Tiffany Scheel is a Mindfully Prepared Birth childbirth educator, birth doula, and VBAC doula

I have been drawn to babies, pregnant women and the birthing process since I was young. As an 8-year old girl, I KNEW I wanted to be a Labor and Delivery Nurse. I worked as a Certified Nurse Assistant for several years on the Mom/Baby Unit at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray.

Just as birth is unexpected, my career path took an unexpected, but beautiful course as I learned I did not want to pursue a nursing degree.  After having 4 children of my own and being a stay at home mom, I decided it was time to get back into the birth world. Each of my babies had their own unique entrance into the world ranging from an emergency cesarean to a home birth. In 2022, I became a birth doula and a Mindfully Prepared Birth Instructor.

I have an incredibly nurturing heart and want the best for everyone I meet. I truly enjoy watching each couple learn together, support one another and then achieve the birth of their baby. A lot of how women view their birth experience is how supported the woman feels during the time surrounding their birth. It is my goal for every woman to feel empowered, embraced, and supported during this beautiful, transitional time of her life.

St. George Utah Doulas

Transformation - Going Beyond Your Physical Form

In Hypnobabies we use special words with positive connotations to talk about the different stages of birth. We use the word transformation for​ the sage of birth when a mom’s cervix is dilating from 7 to 10 centimeters. So much occurs in those three centimeters. A baby begins to move down deeper into the pelvis preparing to come out and enter this world.

Transformation is an amazing time, an exciting time; a time of stretching and allowing not only physically, but also spiritually and emotionally. You are opening yourself up to becoming a mother to this baby. It is a thrilling, exciting, and challenging endeavor. In life whenever we are learning, stretching and growing it takes patience and it calls for great strength and courage. Whenever I am going through a growth experience, I have found that it is easier when I am surrounding myself with supportive, loving people; people that remind me of my goals and remind me of my strength. And so it is with birth, as we go through the transformation process we call on those around us. We ask them for needed support. That may feel like a back rub, that may sound like words of encouragement, that maybe look like a plate of food or a drink of water.

The definition of transformation is, “a dramatic change in form or appearance” or “a metamorphosis during the life cycle.” My favorite definition is, “going beyond your physical form.” That's exactly what you are doing when you give birth. You are going beyond what you are now to become something stronger, wiser, more intuitive. You are in the process of becoming. You are becoming a mother.

Kelly Colvin, HCHI, HCHD

Thank you lindsaysharifiphotography.com for sharing your talent.

Taylie's Birth Story

When Kelly asked if I would write my birth story to share on her website, I was a little hesitant because my story is not your typical all-natural birth that you usually hear about when a doula is involved. But I am here to tell you that a doula can be extremely helpful NO MATTER what kind of birth you have!

To give a little background, I developed Pre-Eclampsia during my first pregnancy and was put on bed rest at 38.5 weeks. By 39 weeks I was in the hospital. My Pre-Eclampsia went from bad to worse really fast and I was diagnosed with HELLP Syndrome and almost lost my life. They ended up doing an emergency C-Section and it took me months to recover not only from the surgery, but from the symptoms of high blood pressure and recovery from my organs starting to fail. Needless to say I was terrified to have another baby and have the same complications happen again.

I overcame my fears enough to get pregnant again and I knew that I wanted this delivery to go a lot better than the first. My husband and I knew this time around that we did NOT want another C-Section. Our goal was to have a successful VBAC. We wanted a more intimate delivery where I could hold our baby right away. We wanted my husband to be a part of the delivery as much as possible, but most importantly I wanted him to really be there for me and to be able to support me in any way that he could. That is what led us to taking a mini-doula class from Kelly.

My Birth Story begins before I was even in labor.

Prior to delivery I prepared for a vaginal birth as much as I could. I did lots of research on VBAC’s and I took Kelly’s class with my husband. I tried to refrain from focusing on what I didn’t want (a C-Section) and only focused on what I did want which was a vaginal birth.

I had my worries that complication would arise and I would end up having another C-Section. I worried that I wouldn’t be able to progress or labor because I never did with my first. I never even had contractions with my first so it was like a first-time delivery for me. I wrote positive affirmations down and placed them around my house where I would see them every day and I would read them out loud, over and over again every time I saw them. These helped me feel strong and confident that my body would do what it was designed for to bring my baby to me safely. As my due date drew closer I would take more time to relax and really focus on my deep breathing and take time to just enjoy the pregnancy and embrace the upcoming delivery. The pressure points that Kelly taught my husband were AMAZING and helped to relieve so much back pain and pressure from the baby while still pregnant and they would certainly come in handy during labor as well.

