases tension. Both of which, add to mom’s pain level. It’s a vicious cycle. Megan’s increased risk of a clot forming, which could ultimately take her life, certainly contributed to adrenaline being produced and released in her body. The unknowns or "what if's" as I like to call them, are quite challenging to get out of the pregnant mother's mind and thoughts. There is much psychology to giving birth and adrenaline production only serves to slow labor and/or completely stop contractions. The vast challenges for hormonal pregnant women to stay out of their heads, just breathe through a contraction and release fear and tension is REAL. Megan and Paul, didn't want to be fearful and anxious, but with each failed attempt to get her body in a regular contraction pattern, they couldn't help but be discouraged to some degree. I always remind couples to free your mind, focus on what you CAN CONTROL - LET GO of what you can't control. Pitocin administration began Monday, January 6th around 5 a.m. and continued the entire day until discontinuing use shortly before 8 p.m. with her body only producing active labor length and strength contractions the last hour and a half. The medical staff had considered her pitocin saturated at this point and consultation of a new plan with the doctor was being discussed. Megan and Paul had consulted and previously hired my Your Birth Helper Charlotte Doula team for both training, empowerment, advocacy and helping navigate through obstacles, in an effort to meet as many of their birthing goals as possible. Also, assisting her with any needs throughout her pregnancy, labor and beyond. We don’t go away when the baby comes out. We are available to support our clients should any needs arise postpartum. On Day 2 of Induction, several members of the Charlotte Doula Dream Team stopped by to encourage the couple to Stay Staunch! Her OB on call Monday, Dr. Peach, was extremely patient and kind and agreed to temporarily stop the induction protocol so Megan could eat a real meal and the couple could get some well needed rest Monday evening. Her dinner from Logan’s really helped Megan with her "hangry feeling." Haha and Dad got brownie points too! We have to also give a shout out to Megan's nurse, Landon and Rachel Best were both so respectful in supporting their wishes and just a delight bedside, as well. The medical team created a new induction plan which was to administer Cervadil, a cervical ripening drug, vaginally (3 to 4 doses as tolerated) through the night with the use of Cook's device, which was placed again on Tuesday, 10:30 a.m. Mom was very uncomfortable and had a lot more pressure this time around, unlike first use on Sunday. But, by Tuesday around 4:25 p.m., they checked the Cook's and it was not ready to release on its own. Mom was getting very discouraged, patience was running thin and physically her cervix was aching and her lower abdomen was sore to touch. The external fetal monitor certainly wasn't helping either. Mom was not overly thrilled about the new plan to use Cook's device for the second time. However, the doctor explained it was possible, since the first usage did not produce typical results, that it was never placed or inserted correctly. First failed attempt to create cervical change with Cook’s was from Sunday evening from 7 p.m. until 9 a.m. Monday when removed. Megan was quite the warrior woman along this 4 day Induction Journey and Paul was her ever present source of strength assisting her with very few breaks except to eat and use the restroom. Megan's mom was quite the trooper, as well. Around 11 p.m. Tuesday evening, Megan and Paul tried an amniotomy to see if breaking the bag of water would enhance the strength of her contractions more naturally. The contraction monitor (the second belt/ TOCO monitor) clearly was not accurately picking up her contractions. At this point they placed an internal catheter to more accurately depict the strength of contractions. By 11:35 p.m. Paul called and asked for Doula support to assist them as active labor contractions were finally evident. Husband Coach Paul shared, ”I knew my wife Megan was strong, but to witness her maintain that strength through the majority of her almost 60 long hours from start to finish, the word PROUD alone, can not adequately describe my love for her and what she endured for our baby.” When induction is medically warranted, there are still various ways in which the induction can take place. And, most couples are not against medical protocol when it is truly medically necessary. They just don't want to be subjected to unnecessary routine interventions. I like to call this concept, "Symbiotic Birth." If medical staff could embrace this concept, women would be singing their praises all over town. Dr. Robert Bradley shared, we can not prevent the necessity for all drugs or cesarean surgery, but we can help ensure with proper labor techniques, that the medical interventions are saved for those who truly need them. The majority of trained mother's can relax and breathe through contractions, without pain management. It’s doing things wrong on top of the contraction that can create above average levels of pain. The key is don't just say you want a natural birth, (if that is your goal), actually train for it! Labor is challenging enough when you know how to properly get through a contraction. Let alone, when facing scenarios like back labor, induction or extremely long labor. Without such skills, the odds are certainly stacked completely against you. The key lies in knowing what to do and not to do, to work with your body, not against it. The goal: Accomplish as much as possible through each contraction! It matters the level of support couples receive during the Labor and Birth process. It matters what and how the words come out and caution should be used of what is spoken in front of, or to the laboring Mom. For each child, Labor/ Birth is a ONE TIME- typically ONE DAY event never to be repeated. We get one chance to bring forth life, there are no re-do’s. We get one chance to capture precious moments in time. Therefore, every decision matters. Especially, when navigating pre-existing conditions during childbirth. After all, it is their body and their baby. Staff, family members or others surrounding Mom during labor should be aware, Encouraging is way different than just supporting. Megan’s husband and mom did just that! Readers should note, we did learn CaroMont Gastonia has some unique rules, such as only 3 in room at time of pushing (no re-entrance, nor late arrivals would be allowed in). Basically, if you are not in room already (despite such a large birthing suite) you will be denied access to the room and if you desire birth photography and capturing precious moments after, this hospital is not for you. Remember, couples you foot the bill for the room and the medical services. Make sure your wishes for your target birth will be respected and honored, if not, there are other practices and locations who gladly will. Couple's should be able to experience the best of normality in the labor/birth process (as their health dictates) complimented by medically necessary interventions. Both sides working together in harmony, because after all we are on the same team. Team: Healthy Mom & Healthy Baby! Megan and Paul had chosen to become skilled in The Bradley Method ® to better prepare her body and mind for birth, to best manage her contractions and to help train her husband to best support her along the way. Sarah Neri, YBHCE, YBHD had taught their childbirth education classes and attended to help encourage and support her on day 3 and 4 of her long labor marathon. To end, I asked Megan, if she wanted to share any personal thoughts regarding her experience. She had this to say... If there’s anything I could change or consider for next time, it would be to see only one midwife to be with us throughout the entire pregnancy so that you can build a relationship with them especially in the case of an induction for medical reasons. Induction can be daunting and especially a long one when your body isn’t ready which can make you over think and get scared that you won’t progress enough for the doctors. I kept thinking I’ve been on the highest dosage of pitocin for a while. They are going to want to cut me off and start over or give me a cesarean. I should have stayed focused. I had a great support system. My husband deserves a 100 out of 10. He was there for my every need and even though I was the one giving birth and using my energy and thinking I’m so tired. I know he was even more exhausted than I was. He kept going. He took care of me and that is the greatest feeling ever to feel supported in that way. The scariest part of my Labor followed the administering of an epidural. My blood pressure dropped significantly after and my husband and I, had no clue what was happening. ( My blood pressure had lowered after a previous dose of fentanyl, but I wasn't sure when it actually started. My mom and Doula team were in the waiting room due to administration of the epidural). All of a sudden, everyone rushed the room and they put me immediately on all fours. I look up and see Paul’s face and he’s scared. I tell Myself omg something’s wrong he’s scared and know I just have to be strong and concentrate and do what I need to do to get baby out. Then they check me and baby was right there. (Paul ran down the hall to notify the others). I wish I would have had my doula team in there while pushing, because of how emotional it was for us, my mom and Paul. I really needed good coaching and to take my time, but with the situation, I had no idea what was really going on and just wanted my baby out. I know I definitely could have avoided the use of fentanyl, but Paul said he would contact doula in an hour, I was like no I wanted y’all (birth team) then. And, I think he feels the same way. He wishes he would have contacted sooner because, during that time my back pain was the greatest and mom and Paul were doing awesome with counter pressure and helping me out. It was exhausting to coach them, to help coach me, if that makes sense and I needed that guidance and more positions, but couldn’t really ask for it. I knew Pam would be able to help and I needed a reset. I definitely should have been more educated on pain management side effects at my hospital before hand. With an induction, you don’t know how it would go. I wanted to labor at home and be comfortable and Paul and I get into a rhythm. Then we would have the doula team when we needed at hospital, but things didn’t work that way. If Tuesday night, would have went like Monday, it would have been a dream. That’s for sure. Happy ”BIRTH” day Estelle!! You did not take kindly to your evacuation notice, you challenged your mom with back labor and a slow to dilate cervix for over 60 hours before your grand entrance! Megan and Paul’s goal was to depict a very transparent journey of how induction may alter your birth story. In closing, Couple's should consider wisely the pro's/con's, with the #1 question always being, "Is Mom and Baby ok?" If that answer is yes, why the eagerness to induce? What constitutes the induction as best for mom and baby? Sometimes, it may simply be a calendar issue and couple's should remember, it is called an estimated due date- not an exact one. Simply put, Induction changes everything, but in the end Paul and Megan would tell you, that little baby is so worth all the tiring challenges and effort! Welcome to your #CharlotteBirthFamily Baby Estelle! You are so loved! Your Birth Helper & Teams are happy to give you both the title of "Power Couple" for technically enduring 4 calendar days of induction, with every single contraction monitored in a hospital setting, which also means 3 days without adequate sleep and food in 60 long hours to give birth and avoid surgery. We salute you both! Congratulations Sideikas Family!

