05/03/2025
💓 Welcome baby Madeline!!! 💓
Born April 17 at 7 lb 7 oz and 20” long.
**** Birth Story Time! ****
It’s so special when you’re invited into the birth space of a friend - truly an honor!
What would you like to share about your birth?
It seemed in some aspects things were moving slowly, but in other aspects it went rather quickly! I started dilating a couple weeks before due date, and had prodromal labor the week prior to her coming. I labored and eventually had my membranes stripped, water broken, and Pitocin started, but the one thing I didn’t have (and was my goal to avoid this delivery) was no epidural. It took many rounds of labor exercises and finding out what got the contractions moving quicker to help the process along. I even got to enjoy a warm jetted tub bath before she arrived! We knew things were happening just as they should be at their own pace. From the time of contractions starting at home till birth it was about 24 hours of laboring.
What surprised you the most?
Getting to see how my body responded to different laboring positions and exercises. Some exercises did nothing at all, and two specific ones REALLY kicked my contractions into gear. It really is a dance of listening to your body and trying to lean into that.
(Lift and tucks and dilation station for the win!)
What was your favorite comfort measures?
When contractions were “happening” the TENS unit was my favorite, and I never took the special comb away either when the pain started increasing. I would hold the comb and distract from the pain. Both things were suggested by my doula and had never used before, and was really beneficial and comforting!
How did your doula help you?
I can’t say enough how grateful I was for Bethany. From the beginning she was prepping Chris and I so we could have things like a birth plan in place and think ahead. Although this was baby #3 for us it was my first one with any birth support and with no epidural. She was prompt with suggesting comfort measures when things were changing and offering suggestions when my body was doing its weird labor thing (contractions turning off and on). She supported me in all the ways, physically, emotionally and spiritually. She was even a helpful support with my husband there, when things were “getting serious” during the labor and time of delivery. She was never pushy on any measures but honored what we thought was best. I 100% would use a doula again and recommend her 100% 🩷
What advice would you give other moms?
This birth was our last one (our last planned one anyway), so I would encourage to think about if you had prior births and wanted to try something different, to not be afraid to do that. Bethany had the knowledge to coach me through the labor and help us navigate what we were hoping our last birth would look like (although knowing to hold it loosely because it is our bodies birthing the baby on its own timeline).