The morning of July 9th (9 days before my due date) I woke up early (5:00am) and went to the bathroom which wasn’t unusual. I noticed some pink mucousy discharge when I wiped. I got back into bed and did some research on mucous plugs and bloody show. I decided that it was more of a bloody show and that I would continue to watch it throughout the day. I was super excited that things were progressing and that my body was gearing up for delivery. I was getting pretty anxious at this point in my pregnancy. I was too excited to sleep so I got up and took a nice, long, relaxing bath. I went about my day and had noticed an increase in contractions as I was out running errands. They weren’t painful at all and I was just so excited that things were changing. I thought the contractions were just increased Braxton Hicks. I met up for lunch with my hubby at his work and would tell him every time I was having a contraction. He told me that I seemed to be having quite a few and that we should probably time them. My plan was to go to Costco after lunch and get the rest of the shopping done and then I would go home and relax and time the contractions. We had never timed contractions before so we started to time them while we were together in the office so that I knew what I was doing. Thank goodness for cool apps! We timed them for about 30 minutes and they were SUPER consistent and the textbook ‘Three to Five Minutes apart, Lasting for a Minute or Longer.’ It freaked us out a bit because we were not expecting that. My husband asked if I thought I was in labor and I said, “No!”  We decided that I should go home and lay down for a bit and continue timing the contractions-they were getting stronger by this time. We thought that it would be best if we went to the hospital to be checked and make sure everything was ok where I still had some bleeding from earlier that morning. We started to pack our bags for the hospital, put our 2 year old down for a nap, cleaned up the house a bit and we were on our way to the hospital at 3:30pm.

I was grateful that we had decided to go to the hospital because my contractions kept getting stronger and I had to stop walking during each one and breathe through them. The nurse checked me and I was only dilated to a 1cm! I couldn’t even believe it. I thought for sure that I would be dilated farther than that because of how consistent and painful the contractions were getting. She contacted the doctor to see what he wanted to do. Because of my prior history with complications, prior C-Section, regularity of contractions and more bleeding than what they would have liked to see they felt it was best if they admitted me. I expressed my fears of having a trial of labor only to end in a C-Section because of failure to progress especially because I was only dilated to a 1. They gave me the option to:

  a. Do a C-Section and forego the VBAC        

  b. Continue for a VBAC and see if I progressed

  c. They could break my water to see if that helped get things moving rather than give me Pitocin and continue with a VBAC.

My husband and I asked all the medical personnel to leave the room and give us a moment to decide together on what we wanted to do. We prayed for an answer and listened in silence. We then talked about how each of us felt and came to the conclusion that we have prepared this whole pregnancy for a VBAC delivery and why give up now?  We felt that everything would work out just as we had hoped.

I was transferred to a delivery room and this was it! We were going to have our baby soon!

The doctor broke my water and I immediately dilated to a 2+. This was such good news!

The contractions became more intense and painful. It was hard to focus on anything the RN was talking to me about during the admission process and I needed my husband to counter pressure my knees during every contraction. This helped tremendously. I also did my deep breathing and my husband would help me to relax my face and body wherever it had tensed up. I received an epidural around 6:30pm. I was dilated to a 3+ and boy was I so grateful! The epidural was a piece of heaven!

Now it was the waiting game. We just had to wait for me to dilate and be ready to deliver. We didn’t know how much longer that would be and we thought we should try to get some rest in now that I wasn’t in any pain and didn’t need my husband so much during every contraction. After a while of trying to rest, my husband and I talked about our excitement and couldn’t believe this was really happening and how fast things seemed to be happening. I asked him to read me Positive Affirmations and he read those to me over and over again. Even with an epidural I couldn’t believe the deep relaxation I had felt while he read those to me. These affirmations relaxed me in both mind and body and I was able to rest without sleeping at all.

The RN came back in and checked me and I was at a 7+!! My body was doing what it needed to do and it was such an amazing feeling! I was calm, relaxed and I felt so confident and ready to have this baby vaginally. Before we knew it I was dilated to a 9+ and they were bringing in supplies for the delivery. The RN kept telling me that when I felt the urge to push to let her know. I told her that I REALLY felt like I needed to have a bowel movement and couldn’t hold it back. She assured me that that was a good feeling to be having and that it would get more intense as baby got more into position. I told her 3 more times that I felt like I couldn’t hold that ‘need to poop’ feeling back any longer. We did some practice pushes and next thing I know they were yelling for the doctor to get in there quick! They told me to stop pushing and that was the worst feeling. I had even written in my birth plan that I did NOT want to be told to stop pushing and the nurses assured me that that wouldn’t happen because I was having an epidural. Well, it happened and I wasn’t too happy.