Expectant Moms, you can check the Farmers Almanac Moon Phase Calendar to see if Mr. Moon may be able to assist you in avoiding medical induction or simply help tone your uterus through a full moon uterine practice run. Take note of the New & Full Moon dates and how you can Best prepare for practice/ pre-labor runs or the real thing so you are not woken by surprise. Best to have an earlier bedtime around such lunar phases- just in case! What we don’t want to have happen is labor take you by surprise and begin when you have not had adequate sleep. For those whose inquiring minds want to know more, here are some excerpts from the book, The Moon and Childbirth by author David Rose. On speaking to various medical staff involved in natural childbirth, the first thing I learned was that expectant mothers often experience false signs of labor during full moon. Contractions known as “Braxton Hicks” — sometimes noticeable to the mother and sometimes not — become more pronounced and many travel to the maternity unit in the belief that “it’s time”. Disappointed — or perhaps relieved — they return home, the pains having subsided with no dilation of the cervix. While these expectant mothers visiting the clinic with their mistaken signs of labor are part of the reason why extra staff are needed, the major difference is found in the number of women whose amniotic sac — the water — breaks. Just as some women experience false labor pains, in cases where the water breaking marks the start of childbirth, full moon is the time when it’s most likely to happen. In order to discover for myself whether this could be true, I asked several female friends how their births had started. Those who responded with “the water breaking” were then asked the date of the birth. On checking this against a moon phase chart, I discovered that almost all had given birth on, or very close to, a full moon. The theory is that the moon’s gravitational pull effects the amniotic fluid in much the same way as it effects the water in the sea, rivers and even the water that’s otherwise found in our bodies. “There are published works that show that there is such a relationship. One study4 looked at 5,927,978 French births occurring between the months of January 1968 and the 31st December 1974. Using spectral analysis, it was shown that there are two different rhythms in birth frequencies: –a weekly rhythm characterized by the lowest number of births on a Sunday and the largest number on a Tuesday and an annual rhythm with the maximum number of births in May and the minimum in September-October. A statistical analysis of the distribution of births in the lunar month shows that more are born between the last quarter and the new moon, and fewer are born in the first quarter of the moon. The differences between the distribution observed during the lunar month and the theoretical distribution are statistically significant.” – Source: Full moon, Gravitational Pull and Childbirth, Birthsource.com As a woman’s body prepares for natural childbirth, the amniotic sac becomes distended so the point where it will easily burst if put under pressure. Under normal circumstances, the pressure of labor contractions bursts the sac. During a full moon, the pressure caused by the moon’s effect on the water inside the sac can cause the same things to happen, but without the accompanying contractions. When this happens, natural childbirth doesn’t always move forward and with no other signs of labor present, the obstetrician may decide to induce the birth. During my own study of this phenomenon I found that of 8 women whose births started with the water breaking at full moon, 5 of them had no accompanying contractions. A coincidence? Perhaps. But surely midwives wouldn’t prepare themselves for an increase in natural childbirth activity if there wasn’t some truth in this? One midwife told me that when it comes to planning childbirth, full moons should always be looked for around the time of the expected delivery. If there’s one within a few days either side, the chances are your baby will be born on that day. Sheryl’s comment: Theoretically, many of our cycles should be naturally in sync with the cycles of the nature. In a world devoid of electric lights, women’s menstrual cycles naturally synchronize with the phases of the moon in which they ovulate during the full moon and menstruate at the new moon (lunar fertility). There is more at play than simply gravitational pull. Total darkness signals your body to create melatonin and the sunlight of daybreak signals your body to stop this production. The light of the full moon is a signal for your body to cease melatonin production and that is what signals the start of ovulation. Electric lights are a huge potential factor in irregular ovulation. That said, we all know that hormones play a role in spontaneous labor and while I have no idea how the moon influences the hormones specifically related to childbirth, it stands to reason that nature affects our bodies a lot more than the medical community would like us to believe. To enhance the effects of moon, be sure to sleep in total 100% darkness. Even a small nightlight will throw off your melatonin levels. Make sure to get plenty of light during the day and open your blinds during the three days with the fullest moon. It may or may not help influence your birth but it will help your body connect with mother earth. Lastly, if you really want to let yourself connect with nature during childbirth then do not let unscrupulous doctors or midwives “get things going” by induction or any other methods. If you trust birth and allow your baby to come into this world when he or she is good and ready then you may just experience birth during the full moon. Book: The Moon and Childbirth by: David Rose

Pregnancy and labor is hard enough, let alone when it’s combined with Cholestasis, biweekly appointments, light duty desk work, medical induction at 38 weeks and back labor throughout. It seemed things hadn’t gone exactly how mom and dad would’ve liked, but training and preparing the body is of upmost importance to all who conceive a child. There are so many variations of normal and complications of pregnancy and labor, that if couples do not have a basis of understanding they can find themselves quite overwhelmed at times. They chose to educate in The Bradley Method® a 12 week course for natural birth with emphasis on how the coach can help. They came once weekly to the farm #M2bFamilyFarm and acquired a skill set to best manage labor, no matter what they might face. I asked both Mom and Dad to share what they felt best prepared them for this long and tiring journey into parenthood. (Wes and Virginia's personal suggestions and tips for success are shared in bold italics throughout the birth story) Virginia: The Bradley course gave us the knowledge to know what was going on during labor, helped us with our nutrition, gave us effective exercises and relaxation techniques to help with labor, and helped us fully decide what we were wanting to accomplish with a natural birth. For us the main goal was to have minimal intervention as possible, no medication utilized, and no cesarean. It was very important to me to have these wishes fulfilled, and for the most part they were. Even though we had to induce early we were still able to accomplish most of our goals. We definitely would not have been able to successfully accomplish a natural birth without first going through the Bradley® class. The Bradley Method® course was a huge help in physically and mentally preparing us for labor. When Wes and I, started out trying to decide what birthing class to take, we met with Pamela who broke it down for us as to what each type of birthing class had to offer. We wanted a course that was way more than just exercises. Wes and Virginia had hoped for and prepared for a low intervention, natural labor (spontaneous labor & drug free birth). But, when we have to combine medically necessary interventions with the normality of the act of birthing, we call that #SymbioticBirth. The goal is to ensure she received not just support, but also encouragement. Therefore, she chose Women’s Healthcare Associates and to give birth at St.Mary’s hospital. The induction officially became medically necessary at 38 weeks. to protect baby. Therefore, she did her best to physically prep her own body for early labor at home, as well. She reported to the hospital Saturday evening 9pm for Cervadil. Virginia: We were very lucky to have help from Your Birth Helper doulas Pamela Sauls, Nikki Reeves, and Amanda Allen. They were a huge help. They were able to help us with different techniques to induce labor and they devoted countless hours to assisting us with whatever we needed. We can not thank them enough for all of their help. When you learned you had cholestasis, what was your biggest concern? Virginia: My biggest concern would be having to induce early. If my levels had been higher, I would’ve been more concerned with my levels and been more inclined to inducing earlier then what we did. How did you feel about being put on light duty at work and any tips for other moms facing the same? Virginia: Light duty was the only option for me or take off work for the remaining 4 months. I had a few draw backs with being on light duty but all in all it was for the best. My suggestion would be to effectively use your breaks and lunch breaks if you get them. Work on your Bradley exercises during those times. I would also suggest preparing and packing your meals so you know that you’re getting what you need each day and not resorting to take out. One thing you definitely want to ask before choosing a hospital or birth place is will I be allowed to eat and drink during labor? Many hospitals to this day, do not allow laboring women to eat despite this no longer being evidence based. I asked Virginia, if she could even imagine, not having been allowed to eat while undergoing such a long induction? To be exact, Saturday evening until Tuesday evening! She replied, NO WAY! Special thanks to Chicken Salad Chik of Athens as Mom throughly enjoyed her protein packed labor fuel! Virginia: One thing that really helps with the progression of labor is having a midwife/doctor and nursing staff that has a positive outlook and is willing to listen to your requests. I definitely believe, if you are not having a positive interaction with those surrounding you then definitely do not just “grin and bear it” because, it will make the process go a lot longer. Class 1 of her training, I taught Virginia & Wes, our Bradley® pregnancy exercise program. When Virginia first learned and attempted to properly do a pelvic rock, being trained as a Medical Massage Therapist, it was very obvious to me, that her sacrum was completely locked up. She couldn’t even perform the normal range of motion, let alone the necessary movement her pelvis would need to help allow a baby to pass freely. I recommended a chiropractor who is skilled in Webster technique (82% successful) to properly align her pelvis and unlock her sacrum. In Virginia’s occupation, she has to do a lot of riding in car and most likely her hip flexors needed a good bit of work to release and give her the flexibility she needed to “give birth,” as well. She chose Dr. MacKenzie Puckett at The Anthony Clinic in Athens, because it was conveniently located beside her OBGYN office and she had formerly been treated by Dr. Anthony himself. This proved to be important preventative treatment for Virginia with only one hiccup. Virginia shared, she certainly would’ve began sooner if she had realized how important it would be to her body and how wonderful she felt afterwards as she did not typically have routine chiropractic care. Your Birth Helper #AthensDoulaDream team was happy to select Wes and Virginia, for our annual doula scholarship award. The two had invested many months into their training. Unfortunately, her induction was medically necessary and could not be avoided. My team and I, worked around the clock to best support them in their birth goals over a three day period. The most important for Virginia being: healthy mom, healthy baby, followed by c-section and epidural free coming in as close second. Amanda Allen and Nikki Reeves both near completion of their YBH Intensive Doula training program assisted on Sunday and Monday. We made sure everyone stayed fed, hydrated and on day two of no sleep, began rest rotation and relief efforts. Including encouraging short naps for Dad, as well. This Man! Wow! What an awesome supportive coach he was. He shared, he stayed fueled with coca-cola and max and cheese! He was a constant source of support only taking breaks to get off his feet and car nap when I insisted. Most men can’t stay awake for one night, let alone two or three. I mean let’s face it there is not much uninterrupted sleep in a hospital setting hardly ever. They both agreed, they are not sure there journey would’ve been so favorable had it not been for the midwife suggesting they turn the pitocin off so the couple could recoup and get a few hours of rest/ sleep. Dad had these tips for Mom’s labor coach... Wes: For me, I think the most difficult part of the induction was the not knowing. There are so many different ways they can try and induce it’s hard to know what is the best route to take. Also it was hard to see Virginia in pain for such a stretched out period of time. Wes: I think if there’s any advice I can give others facing medical induction, it would be educate, make a good birth plan and do research for the route that you decide to take. But, don’t be surprised if you get thrown a curve ball. Just know your options. And, that’s great advice coming from a true Labor MVP or as Virginia described, “My Hero!” My team and I, could not have been more proud of either of these two. They both educated, prepared, researched and were solid in giving informed consent for their choices throughout their induction. I am just curious if Coca-Cola Company designed these cans specifically for husband / partner coached childbirth? Seems pretty fitting, and definitely came in quite handy, especially during wee hours of the night when coffee was not available in the hospital nourishment room. Back labor is so challenging. Now, Virginia would tell you the struggle to avoid epidural was real, but with proper support, they rocked it! It was important to Virginia to avoid epidural and even more important to Wes, to help her meet her birth goals. And, he far exceeded his coaching role! When her baby was descending, the back pain intensified and her midwife suggested sterile water injections to her sacrum. It brought just the relief Virginia needed to finish the job drug free. I call them “Bubbles” because, that’s basically what they resemble. There is an initial burning sensation, but work by misdirecting signals from the brain and bring up to two hours of back relief drug-free. More specifically, by use of the gate control theory or counter irritation theory, stimulation of specific areas can relieve a referred pain. The mechanism has been described as counter irritation, a process by which localized pain felt in one part of the body may be relieved by irritating the skin in same dermatomal distribution with either a hot, cold, scratchy, or electrical stimulus. The sterile water injections are thought to cause distension in the skin, which stimulates nociceptors and mechanoreceptors. For Virginia, she found needed relief at times from constant position changes, the use of bath tub, along with the bubbles, helped her stay out of way of the cervix, reach 10cm and begin push phase. Virginia: Back labor to me felt like my back was literally going to break. It felt like someone was pressing their fists as hard as they could into the lower part of my back without letting up. Our midwife Meredith Turner, was absolutely wonderful. She was able to give me a little relief from the back labor and still respect my wishes for no pain medication by giving me shots of water in my lower back to counteract the pressure. Supported by Wes, Virginia utilized numerous pushing positions including squatting, classic and side lie. Meredith Turner, CNM was her midwife and worked her magic . Mom found great relief to her back from receiving her natural numbness during controlled pushing techniques and the progress was evident to all in the room. Mom was more determined than ever to finish her birth marathon. And, finally the moment they had been waiting for... their little fella had made his way out. It was Tuesday evening. Over 60+ hours of labor induction all epidural and pain medicine free using skills she learned, coupled by supportive medical staff, her doula team and most importantly, her husband by her side coaching her all the way to the finish line. Virginia: What helped me the most in avoiding an epidural and pain medication is having a strong support team, going over my wishes with Wes prior to going to the hospital, and utilizing the techniques that we learned in our Bradley class. Even though I felt like caving Wes would not let me. I could not have gotten through it without him. He was by my side the entire time encouraging me and tending to my every need. It is so very important to have some type of support person there during this time. Words can not properly express the overwhelming JOY experienced, by all present, to witness such selfless devotion. These two excelled as students in childbirth class and they did everything our doula team suggested that was in their control to do in order to keep labor progressing. Way to go Shelton Family! Congrats again on such a bright eyed handsome addition and labor marathon well run!

