Dear World, Allow me to introduce Barrett Mason, born epidural free despite the challenges of a slow to dilate cervix and early urges to push (no doubt a challenging push phase indeed) was placed skin to skin on his mothers chest by midwife, Sage as he drew his first breath. Simultaneously, as he let out his first cry to communicate for the very first time, his mother cried out, "OH MY GOD!" Daddy just cried tears of joy! Nurse Robin called out 15:38 (time of birth) said, "Hello BIG BOY, let me get those brown bubbles." Baby Barrett couldn't wait for that first diaper- HIM HAD TO GO! Meconium happens. The baby nurses, along with the rest, cheered and celebrated Amanda's devotion to the natural process, along with Barrett's hard work entering into this amazing world. Some wonder, Why Natural Birth- Why does it matter? There are many reasons both physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually, although you may or may not share the same views as the expectant couple, as there are many options in birthing today: in hospital, out of hospital, midwife, doctor, a private event, friends or family present, what matters is MOM feels totally comfortable with HER DECISION MAKING and HER WISHES for HER BIRTH ARE SUPPORTED & ENCOURAGED! Not debated, not questioned just SUPPORTED & ENCOURAGED. She may not be able to have a check mark off each line item on her birth plan. You see, IT MATTERS! In the end, as an educated couple, who understands the difference between informed consent, medically necessary and unnecessary routine interventions, IT MATTERS that she not only was supported but maybe even more so, "did she feel ENCOURAGED to give birth?" No doubt, during such a long challenging labor of love, MOM deserves at least that. The history books call it the John 16:21 birth. An unjoyful marathon... now make no mistake when I get upstairs God and I will have a conversation about adjective "unjoyful" being used to further describe "travail". You see it wasn't just mom who worked hard, DAD DID TOO! Aaron was an AMAZING HUSBAND COACH. He worked tirelessly along side of Amanda utilizing positions and relaxation techniques they had learned about in their twelve week childbirth training in The Bradley Method®. Their childbirth instructor, should be extremely proud of them. Few couples understand the value of properly preparing to "GIVE BIRTH" we do NOT have to have our Baby DELIVERED from our body. The uterus when healthy does the work and we as women must learn how to ALLOW it to work NOT FIGHT the LABOR PROCESS. Amanda #NailedIt ~ she assumed the necessary positions to progress her labor despite the unpleasantries associated with some positions like sitting on the toilet where we instinctively relax the correct muscles. Every wondered why our bodies want to do the opposite of what they should during labor? I mean, we have the body parts- why then do we not instinctively know what to do with them? Yup, I ask the creator that all the time...lol. We are fortunate, the Bradley Method® is still taught to this day with great success for couples seeking a low intervention natural birth. By the way, those who prepare for natural birth are not overly pain tolerant people, THEY ARE SMART PEOPLE! They use common sense, they understand they are a paying consumer who, if educated on the process, understand, if healthy and low risk, they have MANY MORE OPTIONS. Now pause, wrap your brain around this concept, IF YOU DON'T HAVE A CLUE HOW YOUR BODY WORKS DURING THE LABOR AND BIRTH PROCESS, how every will you know whether you will need interventions such as an IV, amniotomy, epidural, pitocin, episiotomy, what pushing position you feel most comfortable in, etc. how will you know how to properly nurse your baby, etc.? There is no such thing as a painless childbirth. We simply have choices as to which phase of the process will be uncomfortable. You can pay to prepare yourself ahead of time, or you can pay to have multiple interventions/pain management even surgery to bring your child into the world. Now as a matter of perspective, many feel preparation is key and as for your pocket book, most also come out way better on that end too. Please understand BOYS, if mom doesn't quite even understand the ends and outs herself, even with the body parts, then you guys are surely doomed. As a loving partner or husband, you will want to reach out and assist your wife during the difficult journey of labor, but your hands will be tied, you have ZERO KNOWLEDGE TO ASSIST OR SUPPORT HER. You will be left in a position to question everything you know, have every heart string pulled, because the one you love lies in pain and you can't help her because you didn't take time to learn how. Some men, not so clueless, make an educated decision that childbirth education and doula services are too expensive, require too much time, don't fit our schedule nor our budget. First, allow me to share Aaron had every reason to use that excuse he works 2:30am and works through the night- they figured out how to make it work because they made their baby a priority before he was even born. Aaron, Ms.Pam could not be more proud of YOU! If only I could CLONE you for all the other women who lack support and encouragement through this difficult journey into parenthood. Mom was no doubt exhausted, but perked up quickly after two large glasses of orange juice, to celebrate along side of us. Dad cut the cord and set his son free and both daddy and Barrett received their bracelets! Aaron also quickly removed his "Daddy to Be" sticker and rejoiced in the birth of his BIG BOY!!!!! If baby Barrett grows up to be like his daddy, then he will no doubt make a fine Husband Coach himself one day!! On behalf of the entire YourBirthHelper team, Congratulations and Happy "BIRTH" day to Amanda, Aaron & Barrett Mason. May you grow to completely understand and comprehend that your parents DECIDED YOU BARRETT were worth all the love, effort, study and application and that you were born into the physically strong football loving arms of your daddy, too! Your sweet momma now completely agrees, She couldn't have done this without SUPPORT & ENCOURAGEMENT from not just your father, but also her amazing Birth Team! It was our pleasure to have helped train and support you to BIRTH YOUR WAY! Remember, you began as students but you end as Family. #HusbandCoached #BradleyMethod #DaddyHelpedBornMe #WarriorWoman #PowerCouple #BirthWithoutFear #NotJustADoula #NotJustAChildbirthEducator #CMCPineville #PiedmontOBGYN #midwife #naturalbirth #birth #CharlotteBirthFamily #LongLabor #EpiduralFreeBirth #Doula #PregnancyEducation #YourBirthHelper #CMCPineville #BradleyMethod #SymbioticBirth #DelayedCordClamping #MidwifeAssistedHospitalBirth #LaborCoaching #DrugFreeBirth #DoulaAssistance

The healthier and low risk a woman remains during her pregnancy, the more choices she has when exploring where and with whom she brings forth life. An out of hospital birth is not for everyone, however, for those who have a healthy baby and healthy pregnancy, more and more are finding the out of hospital birth experience to grant them the best of both worlds. A low intervention birth, focusing on the normality of the natural process, is once again being researched and desired by more and more couples who in understanding there will always be inherent risks involved in birthing, also understand the labor and birth process has worked for countless generations who do not need to be quote "saved by their doctor". If mom and baby are fine, the process continues until otherwise a need presents that would warrant extra help for either mom or baby. Likewise, variations of normal or what Dr. Robert A. Bradley called the whammies of birthing, such as longer than average labor, back labor, high pain levels, longer push phase, etc. do not necessarily constitute a medical emergency or transport. The couple, must acknowledge and take responsibility for their choices of where they decide to birth, as well as, giving informed consent throughout. The mother should also feel she is supported, continuing to be supported and understand that if at any time the baby is not handling the labor process well, or mom has a reason for medical intervention such as a need for mechanical assistance for stuck baby, etc. a transport takes often takes place. Each labor and push phase should be individually assessed as normal labor has a multitude of variations and / or possible variations. Allow me to introduce power couple, Angie & Mark. They contacted me seeking labor support for their out of hospital birth planned to take place at Baby & Co. Charlotte. I explained the necessity of proper training to manage contractions and her pain level in an out of hospital center. In fact, considering normal pain management that unprepared couples often utilize such as the epidural not being an option at all is reason enough to make preparation and gain valuable skills to relax during contractions. Angie and Mark understood those skills were necessary to be successful in an out of hospital birth experience. Therefore, they willingly signed up for a #YourBirthHelper training workshop to gain confidence and enhance their level of education on the natural process and boy did it pay off big. It also gave them an opportunity to establish a relationship with our #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam. As support to our couples, we always offer 24/7 access to call, text, face time to receive assistance through all the I'm not sure's, should I go to work, should I be timing contractions, what if I feel crampy, what position should I assume, how can I get my own body into labor and avoid induction? Just to name some of the most popular for a first time mom. And then before you know it, it's go time... Friday morning, the phone rang all bright and early Angie had experienced her first bloody show and was curious if she should head into work or stay home. We stand by following your normal daily routine unless a danger sign presents. Otherwise, if we stand idle by and time every single contraction, we would be timing them for days. Three days to be exact for Angie and Mark. Which by the way is not unusual for a first labor. No one likes the sound of it but its often the case. She went to work on Friday and rocked her workday like a champ with only loose bowels and some light cramping. Friday came and went with no other signs of progressing labor. On Saturday, she and Mark did some things they had learned to speed labor along and spent the day between visiting family and working toward bringing on stronger contractions. By early afternoon things seem to be trucking along. Our YBH team was notified and standing by if needed. All of a sudden Mark called to say her contractions had jumped over active labor and were now around 90 seconds in length. I immediately jumped in the car to drive to Charlotte. Within an hour and half, Mark had observed some definitive signs of progress such as contractions which had settled into a pattern, but also much closer together and lasting longer, and Angie was having lots of pressure. They contacted their birth center midwife and were advised to come over to get checked. To everyone's shock she was only maybe 1 cm dilated, -1 station but fully effaced. By this time, taking mom out of her relaxing environment had most likely produced some adrenaline and sadly adrenaline whether we want it to be released or not happens. It typically causes labor to slow and sometimes even stop completely. The pattern of 90 sec long contractions every few minutes had totally spaced back out. Angie was very tired and understandably so, as the contractions had kept her awake through the night and fatigue of labor was setting in. This is why women must maintain a level of physical fitness going into labor that allows them to have the stamina the staying power to overcome and push through fatigue. Some laboring moms are also capable of sleeping in between contractions, few sleep through them at this point. We recommendation at least thirty minutes of