The doc came in and I pushed with my husband right there by my side, anticipating the arrival of our little girl together. I loved watching him and the excitement on his face as he could see our daughters head for the first time. I loved the positive reinforcement and encouragement from him and everyone else in the room. After 4 intense pushes, I watched in the mirror as our little one came into this world. I felt her little body come out and it was such a relief! Taylie was born at 11:14pm. They placed her right onto my belly and it was so surreal. I just had my baby girl with no complications and a successful VBAC! I accomplished my goals and I couldn’t have been happier.

Having a doula or in my case knowledge from a doula is extremely helpful in ANY kind of delivery and is well worth your time! The things my husband and I learned and were able to implement in preparation for and the delivery of our little girl are all thanks to Kelly!

7 Reasons Why You Need a Doula

We'd like to thank Amy from Pink Stork Solutions for allowing us to share her article on our blog. 

Doulas are awesome. Plain and simple. These incredible women provide invaluable service to mothers around the world. A more natural birth experience is on the rise and for good reason. Check out these seven reasons why you need a doula!

Women with doulas are less likely to have C-Sections
Who wants a C-section? C-sections are expensive, intensive, and result in a long recovery time. This major surgery is on the rise throughout the US, despite the advances in technology and medical knowledge regarding birthing. In a review of studies published from 1968 to 2012, researchers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality found significant data supporting the reduction of cesarean sections in women who used doulas during labor. In three studies, doula support in labor was associated between a 5%-22% reduction in C-sections. Another study found a reduction of 20.6%, and yet another found a reduction of 34.2%! Any way you slice it, having a doula improves your chances of delivering your baby naturally.

Doulas save you money!
In an age of ever-rising medical costs, a study published by the Wisconsin Medical Journal, found an estimated $29 million dollars could have been achieved for every low-risk birth were attended in-hospital by a professional doula! An estimated cost savings of $424 per delivery or $530 dollars per low-risk delivery.

Birth is expensive enough! Doulas actually save you money! Choosing to work with a doula is an investment, but one that rewards handsomely.

Doulas reduce labor time and result in fewer medical interventions
A study published in 2005 shows that the presence of a doula during labor resulted in fewer epidurals and shorter labor time. The study supports the role of the doula in the birthing process and encourages institutional changes to provide doula support to laboring women.

Doulas reduce rates of tears and deliveries via instruments
Doulas provide focused labor support to laboring mothers. Women who received doula support were 41% less likely to give birth with vacuum extraction or forceps and 25% less likely to experience painful tearing of the vagina and proximal muscle and skin structures. A less painful birth and quicker recovery were associated with doula support.

Doulas result in more personal support from the fathers-to-be
Doulas allow fathers-to-be to support their partners physically and emotionally while doulas assist the mother during the labor process. This way, the partner can provide the personal support mothers so desperately need while having their birthing needs tended to by a certified professional. This study showed that the fathers remained further away from the mothers than doulas and talked and touched less. The father provided far more personal support while the doula resulted in significant benefits in outcome.

Women who use doulas report greater self-esteem, less depression, and a higher regard for the babies compared to women who don’t use doulas
At 6 weeks after delivery a greater proportion of doula-supported women were breastfeeding, reported greater self-esteem, less depression and a higher regard for their babies. Furthermore, doula-supported women held a much higher regard for their ability to care for their babies compared to the control mothers who opted for no doula support during birth.

Doula-assisted mothers are four-times less likely to have a low birth weight baby
In this study published in 2013, doula-assisted mothers were four times less likely to have a low birth weight baby, two times less likely to experience a birth complication, and significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding. The study suggests communication and encouragement from the doula increased the mother’s self-esteem regarding her ability to impact her own pregnancy outcomes.

Convinced yet? Check out our directory of doulas and midwives here and find someone local to help you during your pregnancy journey!

A childbirth without meds, absent pain?

If you watch any movie or television show depicting a woman delivering a baby, the scene is always, as you might expect, a little dramatic. And while anyone who has been through the actual process will likely agree that those scenes are a little off the mark, the consensus among most women seems to be that, yes, childbirth is hard work and, when un-medicated, incredibly painful.

However, based on her own experiences, Kelly Colvin of Washington Fields says it doesn't have to be.

After delivering two children in the hospital with an epidural and not being pleased with her experience, Colvin started looking for alternative methods when it came time to have her third child. What she found is a trademarked version of hypnobirthing known as Hypnobabies and the concept just made sense.

Practicing medical grade hypnosis techniques, Colvin says Hypnobabies teaches its participants to tap into the deepest level of hypnosis that is, "ideal for giving birth."