A heavy question indeed for many people of faith which can clearly pull on every heart string. For those not familiar with the New Testament specific scripture reference, allow me... John 16:21 KJV “A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish for JOY that a man is born into the world.“ Our Your Birth Helper Doula Teams are proud to serve all families regardless of race, marital status, religious beliefs, etc., but we do ask our couples to invest in training. However, sometimes couples contact us very late in their pregnancy. The decision to add doula support is not always part of their original plans. If you find yourself in this situation, don't hesitate to contact us. If our calendar allows, we will make you our VIP... as in the birth story of Dave and Emily Hanegraaff. Although, she felt Dave would be a fabulous labor coach, seeing as though neither had done this before, having an advocate there for both of them would be a great asset. And, the closer she became to her due date, the more concern she had regarding avoiding unnecessary interventions. She had shared almost everyone in her family had experienced belly births for a variety of reasons (nothing that appeared to be a bloodline trait such as unusually shaped pelvis, CPD, etc.). Therefore, I was encouraged we could help her meet her goals. They had previously chosen Piedmont midwives, giving birth at Atrium Health Pineville for best chances of avoiding epidural and surgery (Emily's two main goals). We had an in depth telephone consult to make sure we were a fit for one another and answer all of her questions. The couple had a consult and contracted the #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam on Friday, September 13th. I brought to Emily's attention a full moon was on the horizon and to keep an earlier bed time. Little did each of us know at the time, what Mr. Moon had in store for Emily and her uterus. Sometimes, the universe has a way of getting the uterus all worked up. Even if this action is only practice, aka Braxton Hicks contractions, it commonly wakes up mom or at the very least can disrupt her sleep. In Emily’s situation, it appeared it wasn’t just a practice run, her contractions had actually began Friday. She continued to ignore them and went about her day as usual. Around midnight Friday, contractions seem to pick up. She rested as much as possible in between contractions. All day Saturday, she wrote her contractions off as just feeling crampy, but could actually feel her uterus commanding more of her attention. She continued to distract herself all day Saturday until around 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning when her water broke. It was then she reached out and I assured her we would be having a baby... I captured this amazing photo in South Carolina on my way to Charlotte. From the look of the sky you would’ve thought the universe was leaning towards a baby girl. But, only time would reveal the gender and for now the goal... As contractions began to pick up mom and dad did their part to progress the labor naturally walking, changing positions often and having breaks to rest as needed. Since the labor began very early, there hadn’t been much if any sleep for Emily. In these situations, we must pace ourself as labor is a marathon not a sprint. We have no idea of knowing how long. We continued our work assuming positions to help promote natural progress. Emily found dancing with Dave to be both comforting and noticed the contractions responded well in upright positions. The two were still smiling in between contractions, even on day three of her labor. Her midwife made rounds at 7 a.m. and stopped by to say good morning! The couple made their room more home like by having some favorite photos bedside and even one that hung on her IV pole. Very Crafty! We made trip after trip including full squats as contractions progressed. We love it when our clients get some use out of all those handrails! Her diffuser was a perfect compliment to be room and between the calming lights and her choice of scent, a relaxing environment it was! Note to all you labor coaches: this is tiring, tedious work assisting mom into a variety of positions, etc. Especially with first babies and slow progressing labors. This was day three for both of them and little sleep for either. Depending on time of day, reality is Dad may need a nap too. Our YBH Doula team is happy to continue the necessary work while the coach gets some rest. As I like to say it, “We are going home after the baby is born, you are not and I promise we won’t let you miss anything.“ If you have Doula help, a great time for Dad to rest is when mom is resting also and the Doula team can tend to moms needs when contractions occur. The “CHILL PILL” essential oil blend seem to work brilliantly for both of them! Sleep came in 20-30 minute increments, but we would take all we could get in between working Emily to help avoid augmentation with pitocin. The contractions would start to pick up and then space out again as family visited. Sometimes, it is challenging for women to naturally progress with an audience. Although, Emily and Dave truly felt the love of visiting family and friends, there was much work to be done. No doubt, Dad, greatly appreciated the gifts of Food & Coffee to refuel him as the day turned into night. A beautiful prayer time commenced bedside, via cell, as Grandpa proceeeded to lIft Emily up to the Father. As a Doula, these are precious moments of inviting your Savior to both fill the room and help you give birth. After a short rest of her feet, the contractions once again spaced out and slowed. We would try using the water to naturally progress the labor and Emily utilized the birth ball while nurse Cami taped up her IV. Upon returning to the bed it was made apparent pitocin would be needed to create stronger longer contractions to finish the job. The pitocin ended up being exactly what Emily needed to create late labor contractions and it wasn’t long until the contractions were powerful enough to get the baby ready to exit. As the labor progressed, coupled with the fact Mom was growing very tired. Emily has a goal to avoid use of epidural, but that didn’t mean she couldn‘t vocalize her discomfort by occasionally “giving up“ and “asking for medicine“ as many do in transitIon. It is known as the surrender phase for this reason. At this time, I called for the laying on of hands. We had tried many positions, stretching hip flexors, IT band and everything we could to loosen those hip muscles and ligaments. It was time to ask for divine intervention to get this baby down and out. Dave’s mom seconded that suggestion and each of us, including nurse Lydia and Doula Sarah, laid hands on Emily as a second prayer was lifted to grant Emily the ability to release her baby from her body. The hospital staff proceeded to set up the nutritious gas to see if it could grant her any extra release of tension. It is imperative to let go and release the pelvic floor. Sadly, when mom is so exhausted some are challenged to do so consciously. No doubt, every muscle in her body had been working overtime for three days and her neck, back and hips needed relief. Emily utilized nitrous oxide to help her get through transition with pitocin. It was very important to her to avoid epidural anesthesia unless absolutely necessary. This navigating process through labor hurdles is not an easy one. Dad strongly desired to support mom and stick to supporting her birthing goals as well. He found his mother‘s presence comforting to him during this challenging time. Sarah Neri, AAHCC, YBHCE, performs counter pressure and gives TLC to mom’s sacrum as baby continued to descend toward the exit. Midwife Eva Stover, CNM checks Emily‘s cervix and success it was time to push! Eva worked her magic and truly believed from her assessment Emily could birth vaginally. Emily and Eva worked together to get this most work out of each contraction. As I assisted Emily into curling around her uterus through each contraction, Dad held one leg as his mom helped support the other. As the head began to emerge, I encouraged Emily to open her eyes and see her baby into her arms. Dad was immedilately overcome with emotion and just like the scripture says, “both Mom and Dad were filled with JOY!“ As Dad announced the gender, “It’s a BOY!” the entire room celebrated as Baby Smush had finally arrived. It was a near 24 hours of challenging labor for all of us, but so worth it! Mom gets her well deserved kiss and the first official new family photo was captured below. Wide eyed and totally attentive to his mom and dad. What a cutie... now it was time for a real name for Baby Smush! Emily shared, “I am so happy that I went with Your Birth Helper! I would not have been able to accomplish my goals without them. Thanks to the awesome hospital staff at Pineville. They worked so hard for me and a big thank you to my husband Dave who helped and supported me every step of the way, through my whole pregnancy, as well as, through labor and delivery! And lastly, praise to God for allowing everything to come together the way that it did so, that my prayers of a natural birth could be answered.” Your Birth Helper & the entire YBH CLT Team, could not be more proud of these two! Together, they believed in the natural process, they executed their plans and with support, navigated through each hurdle. Both would tell you, if they could do anything different, they would have had more specific, in depth, birth training and not relied so much on instinct. Emily shared she would definitely do way more stretching, yoga and chiropractic care next time around. They both definitely had their faith tested a few times, but never gave up! When labor takes longer than we anticipated, when pushing is much harder than we anticipated, that is when it truly matters where and with whom surrounds you. Their faith and constant support (along with good coffee for dad and craisins for mom) sustained them through it all! So without further ado... Meet the handsome Mr. Grace Davidson ❤️ born 11:32 p.m. on September 15, 2019. (Weighing 6lbs 2oz and 18.5 in long) May he be a living testimony of the goodness and wonder of his creator, our Lord Jesus Christ 😇

Whether you are a first time expectant couple or you have done this thing called “BIRTH” numerous times, you must be prepared to jump a variety of hurdles. If you previously ran track, this may be overly familiar to you, however, the athleticism involved in “giving birth” is more like running a marathon, with a series of hurdle jumping thrown in! The hurdles could be throughout pregnancy, during labor, postpartum or while breastfeeding. But, mark my word, You will have hurdles at some point and how you choose to handle them will either add to or take away from your birth story! In the first labor of Amy Clevenger, two years earlier, she endured several long exhausting days of labor (3 days to be exact) due to an asynclitic head presenting. Her powerful contractions had her body working overtime to get baby out of her body. In this situation, for the laboring mom you can't get the baby out fast enough. First Tip... A GOOD PELVIC ADJUSTMENT by a specially trained Chiropractor (The Webster Technique) We do what we can to avoid similar situations and Josh had phoned me to share the midwife had confirmed baby #2 was in fact asynclitic like the first. Take the information being shared with you and use it to your advantage before labor starts! You can’t ever go wrong trying to prevent long labor or back labor. It’s worth all the effort, because classic labor is so much easier to manage. Second tip... train properly for your labor! Josh and Amy trained twelve weeks in The Bradley Method (r). They learned effective coping techniques to best manage labor long or short. They understood the Bradley Energy Saving Techniques and how to use them to their advantage. Amy had physically prepared her body and mentally prepared her mind, should she experience long labor again. I received this text from Josh early September 8th, 2019 at 7:15 a.m. Ok boss, hopefully I didn’t wake you. Amy is rocking it obviously. Let me sleep until 5ish. She listened to relaxation music throughout the night said it really helped her. Steady contractions all night we’re still at 6 minutes, but there’s some strong ones starting. Third Tip... Don’t skip meals, because there will come a time when you can no longer eat and we need energy to sustain us if a long labor plays out. If heaven forbid there should be an emergency simply answer the question “When was the last time she had anything to eat or drink?“... honestly when they ask. Text 7:34 a.m. It’s weird, she’s pretty with it still, but the contractions seem strong. She’s been eating and drinking all night and had a bagel. Protein may not fly, but I’ll try. Come around 10 a.m. Text from Josh 7:38 a.m.... Yeah I’ve been pushing her to sleep in between she’s worried about the little one. I sent a reminder to pace herself and free her mind in regards to childcare for their little one (it was obvious parents would not make it from out of state in time). If their son needed to come along to the hospital, my team and I, would over see him also (stress releases adrenaline and will slow labor back down). We clearly did not want stress or anything else to hinder her this time. Upon my arrival, Amy was experiencing some back discomfort, however, she could not tolerate counter pressure and preferred a light touch. In The Bradley Method training course, it is otherwise known as the stroking technique. Fourth Tip... Learn the art of relaxation as it applies to labor. The uterus does not take kindly to interference from other muscle groups. Mom’s ultimate job is to stay OUT of the UTERUS’ way by breathing deeply and sinking. Sadly, what comes instinctive to most women also happens to be incorrect techniques. For example, tensing up and holding breath when contractions get tough. You have to have the contraction and the discomfort associated with it, you do not have to increase your pain levels by doing things incorrectly during the contraction. There is a better easier way to do business. Quality education in the natural process is key. I arrived a few minutes after 10 a.m. to find Amy progressing exceptionally well. She still had not seen any bloody show or mucous indicating progress, but the length and strength of her contractions was evident to me things were picking up again. Their goal was to not get to the hospital too soon, however, since Amy had tested positive for group b she needed to arrive soon enough for the standard round of preventative antibiotics. YBH Doula Apprentice, Amanda Allen arrived and we took turns assisting and overseeing the little one with Dad, as well. Amy had mastered her relaxation and could not have been more namaste throughout. Amy and Josh’s choice to labor at home in their own relaxing environment had paid off. There were no danger signs, both she and baby were healthy. Everything went smoothly with one exception, it was obvious Grandparents would not make it in time. Fortunately, the labor had progressed to a point where Amy didn’t have time to care anymore, aka transition length contractions. Phoenix would join us for the birth of his surprise gender sibling. Which as you can see he was totally on board with! He occasionally pops in to check on mommy. Then runs back off to play. We submerged as much of mom‘s belly as possible to grant her low back and abdomen as much relief and weightlessness as possible. Tip Five... Consider what will take place once admitted to your birth place. For example, it would be a while before Amy could utilize tub again. She would go to triage for initial internal exam, have IV placed, fluids and preventative round of antibiotics before being cleared to utilize tub again. So, consider doing a few things before leaving home, that may not transpire, (at least initially) at your birth place , to make the transition to hospital more relaxing. Most women relax well in tub or shower. Josh rounded up the last minutes for the car ride: her water bottle, wash cloth, covered seat in car (water had not broken) and MOM enjoyed the bath one last time before we headed out. Just shortly after 1:00 pm, we dressed mom, loaded her in the car (along with their two year old) and prepared to head out. The contractions were consistently lasting 90 seconds or more every 3 minutes or so. The drive was less than 15 minutes to St. Mary's hospital in Athens, Georgia from their home. On Sunday's, the main entrance is closed. We would have to admit through the Emergency department and wind our way to LDR on 3rd floor. The ultimate goal was to get her routine antibiotics and settled into her room before she began experiencing pressure to bear down. Amy did not want to know the results from her triage exam. The last labor was made more trying with knowledge of an unchanging cervix. Midwife Meredith and nurse Jessica were delightfully surprised when we arrived. Amy was so controlled and relaxed, yet her dilation was considered complete upon arrival. The midwife asked aloud, would it be okay to tell Amy results if it was really good and Amy immediately said, “NO! I don’t want to know!“ Meredith looked at me and whispered 10 cm with full rim. Amy planned to labor down (just breathe until she had to push), so no worry there. She used her deep, low register noises and would wait until absolutely necessary to push. Well, that and the hospital was very busy and we were still waiting on a room to be cleaned. Her IV was placed, fluids and antibiotics started, but our job didn’t change. We simply kept working through each contraction. It was go time - go down the hall to her room and go time as in ready to push a baby out! When the time arrived, Dad would announce the gender. Although, I found it humorous that when I asked their son, Phoenix, is it a boy or a girl? He would always light up like a Christmas tree when I said Girl 😍 I think Phoenix was onto something! She utilized classic push position. Dad and I, assisted with helping support her lower legs. Midwife, Meredith Turner, was ready to catch, as with the first push Amy’s water broke. Baby #2 head position and mom‘s pelvis had been readjusted by two amazing Chiropractors. Amy's decision to try chiropractic had really paid off. Props to both Dr. Emily Parham and Dr. MacKenzie Puckett, as baby’s head was clearly perfectly aligned with birth canal. In just six short pushes baby emerged! Dad announced, “IT’S A GIRL”... and cheers and tears began to flow! The look on Amy’s face says it all! She couldn’t believe it was a girl! The added excitement included: a surprise gender, baby #2 being born as their two year old watched on and the icing on the cake was the first BABY GIRL born with The Clevenger family name in 27 YEARS! The dry spell was over...except from Dad’s eyes! The room was immediately filled with JOY and celebration for Baby Kaia‘s arrival. Kudos to Mom and Dad on their second drug free #SymbioticBirth experience! Phoenix gives mom a well deserved KISS! He blew it and then touched it to her lips 😘 Wide eyed and alert - baby locks eyes 🤩 Welcome to the World and to our amazing #AthensBirthFamily Little Miss Kaia Aurora born at 2:40 p.m. The #AthensDoulaDreamTeam could not be more proud of you both! You trained, you prepared your body, you rocked your labor and you pushed like a champ! What I sum up as, "row your boat!" Wow, way to use those abs and proper pushing techniques Amy! NATURAL BIRTH... #NailedIt Special thanks to the staff of Women’s Healthcare Associates & St. Mary’s hospital! We appreciate your support in helping couples accomplish their birthing goals.