regular physical exercise a day for stamina. Angie was a champ, overcoming a multitude of stumbling blocks to birth naturally and out of hospital including slower than normal labor, slow dilation and long strong contractions to move baby down. It is important to understand that Natural Alignment Plateau is a normal part of many labors, as well. This is a time when mom's uterus continues to contract as normal but the cervix is not showing signs of increased dilation. In a hospital setting this is what is often deemed, "Failure to Progress" and the staff simply appear to give up on mom, her body, the normal process or mom gives up on herself and is ready for someone to escort the baby out via surgery, help baby out with vacuum, etc. but there are no other apparent reasons to intervene, no medical reasons such as a baby in fetal distress, etc. In these situations, it is important one understands the definition of progress. Progress is NOT JUST DILATION ONLY. If one's station changes (the downward decent of baby in relation to the ischial spines), if mom has been effacing, if contractions are continuing to grow longer and stronger, those are ALL SIGNS OF PROGRESSION. Many women will experience the slow to dilate cervix, even myself. But, what we know about the cervix is when it is time to expel a baby, often the woman's cervix goes from whatever number to complete in a matter of minutes. This is a trait of a healthy, un-medicated and yet unpredictable uterus! It simply does what it wants to do and doesn't ask us permission. Every woman does NOT dilate a cm an hour, heck some of us women don't dilate a cm in hours of labor but there are many other things that may be taking place during Natural Alignment Plateau than just dilation. Angie was no doubt starved at this point, Doula Apprentice Allison Termeer, went to pick up food them. We know labor can often slow or stop allowing mom time to take care of necessaries such as rest, food & hydration. Preventing a laboring mom from eating or drinking during labor is NOT evidence based. Even if a medical situations arises, we do not have the same anesthesia as we did in 1955 when that was first established as routine. The couple, along with their midwife made the decision to return home, try to sleep Saturday evening and return when labor picked back up. She said SLEEP during labor is clearly overrated #NOT...lol however, she continued a horizontal position, resting in between contractions and only getting up through the night to empty her bladder every hour. And, then once again the contractions started picking up and then a text came in at 2:57 am Sunday morning that Angie had once again experienced bloody show and contractions seem to be settled in a pattern again. It wasn't long after that Mark asked me to join them at Baby & Co birth center. Together, actively, the three of us continued to work through each contraction, utilizing good positioning, deep abdominal breathing exercises, visualization, peanut ball, birth affirmations, etc. we don't focus on the how much longer, how many more contractions, we just take them one at a time and overcome any obstacles that present along the way. If mom & baby are okay, we continue the labor journey as planned. No doubt Angie was in her head, discouragement from the fatigue of labor, her lack of cervical dilation coupled by back pain and an overwhelming urge to bear down during contractions didn't help her stay positive either, but her ever present husband coach was ever attentive to her! Reassuring her all the way! Even after being up for days, we had to completely twist his arm to take a break and get horizontal for a few minutes. I told him I wouldn't let him miss anything and finally he agreed to take a cat nap while we had mom in the tub. Angie kept saying she did not want to be in the water. The shower or tub just didn't appeal to her mind. Here is what we know about water/ shower/ tub & the toilet, women naturally relax the right muscles there. It comes instinctive to relax your pelvic floor on the toilet (which we need to do to progress labor). Also, we are conditioned to relax in water. Water has been used for countless generations for pain relief and relaxation and despite whether you desire to push a baby out in a tub (which Angie did!!!!!) it is still a great position to rock late first stage labor, transition phase and labor down! Around 7:30am there was talk of encouraging Angie to transport to Presby Main due to her slow labor. She was fully effaced, zero station but only around 5cm dilated. Once again, we got Angie moving, we walked around the center, even throwing in some full squats too! The urge to bear down was consuming Angie and we began using low register noises. At 7:51 a.m., I text team member Nancy Cook to come in and assist for additional encouragement for the couple. I reassured Mark and Angie that no one on our team would jeopardize health of mom or baby to simply have a baby in an out of hospital location, but also if there were no medical complications, she could continue normal labor. Nancy arrived around 8:33 a.m. and considering all we had already tried to get baby to drop down put pressure on cervix to open, inversion positions to help baby readjust head, including the midwife and I sifting with the rebozo, Nancy suggested maybe a side lie position without the peanut ball and we continued the process of working through her contractions. Angie was also able to sleep in between. Then after successful dilation, correcting the asynclitic head position, we were able to get her up to use gravity to bring the head down with use of pilates bar, more deep squats, more sitting on toilet (although the pressure was intense) and hands & knees, but most of all we were able to convince her that her body was made for this work, that is new what it was doing and to surrender to the process. Let go and let her baby come out. What was beating her down was right between her ears. Truly, Angie would tell you how very difficult and extremely painful at times her first labor was, she would also tell you once we did coax her into the tub, but that she most definitely did NOT like GETTING OUT. In a tub or pool we have weightlessness! Out of the water, we do not. It is important to keep mom moving and Angie did just that. She made the first labor, the long first labor process look easy. We salute Angie for staying focused and letting go of the right muscles during contractions. With numerous change of positions, also came the news of a finally completely dilated cervix and the green light to bear down with her contractions. She was a rock-star at push phase and literally push her baby out in less than 33 minutes giving birth in the water. Prior to the baby exiting her body, I had Angie reach down and touch her baby's head. She wept in light of the finish line. Dad couldn't help but to sneak a peek while the head was descending and he also took advantage of touching his sweet baby's head as she was crowning. You go DADDY! Ifeona (midwife) caught her in the water and placed baby in her arms. As you can imagine, Angie was not only thrilled to have given birth naturally, but also thrilled against the odds baby's heart tones were great throughout. Angie was great throughout and her first glimpse of her baby out of her body a precious moment indeed! The birth climax is a rush of hormones that floods moms body after birth. These amazing hormones are what allows a tired momma like Angie to interact with their new baby even though the birth process is quite exhausting . The baby also passed meconium during the act of pushing/birth. It is estimated, around 85% of the time its a normal occurrence, approximately 15% of the time it can lead to a medical complication if baby inhales into its lungs. And, last who do you think cut the cord? MOM DID! I'm so proud of both of you! Thank you Angie and Mark for entrusting YourBirthHelper for your happy "birth"day party! Congratulations to big sister ❤️ Oh happy day MISS SCARLETT MAE ~ 7lb 7 oz, 19.5 inches long #HusbandCoached #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam #YourBirthHelper #NotJustADoula #CharlotteBirthFamily #NotJustAChildbirthEducator #BirthFamily #naturalbirth #birth #midwife #asyncliticheadposition #slowdilation #waterbirth #babyandco #LittleBadger #SymbioticBirth #BirthWithoutFear #CharlotteBirthFamily #YourBirthHelper #naturalbirth #EpiduralFreeBirth #birth

Well, much hard work literally pressure points, relaxation techniques, cold cloths, in & out of tubs, much sweat- even more tears (of JOY), long sleepless nights, thousands more miles on the car but somehow with the help of my amazing #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam we did something we weren't sure could happen... we brought quality childbirth training/ educational workshops & full DOULA services to both Charlotte, NC & Athens, GA and surrounding areas!!!! So very proud of my team- beyond excited to grow this amazing business with them... Coming soon two more Certified Childbirth Educators, another team member in Athens & many more valuable services including lactation services & marital counseling services... we do way more than prep families for childbirth~ we do life together! Sometimes, there are challenges before birth, sometimes the birth itself is challenging, sometimes families suffer loss of health, loss of marriage, jobs & even loss of life. Your Birth Helper is proud to support families through whatever life brings their way! We pride ourselves in loving and supporting ALL PEOPLE & ALL FAMILIES. Please help me congratulate this amazing group of women: Nancy Cook, Allison Termeer & Lena May!!! Thank you EXPERTISE.COM for recognizing our dedication to families and the natural process! And, a special thanks to Nancy Cook for pouring into the next generation of DOULAS with me!! Below our own Violet Mae xoxox born to Doula Apprentice Allison T #birth #CharlotteBirthFamily #Doula #EpiduralFreeBirth #Birthwithoutanepidural #DoulaAssistedBirth #YourBirthHelper #BirthCenterBirth #SymbioticBirth #OvercomingInductionnaturally #BradleyMethod #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #LaborCoaching #BirthWithoutFear

After much deliberation, contemplation & consideration of all the Amazing Births we had this year, allow me to share Your Birth Helper's choice for: "2017 Georgia Birth Story of the year" Athens, GA... Congrat's to Amy & Josh Clevenger! HOW THIS COUPLE OVERCAME MAJOR WHAMMIES TO ACHIEVE THEIR BIRTH GOALS! I created Your Birth Helper.com with a few simple goals: Healthier Moms & Healthier Babies with a specialty of creating more happy "birth" days! I did not realize that narrowing down from a years worth of amazing "birth" stories, I would have such a difficult time choosing only two special two special couples & births. One from Georgia & one from North Carolina to feature for 2017. Allow me to first share some basic thoughts every expectant couple should consider, no matter whether your first or your fifth birth. Congratulations! You are going to be parents they say, but no one says, Oh by the way are you aware of all the risks, what if's and whammies associated with bringing life into the world? Of course not! Geez, we would all be a nervous wreck if we allowed such a vast list of unexpected situations to overpower our happy thoughts about childbearing. Sadly, many couples spend way more time researching their next new cell phone, computer or car than they ever will spend to bring forth life... WHY IS THAT? Seems a little geek'd up right? How do we go about changing that mindset? To bring attention to the fact you should know how to meet your nutritional needs while pregnant and you should learn how to properly tone and condition your birthing muscles, but even your obstetrician doesn't share these basics. This preventative education alone could spare women dozens of poor outcomes. Shockingly, one of the few doctors highly educated in nutrition as it applies to reproduction and lactation is a veterinarian. Although, we are all grateful for our amazing