Colvin is quick to point out that the laboring woman is not asleep — a common misconception when it comes to hypnosis — but instead is fully functional and able to communicate. The difference is, she has placed herself in a deep level of hypnosis that allows her body to do what it was designed to do without fear and anxiety impeding the process.

"All hypnosis is self-hypnosis," says Colvin, a certified Hypnobabies instructor, as well as a Hypnobabies doula. "No one is controlling you."

To the skeptics out there, Colvin says the average person is in a state of hypnosis several times a day without realizing it – while driving, while watching television or staring at a computer.

"Anytime you are concentrating deeply on anything, that's a form of hypnosis," she says.

"The key with Hypnobabies and hypnobirthing, is to control that concentration and reprogram the mind that childbirth does not have to be a painful experience.

Although Hypnobabies does not guarantee a pain free labor and delivery, Colvin says the goal is to have, "the most comfortable birth for you and your baby" as well as "the safest birth experience."

Colvin herself utilized the Hypnobabies techniques with her third and fourth children, delivering in a birth center with the third and at home for her fourth, but she has acted as a Hypnobabies doula on many occasions for women delivering in the hospital as well. For her, the difference in her birth experience from the first two children to the latter two was amazing and she couldn't wait to tell other people about what she had experienced.

"In our culture we view (birth) as this horrific, painful experience but when you educate and prepare yourself it is so much different," Colvin says.

A six-week class, along with at-home practice CDs and literature serve as a guide for women seeking to give this style of birthing a try. For Savannah Swanson ofWashington City, the difference was night and day.

"It's very empowering," Swanson says. "It's not just about birth, it's about the way you view things."

Working as a mental health therapist, Swanson was familiar with cognitive behavioral therapy and the power of a person's thoughts. Putting that idea into action by using the tools she learned in the Hypnobabies classes helped when she delivered her third baby.

She delivered her baby at Dixie Regional Medical Center with an obstetrician who was "very supportive of my using Hypnobabies," and although her experience was not completely pain-free, it was "a stark contrast" to her previous births.

"There was one moment of, 'this is really hard!' but with the Hypnobabies training the more positive thinking started to kick in and I was like, 'You know what? I can do this,'" Swanson says.

Minutes later she was holding her child in her arms.

Chelsea Stephenson of St. George was also displeased with her experience delivering her first three children, all of which had to be induced.

"I was thinking, there's got to be something better out there," Stephenson says.

She heard about Hypnobabies from a sister-in-law, but was skeptical at first.

"I thought it sounded really hard," she says.

After attending the classes and meeting Colvin, she jumped in with both feet, opting to deliver at home with Colvin serving as her doula. When the day came, she was in a completely relaxed state.

"I was never crying. It was never a pain that I couldn't handle," she says. "It was amazing how it worked."

The key, Colvin says, is getting away from the fear and the traditional mindset that childbirth is such a negative experience.

"When fear is present it leads to tension, which leads to pain," Colvin says.

With that in mind, Colvin says she felt her own contractions as "pressure, like a big warm hug, stretching and pulling."

With more and more women in the Southern Utah area becoming interested in natural childbirth, Colvin says the idea of Hypnobabies and hypnobirthing is gaining popularity. To her knowledge she is the only person offering the official Hypnobabies classes, but there are other hypnobirthing technique classes available in the area, including through Dixie Regional Medical Center.

For more information on Hypnobabies, log onto peacefulbirthchoices.com.

Matthew's Birth-VBAC

Before I share my HBA2C, I need to give some background information on my first two births. My first baby was born c/section because he was breech. I found out a few days before his birth that I have a uterine septum, meaning that my uterus is heart shaped. The septum in my uterus causes my babies to turn breech in the last few weeks of pregnancy.

My first experience with birth was very painful. I struggled with a long physical recovery and it was also emotionally painful. I wanted to give birth normally. No one seemed to understand why I was so upset because I had a healthy beautiful baby. That is what every mother wants and expects but I wanted a healthy baby and a good experience too! When I found out I was pregnant the second time I wanted to do things differently. A repeat c/section was out of the question. I even switched doctors when the first one I went to wasn’t supportive of a vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC). I recalled talking with a friend about her birth and that she had used hypnosis. I did an online search and found Hypnobabies and was immediately intrigued.  I knew that this was what I wanted. I loved the hypnosis scripts and did a good job with my practicing. I also read a lot of books on natural childbirth. I felt very confident and prepared to have this baby normally. I knew I would have to fight for what I wanted in the hospital because it would be a VBAC, but I was up for the challenge.

During my 38 week OB appointment my doctor informed me that my baby had turned breech. My heart sunk. I broke down and cried right there in his office. I went home and tried all kinds of things to get my baby to turn during that week, but when I went back a week later he was still breech. I had felt so ready and prepared for this birth, and I wasn’t even going to be given the opportunity to do it my way. So with a heavy heart I went into the hospital and had yet another c/sec.