Also written by new MOM, Angela Collins. It all started in a YourBirthHelper Labor Workshop, wait that’s not exactly true. I suppose it all really started when Jake and Angela decided to conceive a child. Then they found the #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam and began educating and preparing for labor and birth. This story is empowering for moms who have health issues of their own. Mom, Angela Collins, knew the work she had in front of her, going into pregnancy combined with the daily struggle of what’s commonly known as "Immune compromised.” She had to explore the best routes to prepare, train and execute her birth to protect not just the baby's well being, but hers as well. Education and Preparation were key to their success in their obtaining their happy “birth” day goals. This is the John 16:21 journey of Angela and husband coach, Jake. For those not familiar, the scripture reference John 16: 21 (ESV) For when a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. For people of faith, pregnancy, labor and birth can be a time of growing closer to the Lord and strengthening their own personal walk. In addition, also a time of growing closer to their spouse and strengthening their marital relationship. Thus creating stronger family units. Simply put, it matters how a mom is supported during labor and it matters how a baby enters the world, because it often sets the precedence of how the family unit functions in the future. Throughout the bible, stories depict life is full of hardships and trials. They will come and if we are not prepared, its often difficult to weather or overcome them. James 1: 2-4 reads, Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. For Angela and Jake, it was way more than simply a decision of how to have a baby exit her body (as in to medicate or not), but to keep both mom and baby safe first and foremost. Below, in this slide show, Doula Nancy Cook, YBHD, BSN captures push phase and the excitement of Angela giving birth... Mom shared... I've dealt with doctors and hospitals for most of my life.  I have Ulcerative Colitis, which is an autoimmune disease and have been on a medication (Remicade) that suppresses my immune system since I was 15 years old.  I also have the privilege of working in the healthcare industry.  Because of this, I have learned to be my own healthcare advocate, and have had to do my own research and question the current standard of care.   I know that physicians intend well for all of their patients, but aren't always up to date on the newest research and are even slower to implement different and updated protocols for established practices.  Because my immune system is prevented from functioning normally, I have to take extra precautions to avoid infections and unnecessary antibiotic use.  This is my context for my pregnancy journey. I receive my medication every 8 weeks by IV, so I had major concerns about my unborn baby being exposed to the medication during pregnancy, and how it would affect his immune system after he was born. My Gastroenterologist didn't provide me any information about being pregnant with my condition, and didn't have any of the same concerns that I did regarding my medication, so I started pushing back.  I learned that I would have to take a break from my medication for a set amount of time around my delivery, and once our baby was born, he would have to avoid most vaccinations for at least 6 months because his immune system was compromised.  Again, this was nothing my GI doc freely shared, this was info I had to find on my own, which was frustrating.  It's exhausting feeling like you can't fully trust your doctor to make the best decisions for you, in addition to the pregnancy hormones which are already making you more sensitive than normal. I wanted to do everything in my power to keep myself and baby healthy during pregnancy and delivery, and in my mind, this meant avoiding any unnecessary interventions or procedures.  We learned about Your Birth Helper from friends of ours who had used their services a couple of years prior.  I loved the idea of having an expert on natural birth, who could also guide us in advocating for ourselves to avoid any unnecessary interventions that could put me and baby at risk for infection.  Because I was already exposing my baby to a medication that I needed, I wanted to avoid exposing him to anything else (epidural, Pitocin, etc.) if I could help it.  We took the labor workshop offered, and decided to join in for the last half of the 12 week Bradley Method® birthing course.  The classes were an enormous help, and we went into the labor process feeling empowered and encouraged that we could make this happen how I envisioned.   I was lucky to have Charlotte OB/Gyn midwives who understood my concerns, and appeared to understand when I declined some of the standard protocols.  I declined vaccinations during pregnancy, and any internal exams during office visits.  I was blessed to have an uncomplicated pregnancy, and was convinced that I would deliver a week past my due date.  Maybe that's what I was secretly hoping for, but baby decided that I would go into labor the day after my due date.  My husband Jacob and I went to breakfast on Saturday morning, and by 4pm that afternoon, my water had broken.  It was hours before I started to have any contractions.  I was expecting a long, slow labor, but again, I was probably just secretly hoping for time to adjust and mentally adapt to what was happening.  It felt like things really picked up pace quickly.  I started contracting regularly around 7 or 8pm, and pretty soon I felt like I couldn't catch my breath, everything was happening so fast. Jacob was great at coaching; giving me options for positions, providing counter-pressure for my lower back pain, being a needed positive voice, all while keeping in constant contact with my Your Birth Helper team for guidance.  I made it difficult for my husband as I didn't want to cooperate with any of his suggestions, and think I even kept my "I can't do this" guidepost moment to myself, so he really had to make a gut decision to take me to the hospital at 2am.  Our OB midwives only delivered at CMC main in Charlotte, and we live in Fort Mill, SC, so it was a long car ride.  My contractions were pretty much on top of each other the whole time and I felt the need to push towards the end of the drive.  It's worth mentioning that CMC Main will tell parents on the birth tour that they have valet parking, which is an amazing idea.  However, we arrived just before 3am, and they kindly told Jacob that he would have to move our car from the entrance himself after I got up to my room - they only offer valet parking during daylight hours.  Just the kind of curveball an expectant father wants when his wife is in late labor.   When we made it to the laboring room, they did insist on a fetal monitor for 20 minutes, and it was my biggest irritation.  It was so uncomfortable, but as we would find out, necessary for our baby.  I was ready to push from the time we got in the room, and couldn't help it at that point.  I tried to wait for the midwife to see how dilated I was, and was astonished when she told me that I was 9cm.  Pushing was truly hard, and I've never felt anything like it.  Zane Daniel was born at 4:44am.  It was good that we delivered quickly, as his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck twice, and around his body once.  The fetal monitor had detected heart rate decelerations, so it was necessary to wear during labor.  Despite being completely tangled in his cord, he quickly turned pink, and was snuggled in for our hour of skin to skin contact. Wharton's jelly found within the umbilical cord is another layer of added protection for baby when this occurs. During recovery, Jacob asked our nurse how many truly natural childbirths she sees at Charlotte Main hospital.  She had been working there for 5 or 6 years, and she had only seen 3 or 4, said it was extremely rare.  Sad. Expectant Couples know this... It can be done, even if you have less than perfect health.  Be determined, and surround yourself with people who will support you.   Angela Collins Your Birth Helper & Team would like to thank Kathy Shields, CNM and the nursing staff of Charlotte Main( LDR), for their support of #SymbioticBirth, a perfect blend of the best of normality, paired with only medically necessary interventions. Special thanks to our own Sarah Neri, YBHD for instruction in The Bradley Method® combined with the awesome Doula Nancy Cook, YBHD, BSN~ now that's a team that screams very happy "birth" day! Congrats again Collins Family ~ your #CharlotteBirthFamily is extremely proud of you!

