Heather's Stories- Four Big Babies!- Hospital and Home

Baby #1: 9 lbs., 11 oz.

19 inches

14” head (I think?),

"Short, very plump baby."

Hospital with CNM

Mother's Height: 5’3”, 125 lbs prior to pregnancy. 

Term Pregnancy weight 150 lbs

How was your pregnancy?

Healthy. Active. Sick first trimester.

How did you feel about your upcoming birth?

I was DETERMINED to not have a lot of interventions. I read Bradley book. I shopped around hospitals and practitioners and switched to a CNM with good stats at 7 months pregnant. This determination was CRUCIAL to my successful outcome.

Description of your birth experience:

First birth. Very long labor (total 30 hours, but only active 8 hours). Labored with her posterior, born anterior. Labored mostly at home, went to the hospital at 7cm.  No tearing! CNM manually removed placenta which was painful and traumatic for me without warning or reasoning why.  However she documented my chart with “spontaneous birth of placenta” – no way.  She went in up to her forearm and grabbed it.  It was excruciating.  This almost demolished my entire amazing birth experience.  It was this reason and the crazy invasive treatment of my healthy newborn without informed consent that inspired me to homebirth my next three children.  I feel that any other place or any other practitioner might have elected surgery.  Even though I was totally opposed to introducing drugs and stated clearly that I did not want them offered, a nurse kept saying “you don’t need to be a hero, we can give you something to make it easier”.  I was really upset at this and had to fight with myself during transition to deny the drugs.  It was the best decision of my life.  No way did I want to get on the slippery slope of drugs that would likely lead to surgical birth.

How did you feel after the birth (first month)?  

Tired, sleep deprived, but no depression, capable. 

How did you feel six months after the birth? One year? Now? 

Excellent.  This “baby” is now 8 and watching me study to become a CPM (homebirth midwife)

What did you learn from this birth? 

The importance of education, empowerment, the importance of claiming the rights of my body and my infant’s body was almost impossible in a hospital setting.  You really turn over your right to choose when you are on hospital grounds.  You are essentially powerless unless you arm yourself with about as much knowledge as practitioners have. 

Any words of wisdom to impart?

Women out to be convinced that how we birth will help us with the transition to motherhood.  It is a spiritual experience that is totally achievable for most women.  It is crucial to claim your own experience and demand informed consent always, whether you are dealing with your dentist or your OB, or your midwife.  Claim your baby with primal instincts and arm yourself with knowledge and true statistics.  Do not become part of the cycle by allowing comments to scare you that have no factual basis. 

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Baby #2: 8 lbs., 5 oz.

21 inches

Home (waterbirth)

How was your pregnancy? 

Good. Normal.

How did you feel about your upcoming birth? 

Excited about homebirth with CPM.

Description of your birth experience: 

short active labor. Intense transition. Quiet waterbirth. Peaceful.  Birth of placenta was normal, natural – even though I had some fear about this.

How did you feel after the birth (first month)?  Excellent!

How did you feel six months after the birth? One year? Now?  Excellent. This child is now 6.

What did you learn from this birth?  HOMEBIRTH rocks and more women could EMBRACE this!!!!! 

Any words of wisdom to impart?  Homebirth with a licensed, skilled CPM is AMAZING.   Totally do-able.  There is nothing “special” about me that enabled me to do this.
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Baby #3: 10 lbs., 2 oz.

"Another big head, big chest girl"

Home. Birth on bed

How was your pregnancy?

AWESOME. Bliss. Worked hard on improving my diet!!! Omitted dairy, wheat, sugar.  Turns out this was biggest baby yet!

How did you feel about your upcoming birth? 

Excited, pumped up. Nervous, too about the potential to bleed.

Description of your birth experience:  LOTS of false/puttery labor for DAYS.  During active labor, I wished I was back in water like #2 (but this midwife was not totally comfortable with water, I think).  Pushing took way longer than expected. Turns out she was HUGE!   NO TEARING!!!!!!!  Midwives hands and skills were greatly appreciated!!!!  They knew just how to coach me.  I’m glad they were there.  Unassisted birth would never be for me, I would have torn the hell out of myself.  Birth of placenta was fine again. 

How did you feel after the birth (first month)? Tired, lost a bit of blood this time.  Otherwise AWESOME – BLISS!!!!!!!

How did you feel six months after the birth? One year? Now?  Bliss!

What did you learn from this birth?

Homebirth still rocks. Trust in homebirth midwife just as important as selecting OB/CNM in hospital.  I decided I wanted to become a midwife.

Any words of wisdom to impart? 

Women can shop around CPMs like they should OBs.  Support homebirth.  Don’t fear birth. 
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9 lbs., 6 oz.

23 inches

Home,  Water!

Term weight: 160 lbs.

How was your pregnancy? 

Normal.  I worked on my diet and reducing sugar since my babies were all so big (and I was little). 

How did you feel about your upcoming birth?  A bit more nervous about potentially bleeding (just because I’ve had more big babies and I’m getting older -33)

Description of your birth experience:

took a while for active labor to kick in. I craved for water and had to fight midwife a bit to use the pool as much as I wanted.  Huge Baby ended up being born posterior!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Slight tear from malposition, but no stitches needed.  The malposition kept me at one despite my knowing I was in very late active labor.  Midwife kept telling me I was only at 1cm.  I finally got to labor some alone with just husband and mother in pool and then my water broke and he came falling out.  Almost no time for midwife to catch!  She didn’t have time to don her gloves!  It was awesome and a power from God.  I was glad when it was over.

How did you feel after the birth (first month)?  Awesome. 

How did you feel six months after the birth? One year? Now? Really great!

What did you learn from this birth?  Trust and talk with God when things get scary.

Any words of wisdom to impart? 

Turn yourself over to God. Allow each birth to be your spiritual teacher.  Allow each baby to come into the world as they intend.  Heal yourself through birth.