I knew that we still wanted more children and I couldn’t face preparing for another vbac to have my hopes dashed. I told myself that I would just schedule a repeat c/sec and try not to feel bad. But my heart ached. I wanted that beautiful natural birth experience. I was angry at the situation, and at my body. Women’s bodies are made to birth babies vaginally and I felt cheated! A year after Jason was born I started reading more birth books and was put on the path to become a doula. I learned that I could have the birth experience that I yearned for and I would do everything in my power for that to happen. When I became pregnant for the third time I was ecstatic. but soon after was faced with the challenge of finding the right care provider. I wanted a midwife for the quality of care and in the event that this baby turned breech then I could still birth normally. I spent hours searching out midwifes and then driving around all of Utah and Salt Lake County interviewing them to make sure we were on the same page. I interviewed twelve midwifes. In the end I chose a wonderful midwife and felt very confident in my choice. I loved her and her assistant. They spent so much time in my home getting to know me; they listened to my hopes and fears for birth and gave such wonderful support.  Then eight weeks before my due date my family and I moved 4 hours south of our home in Springville to St. George. Not only did I have the huge responsibility of packing up and moving our family but also finding a new midwife. Luckily I found two wonderful midwifes that work as a mother daughter team just one hour from my new home. They were very supportive of my wanting a vbac after 2 previous cesareans. They also had assisted in many breech births. So I felt confident in them, and they were confident in me. Sure enough, much like my last two pregnancies, when I went to my 35-week appointment my baby had turned breech. I spent the following weeks trying to get him to turn with exercises, chiropractic, hypnosis, energy work and more. I finally came to the conclusion that I had done everything in my power to get him to turn and it would be okay if he were born breech if that’s how he needed to be born. When I would listen to the Hypnobabies Turn Your Breech Baby Track, I was asked to visualize my baby being born in the vertex position, and I just couldn’t do it, it didn’t feel right.  I really felt like he was supposed to be in a breech position.  So I stopped worrying about it and just visualized my uterus having lots of room in it for my baby.

I went to my last midwife appointment at 38 weeks, a Monday. I was tired but excited that I only had a few more weeks left before I would meet my baby boy. I had been having Braxton Hicks for about three weeks and I was hoping that would make for a fast birth.  Tuesday was a very busy day and the Braxton hicks felt different. They were stronger and more consistent. I was feeling them 10-15 min apart. After dinner I finally had a chance to rest and they slowed down. Wednesday morning I woke up a little disappointed to still be pregnant, but also glad I was because I still needed to fold and put away the baby clothes. I spent an hour listening to my Hypnobabies Birthing Day Affirmations and putting my baby’s room in order. I was very relaxing and enjoyable. I was really hoping that tonight would be the night, but I wasn’t having any Braxton Hicks or pressure waves. I took the boys to swimming lessons and then my friend came over and took my oldest son to play for the day. I tried to take it easy, but by the time Mike came home for dinner I was exhausted and cranky. I went to bed at 8:00, and Mike went on a bike ride. By 8:15 I had two huge pressure waves (contractions) and I knew that something was different. I called my sister Kelly, who was also my hypno-doula at 8:30 and told her that I thought it was the night and asked her to come over. I tried to relax and sleep. Mike got home the same time Kelly showed up and I told him we were going to have a baby. It was so laid back and comfortable. Kelly would time my PW (pressure waves) and Mike and Kelly would take turns pressing on my back. We all got to work putting my house in order; I really wanted it to be clean for the midwives and after the birth. My pressure waves were coming about every 7 minutes and by 9:30 they hadn’t slowed down so I called Vickie, my midwife. I showered while Kelly and Mike put clean sheets on my bed. We continued to just hang out, relax and laugh. I tried to sleep but couldn’t because my PW were getting stronger, and I think I was afraid I was going to miss out on something. I went into the living room to sit on my birth ball, and have Kelly press on my back. It wasn’t very long when Vickie and Camille arrived (my midwives). I remember feeling grateful when they walked in that I was in the middle of a PW, so they would know that it was for real. After they got everything set up they came and checked my vitals and the baby with the doppler. Everyone relaxed and we chatted while I did my thing.  My pressure waves were so easy that I was worried that I wasn’t really in my birthing time. Vickie wanted to check me around 1am. I was super nervous that I would only be 1 or 2cm dilated and I almost asked her not to tell me what number I was but I was curious. To my surprise I was 4 centimeters! I was so happy that I cried. Everyone was a little worried when I came out of my room with red eyes but I assured them that I was okay, that I was happy. I was a 4! Never in my life had I been dilated 4 centimeters.