This is the low back/ sacrum of expectant mom Jennie Harrison. What we know about the sacrum is it known as the keystone of the body. It is NOT a baby exit! Unfortunately, some baby's do not get the memo and try to make their own exit. For most women, a classic contraction starts in the back and crashes in the front like a low menstrual cramp only stronger. In the event of back labor, the low back pain is ever present and only intensifies with each contraction. To say this makes for a challenging labor would be an understatement. Sadly, Jennie had an appointment for a pelvic adjustment the day after her birth. Simple suggestion for all expectant moms, if your back hurts when you have your monthly cycle and your back continues to aggravate you while pregnant do yourself and your back a favor, find a Webster certified chiropractor and have a good pelvic adjustment. Back labor changes everything and pain levels are often off the chart with little breaks, if any, in between contractions. I asked Jennie and Blake the following questions to better serve readers who may experience a challenging labor or birth: How would you describe your back labor contractions? Back labor contractions to me felt like burning, stabbing sensations in my lower back and pelvic area. When I saw the picture Pam took of the outline of my baby's head in the center of my sacrum then I understood why I was feeling what I was feeling. I could feel the contractions slightly around my uterus, as well, which felt more manageable in the long run. The contractions I felt in my back exhausted me to the point I could no longer truly relax so my body was more tense and the contractions became more intense and way less manageable. Doula Tip: Rear facing toilet sitting allows your coach or doula to apply counter pressure directly to the sacrum and S.I. joints in the pelvis. Don't forget other comfort measures such as hot or cold packs, massage techniques, & hands and knees position. What Adjectives would you use to describe your coach / husband? Amazing, strong, calm, encouraging, supportive, persistent and irreplaceable! Doula Tip: Coach should stand straight up no leaning forward, slightly bent knees helps and at least shoulder wide spread for more support. Switch up positions every 30 minutes to encourage progress and help you save your back also! What I enjoyed the most about laboring in an out of hospital birth center was... Having a relaxed spa like atmosphere with an abundance of options for laboring (The giant TUB, spacious bathroom, real bed, etc.) and the encouragement to move about as I felt the need. I can say without a doubt the TUB, warm water and dark room helped me relax the most. Doula Tip: Your labor coach or Doula can help support your head throughout labor, but extra helpful during hands and knees positioning. Our heads weigh way more than some may think. Also, when mom is extra tired while in the tub, its particularly helpful to make sure moms head doesn't sink or relax into the water. After having managed such a challenging labor, how do you feel your 12 segments in The Bradley Method® helped you during pregnancy, labor and beyond? Without the Bradley course, I don't think I would have been prepared for such a tough labor. I was able to labor for over 16 excruciating hours of back labor without intervention, because I utilized the relaxation techniques of allowing my body to work rather than fighting against the contractions. Relaxation, along with the breathing techniques and trying alternative positions, helped me keep my mind in tune with what my body was experiencing. If someone asked, why choose an experienced doula? What would your response be? I would recommend any woman going through childbirth to have a Doula. I know I couldn't have made it through without Pam. Having someone with her experience of positions to get the baby to cooperate with the body during labor, knowing how to respond to unexpected situations or when the birth plan must be altered, supporting you through every contraction, her expertise with medical interventions and educating to help you decide when they are necessary and her support for my husband as he coached made it possible for us to get through a hard labor, transport after meconium staining and avoid C-section, and follow our birth plan as much as possible through it all. Labor began Monday evening around 11:30 p.m., We arrived at the birth center when contractions were 3-4 minutes apart lasting beyond 60 seconds each, but sadly they learned they were only 1cm dilated and it was suspected baby was in posterior position. The couple residing over an hour and half away in South Carolina, made the decision to stick around town and do some walking etc. outside and inside center. Once the baby's first stool was confirmed in the leaking amniotic fluid, protocol is a routine transport down the street to Greenville Memorial Hospital. Shown here mom is namaste in the front seat of car in between episodes of vomiting. Mom gets settled into her hospital room and continues to labor as a champ despite throwing up repeatedly and excruciating back pain. It was clear to avoid a c-section we had to get baby turned around. The decision was made to utilize epidural and utilize key position changes with peanut ball prior to surgery. However, there is no skipping ahead, first step the couple started with an IV being placed and two bags of fluid. The call was made to the anesthesiologist by the nurse that Jennie’s prep had been completed, Unfortunately, the anesthesiologist was in surgery so, Jennie‘s relief was bumped. Surgery always takes precedence. This happens girls, you must have a skillset to manage contractions, short or long term or as I like to say it: Before and after pain management. Jennie continued to manage as best she could until the anesthesiologist could get her epidural placed. Even after, we still had work cut out for us. Getting baby‘s head realigned, monitoring the meconium staining making sure baby was good to continue labor and get baby downtown and ready to exit. For Blake and Jennie, the ultimate goal was still to avoid cesarean. With the epidural in place, in the event of medically necessary surgery, general anesthesia (in which dad is not present at birth), if emergency caesarean occurred would no longer be a concern. After about an hour of well deserved rest, we began adjusting moms position every 30 minutes, in an attempt to get baby’s head into the birth canal and help turn and rotate baby off moms sacrum. Then the moment we all had worked for finally arrived the words, “10cm dilated and ok to push!” Welcome to the World and finally into the arms of mom & dad baby OPIE! To recap, Labor started around Monday, June 10th 11:30pm. He was born Tuesday June 11th at 10:53pm. OPIE weighed in at 7lb 9 oz and was 20.5 inches long. As you can see, he is very loved And welcomed by a huge room of family who patiently waited for him to find the REAL EXIT! Congrats to Mom and Dad, Blake for such dedication to he natural way and empowering each other along the way! No doubt, I am #OneProudChildbirthEducator and #OneProudDoula 🙌 when couples learn, prepare and navigate through such hurdles to bring forth life I can’t help but beam with pride for them! It was my pleasure! Couples begin as students, but they end as family... #BirthFamily!

Meet the Hickok family, now party of four. The couple first contacted me regarding training and assistance for attempting natural birth in her second trimester. This the perfect time to get serious! If you want a different outcome than your previous labor and birth, you must not repeat what you did the first time. Different results come from a different course of action, not just saying the words, "I am going to have a natural birth." For Brittany, her first was an average epidural experience despite her shorter than normal length of labor. Nothing out of the ordinary which necessarily dictated use pain management, but fear seems to consume you when you don’t have a skillset to cope with contractions nor any idea what she was supposed to be doing. This situation also leaves men clueless of how to assist in any way. This time around she desired to attempt natural birth WITH education, training and a doula to ensure her success. We discussed a plan of action for her to achieve her birthing goals and then she got busy executing them. Brittany was formerly the energetic mother of one daughter, but after a few labor to do's, including the new Aladdin movie (during early contractions) after, on to Publix for her favorite sub sandwich well, now they have two girls! It's a story sure to empower other couples. Let me start at the beginning. She and her husband Joey reside in Covington, but planned to birth with the Women’s Healthcare midwives in Athens, Ga. Their car ride would include approximately 46+ miles by car. Dad's greatest fear for unpredictable baby #2.... you guessed it, Having the BABY in the CAR! After the movie and sandwich run they were in route to M2b Family farm to walk the hillswhen suddenly her bag of waters broke. Dad turned the car around and they immediately called me to be in route to join them at St. Mary's. Based on the outcome of this birth story, I wonder if Dad would've preferred catching his own in the car? Best keep reading to find out... Closer to her due date we met to walk the greenway in an attempt to help prep her body for labor and get baby‘s head lower. Let me say, Brittany, at nine months pregnant, gave me a workout. I was quite impressed! That should’ve been a red flag to me that as quickly as she walked me, her baby might be in a hurray and follow suit. They attended a Your Birth Helper workshop to learn both coping and coaching skills and husband Joey, quickly realized there is a lot involved in even one of many stages of labor, let alone all three. Brittany's number one goal for baby #2 was a low intervention natural birth. Dad's #1 goal well, having a baby in the hospital, not the car...lol. The couple arrived and began walking around the hospital lobby managing contractions together until a doctor observed them and politely escorted them upstairs. As soon as I arrived, Joey text me her room# I entered quickly, ran through the parking deck, through the lobby and up the elevator to the room. When I was two doors down I heard a baby crying. I opened the door to find this... I congratulated mom and scanned the room... I did not recognize the doctor? I immediately asked, "Where is Joey?" Brittany replied, "They sent him to registration." I said hello to an unfamiliar doctor, "who caught the baby", but he clearly appeared to be "caught off guard himself." Apparently, someone just grabbed him quickly from the hall. Poor fellow! I also said hello to the nurse and a few moments after, Jessica assisted with the placenta. Funny Jessica grew up at my home church and well, now has several kids of her own. We appreciate her support of natural birth. Dad arrived shortly after and I welcomed him bedside for new family bonding time. Amanda Allen, YBH Doula Apprentice arrived next, followed by the midwife (still in running shorts and tennis shoes), no doubt she ran all the way to the hospital! We encouraged Brittany to share details with Joey as to what exactly transpired after the staff suggested he go downstairs to officially register her. The couple had fun reminiscing their crazy birth story. She had not just lost her mucous plug, but when accompanied by hints of color red or pink, we call that mom's bloody show. It had been a busy morning, but the afternoon was about to get way busier. When the call came in that this was happening... One thing for sure, they would not be driving his vehicle to the hospital. Brittany had to also finish working, then get Joey where he needed to go, pick the dog up from the animal hospital, care for their daughter, cook dinner, etc. so needless to say, her contractions were disappearing about as fast as they began. Women and men need to understand this basic concept and how the body works or shall I say, "doesn't work" when moms are placed in stressful situations. Our bodies are so amazing and even when we are not aware, working overtime to try to protect our unborn babies. When adrenaline is released in the body it causes contractions to become ineffective, the labor begins to slow and it also can STOP labor contractions completely shutting down the labor. One of the many jobs of labor coach, is to keep mom a peaceful environment, help her remove and avoid stress and/or avoid people who stress her out, etc.. Now, in Joey's defense, this was totally out of his control and he did an awesome job, despite the chaos that followed the fire, to ensure their daughter, dog and others were okay. The vehicles parked nearby were last priority. Now for the details of what exactly transpired in room #3109 at St. Mary's hospital on June 9th, 2019 in the ten short minutes prior to birth that Brittany was left to labor alone... First, allow me to say again to all expectant couples, You CAN say "NO thanks" to leaving the room. You should say, "NO thanks" to leaving mom to labor alone. You are having a baby, Mom and Dad aren't going anywhere immediately after. Therefore, "NO thanks~ registration and paperwork CAN WAIT"... your baby, if ready to be born, WILL NOT WAIT. Now, in the staff's defense, most couples do not come in hot ready to drop a kid. However, like in this story, it happens and when mom is unmedicated, it’s even more unpredictable. When the expulsion pain hits, there is no misunderstanding that sensation. Now, in Joey’s defense, Brittany was still interactive, talking in between contractions. She shared she needed to empty her bladder and was feeling the urge to have a bowel movement in the midst of the admitting protocol. Brittany walked to the bathroom, emptied her bladder and immediately the urge intensified. With the next contraction, she confessed to us in that moment her immediate thought was "I want that epidural!" Well, hello! Anyone surprised by this statement? What woman being left alone and vulnerable so late in labor would not speak those words? Often, when a woman has properly trained to cope and manage labor drug free, it is in this moment we know she is very close to giving birth. It's known as the surrendering process. Mom IS in control of whether she surrenders her body to "give birth" or tries to restrict and control the pressure, tenses up her gluts and use of any other antagonistic muscle action in an attempt to prevent the baby from descending and entering the birth canal. The nurse checked and well immediately Brittany went from the toilet to straight back to the bed. A few short contractions later, the head was crowning. The staff seeing the midwife would ot make it in time, grabbed Dr. Samit Patel from the hallway. He caught the baby which emerged after five whole pushes and they notified registration to send Joey back upstairs asap. Meanwhile, I began capturing some video clips of the babies first moments with mom. After YBH Doula Apprentice, Amanda Allen arrived, we began tag teaming moms needs. Retrieving photos, orange juice, capturing the birth story while fresh on their minds and even giving mom a well deserved massage during her golden hour of skin to skin. Midwife, Hannah Turner, CNM did a full assessment and after mom was good to go. Brittany couldn't believe how good she felt so soon after birth. Another wonderful benefit of drug-free natural birth, the birth climax. A rush of natural hormones that rejuvenate mom from her hard work of labor and give her the needed strength to interact with baby. Even though Brittany had nursed her first, I reviewed and assisted mom and Baby Ava with proper positioning and the what to do's of breastfeeding. Ava Grace was an immediate champ at nursing! Simply put, Baby was Great! Mom was Great! And, everyone who walked into the room that evening couldn't believe how good Brittany looked so soon after giving birth! We can, because we see it all the time, as the majority of our clients experience low intervention drug-free births. There are multiple benefits to both moms and babies for trying regardless of the final outcome. Babies are almost always better off from the stimulation of labor contractions. But, like Brittany, if it doesn't happen the first time, well try try again! Just don't repeat the same scenario twice and expect a different more favorable outcome. Remember, if you want different results, you must not repeat what you did or didn't do the first time. Different results come from a different course of action, not just saying the words, "I am going to have a natural birth," but actually preparing for it and executing it! Specifically, for Brittany and Joey that was enlisting the support of a doula, getting some quality childbirth education and labor do's and don'ts, switching to a hospital that supports low intervention birth and changing to a midwife practice cities away known to encourage drug-free birth not just go along with it. As Your Birth Helper Doulas, our job to ensure moms wishes are not just supported, but that she is actually encouraged to meet and exceed her goals for her birth. It's what I call #SymbioticBirth and it matters. Is mom and baby okay? Is it medically necessary or not? What are our other options? These are just a few of the many training points that can change your entire experience and create happier "birth" days! And, now for those of you who didn’t cheat the details of this blog post, here are some helpful tips from MOM Brittany on how to achieve your own happy “BIRTH”day: Favorite Time Passer in Labor ~ In my ten hours of labor, definitely going to the movies (we saw Aladdin) was my favorite time passing activity. Our doula suggested so we could both be closer to our birth place city and away from the demands of our two year old. It took my mind off the contractions and it was nice to have one last mini date before baby. Describe your labor contractions~ Blogs and medical articles always seem to describe contractions as a "wave" which I truly did not understand the feeling until my experience. I could feel the contractions starting then peak then subside. For me, it wasn't a sharp pain, just a feeling of "cramping." Why did you choose a Doula for your second labor~ Whether or not to choose a doula should be part of your birth experience, should not even be a question. I can't speak for every doula service, but I can attest that Pam and her Your Birth Helper team, served as a wealth of knowledge for us at any time needed much of which was before and after labor. I could text, call, connect anytime I had questions or just wanted to ask a question or share an update. A great Doula doesn't just show up at the hospital and assist bedside and disappear. They serve as your ally in helping you educate, prepare for and empower you to have the birth you desire. My only regret is that I didn't have a doula with my first daughters labor and birth. What were your greatest challenges during postpartum with a growing family~ Resting! Pam teaches the majority of all postpartum issues can be solved with adequate rest. Sounds easy, but we are a very busy family and we are always on the go. So, taking time to rest has definitely been challenging. We also have a 2.5 year old daughter who has a hard time understanding her mama has to rest. Thanks Brittany & Joey for choosing Your Birth Helper! And, remember for growing families always attempt to educate the little ones of what is growing inside moms tummy and what is going to come out. Now as for the details, that's up to you. Just remember kids are way smarter than we would like to give them credit for. Choose age appropriate words and explanations. Don't forget pets struggle with additions sometimes too. One tip take the initial hat worn right after birth and place it in your pets bed before bringing home baby and your pets can be familiar with the scent of the baby prior to your arrival. Shown here, Big Sister Harper, reads about moms heart being big enough to give affections to the new baby too!

