Amazing births......how sweet they are...

Last Friday was a busy day here at the Birth Center.......we had the pleasure of witnessing two amazing births! I' ll blog first about the first birth...georgeous Emily made her way out at 4:24pm weighing 8 lbs 7 oz, after momma had a really calm, glorious labor. She kept saying..." I can't believe this...it is not bad. Everyone kept saying I wouldn't be able to do this...". Well, as she lay resting on the bed ( at 7 cm dilated, I might add) with Joanna massaging her feet with lavender oil and mom literally dozing between contractions looking so peaceful...I thought how wonderful her labor was and how she was getting exactly what she wanted from this birth....to be cared for, comforted, fully supported and guided through the process.

That, my friends, is what our practice is all about. This is what women and families deserve and desire. It is our goal. Our mission. Our work. For now...Janet

Trust.....say no more.

We just recently experienced a wonderful birth with a mom having her 4th baby......a woman who I had the privilege of helping her birth her second baby when I had a hospital based practice. It is always nice to have a woman seek you out when she is pregnant again. Best compliment.....
Well, this labor, like alot of labors was unique for her and nice but different. During the process she said to me......"I really trust you guys." Wow..a great compliment. Really.

Also it speaks to what is oh so important in completing a totally natural birth. TRUST.
Trust:

Your body.
Your mind.
Your spirit.
Your love of God, family , self.
Your instincts. ( yes you chose the right path for you.)
Your precious little baby. ( He/she knows just what to do to make his way into the world)
Your ability to do the job......just like God intended for you.
Your ability to endure as long as the process is unfolding like He intended.
Persevere, continue. Breathe. Love. Anticipate. Wait.

Trust the process. they always say. But it is so true. Like I have said before...your body, the best machinery. The ultimate design. You will be amazed at what you can do! Unbelievable strength, grace, power. Unbelievable. Don't sell yourself too short. Believe in yourself. TRUST in the power within....you know you have it. We believe in you. Believe. Please. You will not regret it. For now........Janet

All that .....and a cookie too!

I love this picture........for several reasons. This is one great birthing woman! Was always fun to see in the office for her prenatal care and a joy to labor. Isn't it cool, that smack dab in the middle of active labor, she would ask for a cookie! We had some at the birth center that evening and she looked up from the end of one of her contractions and stated..."I would love a cookie!" So, here she is, breathing through a contraction, in the tub, holding on to that cookie!

I don't have anything against ice chips ( you know ladies.....the delicious nibbles you get at the hospital) but sometimes a girl just craves a little sweetness! Even when she's working on helping out her own little "sweet one" into this world. For now....Janet

Birthing machinery...........

Oh yeah........that's right! Birthing Machinery........Best Technology I know and have been privy to witness.
Comes with 2 arms, 2 legs, big round belly, huge heart, and enormous will and strength.
Runs on love. Love of God, Love of Life, Love of Family and Love for Unborn babe.
Will never be duplicated...........scientists please don't even try........best work of God yet.

Most efficient when left alone.....I mean don't mess with it. Really.

For now...Janet

Birth - Reunion Birthing Center

Birth Photography Slideshow: Reunion Birthing Center

Natural birth...TOO HARD! Who says....?

Had a a great comment on my last post....Thanks ( you know who u r!) Again, a smart independent woman discusses with her OB the desire to birth her baby "naturally, pain med free." The response????


Well, he described it as "Too Hard". No one does it.....at least not in "his or her" practice.

Once again, another great woman sprinting out of an obstetrical office.......she found her way to a place that worked with her and she did exactly as she desired and knew she was capable of!

Well, I have seen the environment in many hospitals, and it is so unfortunate that it is difficult to accomplish a drug-free birth. Well, maybe if it is your 2nd or 3rd baby.....but your first takes so much guidance and love and support from women who are there totally for you! A great midwife or OB or OB nurse is someone who when they step into that birth environment is completely and utterly there for you and you only.......ego has to stay behind, way behind.