Kelly made me a delicious chicken sandwich loaded with fresh veggies. It felt weird eating so much in the middle of the night, but I knew I needed it for energy later. We all just relaxed, talked and laughed. I spent a lot of time by the kitchen sink, I had just bought a padded mat and it felt so good to lean over the sink and have someone press on my back during a PW. At one point I was in the middle of a PW and my dad made a joke and I couldn’t help but laugh. (both my parents had come over) I was having so much fun. Vickie told him to stay and I would just laugh my baby out. After a while I decided to try to get some rest. I didn’t sleep but I rested in bed while listening to my Hypnobabies Deepening Track. Mike finished up some work on the computer while everyone slept. I was probably in my bed for an hour when things really started to pick up. I had Mike wake up Kelly so that she could read me Hypnobabies Birth Scripts and Prompts. I sat on the floor next to my bed while Mike massaged my head and my mom and Kelly sat on the floor beside me. Camille and Vickie were in my room and checking on the baby and me but mostly they just took a step back and let me have my space. The lights in my room were low and we would talk between waves and Kelly would read me prompts. It was so easy and relaxing. My PW were starting to get stronger and I had my mom call my sister Katie to come over so that she could take pictures and video my birth.

My birthing time was so enjoyable. I loved feeling the light pressure of the waves and feeling my body relax when Kelly would read me scripts. I knew that my body was working just the way it was supposed to and that I would see Matthew soon.

After sitting on the floor for a while I started to get uncomfortable, not from the waves but from sitting on the floor. I decided to try the bathtub, and it was awesome. I was in the tub for hours, my body got so wrinkly but I didn’t care, I was so relaxed. We all just chatted and it was so much fun. We would be in the middle of a conversation and I wouldn’t want to stop for a PW so I would try to just relax on my own and keep listening and then the wave would peak and I would have to ask Kelly to read me another prompt and immediately my body would relax and it would be so easy. After the wave would end we would just continue our conversation where we left off.

When the sun started to come up I thought, “Wow, I’ve been up all night!” Vickie checked me again and I was 7 centimeters dilated. That was really exciting. I was progressing so well. I absolutely loved the way I was treated during my birthing time. I was surrounded by so many wonderful women that were all there for ME! I felt so loved.  So many times I would just start crying because I was doing it, I was finally accomplishing what I had wanted for so long.

After a long while I got out of the tub.  The water was getting cold and I needed a change of scenery. I sat on the birth ball for a while but found that it was more comfortable to stand and sway and then lean over the closest person during a wave. My boys woke up and knew that the baby was going to be here soon. It was nice to have them there but really distracting at the same time. They wanted Mike’s attention but I needed his attention too. So my Mom made us breakfast and then took them to her house and my dad was so great to play with them. Vicki checked me again and I was complete. I was so excited and thinking I would see my baby very soon. But I didn’t feel the urge to push. My midwives thought that he was still breech and posterior so we decided to try the rebozo while I listened to the Hypnobabies track “Turn Baby Turn.” I loved this, it was so relaxing having the movement of the rebozo and talking to Matthew asking him to turn to make his birth easier. I felt him rotate into an anterior position, but we all still thought he was breech. I tried a few pushes but still no urge so Vickie suggested I rest in bed for a while. Kelly stayed close and read me scripts while Mike pressed on my back. I slept between waves, which was awesome. I rested for about an hour and then told Camille I was ready to start pushing. I was so tired at this point and ready to get things going. I tried pushing in bed on my side but that was really uncomfortable. I had wanted to have a pain free birth and so far I had, but now I was hurting and exhausted. I got out of bed and tried different pushing positions and that helped so much. I tried to stay upright to help him descend better. My bag of water was bobbing and not allowing Matthew to descend so Vickie broke my waters, to get some off the pressure off. The first few contractions a little water leaked out and then a huge gush! That was awesome. It felt like the hot water faucet had been turned, and it was coming out with that much pressure too. It would stop and then with another wave more and more water. I felt instant relief.  That’s when my pressure waves changed and became more productive. I continued pushing in a squatting position. My pressure waves had picked up so much that I every time I had a wave I would ask Camille to look at me. It helped so much to make eye contact with her. I will always remember Camille’s beautiful brown eyes. She was so patient and loving with me during such a trying time. Vickie and Camille sat on my bathroom floor in front of me and would press on my knees while I pushed on the toilet. Kelly was there reading scripts to me but at this point all I could concentrate on was pushing and Camille’s eyes. I just wanted to get into the bathtub. Someone started filling it up again. When the water turned off and the bathtub was full Camille said that I could get in after 5 more contractions. I wasn’t keeping track but after awhile it was finally time to get in the tub. The warm water immediately helped relax my muscles. I was feeling a lot of backpressure so I asked Mike to press on my back.  It helped tremendously; I even wanted him to keep it up between pushing.  I could feel my baby move down my birth canal, and it was very intense.  I finally had gotten into the swing of things and I knew my baby would be here very soon, and then I could stop pushing. I kept thinking that I was feeling the “ring of fire” and any minute he would emerge and Camille would announce that my baby was here, but it kept on going. I was picturing his body coming down through me and I knew I had a lot of work to do. It hurt to push but I knew I couldn’t stop because he was almost here. I would compare how I was feeling to when you are working so hard with every ounce of your being to finish a really important task and it’s almost complete. You are more exhausted than you have ever been in your entire life but you just have to “push” through all the pain and exhaustion because you know the finish line is right up ahead. You just have to keep going, even though you want to stop, you can’t because you’ve worked too hard for this moment. So yes pushing hurt, but not so much that I even considered quitting. I had worked so hard for this moment, SO much prayer, research, time and tears to have my baby the way I wanted him to be born there was no way I was going to quit. I was doing it. I pushed with every bit of strength I had and Camille would reward my efforts with praise that really helped keep me going.