farmers and more options in clean eating, it leaves me pondering, when did the health of animals before or during reproduction become more important than our own human offspring? Labor and birth for a woman is the most athletic event she will ever take part in. Indeed a marathon by every definition of the word. Therefore, you should acquire enough stamina through regular physical exercise daily to fuel you through the labor from start to finish. Simply put you need a good nutritional plan, exercise regiment and proven relaxation techniques for not just physical relaxation, but emotional and mental relaxation, as well. The twelve week course in The Bradley Method® has all the above besides with YourBirthHelper.com its not just a childbirth class or doula service, we do life together! Couples can plug in as little or as much as they would like. My mantra, "You begin as students, but you end as family!" Below classmates of Amy & Josh aka their #AthensBirthFamily! Interview with Josh~ FOOD FOR THOUGHT FROM DAD'S POINT OF VIEW: Me: The biggest challenge preparing for labor/ practicing for the big day? Josh: Sadly we did not do our relaxation homework as much as we should have. We did do it sporadically, but we couldn’t connect practice with the real thing: Meaning the pain she would need to relax through we couldn’t simulate (of course!). So we neglected relaxation practice. We did read all the material for each class. I read many books, Husband Coached Childbirth twice, and a few other natural childbirth books my mom gave me. Amy was amazing at keeping to the diet. She loves planning and detail and so recording everything she ate and making sure she hit her goal every day was right in her wheelhouse. We celebrated everyday when she ate 90 g and above protein. I was very proud of her dedication. Me: How do you feel your relationship has changed since your son was born? Josh: I don’t think our relationship has changed. We have been together for a while (12 years) and are very committed to one another. I will say that I certainly could not have felt more love than watching what she did during the birth. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. But, to be fair, I knew she was like that from the beginning so I wasn’t too surprised. No man would ever be able to endure that. Me: TRUE ~ VERY TRUE! LOL AMY'S TIPS ON TRAINING: Me: Why did you chose The Bradley Method®? Amy: Josh was a Bradley baby so we were open to the idea. We wanted to give our baby the best possible start and loved the idea of minimal interventions. We did it for our baby! Me: What you feel (in your words) was the most beneficial prep during the 12 weeks i. e. Nutritional plan, exercise prep, relaxation practice, labor role play etc. ? Amy: For me, the combination of all of the prep was important. I wanted to do everything possible to prep for the big day/marathon... and we used every bit of it after all! Dean Pannell, of Pannell Designs & Events in Bogart, provided each mom a beautiful rose during their childbirth class graduation celebration. Why should you attend Birth Training? Because, what comes instinctive, is to do everything wrong! Oh the irony. Likewise, men do not naturally possess "labor coaching" skills either. Most possess zero knowledge on how to best support their partner without proper advance research, education and skills. Let's face it, just because we have the body parts as women, does NOT mean we know how to best handle a contraction, let alone expelling a baby from our body, nor the proper breastfeeding basics and the list goes on. Dr. Robert A. Bradley said it best, "It takes 9 months to grow a baby full term and it takes 9 months to learn what you need to know to properly care for and nourish it before its born." And, in the words of Pamela Sauls, AAHCC, " It takes 12 months to determine which birth story contained so much unpredictability, while maintaining our goal of #SymbioticBirth collaborative teamwork, despite days of labor, with an amazing birth team, at an amazing birth place! In this particular 2017 feature birth story, despite all odds, the couple still managed to accomplish their goal of an "epidural free birth!" Luckily, for Amy Clevenger, her husband took his role as Labor Coach seriously and agreed the twelve week training in The Bradley Method® just made sense because he desired the skills to better assist her and not go blindly into birthing. Not only did the couple attend a two hour weekly class in Athens, Ga, they reviewed the student workbook, instead of allowing the book to collect dust or stay in the car all week. The exercise & nutritional plan alone are the basics to staying healthy and low risk, ensuring as a laboring mother, Amy would have even more choices. Often what comes natural to us during childbirth is to do everything wrong- not right. That is the same reason why I caution clients who go with the "do whatever your body tells you" concept to labor and birth, you might need a different plan. Now don't get me wrong, you CAN do business that way, but why would you want to be in higher thresholds of pain and discomfort if you didn't have to? For starters, you need to know when a contraction hits and everything in you wants to RISE UP~ you gotta welcome your inner namaste and allow your body to SINK DOWN! It is not as easy as some think. Its also why many couples who do not educate lose site of their target birth experience in late labor. Their plans all of a sudden change and they are asking for epidural or surgery to bring a sudden end to the process. Cooked like a turkey DONE, as I like to say. You see labor has a way of making us feel this way, "just get it over with already!" In my book of birthing, there is little instinctively done correct by the average woman, experiencing an average labor, especially if transition is involved. However, when we teach ourselves how to properly respond to contractions, all of a sudden the ball game changes. We flip the script. Moms are no longer objecting to more contractions, when they understand the process they are welcoming contractions so as to finish strong. The closer together, the stronger- the BETTER! In Bradley® classes we call this, Relating Pain with Progress. Daily training is very beneficial, utilizing the training plan that weekly builds, pays off big on labor day. Being a relaxation expert by the time you go into labor, pays off big and couples like Josh & Amy would never had been able to weather the challenges they faced during their labor and birth without applying what they learned. Couple's that experience a difficult long labor and those couples who have not prepared for unexpected variations or medical complications are in a position where even one small challenge can derail mom's birth plan. In this years, Georgia Birth Story of the Year, Amy had six major stumbling blocks and it took many hours of endurance and active coaching to overcome and still birth vaginally, let alone without an epidural. A prime example, Training matters. Practice matters. The natural process of childbirth hasn't changed much but what you are subjected to in a medical birth experience varies greatly from hospital to hospital and even from practice to practice but the very best start to life remains a low intervention drug free birth. That hasn't changed at all and FDA continues their stance that NO DRUG has ever been proven 100% safe for mom or baby. We are grateful for our medical professionals and the advances that save many lives, but we are also grateful for medical professionals who welcome the natural process and save those interventions for the few who actually require them during true medical complications. Josh and Amy desired to avoid as many routine procedures, intervention and drugs as possible, including induction. In the days leading up to active labor, they did a number of things to help prep her body. We did pressure point work for her Friday before while she enjoyed floating in a friends pool. On Wednesday following, we met up for a very country breakfast @ Strickland's family restaurant in Athens. After, together we traveled to Clarkesville, a city in north Georgia, to walk up a mountain literally! For lunch, she ate crazy asian food covered in all sorts of wild sauces, then we walked some more! When I dropped her off back at home, she was having mild contractions. Active Labor kicked in high gear on Friday Sept 1st , 2017 (she was due Aug 23rd). Her baby was born epidural free on Sept 4th @ 11:40am against all odds in classic position. As the baby was placed on her chest, Amy cried out, "Awww his head looks like a peanut!" Keep reading and find out why and how unbelievable it truly was that baby Phoenix managed to find the exit. My earlier years of assisting births dates back to end of 1991, but this birth story contained a first for me as shortly after arriving at their birth place, they learned they were placed on lock down for an active shooter in the hospital. Yup, you can't make this stuff up. The shooter was on the 5th floor, Labor & Delivery lock down on the 3rd floor. That certainly could destroy your relaxation in about 2 seconds flat. Yet, despite all the craziness, Amy maintained her relaxed state to the best of her ability. To better understand just what all Amy overcame to birth vaginally, allow me to take you through the hurdles she jumped and cleared with help from her husband coach, myself as doula, supportive nurses and two awesome "hands off" midwives. AMY, along with her husband JOSH coaching, endured an extremely long labor. Which challenged both dad and mom. Josh did not realize how difficult it was to stay awake 2.5 days while assisting Amy through contractions every few minutes. Amy had a slow to dilate cervix and at one point a tired uterus with contractions spacing out and getting shorter. An Asynclitic head position certainly didn't help any (Phoenix decided to put the side of his head into the birth canal). Misaligned head presentation was suspected as a possible reason for holding up the labor. If the baby fails to align the smallest portion of the back of the head in the birth canal, a variety of labor challenges can follow. Often we find in the weeks and days prior, prodromal labor occurs. Not only can this create more rapid short contractions (often the body's way of trying to alter the position), but often only serves to burn up a lot of moms energy and keeps her from sleeping prior to active labor. It is never a good starting point for a woman to go into hard labor already exhausted. This is true for dad, as well. When accompanied with other unusual pain, such as glut pain, we can have a baby who decides to come out looking all cute (like Phoenix did) hand up under his chin... so now Amy is not only birthing a head but also a hand. The hands and knees position can be beneficial to ease glut pain and added pressure. Needless to say, this power couple together handled each stumbling block, maintained the dedication to the natural process by not focusing on the length of the labor but assuring good positioning throughout, that both mom and baby were fine and a hands off relaxing environment, along with, avoiding an epidural was key to her successful push phase. Upon birth we also realized she had a short umbilical cord (on average they are around 21 inches long) her cord was also fused into the membranes. Interview with AMY~ TIPS FOR MOMS WHO DESIRE TO AVOID PAIN MANAGEMENT: Me: What would you describe was the key element, other than your own stubbornness that allowed you to endure such a trying Labor without an epidural? Amy: I wanted the best for our baby and wanted to avoid an epidural. I also had a supportive coach/husband and doula that helped me through. Our midwife was also helpful, being open to working through our situation and options, respecting our preferences and safety. Me: What you feel helped you the most? Include positions or tub, ball, etc. or certain relaxation techniques, such as 8th grade dance, counter pressure, music, low verbal noises, etc. Amy: changing and trying ALL