Birth is not only about making babies. Birth is about making mothers- strong, competent, capable mothers who trust themselves and know their inner strength. -Barbara Katz Rothman I knew as soon as I was pregnant with Lucille that I wanted to document and share my birth story, no matter how it would turn out to be. I wanted to remember the day that my body brought another living being into this world. As a woman, I feel incredibly powerful and grateful to be able to create, grow and birth a tiny living human. As someone who went through infertility treatments for about a year and a half, there is not one part of pregnancy or of the birthing process that I regret. All of the tears, stress, aches and pains were welcomed because I knew the outcome would be something unbelievably beautiful. As soon as I returned home from the hospital after giving birth I immediately started recording down everything that I had remembered from Lucille's birthday. My husband, sister, and doula were able to fill in the gaps and approximate times that events took place as well. I was able to gather very specific details (some very comical, some not so comical) to really tell Lucille's entry into this world as it should be told, uncensored. My mission of sharing my story is not to scare or frighten anyone about the unmedicated birthing process, but rather to bring awareness that women are POWERFUL! Our bodies are capable and strong and we should always trust our instincts. My birth story is organized by The Holistic Stages of Birth. I believe these stages describe precisely the entire labor process from beginning to end better than any birthing book or article I have read. Some details are listed briefly and some will go into more detail. I found it easier to bullet most of the beginning labor events and included more details as it got closer to the finale, aka birthing. I will use the words "poop", "pee" and "bowel movement" just so you are warned. I'm not embarrassed to share about what my body naturally decided to go through. Our bodies are amazing and sh*t happens (pun intended). There will be no sugarcoating of this story, just real, raw events. Before reading my birth story there are a few key details to know. 1. This is my first pregnancy. 2. I hired a doula. Best investment ever! 3. I created a birth plan that involved no medication, and my husband, sister, mother and doula were the only ones allowed in my birthing room. 4. I wanted to quit and take drugs a couple times during labor. 5. In the end, I stuck to my birth plan and had a natural, unmedicated birth. Lucille's Birth Story June 7, 2018 Entering the Veil- Active Labor
On the Mountain- Active Labor
The Summoning- Transition
Quietude- Resting phase
Emergence- Birth
The Return- Immediate Postpartum
I am a true believer that giving birth should be your greatest accomplishment, not your greatest fear.
I would love if you could share your birth stories below. Women should empower each other instead of competing with one another. Your body is strong and capable of miraculous things, trust it always. xoxo Jillian
9 Comments
Tabitha Lightfoot
6/17/2018 12:46:00 am
I loved reading your birth story! Birth is amazing and I love hearing about other woman’s experiences. I’ll share some of my birth story, my son is 12 weeks old today!
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Jillian
6/19/2018 09:26:21 am
How did you like having a midwife? Your story is so amazing and unique! It's crazy how our birth "plan" can be changed so quickly. Awesome job strong mama!
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Tabitha
6/20/2018 01:10:38 pm
Having a midwife was great I had a really nice one, I would’ve loved a doula though, yeah it’s crazy how the plan can just go out the window I don’t think anything went as my birth plan was written! Definitely will try a water birth if possible next time though, and I’d like to do it without an epidural again as well now I know I can do it!
Dara
6/19/2018 07:02:25 am
Thanks for sharing Jill!! Birth stories are incredible! What did they numb you with? How would you describe the pain of pushing? Just curious, I’m hoping one day I’ll get to try a VBAC! Here’s my story, which was almost exactly a year before yours!
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Jillian
6/19/2018 09:32:23 am
Dara thanks for sharing your story! I had no idea you went into labor a month early. What techniques did you try to flip the baby?
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Dara
6/19/2018 10:53:44 am
Guess the post cut me off! I just went into labor a couple days before my due date, the day before my C section was scheduled. I tried acupuncture, PT, chiropractor, essential oils, cold/hot packs and swimming/handstands...turns out I had a bicornuate uterus (heart shaped) so once the baby was a certain size she didn’t have room to flip. Here’s the rest of my story just so it’s complete haha...
Dara
6/20/2018 12:02:02 pm
Geez, guess my story is too long...not much left...
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Jaycey
6/27/2018 08:09:09 am
I’ve had all 4 of my boys unmediated and I loved reading your story. With my first I was crampy and uncomfortable all day and then at night the contractions really started. I went to the hospital 3 times and they finally let me stay. Haha. I never got the urge to push with him. And I ended up pushing for 4 hours. (The day before labor I had a check up and the doctor scraped my membranes without telling me. I thought she was just checking if I was starting to dilate. That is my suspicion with not getting urge to push and pushing 4 hours. I don’t think he was ready yet) He was doing the head in and out thing too. I didn’t get an episiotomy (so?) and he finally came out without any intervention but he had fluid in his lungs when born so he had to go to NICU for a few days. He was 8lbs. My second my water broke on my due date! His labor was 12 hours, less than half the time of the first. I only pushed for about 15 minutes with him. He was 9lbs 3oz. He had shoulder dysplasia which can be a scary thing but his shoulders delivered and he was perfectly healthy. My third came 6 weeks early. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks leading up to his delivery because my water broke at 31weeks. Thankfully I was able to stay pregnant until 34. They had a scheduled induction for Monday on 34 weeks and I kept saying “please go into labor naturally, please, please. It’s all I thought about leading up to it. And the night before my induction I went into labor naturally and had the easiest delivery 5 hours for a 5lb5oz 34weeker. My 4th I was all by myself! My husband was home with our other 3 kids and we didn’t have any family in town. But by number 4 I was kind of a pro :)! It was actually my favorite delivery. It was a different hospital and I was just more free to walk the halls and labor naturally. The others I was in bed mostly. But with my 4th I took a bath and used a ball and I was up a lot more. I never did any research about giving birth or I would have asked to be up more. With 2 of my deliveries I was told NOT TO PUSH!! And you know that urge to push!! It’s hard to stop!!! They told me a lip of the cervix was showing but I think both times they were waiting on the doctor! And actually after learning from my first time being told not to push I didn’t listen the second time. I’m like I DON’T CARE if the doctor isn’t here! Someone else do it!!!
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Jilian
6/29/2018 08:13:14 am
LOVE THIS! I can't believe you have 4 handsome boys, you rock mama! Thanks for being so descriptive with your story and your top tips for natural childbirth are spot on! xoxo
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