A few years ago, I met Megan and Gregory Tipton. At the time, they were very excited and expecting their first baby. The couple resides in Athens, Ga. They enrolled in my childbirth class and trained twelve weeks in The Bradley Method® to best prepare her body for labor and train dad to understand his role in helping coach her through contractions. The couple also wanted to be educated on how to best prevent, overcome or navigate through the many complications one might encounter to give birth. Despite a near perfect pregnancy, the last few weeks Megan struggled to maintain proper nutritional needs. It was hot, she would find herself on the couch and having missed a meal or two, because she just didn't feel like eating. This can be a struggle for even very healthy moms near term. The stomach is in very tight quarters, the baby has taken over our body and before you know it, things can change very quickly in the last few weeks of pregnancy. She phoned with a bad headache, I suggested she hydrate, check her blood pressure and check in with her medical providers. Her first baby was born via C-section for metabolic toxemia of late pregnancy. This time around, Megan was even more careful to maintain her well balanced meals, proper hydration and regular daily exercise for the increased stamina needed to endure however many hours her second labor would bring. Her blood pressure readings had been great and she was adamant in following the recommended Brewer nutritional plan (studied and proven at Harvard University to eradicate toxemia pregnancy in one week of correcting nutritional deficiencies). Sadly, few if any doctors offices share this important preventative nutritional plan to this day. Her good nutrition pays off and she carries full term with no complications! She and Gregory facetime phoned me just after 6pm Saturday, May 11th. Her early labor had began 4pm the day before and regular contractions had commenced that were commanding her attention. When a mom is trying to accomplish a vaginal birth after C-section, a different set of rules apply for departing for your birth place. For most moms, it is usually suggested to use the 6-1-1 for determining departure. Meaning 6 minute apart or less frequency, contractions lasting over 1 minute for over an hour. In Megan's second labor, Gregory had timed her active labor contractions for over an hour and they were rapidly changing and growing stronger and closer together as shown here. The contractions with a (D) noted beside it were double peaking contractions. Clearly, her body was working extremely hard to move the baby down and line her up for departure. The couple made the decision to head over to get checked out in triage at St. Mary's hospital. Being of Catholic faith, the couple found peace in their decision to give birth there. That peace was short lived as shortly after arrival they were saddened to hear the midwife on duty mention repeat surgery to them after her very first exam. The couple was aware of evidence based birth options, aka repeat surgery, as well as, the various challenges that lay ahead of them (similar to first labor hurdles). They held out hope for an increased level of support from their medical team, since both mom and baby were both fine. Thankfully Megan was not aware of her internal exam results, (only 1cm) however, Gregory shared they would go ahead and admit her to monitor her slightly elevated blood pressure which was 144/98. They immediately phoned me to head over to join them to help support them and assist in natural ways to overcome obstacles during what would become just shy of a 24 hour VBAC journey. For people of faith, I often call this their personal John 16:21 birth marathon. Labor is rarely a short sprint, no marathon clearly depicts what most women experience to bring forth life. It seemed to take an eternity before their room was ready. The hospital had a staffing issue in housekeeping and Megan could not get into the tub quick enough. She needed relief quickly from back and hip pain. Her IV was placed after several failed attempts. Note: VBAC clients are usually subjected to constant fetal monitoring after 6cm dilated in our best hospitals. Megan, was subjected to constant fetal monitoring upon arrival despite baby and mom doing well. Upon my arrival to triage, the wireless monitor had been placed, but was later removed and normal EFM beside followed until birth. Her uterus performed beautifully- super strong! Her baby cooperated beautifully- super strong throughout! We began in the tub for comfort as soon as her room was ready. She relaxed and managed her contractions well in the tub. Their night nurse, Kristen, first assigned to them upon admission, could not have been more wonderful and supportive! Both found her demeanor refreshing and greatly appreciated her support of their birth plan. Medical staff that put their personal opinions of how labor and birth go aside, and go out of their way to not just "go along with their birth plan", but actually "encourage the couple to meet their personal birthing goals", are quite rare, but greatly appreciated! Hours after admittance, the couple utilized epidural to help overcome her slow to dilate cervix. We changed positions every 30 minutes or so to assist her progress. Megan had an anterior rim of cervix that was being stubborn and it wasn't changing despite side lie with peanut ball. Since Megan had maintained some mobility in her legs, we even tried a frequently utilized position known to help overcome this issue, assisted hands and knees position, in a last ditch effort to try to put the weight of baby on the anterior cervix to help create change. Unknown to Megan, her internal exams continued to reflect no cervical change, however, the station "decent of baby's head" continued to progress so we were pleased with that progress. In the natural realm of the labor process this is commonly known as natural alignment plateau. Commonly known as "failure to progress" in a hospital setting. Sometimes, it's best to keep mom focused on her job not a cervical number, because in the end baby comes out. Amanda and I, were attempting to help Megan flip sides and surprise her water broke spontaneously! This helped Megan avoid routine use of Pitocin until the last few hours of labor, in which her uterus completed the job. The next day, a friend stopped by to encourage Megan and bring Gregory some Real Coffee - now that’s a good friend! Their priest also came by to pray over her and baby and perform bedside communion on Sunday afternoon. Megan was super tired from now two days of contractions as you can imagine, but her body continued to labor efficiently and medically, both she and baby were great. We could not have been more pleased with Megan's blood pressure, throughout, as well. Dad took his coaching role very seriously and rarely left mom‘s side. Shown here giving mom a well deserved neck and jaw massage. Ultimately, her uterus would decide to expel the baby despite the lip of cervix that remained present. That was made evident on the monitor reflected as heart rate decelerations, in response to her expulsion contractions. This commonly occurs when the head is being compressed as push phase commences. This continued despite the nurses efforts to resolve with position and monitor placement changes. It was at that time her day nurse, Emily, phoned for the midwife Alexa to return to the hospital. We continued to labor down and take deep breaths to help baby recover after contractions. I advised the couple not to worry that the decels can be quite normal in push phase and most likely her midwife could try to lift the cervix or see if she could push past it, but we would continue to use singing or low register noises to avoid pushing if all possible to protect her cervix. Upon arrival, her midwife Alexa shared she believed her body was ready to give birth and despite the anterior cervix she could try pushing through a few contractions to see if the cervix would go away. That is exactly what happened and Megan was an absolute champ utilizing the pushing techniques from her Bradley Method® training. With Gregory helping hold one leg, and I holding the other, we assisted Megan in curling around her baby. Megan used her abs, pulled back on her legs and pushed very effectively as Gregory counted to ten seconds with each push. She began second stage in side lie, after several pushes, her midwife suggested she fully engage with use of the classic position and with each push she was closer and closer to her baby. Gregory would announce the surprise gender and with the last push Megan opened her eyes to see her baby emerge! Baby was placed on her abdomen and then lifted by the midwife revealing the front of baby , as Gregory announced, "Its a boy!" Cheering commenced and Megan shared his name, "Leo!" Welcome to your amazing Your Birth Helper Birth Family baby Leo! You did good locating the exit! Ms. Pam is very proud of you. Thank you for allowing me to be part of your amazing “birth” day and for holding my finger and warming my heart! Your Birth Helper & team were thrilled to help the Tipton family prepare for their VBAC marathon and we appreciate you allowing us to be your doula team helping you execute and navigate through all the unknowns along the way! It was our pleasure! Special thanks to Amanda Allen, (YBH doula apprentice) for capturing this special journey in photos and her assistance throughout our near 20 hours laboring at the hospital. Lastly, special thanks to all the medical team at St. Mary's Athens and the Women's Healthcare Associates staff. We appreciate your continued support to couples who desire low intervention Symbiotic Birth! For more information/ course outline on The Bradley Method® birth prep visit: www.bradleybirth.com/pamelasauls For info on future intensive 2 hour labor workshops: yourbirthhelper@gmail or text 678-614-5604 to rsvp Next Ga workshop held @ #M2bFamilyFarm in Colbert, Sunday, May 26th 3-5pm Charlotte, Nc Sunday, June 23rd 3-5p All welcome! You can't ever go wrong being better informed, staying healthy and low risk and avoiding medical intervention whenever possible.