So, I guess in some cases that OB is right.....it is too hard when you are not supported and guided through the process. When you are made to believe that induction of your labor is right and the best thing for you and your baby when you hit your due date ( unless there is a true medical indication for it and sometimes there really is.......)

And, please believe me when I say that I know that all this I speak and preach about natural birth is only in the realm of the "machinery working the way it was planned". Sometimes it doesn't. When that happens there are not too many women who could get through rough, difficult " dysfunctional" labors. They are extremely hard...........and sometimes mommies need help. I always say there is the "pain of labor" and then there is suffering........never a need to suffer. Ever. Let's get help and move on to the birth of your baby, however the little one is supposed to be born. And you know what? It always seems to work out exactly how it was supposed to unfold. We just have to be flexible, listen well, feel our instincts down deep in our bellies and do the best we all can. For now.........Janet

Birth Team vs Birth Dictator

OB office in my neighborhood : Woman says to her OB, " What about a birth plan?"

OB says, " Oh, 'WE' don't do those here. We have you go to the hospital and start the Pitocin."

Woman says, "Well, what if I really want to try to do without Pitocin. What if I want to try
things like standing up, walking, ( etc- you know what she's asking.....)

OB says, "Well, if you are not going to do what we say, you cannot be a patient of ours...." (Take that!) Team mindset, or dictatorship mindset..........?

Well, what that OB didn't know was she was speaking with a smart, independent woman who knows that the best thing for her was to run, not walk, out of that office and find someone who will listen to her desires and work "WITH" her ( Team philospophy).

I certainly know that the Midwife route is not for all women, as much as it should be for all healthy women! However, what I would love to see in my lifetime is all women demanding more from their OBs. If you are healthy, having a "perfectly" healthy pregnancy, it "ain't rocket science". By that I mean your birth day should not be so over managed, unless that is what you want. If your desire is to be a passive participant, go for it. However, do your research, really think about how you would like your birth to go. It is really a remarkably spiritual time in your life......one where you should be an active participant, don't let it be diminished down to the same level as say.......having your tooth pulled, setting a broken arm, rhinoplasty, boob job, brain surgery, or hysterectomy. When you need or want those things, yea, you look for the best, most skilled surgeon and let him or her have at it! "Wake me when it's over..." is all you're thinking!

At least start out on your journey with a partner (provider) who is interested in what you want. I get it to all you naysayers! It goes without saying............all in the realm of safety. I don't think you could find midwives, or OBs who are anymore concerned and safety driven as we are at Reunion. And I know that not all women are destined to have a natural birth......some desperately need assistance and interventions.....and we are so blessed as midwives to have such a great team of collaborative OBs who support fully what we do. They sponsor us for our privileges at Kingwood hospital so that when our moms need epidural, help with their power ( ie Pitocin), or need a cesarean section we are able to provide those things with a "wink of an eye" .

The scenario I presented in the beginning was one that someone told me about yesterday. It happened to her, and she could not get out of that office fast enough. It wasn't just about what was said to her, but "HOW" it was said. No respect.

I ask, how do they get away with it! What makes a female OB feel so completely OK with speaking to another woman like that? In essence, you have no say over what is going to happen.....I am in charge! Deal with it. Well, guess what? She did. She did her research, got reccomendations, and is putting her team together! Go momma. You just started your journey on the road of motherhood!

For now......Janet

Letting go down a different path.....

Sometimes letting go means giving up control over the course our body wants and sometimes needs to take.

Last night, instead of coaching a mom to "let go" and let her baby come down and out, I was speaking softly to our mom of how she had come to a point in her journey of pregnancy and birth where it would be best for her to "let go" of the idea of what she had planned for herself and her babe.....natural birth at the birth center. Her journey took a different turn.....one that was doable. Just not as planned. Always remember, sometimes a cesarean section is the completely best thing for you, given certain circumstances.

