Autumn's Home birth Story

Finally! I have a moment that I can sit down and think back on the most empowering moment I have experienced as a women. It has been the biggest high of my life and a memory I will cherish forever. I understand, that not everyone gets the birth they want but I know each one of you can have a empowering birth and fear free birth even if it may not be your ideal birth or plan.

To understand my whole story and why I wanted a homebirth versus a hospital birth I feel like you need to know part of my son Jayden's birth.

FIRST BORN

My first born was a complicated pregnancy. We where going through what we thought was infertility. It took us over 2 years to finally conceive but after many tears and prayers we conceived and found out at 4 weeks we were pregnant! At 9 weeks I was diagnosed with shingles on my lower buttock and upper outer thigh, which then got cellulitis all around the area that was infected. I started some medications and was put on bed rest for 2 weeks. Once they started to scab I was able to return to work as a nurse working in the Newborn nursery. Few weeks past and I started having what I thought were Braxton hicks contractions but I soon realized these were not practice contractions but real and were coming in a pattern every 3-5 mins at 23 weeks and then happened again around 28 weeks. I received medications to stop labor and received steroid shots for the baby's lungs. I was put on bed rest for 10 weeks after getting to 3 cm and about 75% effaced.  I was diagnosed late in the second trimester with polyhydraminos which is excess amniotic fluid which can have its risks. My Obgyn wanted me to schedule an induction so my water breaking would be in a controlled fashion at 38.5 weeks. So we scheduled my induction day. It was kind of exciting to know the date my baby boy would arrive but then again it I didn't like the idea of a scheduled birth. I wanted my body to naturally go into labor. Near the end I started to panic but I didn't know how to tell my OBGYN "NO!" I didn't think it was aloud to go against medical advise. I have now learned, it's okay to question your Dr. I did everything out of FEAR! Thank goodness God answered my prayers and I went into labor the day of my induction night.

HOSPITAL BIRTH

My water broke at 2 am at home and I called the on call Dr who advice me to come in as soon as possible due to my GBS + status, I took a shower and then went straight into the hospital. My birth plan was to labor at home until I felt ready to come in but felt pressure to go into hospital because I had polyhydramnios which later I found out, after pulling my records, had resolved on my last ultrasound but was not told that it had self-resolved. They seemed concerned and scared me about cord prolapsing, so I rushed to the hospital in FEAR that my baby was going to die if I didn't.

My birth with my son was a pretty standard hospital birth. I labored in bed stuck to monitors and an IV pole, trying to go natural and no one giving me permission to leave the bed and walk around or use the birthing ball. No one to give me birthing support which I thought my nursing friends, who I worked with, would do for me as well as my Obgyn. But have since learned, most labor and delivery nurses don't have time to rub your back and give you mental support while trying to attempt a natural birth.  And of course my OB was too busy in the office to come over and give me the encouragement that I needed from her as my provider. My husband was supportive but something about another women who can sympathize with you is what I needed.

I was progressing great and got to 7.5 cm with not much pain until I hit that transition point. Again, I was stuck in bed sitting up trying to go natural. After a few contractions at transition I cried for an epidural. I got my epidural and then started pitocin without my consent and when they where all done and I got rechecked I was complete and didn't tell me until the nurse asked me to do a practice push and told me to stop and closed my legs together. The Dr came in and said "lets get started" and in 2 contractions I had my toe head little boy at 6 lbs and 4 oz. at 10:44 am. It was so surreal. I didn't feel anything but some pressure at the end. In a video I keep saying I wasn't ready. I wanted the mirror and wanted to birth in a different position. It went by so fast. I got to hold him the first hour but was all bundled when they gave him to me right after giving birth. I couldn't smell him very well and just didn't feel as connected as I thought I would have felt. I have since learned the power of skin to skin and encourage every mother to do.

I felt very blessed to have a very easy and quick labor after having such a rough pregnancy. But I actually felt very gipped of the birth process. I had imagined it so differently in my head and didn't get to share my verbal birth plan with my Obgyn because I actually had a 38 week appointment with her that day. Don't get me wrong my sons birth was beautiful but didn't go the way I wanted or planned.