positions was the key to progressing the labor. It is not easy but so important in labor, especially one like mine. The low verbal noises, grunting and music were also important getting through the labor contractions. Me: Best Advice for moms who experience long labor who want to labor epidural free? Amy: I had faith I could get through the labor, even though I may have doubted myself at times. If you have faith and trust yourself, your coach, support and medical team, I think you can do more than you expect. Rely on what you learned and trust your body! Thinking about meeting your baby and the gift you’re giving it helps too! Their labor, no doubt, was by every definition of the word, a prime example of what I like to call, "SYMBIOTIC BIRTH"... normality plus only medically necessary interventions. A perfect blend of two mindsets. This concept is very refreshing to educated couples who have prepared, practiced and are devoted to properly apply what they have learned. Having a basis of knowledge of common issues during labor, with proper informed consent, they dealt with each unexpected situation one at a time! It is important for doctors, midwives and other hospital staff to realize educated couples, like Josh and Amy, will gladly alter their birth plans, if a medical complication arises. Likewise, if mom and baby are fine, they prefer to be left alone to work through labor using a variety of comfortable positions, keeping disruptions to a minimum and avoiding routine interventions that do not apply to them. Having supportive staff can often make the difference between drug free and/or low intervention birth and failure to progress/unproductive labor that often ends in surgery. What staff says in front of the laboring MOM & DAD also matters! Negative words have the ability to empower or defeat the couple. Dr. Bradley shared approximately 3% of mothers truly have a medical need for a c-section and another 3% have a true medical need for various medicine, including things like BP lowering meds, pitocin, etc. Statistically, that leaves approximately 94% of women, particularly if educated, trained and in a supportive birth place, quite capable of birthing their baby free of medical interventions. FINAL THOUGHTS FROM MY INTERVIEW WITH THIS AMAZING POWER COUPLE : Me: Why did you decide to hire YourBirthHelper.com? Amy: We knew you were very experienced in ‘happy birth days’ and that you would support us and make sure we made educated decisions throughout labor. Having your support was a major factor in sticking as close as possible to our birth plan. Me: What was your Biggest challenge of your Birth marathon. Amy: the pure exhaustion of being in labor so long was the biggest challenge, which let doubt creep in at one point. I’m glad I didn’t let it beat me down! Me: Why Did you Decide to Hire a DOULA and your biggest challenge during long labor? Josh: The best thing I did in my life was ask Pam to be our doula. I wouldn’t have held up the whole time without her there, and I can guarantee Amy would have ended with an epidural or surgery. I think what helped me the most was having run many half marathons and a full marathon. Dr. Bradley says childbirth is an endurance event, and not just for the moms. When running long distance it is a mental game, you always have small goals. Every time you hit a goal you move on to the next one. Then before you know it you’re at the end. During Amy’s contractions, I thought of every one as a small goal. Every time she made it through one that was one she didn’t have to endure again. That helped me keep going. I will admit it made her mad when I told her that every one got her a little closer. She called me a liar. The best thing I will do next time (if there is a next time) is pay attention to my rest (as coach) and nutrition as the date got closer. I thought we would do the relaxation at home for a while, go to the hospital at the right time, and be there for pushing and pictures. I never envisioned I would have to not only be awake for two and a half days, but also do so much work. Amy’s contractions started on Friday, but they weren’t that strong or very close together. On Saturday I was a dumb dumb and didn’t read the signs well enough (even though my mom let me know) and I went on a 5 mile run! That was so stupid because I didn’t go to sleep again for the night until Monday! When it gets close I should have made sure I was well rested and full of carbohydrates. Childbirth is a serious business and is even work for us men. Not as much obviously, but I was not going to take breaks or relax when she had to do so much work! I also think being more serious about talking about plans when you are thrown curve balls is good. When it’s 30 hours in and your partner is really getting blasted things can get emotional and it’s hard to make decisions. I think the decision we made (thanks to Pam) was awesome, but I wish I could have made it earlier. We maybe pushed it a little too far. So if I had to be concise I would say: (1) Have help from someone who has experience (2) Take care of yourself and be well rested as the date gets close (3) Be overly prepared for complications and how you and your partner want to handle them (4) Marvel at the miracle. Dear WORLD, This is baby Phoenix. The little "peanut head" as mom proclaimed after birth. Some may find it interesting to know, his proud father, Josh, happens to be a Research Scientist who studies peanuts... how ironic? On behalf of the entire Your Birth Helper Family, Thank you Josh & Amy for your dedication to the natural process of BIRTH! Special thanks to the amazing midwives of Women's Healthcare Associates & the amazing nurses of St. Mary's hospital Athens, GA. Your support to couples and their birth plans is greatly appreciated. It is my utmost pleasure to honor your efforts during your birth marathon as, 2017 BIRTH STORY OF THE YEAR FOR GEORGIA P.S. I often contradict moms & dads who say they could not have accomplished their birth goals without me... I respond this way, "Sure you could have, you just wouldn't have had as much FUN! Happy Amazing belated "BIRTH" DAY Phoenix! Love, Ms. Pam #YourBirthHelper #DoulaAssistedBirth #Birthwithoutanepidural #MidwifeAssistedHospitalBirth #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #AthensBirthFamily #PregnancyEducation #PreparingforBirthing #EpiduralFreeBirth #AsyncliticHeadPosition #LongLabor

How does one decide to take childbirth classes, to hire a Doula, to birth in or out of a hospital? First, allow me to introduce you to Jon & Ashley Attard. They were expecting baby #1 together and Ashley desired a natural out of hospital experience. Jon wasn't new to birth, he has a ten year old son, but he was new to playing an active role of Coach during labor. You see, with his first son, he had not attended any childbirth education classes and only filled the role of spectator during a medicated birth in a hospital setting. The trouble going that route, is most men have zero prior knowledge or applicable skills instilled in them to assist their wife during her birth marathon thus leaving them feeling powerless and simply having to watch their loved one in pain. With this labor & birth, not only would he assume his role as husband coach eagerly, he would have training from the YourBirthHelper team on ways to best handle labor and assist Ashley with more productive positions, effective proven relaxation techniques to help reduce her pain, coach her throughout various stages of labor & birth, labor with her at home, assess her labor & when to leave for the birth center, etc. Nope, willingly assuming his role as a trained husband coach, he understood he would be ever present, hands on while lovingly assisting Ashley. To compliment his active participation, they would also have the assistance of a team of helpers. Together, they would bring their baby into the world! Yes, Ashley was planning a complete opposite experience of Jon's first. When Ashley explained to Jon what a doula was and why she desired to hire one he was not offended. Actually, he admitted during their initial consult, he felt quite clueless when it came to childbirth. More so, with his easily excited/nervous personality, he could possibly be too freaked out during hard labor to know what to do and how to help her, especially should she have a first labor worse case scenario. (That was, of course, before he trained). Step One: Chose training that WORKS. Anyone can say they teach a childbirth class, but it is way more than just saying you took a class. You need skills to take with you. You need at least the basics: how to eat properly to grow a healthy placenta, healthy uterus, healthy baby & keep mom healthy & low risk, (especially if considering an out of hospital birth). You need a proven exercise & relaxation plan that grows with you. The closer you get to your due date, the more time you focus on your homework, finish strong. You need skills including: what does mom do during labor, what does dad do during labor, how does dad help mom reduce unnecessary pain & discomfort, etc. You must APPLY what you learn. The best case scenario would be the twelve week preparation in The Bradley Method® a proven tested method of natural birth. Bearing you make good decisions, you do not have medical reasons for surgery, mom stays healthy & low risk and you actually apply what you learned, the method is quite successful in drug free, low intervention birth. On average, 87% of couples who properly train & prepare experience low intervention drug free birth by choice. Search www.bradleybirth.com to find an affiliated teacher near you. Keep in mind as with all others, these are independent instructors. It is important to know the experience level of who is teaching your class. If your work schedules simply will not allow you to participate in a 12 week course, consider at least attending a few training workshops like YourBirthHelper.com offers. You need to, at least, acquire the basics and begin prepping your body by the second trimester, if all possible. Then a labor role play can be particularly beneficial to your coach, closer to your due date. Practice makes perfect. What comes natural to us in labor is often the opposite of what we should be doing to reduce discomfort. Having zero training is never a good plan, despite your choice to medicate or not, have an in hospital birth, birth center or home. Training is key and can prevent a multitude of problems near term & throughout pregnancy in general. First, Jon recognized he was pretty clueless about how to help. In his words... Jon: “I wanted some professional to help Ashley birth naturally & free of medical intervention. The thought of the pain she would be in just blew my mind. I didn’t know where to even tell her to put her legs or how to breathe! At our initial consult, I was left feeling confident that I could be a great coach and you would help guide me! Pam: "After training, Jon not only knew how Ashley should properly breathe, but helped her with a variety of positions both throughout early, active & late labor and actively supported Ashley during the birth, as well. I could not have been more proud of him!" Step Two: Choose a DOULA you feel comfortable with. Start by searching local doulas in your area. Often your doctor, midwife or birth center can make a referral. Likewise, check in with your mommy groups, are there local speed dating events, etc. You can hire a Doula at any time, but keep in mind like your practitioners, they work from a calendar. It is helpful to doula's to at least be able to hold your due date in their planner. With babies being quite unpredictable, some on time, some two weeks early, some two weeks late, the earlier you hire a doula, typically the better. What if dad starts feeling overwhelmed in late pregnancy? No worry, YourBirthHelper.com has taken clients due anytime, but again thats not the best case scenario. Having some time to get to know your doula, get some training in, etc. is the best plan for success. Join in our #BirthFamily events around