Christine Birth Story

Posted on January 2, 2012 by NewLifeBirth

Disclaimer: One character trait of mine is that I am a very private person. The fact that I am even writing this is out of character for me, but I think it is more important for other women to know all of their options and maybe my story will speak to other women out there. Additionally, I feel that Claudette and Dana should be praised for their exceptional service to women. They are angels that God has placed on this earth to create the beautiful, love-filled, intimate & joy-packed event that a birth should be.

When I got pregnant, I assumed I would give birth in a hospital. I didn’t even know there were other options. A very close friend of mine told me about her birth experience at a birthing center and how powerful it was for her. She said if she were pregnant again, she would even consider a home birth. Wait, you can give birth at home? Yep. Isn’t that dangerous? Nope. That pretty much blew my mind and it got me to thinking. . . What was it exactly that I wanted out of a birth experience? More than that, I realized I had a choice in the matter. I didn’t have to have a ‘Birth Story’ experience. It could be something different.

So beyond thinking, I did a great deal of soul-searching and a ton of research. Through my research I concluded that not only was a home-birth safe, to me it was ideal. The birth of my baby could be on my terms, not someone else’s. I would have a say in how my baby entered this world. I could give birth in a place where I wouldn’t be judged or pressured. I would be surrounded by people who believed in the process and in my ability to endure it. I could move about freely as I needed to. I would be able to let the process occur naturally as God intended. I trusted fully in the process and in God. Now I just needed to convince my husband and find a midwife.
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Finding My Voice – My VBAC Journey

Posted on October 5, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

My Journey to a VBAC. After wanting a natural childbirth with my first pregnancy and labor and succumbing to an unnecessary cesarean, I discovered and joined ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) and began my journey to a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After Cesarean).

VBAC- Lindsi’s Birth Stories

Posted on August 18, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

The Birth of Jade Lillian, June 10, 3 Years Previous

I immediately adored my first baby girl, Jade Lillian. I cried at the sight of her beautiful face; completely relieved that she was born healthy and complete. It was an hour before I could hold her. I was scared, unsure if the drugs would wear off in time for me to cradle her safely. I was alone in a sterile, ugly room. There was a nurse to my right. She didn’t talk to me…what I needed most. I needed to hear encouraging words. All I could see was the ceiling and some equipment. The room was spinning. I was weak. Where was my baby? Please, let my husband be holding her, protecting her. Finally, an hour later, she is in my arms. But, she is all wrapped up. Whose fingers and toes does she have? I won’t know until the next day, when I ask a nurse to unwrap her so I can admire her tiny body. We sleep soundly all night. At about midnight, I see my baby open her eyes and look around. I desperately want to hold her, but I am stuck in my bed, unable to get up. Adam is asleep, so I don’t wake him. I’ll need him to be rested so he can help me in the morning. Jade was content all night. Was she hungry? Shouldn’t I be feeding her? Did they give her a bottle? I am so exhausted, I fall back asleep. I wake in the morning to the nurse telling me it’s time to get up and walk. I feel like I’m going to split in two. She leads me to the shower. I ask Adam to stay with the baby. I think the nurse will at least help me wash my hair. No. I am left to shower on my own. My body shakes. This is the most painful feeling I have every experienced. Now what do I do? The nurse comes back. This is the beginning of a very long week.
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VBAC-Andrea’s Birth Stories

Posted on August 18, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

Photo is of Fiona’s Birth

I found Claudette and her team by luck one day while listening to a radio program. The woman they had as a guest was talking about home birth after c-section. I had never heard of such a thing!