My son's birth was an eye opening experience for me and after telling my story to other women, I realized that so many other women just like me didn't get the birth they desired. And I had to ask myself, Why?  why are so many women not getting the births that they want?  I watched and observed many births as a newborn nurse and a NICU nurse and time and time again saw different reasons I believe these women didn't get the births they wanted. Each person has there own reason but I saw what I needed and starting questioning other possible birth options for me. Unfortunately, we don't have a birth center locally and that is what I originally desired with my son. I could have gotten more what I wanted from my son's birth, I believe, if I would have chosen a midwife and a doula to start with.

MISCARRIAGE

We were ready for baby number two, after another year of trying to conceive we finally got pregnant with our second pregnancy. But poor baby didn't make it past 8 weeks and I carried for 12 weeks. Going through a miscarriage was awful and I knew very early that something wasn't right. I went into the OB office and nobody acted liked they cared. I got my blood tested and each test the HCG pregnancy hormone was decreasing but the staff wouldn't tell me I was loosing this baby. I had no idea what to expect and felt so alone in this process. I sent a text to my OB who I felt very close to and was asking her what I should expect. She was sweet but didn't go into all the feelings that this could cause and felt like she just shrugged me off since it was so early in the pregnancy. She is still a good Dr but wasn't right for me and needed someone who genially cared about my decisions and feelings. After all this passed I started talking to a midwife CPM and she encouraged me to get right back up and continue to trying for baby #2. She educated me on herbal remedies to try and sure enough 1.5 months later pregnant again with our sweet rainbow baby Autumn.

HOME BIRTH DECISION

Our decision to home birth as a couple was fairly easy. At the time I was working in the NICU and I battled for a few months what option would be best for us since with my background made me a bit more nervous but knew this was the right decision for us. I didn't want to have any fear this time around and  I felt that I actually would feel safer at home then in a hospital setting. I was a low risk this pregnancy and no complications this time around. I initially was being followed by high risk drs but was cleared.  I learned a lot about home birthing by researching about statistics and talking to friends who had home births. I made new friends that had a positive influence on me and kept away from people who where being negative about our idea to have a home birth. Sometimes, I wondered if people knew exactly what I did for a living.

At the time I was seeing a hospital midwife who I loved but told her my desires and told me this has to be a decision I make. That it can be life changing. It was the words I needed to hear and transferred my care to Michelle. One of my main concerns was did the have any equipment, stuff I am use to seeing in a hospital. She told me she has equipment if needed such as oxygen, deep suction, IVs, pitocin, methergine, and cytotec, and had certifications in NRP and CPR and was very good at self educating and taking classes. She trained under a midwife who my mother in law used and had a home birth with my brother-in-law. So I felt very confident with our decision.

 I had the best pregnancy this time around. I was not stressed and had lots of family support and love all around me. My prenatal visits where not rushed. I didn't have to wait long hours in a waiting room. I was able to let my toddler get involved and I was heard by my midwife. I had no fear once I made my decision. Everything was exactly how I wanted it to be from the prenatal visits to the birth and beyond!



BIRTH WITHOUT FEAR

I started having off and on contractions at 38.5 weeks and at this point I was getting over feeling like I was going into active labor and then it would be false. I requested at 38.6 to have my membranes swept to get things going and 48 hrs later and with the help of a breast pump I began active labor around 1030 pm that night. It was so nice being able this time around to labor in my own home and eat and drink when I wanted to. Contractions where mild-moderate and at 1:45 am I texted my midwife that I think I am finally in labor. She told me to call her when I was ready but that she was at another birth at that time. The contractions continued to get closer together and get stronger. I rested on the couch in between contractions. I finally woke up Jeff to let him know that today is the day! He came out with me into the living room and we both rested, at 4:18 am the contractions where coming every 3-5 mins and I would have to stop and deep breath and sway my hips or needed pressure applied to my back and hip area.