the city. You can't ever go wrong surrounding yourself with likeminded people. I think Jon enjoyed the help of the #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam as much as Ashley did! Often men in particular, do not realize the Doula serves as support to the couple, to achieve their wishes, for their birth, their way. Dad included! Jon: "I would tell other men, not to worry about the little stuff, because as you guided me, I learned more and more that as a team, we would be able to get through it and have a successful labor." Jon also learned, not every stage of labor is overwhelming. In fact, most couples do not need any assistance during early phases of labor. We teach if its not at least a 60 second contraction, go about your business as normal. In fact, many practices ask healthy moms to use the 4-1-1 meaning 4 minute apart or less contraction frequency, at least (60 seconds) 1 minute long duration, consistent for over an hour prior to heading over. For many couples, a great majority of their labor will be managed at home prior to arrival at their birth place, as was the case for Ashley. Since she was birthing at Baby & Company Charlotte, they suggest arriving during Active Labor (around 6cm as ACOG suggests). Jon & Ashley took comfort in knowing they had 24/7 access to consult or acquire tips for the earlier phases. After training, Jon was able to properly assess the stages of labor and made a great decision of when to leave for their birth place. Simply put, he rocked his coach role at home and at the birth center. As you can see here, even in late labor, Ashley and Jon enjoy some laughter during a break between her powerful contractions. Pam: "With quality education comes knowledge, when knowledge is applied that becomes power! It is not that mom can not take another contraction physically, but often a lack of emotional support during her labor that holds her up or causes increased pain levels. Mentally, she should be "ever present" on this most important work, freeing her mind of all other matters. Her body needs her to relax, sink down & surrender to her uterus. Her job is to fill the uterus with air, lean in and stay out of its way. It matters that her coach loves her enough to help her through the contractions and has the skills to assist her into productive positions, etc. There are some tricks to the trade. We can make our labor & birth harder by doing things incorrectly and we definitely can make labor easier to manage when we do things right during a contraction. That takes practice it does not typically come instinctively. I do believe most men truly want to assist their wives, they just don't know in advance what to do. Much like us women...remember, just because we have the body parts, does not mean we know what to do with them during labor, birth or breastfeeding for that matter." Ashley: "I could not be more pleased with what a great help Jon was and he has continued to be since we came home! Both of us totally misjudged his abilities!!" Dr. Robert A. Bradley: "A trained husband Coach can do way more for his laboring wife than any amount of medication." Jon: "Actually seeing the birth happen and being a big part of it was my favorite aspect of the process!" In engineering, The Hawthorne Effect (the effect of personal attention on another) is extremely powerful. In birthing, the teamwork aspect goes a long way. When dad has the right training & tools to help mom, quite remarkable results occur. Ashley & Jon parents were both 12 hours away, in different directions. They knew they wouldn't have a support team of family members in Charlotte to help out. Therefore, when they found out what exactly a doula was, they immediately were on board with hiring one. Ashley first looked over several different profiles and websites for doulas in the area and kept coming back to YourBirthHelper.com Our motto: You begin as students but you end as FAMILY~ #BirthFamily #CharlotteBirthFamily We do life together! Ashley: "I honestly felt something in seeing your picture on your doula speed date profile, which ended up being a picture of you with a couple you helped deliver twice. Our reasoning for wanting a doula to support us while laboring at home initially was because of the birth center delayed arrival and just wanting you there closer to delivery. I knew we were going to be laboring at home for a big majority of the time. I was very proud that I labored the first 12 hours on my own, while texting you to confirm that I was legitimately in labor! Once that 13th hour hit though, the pain got more intense and I knew I needed you and your team to head my way. I started really feeling more labor pains and Jon started to get nervous. I guess if someone was to have a hospital birth, they may not be concerned with laboring at home, but knowing what we do now, we would recommend laboring at home, regardless of the planned birth location." Your own environment with familiar surroundings and family pets can be very comforting during the labor process. They have a keen sense of awareness when mom is near or in labor. It is recommended to bring the baby's first (unwashed) hat home so family pets may acquire the scent of the baby prior to baby's homecoming. Ashley: "I knew from the start of my pregnancy that I wanted a natural delivery and that I did not want to deliver in a hospital. I also know that we are very lucky that I had such a healthy pregnancy and easy delivery, there are so many things that could happen. I believe the birth center and your workshop totally helped prepare us and helped with our goals! Once labor started, it was just needing everyone to keep reminding me what my plan and goals were to keep me on the right path!!" Happy "Birth"day Noah Ross Attard, weighing 8lbs 1 oz, 19 3/4" long ten days early. Mom & Dad couldn't be more proud and neither could the entire YourBirthHelper #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam! Special thanks to Baby & Co staff and the amazing Nancy Cook & doula apprentice, Allison Termeer (who gave birth herself just 17 days after)! #YourBirthHelper #naturalbirth #SymbioticBirth #DrugFreeBirth #BirthCenterBirth #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #Daddyhelpedbirthme #DelayedCordClamping #BabyCo #CharlotteBirthFamily #DoulaAssistance #Doula #LaborCoaching #Birthwithoutanepidural

Sometimes, labors are long, sometimes, labors are short. Sometimes, actually most of the time healthy women carry 8 days over their estimated due dates. Sometime, labors can be 2-4 weeks earlier than expected. Majority of spontaneous labors for healthy moms = water breaking naturally around 8cm dilated. Sometimes, the water breaks first and contractions do not follow. As was the situation for Lauren & Matthew. They had their final childbirth class in The Bradley Method (r) Monday evening and just a few short days later she woke to water leaking. She did all the things in her power to bring about labor naturally. Often times we can produce our own contractions utilizing a breast pump for stimulation & to help the body release natural oxytocin. She & Matthew walked & walked trying hard to avoid pitocin, if all possible, but sadly labor contractions did not commence. By evening they went in to get baby checked out bc movement had really slowed down. They made the decision once again to wait it out at home. Finally, in the wee hours of the morning the couple headed in to consider as we had discussed previously adding a low dose minimal dose oxytocin we commonly call pitocin. It was just what Lauren needed to tip her over the early labor edge. A short 2 hours later and she was rocking & rolling. Matthew text me to come on and just minutes later another text that say wait we want to see if the contractions would pick up. Oh did they. I took it upon myself to rise @ 6am, wake myself up, shower etc., and I hear a text come through. I grabbed my cell and immediately can’t believe my eyes. Matthew had sent me a video clip of Lauren taking labor contractions while clothed & sitting backward on the commode. His caption read, very serious we are in active first labor now. After viewing the video clip and hearing the push phase noises, I immediately said aloud to myself, “Or Late First & gonna have a baby without me!” I threw myself together and rushed out the door. Upon arriving to Athens Piedmont Hospital formerly known as Athens Regional Hospital, the baby had indeed made its entrance into the world behind clothes doors, well kind of a door, a bathroom door. Midwife Meredith expressed, wasn’t the first time I’ve had to help catch a baby over the toilet and won’t be the last I’m sure. I couldn’t believe it and neither could Lauren or Matthew but we all just laughed and I said, “Hey I would never have asked you to uncross your fingers and cross your legs so you could wait on me. #NoBirthStoolNoProblem #DaddyHelpedBornMe #MidwivesRock #SymbioticBirth #YourBirthHelper #womenshealthcareassociates #meredithturnercnm #TreeOfLife #shortlabor #PROM #naturalbirth #AthensBirthFamily #OneProudDoula #OneProudChildbirthEducator #HusbandCoached #HusbandCaught #naturalbirth #Daddyhelpedbirthme #Midwife #Restroombirth #Shortlabor #YourBirthHelper #SymbioticBirth

Pregnancy is a time of Joy and anticipation. The excitement even when unexpected, grows month after month. When the Barker family learned they were unexpectedly expecting they could not contain the news. They phoned me very late one evening close to midnight on Christmas day to share. Thus the #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam was born also because Larry & Rachel insisted, there would NOT be another labor without Your Birth Helper despite my being in Georgia. I was honored, of course, not just because I was one of the first to know they were expecting, but also because they desired my team to assist with her upcoming "birth"day!! Rachel is one of my former successful VBAC clients, Larry her husband after being trained a super coach and it had not even been a year since our last birth together. No one expects to hear the words "NO HEARTBEAT". Not in the early weeks of pregnancy, nor in the latter weeks of pregnancy but yet, IT HAPPENS. Sadly, more often than many of us think. October has been named Pregnancy & Infant Loss Awareness Month. Statistically, miscarriage, still born & infant loss affects approximately 1 in 4 families. This blog is written from the heart, to better educate and inform expectant couples. Pregnancy despite how healthy mom is before conception, how healthy mom is during her pregnancy or how good her prenatal care, there will always be risks. Here is a direct link to her personal trials after infant loss: https://www.facebook.com/rachel.g.barker/posts/10214447532570149:0 Many times, when a couple suffers a loss whether miscarriage, before or during labor there simply are no explanations. Nothing concrete that eases the parents minds, nothing definitive from autopsy or examining the placenta so parents are left wondering why. Maybe, the most comforting words to us all came from the Priest, who shared, "Baby Mable only knew LOVE." Only Love, in her entire life, how comforting! Here is what we do know: A healthy baby's heart just doesn't stop beating. Sometimes, the baby can cut off its own oxygen supply by squeezing or compressing the cord. Sometimes, baby gets tangled up in its own cord, sometimes cords are around the neck. Sometimes, birth defects, illness or disease goes undetected. Sometimes, placental malfunctions can occur. Sometimes, bacteria, virus & fevers, etc. can interfere with health of mom, baby & placenta. Sometimes, as this couple found, even with genetic testing to check for top ten factors that might negatively affect a viable fetus- nothing is found. Sometimes, even with elective, in depth ultrasound early or near term, no abnormalities are found. Here is what we can do: We can strive to meet our nutritional needs 80-100 grams of high quality protein daily. Consuming harmonious proportions of each element & proper servings of a well balanced diet. (The Tom