My first two babies were born vaginally in a hospital. I was as drug free as possible, but both babies were close to nine pounds and both had shoulder dystocia, which was terrifying for my doctor. When I got pregnant with baby #3, I approached her about pushing on my hands and knees but she dismissed it as a “midwife maneuver” and wasn’t inclined to let me do it. She said she’d monitor the size of the baby and hopefully I would be able to have another vaginal birth. My husband didn’t buy it, but I am the trusting sort and I thought that my doctor would never lie to me. Of course we got to the end of the pregnancy and he was too big so we scheduled a c-section. Ian was born healthy at least, but it was probably the worst experience of my life. I couldn’t hold him for hours because I shook so badly. I was cheated out of the time I could have bonded with him all because my doctor was afraid and wouldn’t just tell me the truth. I wanted more children, but just couldn’t face another surgical birth.
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2 VBAC Births by Carrie A.

Posted on May 20, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

Birth Stories of my three girls

In August I had my first born by emergency C-section. Not at all what we had planned. We took Bradley classes and read lots on homebirth and hospital birth. But we weren’t ready to make the leap for a homebirth, money wasn’t there and we thought we could do it naturally in a hospital. Long story short, my time ran out in the hospital, I had been there for the 12 hrs, so my doctor called the nurses several times and we ended up breaking my waters. Claire’s cord came out first and we had to put me under to make us all safe. Come to find out later that Claire was too high and she should have never broken my waters…..After many months of anger and frustration we knew we would never do that again!! A year and half later, my friend delivered a beautiful baby boy at her home with Claudette. I was pregnant and struggling to figure out what we were going to do. I kept thinking I could never have Claudette, because I don’t live close enough to her, but my friend was almost 2 hrs from Claudette. And I was 1 1/2 hrs from her. I interviewed many midwives, but we kept coming back to the fact that she is Christian, which is very hard to find in this field. As soon as I talked to her on the phone I knew this is who we would use. Continue reading →

Frank Breech Birth- Twyla Paisley Rae

Posted on May 20, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

This is the story of how I overcame doubt, fear, and negativity within myself so that I could experience the pure, raw power, intimacy, and spirituality of bringing life into this world.
At 36 weeks I found out our baby was breech and my plans for a homebirth were nearly destroyed.
With the help of my amazing fiance, my incredible midwife Claudette, and the support of my friends and family, I decided to forgo the unnecessarian, and instead trust birth, and stick to my dream of birthing her in peace, without fear.
I believe birth without fear is a right of passage, and has much to teach us about ourselves.
Twyla’s labor taught me to stop trying so hard to control things. To live in the present moment, and to birth without apology.

Friday December 10th

I was going about my business as usual, nesting like a madwoman, when I took a break to use the bathroom. When I wiped, there was a big glob of rust-tinged mucus. Hmm. I decided to call my midwife Claudette.I had been told to report any sign of impending labor as my first labor was only 2 hours and they wanted to be sure to make it in time.
This was around 12:40 pm. She told me to give her a call back if I started contracting, and said that she would stay in town. I called P at work and told him we may be having a baby today!

Around 2:00 my friend N dropped by with her kids. We were hanging out in the living room chatting when I noticed I was contracting regularly, albeit painlessly. N started timing my pressure waves and found that they were 10 minutes apart. By 3:00 they were exactly 8 minutes apart. I went to the bathroom and lost some more plug. I called Claudette again to keep her updated and we agreed to keep in touch. Around 4:00 I decided to go to the store as our fridge was nearly empty and I knew this little one would be here soon.
I wandered around the store feeling high as a kite, not really able to efficiently watch my 4 year old and remember what on earth I went there for in the first place.
Around 4:30 I noticed that my contractions were slowing down, and my attitude was becoming progressively worse.

I attribute the slowing and break in the pattern of my early labor to being around so many people and bright lights, and of course, my crappy attitude! My baby decided that this was not the night for her after all, and though at the time I was disappointed, I couldn’t blame her.
I went home and cried like only a woman who thought she was in labor can. I cried not because I was sick of being pregnant, (I wasn’t) I cried because this was beginning like my first labor had, which I had no desire to repeat in any way.
I called Claudette to share the news and she reassured me that this didn’t seem like the kind of thing that would go on and on for 3 days. She said she would expect things to start back up soon, and to get some rest while I could. Wise woman! Off to bed I went, to sleep my last night of unbroken dreamless sleep, of about 10 hours. Continue reading →

Zephan’s Birth

Posted on April 27, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

Dear Claudette,

It’s been a while since you helped me give birth to Zephan, and I wanted to finally take the time to thank you for how you served God and pointed us toward God whenever we were worried about the pregnancy or the health of the baby after birth. Because of your encouraging us to pray, we did seek God’s direction for this birth, and did experience God’s peace.