5:21 am labor finally was getting more intense and uncomfortable. I sent a text to my doula and my mother letting them know it's about time for them to get our son. My mom picked up Jayden at 7:30 am and my doula came around the same time. My doula and my husband where the people I exactly needed at that time. I had a lot of back labor  and my doula knew exactly what to do and my husband was great support. Midwives where called and arrived around 9:30 am. As soon as the midwifes got there the stress went all away. I was in my happy place, well as happy as one can be when in labor. I asked to be checked for dilation and I was 6 cm with my bag of water intact and bulging. I requested for the birthing pool to help with my back pain and hope that it would help with the back labor. Let me tell you, the birthing pool was amazing! I was a 9/10 pain and when getting into the pool I went down to a 5-6/10.

My doula taught me something very important when the pain got tough was to moan in deep tones during the contraction and keep it the same tone through the whole wave of the contraction. It made a  major difference. I took each contraction as it came and swayed back and forth while on my knees in the pool.

I continued to get monitored to make sure baby and I where doing well with a doppler. I tried different positions but being in the water was where I wanted to be. I got a strong urge to push but felt like my body wasn't ready yet so for a few contractions I resisted to push. My midwife was very encouraging at this point. This was the most vulnerable time during the labor for me and I wanted to give up but her soft voice said, " You can do this! you are a strong women, you are doing great!" Then she said, "listen to your body, push if you want to push" And with the next contraction I did and my water broke. Felt like a water bomb in the pool, very forceful, then she calming said, "Ashley, you said you didn't want a water birth" and attempted to help me out of the pool but the thought of getting out and lifting my legs over the pool and hopping onto my bed didn't feel like I could do it.

So I rolled over on my back and the next few contractions Autumn Kate Lucas was born at 12:05 pm on April 20, 2014 in the water and straight onto my chest and was a very peaceful birth.

 She was perfect with her rose pink lips. We delayed cord clamping and relaxed in the very warm pool until the cord was clamped. Then they got me out drained the pool and refilled the bath for our herbal bath which was one of the best parts of having a home birth.

Autumn got her first herbal bath given by our beautiful and most amazing midwife. Autumn and I explored each other and bonded. While we where relaxing, the midwives ( I had two) changed my linen and cleaned up. The midwives did a great job at keeping me clean throughout the whole process. I then got out of the tub and into my clothes and into my bed and nursed Autumn for the second time. The midwives before leaving did a thorough check on me and did their baby assessment before leaving and tucking us in.

Going natural was the most empowering thing I have ever done and the difference in high I felt with Autumn vs Jayden was completely different. I felt so good afterwards I seriously didn't feel like I had a baby. God had truly blessed us and put these beautiful women into our lives. I had a very healing and fear free home birth and I would do it again in a heart beat.

 "Birth is not a competition. A Birth Without Fear is different for each mother. How one woman births doesn't make her better than another. How one woman births doesn't make her less than another. It is HER birth and hers alone. It's not to be judged, ridiculed or mocked. It's not to be compared to. Each woman's birth belongs to her. Each woman's story is valid. Each woman's choice is to be respected. Everyone woman deserves support. Birth is sacred and leaves an imprint that settles deep within a woman's soul and that is marvelous." by Birth without fear

Dr Sherri J Tenpenny presents Vaccines, What the CDC Documents and Scien...

Vaccines - The Risks, The Benefits, The Choices [complete]

I watched/listened to this while doing housework. 2004 this was done and there are more vaccines given now then back in 2004. Worth your time. Watch this and I want to discuss. 

Controversial: Circumcision

Circumcision-to remove the foreskin on a male. I came to study this closely when we found out we were having a boy. And during my research and hx of circumcision, and my husband and I concluded that circumcision for most is a unnecessary procedure. I don't knock it for those that do it for religious purposes but still think everyone should look into before deciding what you feel is right for your child.

