Arden Prucha Photography

Many of you know I am expecting my third babe – the actual due date is August 16th.

So the waiting game, for me (us), has officially begun.

However, now this waiting game has begun amongst some major changes in our birth plan.

You see, we went from seeing my OB/GYN the first 37 weeks – to changing over to a midwife.

Not only do I have a midwife now, but we are also going to birth this baby in the comfort of our home.

Come to find out birthing plans – can get people into a heated debate.
HOME-BIRTH???? WHAT? ARE YOU CRAZY? THAT IS SO UNSAFE… yada yada yada.
I used to think that midwifery care was for hippie – granola – non-urban – deep humming women.
I was totally judging a book by its’ cover. Which is so stupid.
Well, I am a fairly urban-metropolitan gal, who never would have thought I would opt for this option.
BUT… I did and I am really excited!

(I have noticed a trend in my life: Anything I thought I would NEVER DO or NEVER HAPPEN, always DOES!)

Let me give a brief history on my two births.
I was admitted to the hospital one Sunday evening to be administered cervadil to begin the dilation process.
The goal was to get me going and in the morning they would administer pictocin – for the laboring to begin.
Well, unfortunately for me I was one of the ‘low percentage’ of women who reacted with hard core contractions from this medication. My dilation was slow, but the pain intense!
I had to have an epidural that evening, was administered pitocin in the early morning on Monday and by 3:45pm, when I finally was a 10cm – the baby had not descended.
This meant my only option after all of the induction procedures, was to have a cesarean section.
Not what I wanted to hear, but after nearly 24 hours in labor and the epidural wearing off – I was ready for this to be over.
Unfortunately, their anesthesia for the cesarean didn’t work – I could feel my nurse poking my stomach.
Another yucky moment… NOW, I had to be put under during the cesrean.
I first saw my son, my first born – while waking up from anesthiesia.
If you have every been put under, you know the first thirty minutes or so can be loopy – BAD loopy.
Everyone else had held my son, but Mommy. I was sad, irritated and while trying to nurse – I was slipping in and out of conscoiusness.
I was so saddened by the birth events, but so thankful for a beautiful and healthy baby boy.

Parker was a different story. I was very lucky to have a very supportive doctor of my desires. He knew I longed for a vaginal birth, a normal labor – you know the kind you think YOU will have.
He was on my team and we were going to go for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). After baby was 5 days late, he suggested we induce with a low dose of pitocin (1/3 of normal labor doses).
I was apprehensive and really desired the ‘going into labor’ moment, but also trusted my doctor.

My nurse was proactive, getting me into positions so that this baby would indeed descend for us! 🙂
The pain was getting intense and it was suggested to be administered demoral – agreeing of course, but sorry in the end. Demoral made me loopy, but still in pain.

My labor and delivery friend Maury came to visit and I was in an out and could barely talk to her.
I remember she sat down and chatted with Paul – as I tried to focus on the labor – but couldn’t.

Not long after I opted for an epidural because now I was having the same amount of intense pain, but I felt wasted… it was not cool.
We had sent my family home as I was progressing slowly (only at a 3cm and my family lived about 10 minutes away).

Well, about an hour and a half later I had reached a 9cm! It was time to push…
I said WAIT – “I HAVE TO HAVE MY SISTER HERE…”

You see she was going to help route me on and photograph the birth.

We held off the pushing for a bit, but when the nurse said, ‘We cannot wait any longer.’ My sister busted through the door.
It was time, I would finally be able to push! I was excited and had NO IDEA what I was doing.

After thirty minutes or less baby Parx arrived – and it was such a wonderful moment.
I had a ‘real labor’ complete with pushing and getting that sweet baby out – all by myself (+ Miss Epidural)! 🙂
We were out of the hospital in 24 hours (I was in Sun-Thurs with Pierson).

I tell you, my doc made me so happy and from what I hear MANY doctors refuse to even attempt VBACs… so major KUDOS to him.
He knew my desire and supported it. He wasn’t being unsafe, he was being an advocate for his patient.

So where in the heck did this idea of midwifery and home birth come from anyway?

It all started with the two births I photographed of my friends:
Heather and Shawna.
Heather was first. She had a midwife – birth center birth last November and I photographed it.
That girl, had a ROUGH labor – her baby was big (9lbs) and baby’s face slightly turned, making the pushing process harder and more painful than a typical birth.
Once Heather pushed sweet Harper out, baby was placed right on her chest – to hold and love on immediately – skin to skin contact.
Not to mention it was her first baby… so she had never done this before!
Heather rocked it out! I was tearing up as baby Harper entered this world. That little babe’s mommy devoted 24 hours of labor, pain, prayer and faith – just for her.
It was simply beautiful!

(I wasn’t pregnant yet, so I was not as connected to this idea of ‘midwifery’)

Next was Shawna’s birth in March. Baby girl number two – and a home birth.
I arrived at her home at 1:15 am, to find Shawna in her tub. Chatting away and relaxing during contractions.
Her midwife team was there, guiding her along. Things were going a little slower and so I rested on the couch.
Next thing I knew, I heard a more intense sound from Shawna and knew this contraction was the REAL DEAL… baby was coming!
As I grabbed my camera I photographed… a few, what seemed to be fairly easy, pushes in the water and badabingbadaboom – baby Natalie graced us with her presence.
Straight from the water into Mommy’s arms. She was clean from the water and as calm as ever.

