Happy Homebirth

When it comes to finding your way to your homebirth midwife, was this an easy or difficult path for you?

After 2 hospital births, Krista knew she was ready to take birth home.  The issue, however, was finding a care provider.  In Western PA, midwives are publicly prosecuted for attending homebirths.  CPMs and traditional midwives alike are underground.  Krista mentions she felt like she was calling a “black market midwife.” 

In this episode, we discuss it all.  From birth trauma to faulty legislation…but we end the way I pray all births do… victoriously.  Join me as we learn about Krista’s experience with 3 under 3.

Show Notes:

• Krista is a corporate lawyer and mother to 3 children, ages 3 and under.
• She discussed how ridiculous it is that these practices and hospitals expect mothers to sign away all of their rights and consent weeks before even being in labor, or even upon entrance to the hospital. How can you give informed consent when you don’t even know the situation yet?
• This is why she decided to switch to the care of midwives at 28 weeks.
• After her first birthing experience, which was quite traumatic (they threatened to vacuum baby out simply because she pushed for 2 hours, they whisked him away immediately to NICU and she didn’t see him for 4 hours), she knew she wanted to take back birth.
• Though Krista experienced birth trauma, she has managed to use it for good.
• With her second birth, her midwives switched hospitals (it would now be 70 minutes away)—much because the hospital they were at before’s poilcies were not good for midwifery clients.
• For this birth, her doula was at another labor, so her backup was called. However, after speaking with the backup and telling her all that was going, the backup ended up calling HER backup….
• Krista was so upset. Suddenly her mindset changed and she was now feeling the sensations as pain, where they had not seemed painful before.  This shows just how much our situation and mindset can influence our perception of what we are feeling.
• She arrived at the hospital at 8:30 am, and baby was born at 9:17.
• She left the hospital knowing that she would not be coming back.
• In PA, it’s incredibly difficult to find a midwife because there are no midwifery regulations. She discusses how she felt like she had to find a “black market midwife”
• Although she was going through a difficult divorce during her third pregnancy, her experience was amazing because of her care. The midwives cared about her mental health, her life experiences, etc.  This was all taken into consideration during her care.
• She did use traditional midwives, who did not have access to medications, testing or scans. She discusses how although she felt comfortable with this for this birth, it’s unfair that other mothers, who might not, must make these kinds of choices simply because of the state’s choices.

Krista’s mother was able to make it for the birth of her third baby.

• She didn’t even realize the midwives and doula had arrived for quite some time, as they were quietly waiting in the corner.
• She had made such a gorgeous atmosphere in her room- an are where she could truly relax into labor and be present. Twinkle lights, birth pool, worship music all set the mood.
• She was able to have her 3 year old in the room as her daughter was born.
• “I felt so victorious”

Keep up with Krista:

• recoveringsuperwoman.com
• Instagram.com/recoveringsuperwoman

Episode Roundup:

1. At the beginning of this episode we discussed the importance of not only learning to ask for help, but also learning to accept help. This is vital.
2. Liability drives hospital decision-making. The best interest of the mother is not.  This means that when facing the hospital setting, we have to be very aware of what is going on and PUSH for informed consent.
3. Having a homebirth can be overwhelmingly healing. Midwives can be so phenomenal in supporting mothers in their birthing journey, no matter the emotional backdrop to the pregnancy.  Care is so individual.  Even during a difficult personal experience, Krista was able to find strength and victory in her homebirth experience.