I look back on Zephan’s birth with a lot of joy that I had a peaceful birth. You arrived in time to take precautions against Strep B, encouraging me that the baby was about to come out, and also helping me switch positions to help him come out quickly and efficiently. Yet, I still know that “I did it”, and that God game me a smooth birth and healthy baby, with the help of your expertise. Thank you for serving Him boldly, so that women like me, who want a VBAC, have a chance of a peaceful birth.

I also appreciated how you took care of us after the birth, driving all the way down to Sunnyvale several times to check on us and examine us. Because of that, I could relax more, knowing the baby and I were both well.

Zephan’s home birth is so precious to me. The entire process of being pregnant and giving birth to him was a BIG lesson in walking by faith in God, trusting Him, not the things of the world. Thanks for always reminding us to trust God. You were definitely the Lord’s instrument.

Gratefully,
Tenny

Dylan’s Birth Story

Posted on April 27, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

Two years ago, I was fortunate enough to photograph a beautiful birth. When we knew Dylan was coming, the wonderful mother I photographed, offered to be there for Dylan’s birth. The images she captured were instantly more precious to me than any other images.

Dylan’s birth was harder for me than my daughter’s. Active labor started at 1 am and he was born 6 hrs later…he was 10 1/2 lbs and needed a lot of help coming out. His birth was very quick and there was a little complication. After, I only had memories of the pain and the fear. I absolutely hated that that was what I came away with.

When I saw these pictures, all the beauty of this miraculous event flooded back to me and I cried. I cried for hours. I relived the unwavering support of my amazing birth team. I felt the full impact of the moment he was laid on my chest. I remembered the excitement at the beginning of labor and the unmatched relief at the end. I completely felt all the warmth and love that surrounded me and my baby as we brought him into this world.

I write this urging every single mother to have the births of her children photographed. I can’t emphasis how much these gorgeous images impact me every single time I look at them. They bring the love, strength, beauty and miracle of my son’s birth back to me. They are a precious precious gift and I share them with you in hopes that this type of photography will become more mainstream. I don’t believe there is anything on this earth more beautiful than the birth of a child. -Mariah Smith

Thank you Claudette!

Posted on April 27, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

My heart is so full of love and gratitude for you! It is so hard to express in words my thankfulness to you for all you have done for me!

When I think of Rebekah’s birth….wow! You were amazing, Claudette. God truly has given you such wisdom. I thank Him for bringing me such a wonderfully smart and kind midwife. Because I could feel your deep faith in God I was able to have faith, which was such a blessing. Thank you so much for bringing with you your cheery smile and your belief that God will handle it all. God has given you such a talent, I love to tell people all about it. I always mention how you use it not for your own purposes but for God’s glory.

Thank you for taking and developing the pictures, which I look at fondly. It is is so wonderful to remember God’s miracles on that day. Also to remember how kind and loving you were to me and Jimmy.

May God Bless you for all you do for us mothers-to-be!
-Love, Toni Marie

Sarah’s Birth Story

Posted on April 27, 2011 by NewLifeBirth

I have always been 100% for home births, so when we found out we were pregnant I knew exactly what I wanted to do for the birth. I knew I wanted Claudette to be my midwife. My labor was very long and hard, so I knew that if I had been in the hospital I would’ve ended up with a C-section. I was in labor for 36 hours, and pushed for 2 ½ hours. It was tough, but I never gave up. I had all my family here supporting me, which was helpful. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. –Sarah A.