I came home that early morning, 5 months pregnant, telling Paul, “Honey, I really want to have a home birth!”
At first he responded with ‘hospital will be safer,’ but after seeing the photos of Shawna’s birth and her daughter who was alert and content… he truly considered it.
I really connected with Shawna’s midwife, Donnelynn.  She was calming, cool and very much like a mother.

I am a bit less emotional, a tad tough, very jokey and need someone who can ease me with their gentleness and get me to the right place for focus.

I chickened out. I didn’t want to disappoint my doctor – who I really LOVE!
We don’t have insurance, but the rate for my doctor and midwife was very close.
As I did nothing proactive to really thinking about swapping… it just slipped out of my mind, even though it was really a deep desire for me.

Well, fast forward to 36 weeks pregnant. I finally pre-registered for my hospital visit.
The lovely financial department contacted me… ‘Since you are private pay, you owe us money to have the baby here. This must be paid prior to your arrival and the fee is $4300.’
I started freaking out – we had already spent thousands on my doctor services and labs. Then throw in bassinets, double strollers, car seats, etc. Money was adding up!
Plus I know if I were in a hospital I would opt for an epidural – another $1k+. So this baby had a $10k price tag on it’s little bod, while it was not even done incubating!

Money is not the ‘REASON’ we are doing this, it was kind of the icing on the cake. If my doctor isn’t on call, he most likely won’t deliver my baby… so why was I insistant on staying with him?

Afterall, you are with the nurse(s) for 99% of the labor anyway?  I would also not be able to move during labor – just lie down in a bed and wait.

Another big thing for me?  Being able to hold my baby right after he/she is born.

Seems like I am always one of the last people to greet my baby, which seems opposite of how it should be.

So… my mind wandered.

I started to weigh all of my options. I really had no idea I would have to pay my hospital an entirely different fee from my doc office – as they are connected and I always had maternity coverage before; so I was ignorant to all of this.
Partially my fault for not figuring all of this out until the LAST MINUTE (typical me).
Next thing I knew, my mind was back on my ‘dream birth.’ Birthing my precious baby at home, in water, with sweet Donnelynn assisting me.
Could I really swap over this late in the game? I was now 37+ weeks… and could literally pop at any moment.
Well after doing some math, really being prayerful and talking with Paul – we decided to GO FOR IT!

After a yucky cesrean – while being out like a light and a successful VBAC, I figure there is no where to go, but UP – in our birth stories!
My vision for the birth is pretty simple:

• It will take place in the comfort of our home.
• I can get up, move around, snack, drink, do anything that makes labor feel more at ease.
• Paul can take care of me – anyway he desires. Wrapping around me, massaging me, holding me, lying next to me, etc.
• My children can be very involved in the process, or not much depending on our needs. Pierson will ADORE this process!
• My family can be around to witness the days’ progression. (My mom has never been around during the actual birthing of the baby because of the hospital’s rules of how many people can be in a room).
• I will be in WATER!!! Oh how content water makes me. Our plan is for the birth to take place in the tub.
• Candles, music, our bed, will all be available to make this labor as relaxing and as ‘US’ as possible. Watch out Pandora! 😉
• Having baby go straight from my womb into my arms – one of the BIGGEST desires. Most hospitals take the baby straight to the nurses for assessment, weighing, measuring, etc., before Mama is able to hold them.
• Crawling into our bed together, as a family, in comfort and love – after baby Jenks has arrived! Cuddling, loving, adoring and breathing a sigh of relief… that the hard work has really paid off.

I know many Mamas who choose midwifery, can be criticized for their choice.
For me it’s not about home birth being BETTER than a hospital birth… it’s about something that felt ‘right.’
I respect everyone in the medical and midwifery industry. I know their are two sides to these beliefs – seems like there are ALWAYS TWO SIDES… in anything.
Every mother – has a desire. Nurses, doctors, midwives, and assistants all help these women – make their desires come true.

Here is some research that I have found, which helped me make my decision.

Many people will simply tell their friends and family, “It IS NOT safe!” Without having heard or read one iota of information.
The proof can be in the puddin’. 🙂
From my experiences – where I was there – it was such a beautiful story.
I am in deep prayer for all to go well – for my body, labor, the baby, the team, my family… God is good and he will provide.

(Most of this research is based on “LOW RISK” pregnancies – meaning a normal, healthy, expectant Mama – without med complications along the way)

A large study of planned home births in the United States and Canada, published in 2005 in The British Medical Journal, looked at 5,418 women who were attended to by professional midwives in 2000. It found substantially lower rates of medical intervention compared with low-risk hospital births (high-risk pregnancies rarely, if ever, culminate with a home birth) and a similar rate of infant mortality. No mothers died. About 12 percent were transferred to the hospital. The midwives considered the transfer urgent in 3.4 percent of all intended home births.

"In The five European countries with the lowest infant mortality rates, midwives preside at more than 70 percent of all births. More than half of all Dutch babies are born at home with midwives in attendance, and Holland's maternal and infant mortality rates are far lower than in the United States..."

Cervical dilatation was more efficient- 2.5 centimeters per hour compared with 1.25 centimeters per hour for mothers who did not take advantage of water during their labors.

Medical intervention rates for planned home births were lower than for planned low risk hospital births.

In some cases, midwives may have more experience with childbirth than a general doctor. In fact, a midwife may have helped deliver more babies than a doctor. General practitioners’ will have their attention divided among patient problems that are not related to pregnancy.

p.s. If Hottie Gisele can rock out an at home water birth, so can I! 😉

Now some photos I took last November of Heather Essian’s BIRTH!

If you would like to pray for my family – for a safe labor and birth, a healthy baby and a healthy mama – please do! 🙂

.love.

ARDEN