Brewer MD nutritional recommendations have been studied and proven 100% successful in eradicating Toxemia / pre-eclampsia in late pregnancy with one week of correcting nutritional deficiencies). We also know it only takes one week of a bad diet to contribute to poor outcomes. We know that daily exercise for overall stamina/health of mom & her uterus is preferred. We know that pregnancy exercises can tone & condition the muscles used in birthing. We know that daily kegels (200 a day) are recommended to keep the pelvic floor toned & conditioned. We know that good chiropractic care can sometimes help baby's avoid improper positioning in mom's birth canal. We know that when mom has poor posture it often affects the baby's head presentation or can prolong labor length. We know a mom in last trimester should NOT be sleeping on her back, nor on her back for any length of time due to the positioning of our aorta & vena cava it can constrict baby's oxygen supply. We know that excess mercury, vitamin c, overgrowth of yeast, bacteria, virus & lack of overall nutrition can contribute to the bag of waters breaking prematurely. We know we should eat good blood building foods last trimester to prevent becoming hypovolemic... be proactive in making more blood prior to third stage labor blood loss. And, as Rachel & Larry would strongly suggest, keep track of your kick counts utilizing an app called: COUNT THE KICKS, a free app created by mothers who suffered late term losses. The app will compare variation of normal patterns for specific days, weeks, etc. that often Mom may not recognize. Formerly, Rachel had been given a basic flier from the doctors office suggesting monitoring of kick counts and even though she regularly checked in with baby, still suffered the Loss of her third daughter at 37 weeks gestation. She also believes a mother should trust her intuition. She had not felt well the week before, just labeled it as something was off, she didn't feel everything was fine. Sadly, in the appointment before nothing overt or that could be detected specifically, however, she was told her white counts were slightly elevated and there was slight protein in her urine. They were within normal range but elevated for her. Since, her loss, in doing more thorough research, she has learned it is NOT normal for all babies to slow movement near end of pregnancy nor that significant movement is always good movement. Those are two common misconceptions near term. She would suggest you call your doctor, wake your partner and not consider yourself being dramatic, or over reacting (she felt as if she was even on the way to the hospital that evening) trust your gut. If nothing else, you will be reassured baby is fine by hearing its heartbeat and be on your way back home, no matter the time of day or night. Don't wait until the next morning and go to your doctor if you think something is off, because as in her situation, the next day may be too late. The couple believes, maybe, there may have been a slim chance she could've picked up a problem and sought help sooner had they had more knowledge on the subject. Sadly, they were not aware of this app prior to their own loss. We would all agree we are not overly educated on the subject and although its difficult to prevent such loss, Rachel believes if she had utilized this app, it may have alerted her to her the variances of concern & she could've sought help or checked on baby sooner in an effort to prevent baby Mable's loss. The American Congress of Obstetricians & Gynecologists recommends beginning kick counts starting in your 28th week or at 26 weeks if considered high risk or carrying multiples. YourBirthHelper.com, along with Larry & Rachel Barker would suggest using this app. It doesn't require much of your time and besides tracking your baby's activity is a great way to get to know your baby. After a few days of using the app, a normal pattern appears. Call your provider if you notice a change in your baby's "normal" movement pattern. Each baby is different. More information can be found on http://www.countthekicks.org #Stillborn #InfantLoss #Birth #CMCPineville #KickCounts #StillbornDoulaSupport #Oct15th #CountTheKicks #CountTheKicksApp

There is a great misconception in labor. It is when women have a tendency to think that just because they have endured one labor & birth, any additional labor/ births should be easier, right? Sadly, this is not the norm. In fact, many women tend to find the opposite. Dr. Bradley was quick to educate women on such a myth. He was adamant couples should prepare for each baby as they did the first, because all babies are different and therefore all individual labors are different. It is also why The Bradley Method® does not offer review or refresher classes. Affiliated instructors are Not allowed to teach fewer than twelve classes, because Dr. Bradley proved twelve weeks of prep for each pregnancy meant 94% of his clients were successful in a drug free, low intervention birth when properly prepared. Each pregnancy presents its own challenges and where most struggle is in the area of splitting their time to properly prepare for and during subsequent pregnancies. You see, its very hard to ask your toddler to sit quietly while you do your exercises, plan & prepare a well balanced healthy meal daily, yet alone, practice relaxation for the second one. In fact, its quite the opposite, especially for moms working outside the home. The struggle is real... we are real busy people and unless we set aside time to make those things happen with each baby, unfortunately we do not go into the other labors & births feeling as prepared both mentally & physically. But, what about emotional relaxation? Many fail to realize it is a big factor of making or breaking your #SymbioticBirth experience. We already have this thing called not so happy HORMONES combined with our quickly fatigued bodies tired from just carrying a baby working against us. Now, for a basic concept taught years ago by Dr. Robert A. Bradley of The Bradley Method® of natural childbirth aka as Husband Coached Childbirth. The word "Husband" today some have taken to be derogatory- that should not be the case. Don't cheat yourself out if good quality education simply to be political correct by today's standards. Simply, acknowledge the labor coach (which formerly was most often the husband or father of the baby) today could be a friend for a single mom, wife to a same sex couple, life partner, etc. The coach is someone in which mom shall rely on to best support her wishes and be an advocate for her during hardest phases of labor when she is no longer thinking clearly. As Garrett was for Erica. And, girls if you think you will not experience "foggy brain-out of mind- lack of thinking clearly-self doubt during labor"... well, better think again, most do. This is most often the time when mom instead of surrendering to her labor, surrenders her birth plans to countless medical interventions. Did you know statistically only a third of women endure a very difficult transition? Be encouraged a third of women have a mild transition in which they never ask for medication nor desire it and a third of women do not have transition at all- THANK GOODNESS!! The use of a DOULA most often serves Mom and the couple as a whole, in addition to, her Coach during difficult phases of labor, helping keeping mom in a relaxed state, helping navigate through labor trials thus increasing your odds of low intervention drug free birth, should that be your goal. Doula's can also support the couple through necessary medical interventions such as epidural administration, prior or after surgery, etc. Each labor brings about a various role of assistance. Dr. Bradley also explained a very important aspect of successful productive labor: RELAXATION = PROGRESS ~ Don't be fooled into thinking your only the task is relaxing physically. Let's break this down: Physical Relaxation has to do with how successful MOM is in turning off ALL muscle groups NOT involved in holding us into position. This simple concept removes additional tension from the body and allows the uterus to work unhindered. By removing additional tension, we also only endure the pain associated with the contraction, not additional pain we create ourselves. Mental Relaxation has to do with what we are thinking about in labor. Make no mistake not being able to tame the mind and focus on your happy thoughts can clearly make or break someone's low intervention or drug free birth experience. We must be able to set the mind free to achieve proper levels of relaxation & even healthy blood pressures for that matter. Ever gotten upset by thinking about something that happened to you or the words someone spoke that planted seeds of doubt or hurt feelings... it affects our entire being. It matters whether those in the room support mom and encourage her to focus on happy healthy thoughts. Emotional Relaxation has to do with what we feel about what is happening to us, our body & our baby. These feelings can directly affect moms level of comfort, confidence & ultimately her progress. I have personally witnessed moms who were doing an amazing job through their contractions become instantly upset & ultimately defeated by a simple text message from a non-supportive family member, words spoken from a doctor or nurse such as "big baby", "induction", "c-section", a gesture such as "bringing the epidural kit into the room of a mom desiring natural birth" or my personal favorite, pointless effects of the internal exam... mom does NOT need to hear a number! Unless its a 9-10 with the go ahead to push, numbers are defeating. Often, a number we don't want to hear can lead us to believe, (as a laboring woman), WE CAN'T Do This. For Erica, a trained massage therapist, aka relaxation expert herself, breathing & relaxing through a contraction was not an issue. She rocked that aspect of labor (which most would consider the hardest part- the contraction right?) but with anything, Practice makes perfect! However, many things were rolling around in Erica's head preventing her from TOTAL RELAXATION... mentally her mind was thinking: What if I have to push for over 7 hrs again what happens to my Hernia? Will I do even more damage to my body? What is the baby is too big, I'll end up with a c-section anyway? She continued to roll all this around in her brain despite her relaxed legs, arms, gluts & kegel... everything looked relaxed from the outside, in fact, the opposite was transpiring in her mind. She began to question her ability to birth vaginally, let alone drug free even though the first time she accomplished drug free natural birth overcoming a long labor & difficult very lengthy push phase. But, this time, her mind refused to allow her the peace to just be present, to stop trying to work, to just be mom today not therapist trying to fix muscles, stretch a ligament, examine her own body & just allow the uterus to work and surrender to her labor. As a doula team, our role is to help the couple navigate through the hurdles, obstacles or what I like to call, the one tree in front of us. For example, if we spike a fever - we take a tylenol. If mom has signs of dehydration- we utilize an IV & fluid. If mom is no longer having a strong enough or close enough contraction to get a baby out - we must be proactive to face these trials head on. If we allow the mother to just keep burning up energy despite a functional contraction, we are simply just spinning our tires in the mud and allowing mom to deplete the energy we certainly need to birth. In the second labor of Erica & Garrett, sadly we were faced with this reality and despite her level of relaxation physically, she was exhausted, her energy rapidly being depleted. We needed a strong enough contraction to finish the job. Previously, we had tried natural means to increase contractions including: walking, pressure points, nipple stimulation & clary sage essential oil. Once again, we were facing the challenge again to bring about a strong enough contraction to expel a