08/03/2022
Excited to share with you a sweet review from Martin Family! These little babies sure get to their first birthdays in a quick blink. ❤️ Cherish each moment. It all goes entirely too quickly!
But sometimes pushing in labor seems to last entirely too long. How did pushing go for you?
————————————-
Sunday, March 6th, 2022
As we celebrated our little boy, James’, first birthday last week (March 1st), I reflected on my pregnancy with him, and the event of his birth. A few days after his birth, I had texted Tammi and told her that I would write a review for her and Dakota Midwifery, and send it to her later that week. I imagine she probably smiled to herself, amused by my naive ambition. At the time, I was feeling on top of the world. James’ birth had gone very well, and I felt much better and initially had much more energy after his birth than I did after the birth of our first son. “Surely I’ll have time to sit down for 20 minutes to write a review”, I thought. Well, here I am one year later. Although I wish I would have wrote this sooner, the responsibility of caring for an almost three-year old, and a new baby quickly caught up with me. However, I am excited to write this review now, one year later, and reflect on the blessing it was to work with Tammi, and the experience of bringing another child into the world in the comfort of my own home.
Upon first learning I was pregnant with our second child, my husband and I were faced with the decision of how and where we wanted to have the baby. Our first son was born in Pennsylvania, with a Mennonite midwife (who happened to be my husband’s aunt) at her house/birthing center, and we knew that we wanted to utilize a midwife again with this second birth, if possible. However, our options were limited here in South Dakota, and finding a midwife was more challenging. Expense was also a concern, since we do not have health insurance. A family friend gave us Tammi’s information, and after our first appointment with her, we knew we had made the right decision.
Although Tammi was always very professional, her friendly and personable character shone through. My husband and I enjoyed working with her. She is easy to talk to and get along with, and always wears a beautiful smile. She also interacted well with our first son, who was two and a half at the beginning of our appointments. Tammi allowed him to press the button on the machine she used to listen to Baby’s heartbeat, and he loved to feel included!
While there were certain tests and procedures that Tammi recommended, she was never pushy about any of them. She provided us with information about each one, (including papers with written explanations), the reasons why they were recommended, and answered any questions we had. Ultimately, though, she allowed us to make the decision that worked best for our family, without any judgement or criticism.
We also appreciated Tammi’s knowledge of herbs and natural home remedies. My husband and I both are naturally-minded and like to avoid conventional medical treatment (prescription medications, antibiotics, etc.) when possible. Tammi encouraged me to use herbs to strengthen my body during pregnancy and prepare my body for birth. She even generously gave me an entire tube of Arnica gel when I experienced some pregnancy related aches and pains.
That being said, we also appreciated her former medical background. Although James’ birth went well, I experienced unexpected heavy bleeding. Thankfully Tammi was able to quickly administer the proper drugs and dosages to stop the bleeding and prevent me from hemorrhaging and having to go to the hospital.
Tammi was also very good with communication. During my months of pregnancy, I could rely on Tammi to answer my texts or phone calls in a timely manner whenever I had questions or concerns. In the handbook I received at our very first appointment, there was a list of all the supplies I would need for the birth. In the weeks leading up to the big day, Tammi helped me review this list and ensure that I had everything I would need to be prepared.
When it came time for delivery, I was thankful to have Tammi there. She rushed to get to our home (she was over an hour away when I called!), but she remained on the phone with me the entire time I was in labor, during her drive to our house, talking me through each contraction. Her calm, reassuring presence, (both over the phone, and in person once she arrived), and her coaching during labor were a blessing. She told me to breathe through each contraction, and let my body push the baby down with each one, the way that it was naturally created to, rather than pushing and needlessly expending precious energy. This was contrary to the coaching I received during our first son’s birth, when I was instructed to push, and push hard, with each contraction. The difference between these two births was remarkable, and our second son’s birth, with the aid of Tammi’s coaching, was overall a much shorter and easier experience. Her birthing assistant Catherine, was also very helpful. After the birth was over, they both did a great job of cleaning up while allowing me and my husband and son time with our precious new baby. They also surprised us with a gift bag with items for me and Baby, including a container with enough herbs for three sitz baths. Tammi was available for appointments after the birth, and provided helpful information when I had questions and concerns about nursing and our son’s weight gain.
My family and I feel very fortunate to have had the privilege of working with Tammi and Catherine, and Dakota Midwifery. We are thankful for Tammi’s hard work and dedication to her clients, and look forward to working with her again someday, if/when the Lord decides to bless us with more children.