Rates have dropped from 1996 to 2006 (the last year the statics where put out.) 1996 was 62.7% and 2006 54.5%. And it continues to drop. In 1999, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy position stating that the evidence of medical benefits from circumcisions was not compelling enough to warrant routine newborn circumcision. August 27, 20012 the AAP rewrote there circumcision recommendation from 1999.  "Evaluation of current evidence indicates that the health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks and that the procedure’s benefits justify access to this procedure for families who choose it."But what is more interesting is that people are finally educating themselves and circumcision rates are decreasing majorly. My OBGYN said she has never seen any women come in with high risk of cervical cancer or anything else that a uncircumcised man can supposedly give a women. What gives women these cancers or diseases? STD's and multiple sex partners, and man on man. Not the uncircumcised man. The studies that the AAP are studying are men in Africa! The whole AIDS outbreak. They believe that if African men are circumcised that this will decrease the AIDS outbreak. So they are pushing for these men to get circumcised and studying them. Legit study?? Something to think about...

I Also want to put something out there. You are not a bad mother if you didn't research circumcision or if you decided to go for it because it was recommended by your Dr. If you change your mind for your future boys it is okay to have one circumcised and the others not. Still not a bad mom and you will not psychology mess your kid up. I have a friend who said the next time around she is not circumcision her son. Parenting is a learning process so don't feel bad. Do what you feel is best for your child and there future.  Something I have learned as a Nurse is you still need to question your Dr. Just like you won't believe everything your Pastor says. Don't always believe everything your dr  says. Get second opinions about tough diagnosis, etc. They don't know everything. Schools teach you what they what you to say, drug reps and other companies and be very influential as well. Do YOUR HOMEWORK! I believe this is your responsibility as a parent. I am so glad I did on so many topics. I don't regret any decision I have made so far because I feel well rounded about it and I know the pro's and con's. So if something does go wrong I am not going to blame anybody because I did the research. I am not just talking about circumcision but all my parenting decisions.

I work closely with Obgyn's and assist with circumcisions so I have seen both sides to this procedure and by seeing how the procedure is done did persuade me some on our decision. So because I didn't want to make the wrong decision for our son. I gave my husband material and websites to check out and let him make the final decision.

 I would highly recommend watching Cut: slicing through the myths of circumcision.  It was free on YouTube but by popular demand they took it off and you can see it on there website. http://www.cutthefilm.com/ and you can purchase the video.

"Cut is a documentary film by Eliyahu Ungar-Sargon which examines the subject of male circumcision from a religious, scientific and ethical perspective. Using cutting-edge research, in addition to interview footage of rabbis, philosophers, and scientists, Cut challenges the viewer to confront their biases by asking difficult questions about this long-standing practice.I was surprised to see his final conclusion."

I respect Dr Sears a pediatrician. He has a website  http://www.askdrsears.com/ and I highly recommend checking his site out. His point of views are exactly like mine and just ran across this now. So I am going to copy and paste.

Whether or Not to Circumcise

This is a decision that many parents face. There are many misconceptions and out-of-date information that parents may read. Here is a summary of the pertinent issues that you should consider when making this decision.

1. Medical benefits - THERE ARE NONE! Do not circumcise your baby because you think there are some medical benefits. A recent review by the American Academy of Pediatrics looked at all the data from the past decades to see if there truly were any medical benefits. Their conclusion - NO. There are no significant medical benefits that make circumcision worth doing. Here are a few benefits that we used to think were true, and now know are not.
   