baby. We re-examined viable options, we could walk around to pick up the contractions, but she was too tired to do anymore physical activity - that was not an option at this point. We examined whether there could be a possible forebag of waters holding up baby & cervix from completing the job - we were told no bag was present so we moved on to the next option: pitocin (which Erica was not studying at all). She wanted to wait it out- then she began to ask for a c-section (which floored us all)... we thought hmmm maybe she could be in transition (the phase when most start asking for drugs or removal of baby)? The midwife Barbara was as concerned as all of us: we all exited the room to strategize... Barbara, Garrett, Nancy & myself.... what other options do we have, is it possible the baby truly is too large to pass as she was led to believe via ultrasound? Now, how can we together as a team work together toward helping Erica achieve a #SymbioticBirth? How can we bring the best of the natural process and compliment her hurdles with the best medical options to keep her OFF the Operating Table? Erica had convinced herself she needed a c-section that not only was the baby most likely too big to be born vaginally it would cause even further damage to her hernia. We were all shocked that Erica had jumped WAY ahead and decided not only would she prefer surgery over pushing that she also would NOT allow a needle in her back so she wanted general anesthesia (in which Garrett would not be allowed to be present). I said Erica now I know you do not want to cheat your husband out of seeing his own baby born... you are skipping way too far into the forrest. I need you to come back to the one tree in front of you. Nancy was able to talk her into an IV being administered and they began some fluid. I call it your meal in a bag... Meanwhile, we all stepped into the hall together. Barbara being an awesome encouraging midwife (@ Novant Presby Huntersville, NC) declares, "She does NOT need a c-section, I believe her body CAN birth this baby and I do not believe our body grows a baby we can't pass but I know she is so tired. Of course, we all agreed Erica's issue was probably right between her ears not necessarily her uterus itself. It was proposed possible use of Nubain to allow some sleep, but I like to keep it real. Couples should be aware this is not always the case. Not what we define as sleep. Most often, if we are lucky, we get 20-40 minutes of rest, not exactly what we would call sleep. She did not feel she could weather the pitocin and was scared to utilize the epidural for sleep in cooperation with the epidural which some choose. She & her husband understood the possible risks plus benefits to all the above but the thought of a needle in her back was not an option. As a massage therapist myself, many of our clients have endured injection site pain for years after epidural and even permanent back damage. Maybe, even worse enduring an epidural that does not work effectively or at all. But, lets keep this real, an EPIDURAL IS STILL WAY LESS INVASIVE THAN SURGERY. SHE JUST KEPT COMING BACK TO C-SECTION TALK. I told Garrett, we would go across the street to McDonald's grab coffee & biscuit and allow them to think over & weigh their options on how to move forward. They decided she would have the epidural for two fold purpose sleep & prep for surgery so Garrett could be in the room and present for birth. Before we could even get coffee across the street, Garrett text that she did NOT go through with the epidural after all. That the doctor had scared her with consent verbiage / tone of voice that in the end, did a huge favor in speaking like that to her. It immediately re-focused her! She didn't get much rest maybe 20 minutes of a break but she did overcome the necessity of pitocin, by trusting us to consider another internal exam, to check for a forebag of water holding up baby's head & indeed the fluid had pooled up in front hindering the head from decending. Once Erica agreed to amniotomy, the head came down, the contractions picked back up, we pushed a very short time in hands & knees over the bed to reduce pressure to her hernia and she achieved her #SymbioticBirth free of needles. I just had to help her keep her elbows up & out because everything in her wanted to bear down and lower and well, there was a baby coming out :) As shared by Erica: Epidural experience was part of labor that challenged me to take how I was feeling physically and put that aside for what I had set in my mind & heart mentally for labor. This part of labor was one of my weakest moments where I was faced with the reality of what was about to happen so I began to pray for an answer. I have had a fear of needles as long as I can remember.. so the idea of me even considering to get an epidural proved I’d hit my weakest moment. When the doctor came in to prep me for it, I started to become more aware of the reality of what was about to happen. Knowing me. my body. My fear of needles. I became very inquisitive with the doctor. I at one point remember asking her what happens if I jump when you stick me with the needle? She said, “ if you move, I will hurt you” I appreciated the honestly and honestly thankful she had been so direct, because just then I knew I did not want to follow through with the procedure. My prayers had been answered. When the doctor asked me the final time.. “do you allow me to give you this epidural?” (by law they have to ask before following through) I looked into my husbands eyes and said,”I can’t do this.. it goes against everything my body- mind-heart is telling me.” The other challenge was the idea stuck in my head that Luke was too big, I could physically feel that he wasn’t able to engage his head. After the plateau of contractions getting further apart, I started to become more physically/mentally defeated. When I considered having the c section, I felt like I’d hit rock bottom, maxed out, didn’t want to keep going through labor. I was so tired and felt weak and even if I got to transition I wouldn’t have enough energy to push. Two things I remember that helped the mind set, was my husband pulling aside the new midwife coming on and telling her that when they checked me next to reassure me that baby felt normal size and wasn’t too big. He also pulled out a picture of my first son, Cole and said do it for Luke it was then with the help of course of my amazing dream Team encouraging an additional internal exam, that we found out there was in fact a bag of waters in-front of his head and once they broke that.. Game On! Baby boy Luke Jacob was born the way we hoped and prayed for! Trained in The Bradley Method® as husband Coach, Garrett Marek, shares his most Challenging Part/tips for Coaches: Prior to the idea of an epidural being used……seeing my wife begin to give up emotionally due to physical exhaustion was hard. We didn’t come into this pregnancy as rested as the first due to already having a 2 year old….At one point she told me she couldn’t push anymore, she was done physically and mentally. I have never seen my wife give up before, look defeated etc…. this was difficult to see. We had a conversation and as much I didn’t want it, mentally she said she needed to go the route of c-section. Luckily, when it came time to have a needle inserted into her spine she couldn’t do it. As the doctor was asking for her permission, I wanted to cry, puke and punch a wall b/c this is not what we wanted for us or our child, but this is what was required. Thank God my wife decided to give it another shot (no pun intended). Tips for dads 1) Study all of the materials and know the stages like the back of your hand, be very familiar with the app that times contractions, have your travel list ready so you can pack in a hurry/under stress, have your own ice chips made from apple juice, have some relaxing music and candles ready so you can make the hospital a relaxing setting. 2) Force yourself and your wife to rest as much as possible beginning 2 weeks prior to the “Due Date” so you can rest up. 3) Do a trial run of getting the car ready to see how things go and do a trial run how long it takes to get the hospital. 4) Realize many emotions will come up, your job is to be the calm one, focus/center her and be a rock. 5) One thing that helped me get her to really focus when she didn’t want to push anymore was to show her a picture of our 2 year old son Cole and said “bring Luke home”. Someone must have known in advance the FORCE would be super strong for this one... from the likes of these "birth"day celebration shirts, "LUKE, I AM YOUR FATHER & LUKE, I AM YOUR GRANDFATHER"... I am most positive from the challenges Erica & Garrett overcame during this labor/birth, they would certainly agree! The #YourBirthHelper #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam could not be more proud! Congratulations and welcome to the world this 8lbs. 1 oz Storm Pooper, otherwise known as, Luke Jacob Marek! Special thanks to Barbara CNM & the amazing nurses of #NovantHuntersville #Birth #MidwivesRock #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #WarriorWoman #OneProudDoula #OneProud ChildbirthEducator #YourBirthHelper #CharlotteDoulaDreamTeam #birth #CharlotteBirthFamily #Doula #LongLabor #EpiduralFreeBirth #MidwifeAssistedHospitalBirth #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #naturalbirth #LaborCoaching #BirthWithoutFear

Know your options... not just the ones your doctor shares but all of them. Schedule a consult with a YourBirthHelper team member. Find out the how, where & with whom birthing choices that exist in your area. Then choose the birth right for you. If you are Searching for birthing options allow YourBirthHelper.com to assist you in Charlotte, NC, Athens, GA & Greenville, SC and surrounding areas. Email yourbirthhelper@gmail.com for consults, workshops/ training options & even traditional 12 week Bradley Method® classes. I bet Chris & Jenelle would say that initial twelve week training has saved them THOUSANDS of dollars and three times the unnecessary interventions. And, all because all those years ago they registered for Bradley Method® class, hired a doula and exercised their rights as educated consumers to birth where & with whom they desired. #CharlotteBirthFamily You might need a referral to a supportive hospital, birth center, or for an in-home midwife, placenta encapsulation or birth photographer- if so, YourBirthHelper.com has you covered. Schedule your consult today. #BradleyMethod #YourBirthHelpercom #DoulaAssistance #BirthFamily #AnimalsAtBirth

I always stand amazed at the level of dedication to the natural process most all of my clients have. They rise above hiccups one at a time. They listen to my suggestions and assume positions that they would rather not because they trust in their body's ability to complete the job even if labor takes longer or goes much faster than first expected. Alice was 4cm upon arrival to Baby & Co. Charlotte but we knew better. Her body was in full on "baby is coming mode." Sometimes, even the midwife is taken by surprise. You see this was our second time around. I was also their doula with their first out of hospital birth in Fort Mill, SC. We had pushed for 6 hours to get her first baby out. In every position under the shining sun. It was the birthing stool that worked best. This time, I said we are NOT doing that. You shall labor down and when we see a head then we'll push. She agreed. We walked for about 10 minutes when I began hearing vibrations. I advised the midwife to call her backup. Approx 30-45 minutes after being told she was only 4cm, her body commenced Operation push a baby out. I shared with the midwife, ok I've got a head... did you call your backup? Needless to say, the backup did not make it and I thought I was catching a baby for a minute when the midwife quickly stepped in to assist. Dad also reached down and helped his wife bring the baby up to her chest. And, just like that in Birth room #3 their family added another baby girl and the three became four. Congrats to a very special power couple! If you haven't visited Grand Asian Market in Stallings, NC I suggest you do - not only is the store amazing, the Avocado Smoothies w/boba & the owners are too 😉 No matter where you choose to birth or with whom remember, the key phrase of doing business: Is mom okay - is baby okay? If both answers are yes then "What is the problem?" But we don't stop their, then they ask "what are our OTHER OPTIONS, bc many times in hospital settings what is being proposed is what they want to do not necessarily what is medically necessary for mom or baby. Don't be fooled into believing you have to do everything you are told just bc that's a hospital policy or this doctor likes to do it this way. Many people have no idea what the Patients Bill of Rights is nor how to be an educated consumer when it comes to medical services. There are always choices - choose wisely where & with whom you decide to Birth because it just may determine whether it's a happy "birth"day or not. And, FYI you still get the bill so, if you are healthy & low risk expect your wishes for your birth to be supported. #Birthwithoutanepidural #DoulaAssistedBirth #YourBirthHelper #Doula #BirthCenterBirth #naturalbirth #BradleyMethod #Daddyhelpedbirthme #HusbandCoachedChildbirth