When Camille said that she could see hair and that my baby wasn’t breech, it took me a few minutes to register or even care what that meant. (Looking back I think he must have turned head down when I did the rebozo and listened to the Hypnobabies Turn Baby Turn track.) First that Matthew was coming headfirst and second if she could see hair then I was almost done! I continued pushing on my hands and knees for a while when all of a sudden I wanted to sit back in the tub. The room was full of excitement and I wanted a better view.  All I could see was a head full of dark hair. I don’t remember hurting anymore, I was so motivated to meet by baby, I only pushed one more time and his head was all the way out, and then a little more to get his body out. Camille handed him directly to me. I cried. It was amazing, Matthew was here and we had done it together!  

Matthew’s birth was so empowering. It was the hardest thing that I have ever done physically and emotionally. The past 9 months have been very emotional and life changing. My journey to Matthew’s birth has been long, hard and very lonely at times. Since Matthew’s birth Mike has expressed many times how great it was not to have surgery, and that I am home recovering so quickly. It has been easier for us to bond with the new baby as a family since I didn’t have a long hospital stay. Mike is amazed at what my body was able to do. He understands more of why it was so important for me to birth at home.  A few days before Matt was born Mike and I were discussing the birth and some of his fears. He told me that my first OB had told him that because I had a heart shaped uterus that I would always have to have c-sections. It was pretty cute the way he announced very shortly after Matthew was born, “Don’t ever tell my wife that she can’t do something, because she WILL DO IT!”

I am so glad that I found Hypnobabies. I loved the Joyful Pregnancy Affirmations. I feel that they helped me to be more confident during pregnancy and during my birth. The Hypnobabies program is fantastic! I love telling people that I loved my birthing time, and I really did. I was actually sad when it was all over. I highly recommend taking the Hypnobabies course. The live class is so great because you can ask questions and get to know other couples who are making similar choices for birth, much like a support group. I also encourage a hypo-doula. Kelly was such an asset to my birth team. She allowed Mike to take much-needed breaks and support me on a level that only a woman can. Even when she was just sitting next to me holding my hand I felt her strength.

I am so happy with this birth experience. It was better than I imagined. And even though my first two births were not ideal I wouldn’t trade them because I have learned so much. I would have never sought out anything different. I would not have become a doula or sought out the care of a midwife or had a home birth. I believe that birth challenges us and changes us. And we can do hard things!

See Matthew's Birth Video Collage HERE

How To Prepare For A Natural Childbirth

This topic has been on my mind for several different reasons. I recently had a conversation with a pregnant friend who called her OBGYN’s office explaining that she wanted a natural birth. The receptionist’s response was, “We don’t do that procedure here.” Wait, what? You don’t let a woman deliver her baby without medication?

I know that having a natural birth seems absolutely crazy to many people. I always pictured myself getting an epidural. I mean, why go through incredible pain when you can choose to not feel a thing? When I was pregnant with Johnny I did a lot of research on natural vs. epidural births. Learning that one third of women in the United States have c-sections and that epidurals and Pitocin contribute to this high rate was frightening to me. My aunt, mom, and a close friend had amazing experiences with their natural deliveries and helped convince me that I could do it too. My husband fully supported me and together we started preparing for the big day.