This mom is a warrior, brave and committed to doing the best for herself and her babe. Sometimes life throws you a curve-ball....it can be scary.....scary-scary. I am proud of you momma. What you had to go through and are still going through (recovery) is tough, but you have done it. You kept it together with the loving support of your ever faithful husband. My hat is off to you. You have a handsome tough little boy! He's gonna be fun and work!

So, please, mommas, know that sometimes birth is so much about letting go and getting on with it. The most important thing is mom and babe are healthy.....For now...Janet

The "Mother Call"

This week I again had the honor of witnessing and guiding a young mom through her work of labor and birth......I cannot express the power and feelings present in the room when women are at their strongest and most glorious........incredible strength, beauty, tenacity wisdom and most of all love. A mother's love. Three simple words said so many times by so many people.
I have a great job.....a calling if you will. God has granted me this part of my life, however long it may be, to be witness of his perfect plan....can't say that enough.

Watching a woman work with her body and the design of it....easing through those hours of early labor which progresses ever so nicely into powerful active labor is always a wonderment. And when she gets just to that point of almost being done with her task....she starts the "mother call" . If she feels safe and undisturbed and in a perfect place she can "let go" and call her baby home. I must admit, when guiding women through that time I find myself brought to such emotion and respect and awe that I must fight back the tears for her......not feeling sorry, but feeling so incredibly honored to witness such a miracle! Yes, again I think! Just as He planned!

If you are not"privvy" to that call....you may think "oh my Gosh....how horrible for her" The loud moaning, the deep gutteral "aaahhhhhhh". But no, she is calling her baby.....calling her down
and out and into her arms. Maybe God planned for all of us at that moment of our birth to hear that sound and go towards it....For we should not discourage it but behold it as our golden moment......Ever so spiritual, powerful, miraculous......birth as it should be.

I welcome, anyone who is afraid to give it a try.......scared, discouraged.....Let us help you.....you will be amazed by your courage and power.....you have only just begun to tap into!

As midwives our strength is the ability to know what you need at each step of the way. No lie, no bullshit.....hard core facts and guidedance. And LOVE. Our hands and hearts are our tools. The best drug in town, I guarrantee it! For now.....Janet

You are Eve..........and other realities of our bodies and birth

Today when visiting with one of our moms at her visit..we were discussing the abundance of "information" out there about pregnancy and childbirth. Information is good...to a point.

It hit me like a brick! Every pregnant woman, you are Eve. What I mean by this is that our bodies and the way they work are just like Eve- the first woman ever to share our curves, our feelings and hormones and our ability to birth like we were born to do it! Yes, I do believe that for some women, their individual circumstances hinders their ability to let their body do what it so perfectly designed to do. Sometimes things don't go as planned.

However, for the majority of you healthy young women out there.....trust, please, that God has placed so many "safety nets"

The "Perfectness" of natural birth.......

In this photo you see mom & dad gearing up in early labor or the birth of their babe....walking through our courtyard at the birth center on a warm, summer night complete with crickets chirping and frogs croaking, they anticipate what is soon to come.

The Great Designer...Why Knock-Offs are never as good....

I am a firm believer that our mighty God, is the Great Designer. I mean, how can we as mere humans ever create anything that compares to His ever-beautiful works? ANd even those beautiful master art pieces some would say are God inspired, God lead, so to speak.

Now when it comes to the powerful birthing woman, well we know that the way in which God designed the body to work is pure perfect motion. Pure poetry. Pure awe-inspiring power. Most women have that super power in them. However, in today's maternity world we see so many women being before their body is truly ready. When a woman's body starts the process on it's own time, in it's own way it is amazing the power and the control you see. Now, we all know thatg sometimes for the mommas sake or the baby's sake, labor needs to insue and the only way to accomplish that is with induction of labor....I get that. I have no problem with that.