Not to be confused with a birth story... this is the journey of baby Story’s birth! Story found her “womb service” (thanks to mom Elizabeth) to be extremely comfortable and she was in no hurry, due date or not. She would take parents on an incredible, often a confusing, transition into parenthood, before she would make her grand exit into their arms. Tips from Mom: We are so happy we made the decision to educate and prepare for birth. I feel like we’ve grown together from training and beyond. It’s affected our approach to childbirth and the way we plan to bring our future children into the world. For me, the actual birth process made me really feel more loved than ever and know that he’s the only one in the entire world I could have experienced that with—I truly found my soulmate. I think my water broke...? These contractions haven’t let up...? They keep coming stronger and more regular...? Your water didn’t break... you have a posterior cervix.... the contractions went away during the night. Yes, for weeks Elizabeth and Aaron’s baby exercised patience. Mom and Dad, on the other hand were ready and tired of waiting. They had several bouts of practice labor runs and once even thought the water had broken, but despite all the fun baby Story was just fine where she was and like most healthy first time moms who carry 8 days over their due date, well Story was going to do the same. Tips from Mom: I didn’t believe people when Pam shared you would know when your contractions are actually real labor contractions. But it’s true. There is no mistaking them! Pam suggested based on all my bouts of labor and back pain, to go to a Webster certified chiropractor for a good pelvic adjustment. I did not go, but I highly suggest you do. I think exercising and not letting myself go, made my labor possible. If I were out of shape, it would have been impossible to manage such a difficult labor, most likely ending in surgery. The couple trained in The Bradley Method (r). Aaron was prepared for his coaching role! In 12 segments of study, the boys not only learn how to best support and coach mom, but also help relieve additional pain for mom through proper positions and relaxation techniques. Tips from Dad: Attending childbirth classes, created an irreplaceable bond. Walking through childbirth together, helps you fall even more in love with each other. Be as involved as your wife will let you. Dads should not just sit on the sidelines. Be supportive to her and willing to do whatever is needed. Although, residents of north Georgia, they had chosen the Greenville Birth Center, (along with their classmates shown above), as their choice to labor and hopefully give birth. Since Elizabeth was healthy/low risk, and Dad works in Anderson, SC, it just seemed a great fit for them. They also chose Your Birth Helper as their Doula support team. Shown above the couple prepares to “walk baby down“ by walking up the mountain in Clarkesville, Ga. Elizabeth was such a team player. She attended multiple UGA baseball games and met up with me several times for baby evacuation prep fun! We also walked the greenway and loosened up hips with full squats after a yummy Mamas Boy breakfast. Elizabeth was very in shape, nutritional sound from her Brewer “pink sheet” pregnancy diet and fit as they come and little did she know how those Abs would come in handy on her baby’s birth day! Tips from Mom: I can’t imagine not having taken the class. I planned for no epidural and that’s all I knew prior to the class. Aaron didn’t know any better than what he’s heard from other people’s experiences. So, I think he would have been super pro medical intervention immediately when they hit because he didn’t know better. I wouldn’t have been able to take my stand and labor through until I absolutely needed the intervention. I also had no idea how to fight contractions. So I would have ended up with a c section after the pushing contractions hit, because I wouldn’t have known better than to just push. We also encouraged relaxation, frequent naps (We snuck in a 30 minute nap for her) and I suggested earlier bedtimes now that she was beyond her due date. It seems Elizabeth hadn't been getting much rest. To get into active labor, we must get into a relaxed restful state. Nearly 80% of women will begin labor in wee hours of the morning after midnight. So, imagine you waited until midnight to go to bed and “BAM” you are awakened by regular contractions. Sleep is imperative for labor. Labor is a marathon, not a sprint. Sometimes, couples forget this. We need more sleep and rest near term and after birth than ever before! Because... there is little to no sleep during labor. We do our best to balance work and rest. Changing positions every thirty minutes when possible. No doubt Elizabeth and Aaron worked hard and long hours. Shown above out in the walking garden, midwife checks in on baby. We created a relaxing environment for work during the night. Between being sick, hot and totally exhausted, it was all Elizabeth could do to center herself. we Encouraged Aaron to rest and get off his feet a while too. The couple endured strong consistent contractions, coupled with back pain that didn’t let up and baby struggled to move down. Aaron spoke encouragement into her through each contraction. The birth center lighting and atmosphere was perfect for night time labor. It wasn’t soon before the tub was filled, the correct temperature and ready. Elizabeth relaxed well in the tub and was able to even get a few minutes of sleep in between each contraction. She was so very exhausted. Tips from Mom: Singing and making low noises helped tolerate the contractions the most, but focus on breathing even more so you don’t lose control. Aaron holding onto me always helped my contractions be bearable and then rubbing my belly and thinking about how I wasn’t suffering alone but Story wasn’t in a comfortable situation either. Having compassion for my baby helped. The couple began slow dancing to try to increase the station and encourage natural decent with use of gravity. It wasn’t long before the sun began rising and we became more and more active to help naturally progress labor. The very day Story was born, Elizabeth had been scheduled for a medical induction. Her homework had paid off and the induction would not be necessary after all. However, working through the night on little to no sleep would challenge her energy level to complete the job. What would later be necessary was an IV and fluids, to try to replenish all the fluids mom had lost during the labor thus far while throwing up (a normal part of labor and very common in transition phase). She had tried some Italian Lemon Ice, but unfortunately her stomach was like no thanks! Although, we prefer to avoid vomiting and IV whenever possible, the use of cool cloth, peppermint oil and switching to ice chips doesn‘t always rectify the problem if mom can’t keep anything down. We started with trying to empty the bladder which many laboring moms find difficult. Leaning in helps take the edge off the contractions, but it also increases the pressure and many women are not happy about taking contractions there. However, if you have the need to urinate at peak of the contractions, then toilet sitting is a great place to be! Amanda Allen, YBH Doula Apprentice, assisted Elizabeth with releasing as much tension as possible. Elizabeth‘s uterus was working overdrive trying to get Story’s head in the birth canal. When the head is in an acynclitical position and struggles to align with the birth canal, the head station, dilation of cervix, as well as, overall length of labor can be greatly challenged. Tips from Mom: Something very important is remember that just because the woman is the one carrying the baby and physically in labor, it doesn’t mean your husband isn’t part of the process and he isn’t going through emotions too. This is his baby too and he is invested. He feels a totally different weight, because two people he loves more than anything are in a challenging situation and all he can do is be supportive, a great coach and apply what he has learned from class. He is a huge part of the process. Let him in! Shown above her uterus pulls forward to try to align head. Mom uses peanut ball to keep hips loose and slack and continue to give baby Story an opportunity to allow the natural course of labor to progress. Soon it was time to sneak in another nap in between the powerful contractions. Tips from Mom: I feel like the advice Pam shared with me about not skipping bases And throwing your birth plans out the window in a long labor like this was so helpful. Go to the next step, don’t get discouraged and jump way down aka c-section. Without training, I definitely would have had a C section. I can look back and say I could have had her if she wouldn’t have gotten stuck at -3 station. Knowing how to overcome that scenario and what work it would take to do so helped us give true informed consent. Elizabeth has been using low register words in the form of singing like her baby’s name. Repeating consistently through the contractions slowly singing, “Stoooorrryy, Stoooorryy...” until the uterus released in which she would try to sleep again. we could all sympathized with her labor. Very common first time labor, slow station change, slow to dilate cervix and back pain.. bless! Dad shared... The hardest part of labor for me as Coach was watching my wife in agonizing pain and feeling like there was nothing I could do. At her next cervical check, it was found she had a large bag of water in front of the baby’s head. The decision was made at this time to try amniotomy to lengthen contractions and try to lower baby’s head position to help finish off her cervical dilation. Unfortunately, the amniotic fluid had the presence of meconium. Both mom and baby were ok, but protocol is a routine transport to the local hospital follows (just in case) for protection of mom and baby. The couple took a moment to embrace and we dressed Elizabeth and loaded the car. Their birth center midwife followed and would remain with them for the remainder of labor. Tips from Mom: I was disappointed when the meconium staining happened, but relieved too, because I needed a break so bad. I was so exhausted and hurting. I felt like the conversation about how the epidural could help me kind of set me free. I didn’t feel like I failed in any way, because I knew we had done everything we could and I had to listen to my body saying how exhausted and dehydrated I was. I had to look at it as a next step to try to get baby out vaginally, because I was so tired that I would have taken a C section. So, choosing to continue with an epidural, felt like a way to stay strong and finish what we started. I was relieved to know I was able to take a nap,(not everyone who has epidural can sleep), but I was still determined after my short rest, to push and hold my own legs back, just like I would have without the epidural. Getting the rest I needed, allowed me to be more alert and rested for when Story came. So, in my crossroads of labor the use of epidural was so much more wonderful, than it would have been if I had no energy to push or than if I would have just had major surgery. Clearly, Elizabeth was wiped completely out, but she managed to muster up a partial smile for our transport photo. We all had worked through the night and into the next day... Dad shared... Their really aren’t adequate adjectives to describe how amazing Elizabeth was throughout her John 16:21 labor journey, but I’d say Brave, strong, tenacious & unflinching! Once Elizabeth and Aaron we’re settled in down the street at Greenville Memorial, the decision was made to try to use an epidural as a last ditch effort to avoid c-section. In these sort of labor situations, at the crossroads we often call it... many couples choose to utilize medical interventions that can help them avoid surgery if all possible. In other-words, they choose to not skip bases (if mom and baby are okay) so, Elizabeth would try the epidural first and give her cervix and her contractions every opportunity to finish the job before. If surgery were to be needed, they would explore that when the time came. The couple was very blessed, the time for surgery didn’t come, but the time for pushing did! And, before you know it Elizabeth, held her own legs, curled over her belly and had given birth to her own self birthed “Story” now in her arms! They were relieved and instantly rejuvenate... she was just perfect! And, with a birth story like that, she clearly earned her name! Wait, which one... Welcome to your #AthensBirthFamily little Miss Story Payne!! Mom shared this cool first few moments text: “As soon as they put her on my chest when she came out, I told Aaron to put his hand under the blanket too, and she grabbed his finger and held on just 2 seconds old. 😭.” Arrived safely into moms arms after days worth of labor. Mom has this to say about Aaron after some rest... “Thank you so much for all your help! It was the hardest, but most special time ever. Even though we used the epidural, I didn’t feel like I failed, because I knew I had done everything I could have done before. I felt peace about it. It worked and I avoided surgery! And, p.s. I feel like I love Aaron a zillion times more after that experience!” Your Birth Helper is happy to have played a small role in enhancing their relationshi and helping them achieve their #SymbioticBirth or what I like to call, a happy “birth” day!

