Encouragement

It all started with a heartbeat. That strong, simple, yet deafening sound that you hear the day you nervously walk into the ultrasound room hoping for the first glimpse at your new life. Sometimes the heartbeat doesn’t last. They flutter for a while and then slowly and unfairly fade, and those precious, limited moments are held close to the mother’s own broken heart. Other times, they grow stronger and faster and bloom into little miracles. And by God’s grace, her heartbeat was strong, and we saw Audrey Faye Roussell for the first time in grainy Technicolor on a cold January day. Nine long months later, I sat in that same ultrasound room, having just seen our nearly eight pound baby and...

December 22nd was a chilly, downright cold Sunday that started the same as any other. Except I was 41 weeks and 4 days pregnant. Tim and I were going for a walk, and on our way back I kept feeling weird pressure. Tim suggested I call my doula Carolynne to let her know. She suggested that I take it easy so we had a movie Sunday.  Around 4 pm, I heard a strange popping noise, and it felt as if the baby had passed gas inside me. I can’t explain it any better. I mentioned it to Tim and then had the urge to pee like I had so many times during pregnancy. But, this was different. When I...

My c-section in 2009 was very unnecessary. It was an induction with sedatives, Pitocin, epidural and Stadol. I slept for 24 hours and they woke me up to “push”. Tired from all the medications and not being able to feel anything to push, I ended up with a c-section. I knew for my next pregnancy that I would try for a VBAC. After going to 2 other doctors, I found a doctor that was willing to let me try for the birth I wanted. My entire pregnancy, I read articles and blogs, trying to prepare myself mentally and physically for a non-medicated hospital birth. I tried my best to stay active, healthy and educated. On Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 39...

For the birth of my third baby, I decided I would do things a little differently. My first was born via cesarean and my second was a VBAC. While I was thrilled with the outcome of the second birth, I felt that something was missing. I was so focused on having a vaginal delivery that I didn’t prepare for the intensity of labor and felt like I wasn’t an active participant in the birth with the epidural. Once I became pregnant again, I decided to spend the pregnancy focusing on setting myself up for an unmedicated birth. I researched pain management techniques, maintaining a high level of fitness, managing weight gain, and delivery options. I decided on a water birth,...

Births are like snowflakes. Each one is uniquely beautiful. They show us a courage and strength we never knew we had and a love we never could have imagined. The excitement and anticipation of an upcoming birth is palpable. There is an anxious energy around not knowing exactly what to expect. Will it be long or short, comfortable or difficult, exactly as planned or take its own direction? Birth is one of the few parts of life that we typically can’t and shouldn’t control. When our babies are born, we wear our stories like a badge of honor. Each of us has our own special initiation into motherhood. This week, you’ll read stories that encompass many kinds of birth. From...