God selected me, Pamela Sauls for the job of educating & empowering Elizabeth Bearinger Davis and her husband Jay. How did I determine I was called ? Well, you see when Elizabeth first called me she was at her wits end. She had two previous pregnancies & labors that were not only riddled with intervention, she felt as if the epidural had in no way contributed to what she would define a happy "birth"day. She wanted a different experience and wanted to be educated as to know what is truly medically necessary. Simply put, she wanted to be an educated consumer to pay her money to a doctor or midwife that would best support her choices for her birth. I like to call it "Your Birth Your Way. Sometimes, people allow medical interventions to take place that truly are not necessary to birthing a baby because they just go through the motions of doing what they're told. She had felt that way powerless at times and wanted to be better prepared to avoid such a path. She began with a phone call to me where she poured out her heart and concerns/ disappointments from her other experiences. I explained the benefits of The Bradley Method twelve week training & how it would be invaluable in her efforts to avoid unnecessary interventions, regardless of her choice to medicate or not. I shared how Dr. Bradley called the men, Husband Coaches & that dad also deserves a basic knowledge of how to best support mom in her efforts. A totally different labor experience when dads are an active part of assisting mom, not just a spectator at the event. Dads deserve tools and tricks that can help mom avoid unnecessary pain and ways to help mom keep progressing. Otherwise, imagine how helpless these men feel just being asked to watch mom in pain without an understanding of how to help her- that's just cruel. Elizabeth said, OH THANK GOD I FOUND YOU! She shared her faith & I shared what I like to call the John 16:21 birth marathon and how training is essential to success. And, boy was she successful! In addition to many good choices like: where to birth, differences between OBGYN / most midwives etc. she played an active role and made the choices best for them & their baby. Throughout her pregnancy she chose to take progesterone shots to avoid her past history of preterm labor. Every time she faced a crossroad she used her education to acquire informed consent and make the best choices for this baby. She weighed the risks & benefits when confronted with what I like to call the "hiccups or stumbling blocks" and a few days after New Year's Day she began to feel contractions, when the contractions were around 3 minutes apart, lasting 60 sec for over an hour they decided best to go to hospital to be checked. Yup valid contractions at 36 weeks and she made the decision to have labor stopped & went home on bedrest. One week later some action began yet again. She thought surely this is just from the exam she had earlier. Sometime Thursday, she felt as if she passed something. It was her show and when they arrived later back at the hospital, she was 5cm dilated. She was so concerned about bleeding that she forgot to even share she was having 3 min apart contractions 🤣 Now, that's the first good rule of labor, not paying attention too soon! She was blessed to have her mom/ sister stop in to check on her and they had a fun time in the labor room (as the photo depicts). Jay was a source of strength and comfort to her throughout her labor journey and coached her through her birth marathon. She wore her own gown this time bc she was a healthy woman, not sick and this time she would birth her baby in a hospital with her birth plan supported by amazing nurses & midwives, not a patient whose baby would be delivered from her by a medical professional. She played an active role changing positions often and sweet talked her sister into massaging her back during long transition strength contractions. Baby had decided to present "sunny side up" or what we call posterior which increases back pain due to weight of baby on mom's spine/ back instead of belly. Back labor is very challenging bc the back pain doesn't go away and only intensifies with each contraction as the baby descends. About 15m before push phase Elizabeth says she had no recollection but family shared, she slapped the bed and demanded an epidural. The midwife came in and checked her said she was almost 10cm but had a small lip of cervix but a very intense urge to push. She was literally sitting at the edge of the bed (bed was not even broken down) and with Elizabeth's next contraction the baby literally emerged! To further celebrate her low intervention, drug free birth, she was elated to know all those good positions paid off: Zero tears/Zero stitches! In the words of Elizabeth, my recovery has been so much better than my epidural experiences. In fact too good bc I feel so good I am doing too much 😉 Dear World, Please help me welcome the newest additions to our GA #BirthFamily... couple #2 nailed it!!!! I enjoyed teaching their private classes in beautiful Dahlonega, Georgia. Big Brother & Sister are also in love ❤️ and daddy in heaven too! YourBirthHelper.com commends you both on your efforts to play an active role long before labor ever began! To put together your birth plans, to practice what you learned and stick to your guns bc the thought & hassle of training, changing doctors or hospitals, etc. should not steal YourBirth- YourWay #OneProudChildbirthEducator #ThirdLabor #PreparingforBirthing #AthensBirthFamily #naturalbirth #BirthWithoutFear #Birth #MidwifeAssistedHospitalBirth #HusbandCoachedChildbirth #avoidinginduction

It is not every day I get to brag on the Lord & his healing powers, in addition to, a picture perfect John 16:21 birth story!! Congrats to my amazing mom, Tory (who was put on blood thinners & bed rest weeks earlier facing a high risk delivery after learning she had three blood clots. Two in her leg and a larger one in her groin. With less than two months to go she reached out for doula assistance. The last thing her team of doctors wanted was for her to end up in the operating room. This worse case scenario could surely cost her life bc blood thinners + surgery does not = good outcome. Luckily, they had taken several childbirth classes about 4 out of 12 but some is way better than NO Plan to weather labor. With Greg, her husband, working as a pilot, scheduling was very difficult to attend weekly training. They applied what they learned and practiced weeks in advance during her bed rest, as often as possible. Some of the later weeks, were severely painful for her with the weight of being near full term, coupled by the large clot in her groin. I suggested soak in tub to relieve pressure and she found that comforting short term but hey any break from being miserable is good! The water is amazing during labor for pain relief, as well. But, unfortunately in most hospital inductions, the tub is no longer an option. Turns out several of my church friends from Elevation Matthews had asked me if I had any prayer needs. I immediately thought of Tory & Greg! Mr. Jim Whaley asked me two weeks before her scheduled induction how my work was going. This was not a normal question for him. I shared I had a couple who could use prayer and I was concerned about the severity of her complication. He instantly replied, "well let's pray for her right now!" He prayed very specifically for God to dissolve those clots and that they completely disappear so she could have an amazing & safe birth. I said amen multiple times to that prayer 😉 Meanwhile, I had no idea Tory & Greg had attended #ElevationChurch Concord location before her bedrest. At her weekly doctors appointment she was to have one last ultrasound to measure clots, etc. but we received the best news ever! Although, she had been taking meds for many weeks with no change to size of clots, on this day coupled with the prayers of so many, she would learn the clots had all miraculously disappeared! She could have considered induction earlier but when in doubt- CLOT IT OUT! With great relief she could now anticipate the happy "birth"day she was sure to enjoy. She still had to endure induction, she still had to endure the hard work & discomfort of man made contractions but she no longer had to worry about a clot moving and risking her or her baby's life during the act of birth. Praise be to Jesus! We all were in shock that of all the weeks she had been on medicine, bed rest, etc. the clots had not dissolved. And, just a few days before her baby would enter the world, God blessed her in a mighty way with this awesome news! And, he didn't stop there. God was faithful in aligning the perfect team for her birth at CMC Main. Turns out the nurse with us even attended #ElevationChurch University campus. Still believe it was all a coincidence? Make no mistake God hears the cries of his children and tells us in his word to Ask, Knock & Seek! Also, although my client was bumped from the use of midwives, being considered high risk, her attending OBGYN, Dr. Termin, could not have encouraged, supported or respected her wishes any better. Greg, her husband worked tirelessly along side helping her not only stay relaxed but also with counter pressure to her back and encouraging deep breathing. When transition phase began and everything in her wanted to fight the pressure, Tory listened and chose to labor down (a time when you want to push badly but refrain allowing your uterus to move baby down on its own without our help). We called the nurse, who then called the doctor when Baby's head was beginning to crown. He allowed us to stay in hands & knees (even though not typically preferred), in addition, he allowed us time to push freely as her body dictated. Dr. Termin supported her perineum and guided her with gentle pushing instructions as baby peacefully emerged the doctor smiled and my client, Tory began thanking him. He replied, "You didn't make me do much and grinned!" It was refreshing to have a doctor acknowledge low intervention, drug free, natural birth clients' really do make their job easier in almost every scenario. He later told the nurse, It was the best birth he had attended in a very long time! The atmosphere was on point! Kudos to the entire Johnson family!! #OneProudDoula #OneProudChildbirthEducator With YourBirthHelper.com you begin as students but you end as family. WE now offer both onsite & virtual education/ doula assistance! We have successfully coached two couples through natural birth via text, calls & FaceTime from a state away! YourBirthHelper.com has learned, "Never say it can't be done!" With knowledge there is power! #bloodclotsduringpregnancy #naturalbirth #OvercomingInductionnaturally #ElevationChurch #DrTermin #CMCMain #Charlotte #BirthFamily #YourBirthHelpercom