Readers, meet Melody of Monroe, North Carolina and be encouraged. She just “gave birth” to her first child on Friday, April 19, 2019. I emphasize giving birth, because SHE put in the work necessary to bring forth life. Even though she had a hospital birth, as so many first time moms do, she did not have her baby delivered from her body by a doctor. Melody and her husband, Wilson had educated, trained and prepared for this very day for 9 months. She knew what to expect and boy did her good nutrition, cross fit training and preparation pay off. We worked for two full days helping create solid contractions with our “Natural Induction” efforts. We successfully avoided a scheduled medical induction for post date -42 weeks gestation. I often say, “FREE YOUR MIND and the rest will FOLLOW aka baby!” Much like trying to get pregnant, stop trying so hard making yourself miserable and just have FUN while doing the things we know can help! Here are a few clips from our fun girl time aka baby evacuation. Our two days of walking, stretching, eating weird foods, included everything from eggplant, to Lebanese, to crab dip, frozen yogurt, loud music even the buffalo chicken pizza and olive oil shots! The key is do something different, switch it up on baby and your body, free your mind of the chore of labor and get in bed earlier thus giving your body time to actually get in a relaxed state. The couple trained under Your Birth Helper and the Charlotte Doula Dream Team through intensive labor workshops, home study and practice. She chose Piedmont OBGYN midwives (since healthy and low risk) and birthed at Atrium Health Pineville (formerly known as CMC Pineville location). Her contractions had been present for several days, but had not assumed a regular pattern. That’s okay. That’s often how the body prefers to work. A little here a little there. Her prep work, with dad’s help had gotten her to 3cm, 80% effaced! I had the pleasure of attending her 41 week appointment with her. Midwife Cindy Dellinger also did her part and assisted with a membrane sweep. Couples should know it is not unusual at all to carry beyond your estimated due date. The percentage of stillborn over 41 weeks is not even .5%. Don‘t be scared to continue being patient. In fact, the majority of first time healthy moms carry 8 days over. To confirm she made the right decision her ultrasound revealed both baby and fluid looked great and her Non Stress test was perfect and even allowed her a 20 minute nap. We were all dedicated to doing the work to finish the job. Do the things you can do to avoid medical induction, it is so worth your efforts. Labor has enough challenges all on its own, no need to add more. Labor had kicked in high gear around 2am and the couple managed contractions together at home and we all met up at the hospital at 10:30 a.m. shown here he couple chooses to walk to their room to further progress labor and move the head down. Stopping to pause for each stronger contraction. Triage nurse Kristen, was so encouraging and respectful to ask admission questions around Melody’s contractions so, she could stay as relaxed as possible. Beverly was the midwife on duty and was also extremely supportive of the couples birth plans. Sadly, baby was in a variation of posterior/ side facing and Melody was experiencing challenging back labor pains. Her mother and husband assisted throughout offering various comfort measures as we worked changing positions often to help turn baby. From leaning in, to full deep squats to open her hips, the couple took one contraction at a time drug free by choice. Together, they had created life and together they had trained to bring forth life naturally. Her labor journey was a beautiful example of the inner strength of an expectant Mother. Their faith in the creator and the natural process was also clearly evident throughout each phase of their birth marathon. From their praise and worship music, which helped to overcome an early urge to push and swollen full anterior rim of cervix, to constant change of positions, use of hands and knees, inversion positions and peanut ball, we did them all. Her water finally broke around 7cm dilated while conveniently attempting to empty her bladder. This photo is a perfect example of the unfailing love they posses for each other and their unborn baby. They worked and they worked never once giving up on each other. Bradley Doula and YBH Sarah Neri, YBHCE, also assisting we all stayed the course till the necessary work was done. And, like so very many women, the time finally came when Melody cried out to her savior for help and prayed her very own Good Friday prayer to complete her John 16:21 labor. After utilizing the recliner position, to try to relieve the early urge to push and ease her swollen cervix, Beverly suggested finishing off her cervix and further easing her back pain in the tub, as she had completed her two rounds of routine antibiotics for group b strep protection for baby. When things got really tough, Melody dug down deep and found strength from her spiritual walk and expressed it this way to the room, “If Jesus could bear, carry and die on a cross today... then I can get through a few more contractions!“ Wow! She had overcome so much to birth her way, the Symbiotic Birth way, with as few interventions as possible. Not just for baby’s safety, but her’s also. The next thing you know, it was time to labor down and Melody used techniques she learned in workshop to inch her baby down. We instructed Wilson to grab a pair of gloves and get ready. Her mother and I, helped hold a leg while Melody utilized the classic position for second stage. Not only did Melody master the art of proper push techniques in about 10-15 minutes, her progress with each push continued to move her baby‘s head down, despite his posterior position. Her former cross fit training had helped her create strong abdominal muscles and push through quite literally. We later noticed the cord was wrapped around and between his legs as shown above, as well as, over his shoulder. Seems he was quite the little gymnastist in there. Despite one loop of cord around the neck at birth, Wilson was ready and helped catch the baby. At 5:30 p.m Good Friday became good for another reason.... “baby Broadway” had emerged. Dad took hold of baby and placed this adorable baby boy on his wife’s chest. After a minute or two had passed, we were all still anticipating the announcement of the baby’s name. Suddenly, mom and dad announced, his name is Deacon Lane! The Broadway’s, have just started their walk into parenthood! Through days of efforts they kept their faith in God and each other throughout labor and birth. I just bet, when life brings future challenges, these two will rise to the occasion together to tackle them, one by one just like her contractions. Welcome to your #CharlotteBirthFamily baby Deacon Lane! Congrats again from the entire YBH #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam we are all so very proud to share another amazing #SymbioticBirth story! The best of normality coupled with only medically necessary interventions. It just makes for happier “birth” days! Let us help show you how.

Many women, all over the world, have invested time, lots of time to be exact, hours upon hours of reading, daily prayers, avoidance of harmful things, even physically preparing their bodies to some degree. All worthy efforts. Then the day finally arrives in which you hear the words, “Congratulations you are pregnant” or you see that “+ symbol“ and it sinks in, “We did it!“ Together, we have created life! A sigh of relief for women who have adamantly tried. You recall with great accuracy that feeling which consumed you, that moment when you learned, “I‘m going to be a Mother!” During a routine anatomy scan week 21, the couple learned something was wrong with their baby’s heart. To say they were anxious was an underestatement. Fewer women, pay even more close attention to proper nutrition and daily exercise as it applies to pregnancy and reproduction and even a small percentage of women take an even more watchful eye, including avoidance of nearly all over the counter meds, not just prescription medication and go above and beyond still to avoid preservatives, additives, caffeine, excess sugar, pesticides, etc.. As a chiropractor, Emily knew she desired an OBGYN / CertIfied Nurse Midwife practice, as her birth plan aligned best to their model of care. Specifically, a provider who would support her wishes of more hands off care, a happier blend of normality, coupled with only medically necessary interventions. It’s what I like to call, Symbiotic Birth. Week 22, arrived they were seen by a specialist, Dr. Rosmond. Week 23, they saw the cardiologist. Their first born was diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot. Pregnancy is not always 9 months of rainbows & puppydog tails. Sometimes, couples are heavy-hearted and must make tough parenting decisions long before baby is born. Emily combated the bad news with a newfound strength. Cory continued support of her birth plans, despite the uncertainty of how it would play out and assured her she could rely on him during labor. The unexpected news of baby’s heart defect seemed to further fuel that flame of desire of wanting to bring their baby safely into the world with as few interventions as possible. I could not be more proud of this power couple! Many of us have watched a gender reveal video or two and can quickly relate to the overwhelming excitement on the faces of expecting parents. However, you could see how many of those same smiling faces when faced with one of the vast unknowns of pregnancy, a complication for mom or baby, would just allow their labor and birth plans to simply fade away. Furthermore, for some, what is typically meant to be just a simple routine screening or intervention, such as AFP test or often ultrasound can reveal unexpected results, even false positives of which women and men are not always prepared for. Yet, they do happen and happen way more than some would like to acknowledge. Parenting is hard work! That will never change. Of course, we need to properly educate and prepare our bodies (eat well and exercise), but maybe even more so, prepare our hearts and minds to weather such news, should it happen to us. This couple’s journey is a true example of the effectiveness of what Dr. Robert A. Bradley explained in his book, Husband Coached Childbirth. It’s more than just physically relaxing through a contraction. Women must learn to be emotionally, mentally and physically relaxed to experience a natural birth with ease. As in the story of baby Parham. Her journey here was one of joy beyond belief, coupled with great anxiety and some sleepless nights. It’s funny how the universe has a way of preparing us to become parents long before a baby is born. Emily, a trained and highly educated chiropractor had excelled in her preparation for the day she would hear those amazing words, “YOU are having a BABY!” She could not have been happier! Little did she know, that despite her efforts to prepare her body and do all the right things leading up to pregnancy would be met with circumstances out of her control that would challenge her emotionally and mentally. There is a feeling of unjust adversity that comes rushing in like a tidal wave and in that moment the happiness and JOY quickly gets consumed with anxiety and stress of the unknown as if a tsunami is upon us leaving us speechless and feeling as if we can’t even take a deep breath. It is in that moment, we must pause and keep it simple, “let’s get through today one deep breath at a time.“ That we do have control of. Emily knew how important it was to simply breathe, because she had been attending Your Birth Helper events long before her own pregnancy. So, this birth story illustrates how to grow stronger along with your baby, to move forward, to reconnect with your spouse after challenging news and to pause, recenter and “JUST BREATH!” She pressed forward daily after hearing the news, “Your Baby has a heart defect.” You see it didn’t stop there, she also heard things like, “You may have to be induced...” and various other statements that for most would weigh very negatively upon their mindset. There was a heaviness that came upon her. She immediately saw her dreams of natural birth going out the window. This wasn’t just something she wanted, her natural birth was supposed to happen. It’s how she lives her life, “drug-free,” as nature intended, saving medical interventions for those who truly need them. Now, she and their baby were subject to additional maternal fetal medicine appointments & appointments to a cardiologist, not only challenging their time, but also their pocketbook. Both left feeling, “this can‘t be happening, not to us and certainly not our baby.“ We did everything right! Yes, some couples realize rather suddenly that parenting is extremely hard long before baby arrives. No, it’s not fair, but it is Mother Nature in all her unpredictability. Emily is also known as Dr. Emily Parham of Granite City Chiropractic and it’s hard to be out of the office when clients are also relying on your care. Not only did she stay positive and become overly knowledgeable of their babies medical condition, she found her smile again. She and her husband Cory, began training in The Bradley Method (r) the best known childbirth educational prep for preparing for drug-free, low intervention natural birth. She simply wasn’t throwing her dreams and wishes of how she envisioned her first baby’s happy “BIRTH” day out the window. She continued to focus on what they had control over: good nutrition, exercise, weekly childbirth classes and focusing on her target birth experience. When Emily asked if I would be her doula it went like this, “hey Pam my due date is December, 25th, do you work Christmas day?“ To which I replied, “ Do you know how few actually have a baby on their due date?” Turns out, I would be right. There was no baby on Christmas Day, (most healthy moms carry 8 days overdue). Her 39th week appointment had arrived and we were to meet after for lunch to discuss natural induction methods. When Emily arrived she began quietly sobbing over chips and salsa. She shared there was new concern over baby’s health. The words “less than 1%” had her unnerved and facing medical induction. I had advised her to go ahead and have her cry. To get it all out, because we had work to do. The best use of time is to help get yourself into labor. Waste no time - every minute counts! We created a strategic game plan over a nutritious lunch at Aqua Linda in Athens, Ga. The week of Christmas was upon us and the last thing Emily needed was another hurdle to jump. She shared she agreed to come in on Wednesday for induction, as she had patients of her own to see that night and the next day in her own office. We had devised a plan in which she would try a membrane sweep (which she was not thrilled about). I explained how to use interventions in her best interest to do everything she could to avoid chemical induction, yet still accomplish as much of her birth plans, as possible. She would need some sort of cervical action to utilize Foley / Cooks device, also a non-chemical form of induction. Emily did not want to be subject to constant monitoring or pitocin if all possible. We discussed how dad could help prep cervix, how upright positions and walking could lower head and save intervention like amniotomy for last resort efforts, to maintain equalization of pressure for baby’s safety. All valid options of which would still help her stay on track for her target birth preferences. Also, if weighing benefits and risks, all less invasive choices. It was a great recipe and soon contractions were steady and progressing. (Special thanks to Hillary for stripping her membranes, December 18, 2018). A total of 8 hours of labor, the first 3 at home and the last 5 hours played out in the hospital and it sure wasn’t long till Cory was texting for suggestions and to head over. I walked into what appeared to me as an overwhelming urge to bear down mixed with fighting push phase. It’s quite a confusing time. I reminded Emily of her job and how to create an effective push. Let’s just say she #Nailedit !!!!!!!!! I chose The Parham’s for our 2018 Birth Story of the Year for Georgia, because despite all the road blocks that confronted them, they continued to educate, train and rose to every occasion, despite a few unconsolable tears drops along the way. Sometimes, we just need a little cry, a deep cleansing breath and to put one foot in front of the other each day. With the final push, the room was filled with celebration, minutes later, a little nervousness crept in as baby left moms arms to undergo an important exam of her own. Dad accompanied baby and nurse Jessica and I, tended to mom. Unfortunately, Nikki missed the birth (Emily didn’t waste any time pushing her baby out quickly), but arrived just in time for helping me spoil mom with a foot massage and refreshing orange juice after birth. In the popular holiday movie, How the Grinch stole Christmas, the classic movie line reads... “his heart grew three times its size that day”... I think the same happened to the Parham family ❤️ now all together, their hearts were made stronger! Your Birth Helper is happy to welcome little Miss Adaline 🌹 Rose who came wrapped in a different kind of bow 🎁 6lb 4oz 19.5inches. Born at 11:54pm on 12/19/18 and was home just in time for Christmas on the farm!