   • Cleanliness - although it is true, a circumcised penis does not collect any white stuff underneath the foreskin like an intact penis does, THIS IS NOT A MEDICAL BENEFIT. It is really just one less area to wash in the shower.  
   • Decreased risk of STD's - this was a myth that we now know is not true.  
   • Decreased risk of penile cancer - it used to be thought that circumcised men had a much lower chance of cancer of the penis. We now know that this benefit is much smaller than previously thought. The AAP determined that this benefit is so tiny, it is not worth circumcising for this reason.  
   • Avoiding infections in the foreskin - it is true, occasionally intact foreskins get irritated. This is easily treated with warms soaks and washing. Rarely, the irritated foreskin becomes infected. This requires antibiotics to clear up, but is easily treatable. Even if this does happen once or twice in a person's life, it is not a reason to circumcise at birth.  
   • Avoiding the need to do it later on - very rarely, someone has a problem with recurrent infections in the foreskin that need antibiotic treatment. Some of these men then need to be circumcised in an operating room under general anesthesia. This is extremely rare, however, and is not a reason to circumcise everyone at birth.  
   • Avoiding bladder infections - it used to thought that circumcised boys and men had a much lower chance of bladder infections. The AAP now knows that this benefit is very small, and is only true for the first few years of life. After that, there is no difference in the number of bladder infections. Again, not a reason to circumcise.  
   THEREFORE, IF YOU DECIDE TO CIRCUMCISE YOUR CHILD, DO NOT DO SO BECAUSE YOU THINK THERE IS ANY MEDICAL BENEFIT.
2. Religious reasons - some people choose to circumcise for religious or cultural reasons. This is a personal decision.  
3. Don't want to be teased - while this may have been true in the U.S. decades ago, the truth is that your uncircumcised kids will be in good company in the locker room when they are teenagers. Less and less people in the U.S. are now circumcising their boys.  
4. Too much trouble to take care of - some people think that an intact penis is too much trouble to pull back and clean, especially during childhood. Well, the truth is, you are not even supposed to pull back the foreskin until it naturally comes back on its own between age 3 years and adolescence. So there really isn't anything to even take care of until then.  
5. Want your boy to look like dad - the main difference that your child will notice between him and dad is the hair. He won't even notice any difference in the penis until he is old enough that you can then explain to him the difference.  

So, what are the reasons TO circumcise? Here is the list:
Religious reasons - as discussed above.

That is all. There really is no good reason to circumcise other that personal preference and religious reasons.

Are there any reasons NOT to circumcise? Consider these:

1. Leave nature alone - whether you believe God created men with a foreskin, or nature simply evolved this way, there must be some reason men have foreskins. Why change something that God/nature has created?  
2. Sensation and sexual pleasure - the foreskin is filled with nerves, and is therefore extremely sensitive to touch. This enhances sexual pleasure.  
3. Protects the glans (head) of the penis - the glans is another highly sensitive area. The foreskin protects the glans from constant rubbing and chaffing against clothing that can desensitize it over the years. This preserves sexual pleasure.  
4. Ethical issues - there are groups of people worldwide, including medical societies, that oppose routine circumcision because they feel it is unethical for a parent to decide to alter the penis of their child without the child's consent. Parents who are deciding whether or not to circumcise their son may wish to consider the impact this may have in the future if the child decides they wish they were not circumcised.

So, when making this decision, the first thing to ask yourself is this - "Do I have any good reason to circumcise my baby?" If your answer is for religious reasons, then follow your faith. If not, and you can't think of any other significant reason other than just "because", then consider the above information as you make your decision.

Late Entry...About me : )

I forgot to hit publish back when I started blogging. So here is a little clip about me.

Hello fellow bloggers. I started blogging more after I deleted my Facebook. I needed to blog about topics that I can't seem to talk to family or friends about. And as far as I know. My viewers are not close friends or family. These are my personal opinions and thoughts. I am not a writer or good at grammar. I want to share some of my thoughts and decisions with others who are having a hard time knowing what to do and friend others who believe in the way I do.  I found so much support via bloggers and Youtubers and I want to do the same for any one out there in the world.  I like to challenge others to read and research topics that might be of controversial or another way of thinking about something. One thing I have learned over the 28 years of life is that when you put yourself in someone else shoes you start to think different. I have found along the way that people judge each other so harshly, particularly women. So don't read my posts and judge. Not interested in my topics then don't read.

I am very real/blunt person. I am not shy and I do share way to much information.  I am passionate about informing about Women's Health, researching Vaccines, learning natural remedies instead of conventional medications- but will use if needed, support the home birth community, Herbalist, VBAC's, and learning to become a minimalist, support stay at home moms, Anti-credit cards and trying to get rid of debt and being more frugal. I am a Christian. I believe personal rights-rights to not vaccinate or not to circumcise. I am an intactivist but I don't judge others for there personal decisions on any topic. I am hear to learn from others and form my own personal opinions. So haters go away and look at yourself instead.

I can't wait for feedback, though from my experience so far with blogging. I don't get many responses but I do see that I have lots of page views. I am considering becoming a YouTuber but not sure that I want my face out there on topics such as these do to my career.  So thank you for following or just reading an article or two.