I like to compare natural labor to running a marathon. Both are nearly impossible without training physically, mentally, and emotionally. Both require support from loved ones. Both require more than a few days of preparation. It’s a lot easier to drive 26.2 miles than it is to run it. And labor is a little (okay, a lot) less painful when you get an epidural. Now let’s be honest, labor and recovery from childbirth is difficult and amazingly rewarding no matter how you do it.

Here are some ways that I prepared for a natural delivery. I hope you will find them helpful too!

Learn about childbirth. When I was pregnant I was obsessed with reading birth stories online. This was helpful but also gave me a lot of anxiety. What was more productive was reading the book “Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Newborn”. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone. I felt as prepared as possible for the delivery given this was my first pregnancy. I even had my husband read some segments that I thought were beneficial for him.

Work with a doula. Having our doula, present was the best decision we made for having a natural birth. She was essentially our birth coach and provided physical and emotional support throughout the entire process. She gave us suggestions on how to progress labor using different positions, was constantly aware of my needs, and helped keep John and I calm. Most importantly she was our advocate. I only saw my nurse for about 10 minutes every hour and my doctor came in at the very end, but our doula was there every minute we needed her. 

Jax's Birth Story

I pretty much thought that I would go over my "guess date" because I've never gone into labor with any of my other babies early. My guess date was June 18th. Secretly I wanted him to be born on a even number (or even better the 28th) since all of our birthdays are even numbers.  I guess I'm just weird like that! When my due date came and went we were trying everything under the sun to get him to come. We ate at Pepper's Cantina a few times, always ordering their spicy salsa and sauce over my enchiladas.  That night I would feel more pressure waves start, but they always stopped when I got up to go to the bathroom.  I really felt like I might be pregnant forever! 

 I felt a lot of Braxton hicks throughout my pregnancy and really wondered what REAL pressure waves would feel like. I knew what labor induced pitocin pressure waves felt like because I was induced with all my other babies.  I even wondered if my body even knew HOW to go into labor on it's own, since I never did with any of my babies. Though, I didn't wait until my babies were past due more than 7 days to give in and say, "Okay, I've been pregnant long enough, let's get started artificially." What was I thinking?! This birth was going to be completely different from my others because we planned to have him at home, in a birthing pool, using hypnobabies to help me have him with no pain medication.  My whole mindset of birth changed throughout the course of my pregnancy and my eyes were opened to all sorts of things that made me feel completely at peace with having my baby at home naturally. I really think it's because I was surrounded by an amazing birth team. Which consisted of my wonderful husband, midwife DyAnna, hypnobabies instructor and doula Kelly, and family and friends that experienced the same thing I was going through. I was so blessed to have these people to help me.

The day of the 27th (yes, 9 days after my guess date) I started having some pressure waves that made me have to stop and bend over and breathe and relax through them. They would come and go throughout the day. Robby and I decided to go on a walk around the track a few times before we went to bed. My Mom was in town with my sister and she offered to come over and make sure the kids didn't wake up and be home alone, but it was almost 9:30 and I figured they were fast asleep and we would only be a few minutes away. I was pretty uncomfortable and felt lots of pressure as we walked, but nothing too bad that I couldn't handle it. They weren't stopping me in my tracks like earlier in the day. We got home and I felt like things settled down and that it was just another night.

We went to bed around 10 pm and I started having pressure waves. They were little so I tried to rest and see what happened.  I turned on my hypnobabies scripts on my phone and had them playing softly. The pressure started getting more intense that I couldn't sleep, so around 12:30 I got up and got in the warm shower. It felt so good to have the warm water pounding my back.  When I got out of the shower I thought the pressure waves were so intense that I knew we needed to call my midwife and doula. I woke Rob up and he told him I thought it was time to call DyAnna and Kelly. He was like, "Really?! You think it's time?!!" YES it's time! He called DyAnna and I texted Kelly and they both said that they'd be here in 30 minutes. My doula, Kelly, would be bringing her 5 week old baby girl, Jane, with her. It turned out to be a miracle that Jane slept the entire time in the other room and Kelly was able to help me the whole time.  I got on my birthing ball (just my big blue yoga ball) and rested my head on a few pillows on my bed. My hypnobabies track, "Birthing Day Affirmations" was playing in the background. When a pressure wave would come I tried "Ahhhhhing" it out and the breaks between them were so welcoming! I started to feel nauseous and told Rob I was going to throw up. He quickly grabbed the throw up bag that came in my birth kit. Good ol' birth kit! :) After I threw up I hoped I wasn't going to be doing THAT again since that was worse than the pressure waves in my book!

Rob started pushing on my lower back and soon I heard DyAnna and Gina come in my room and begin setting up the birthing pool and getting everything ready. I was thinking, "Wow is this really happening?!" It was 1am. I think that's the last time I glanced at the clock. Kelly arrived and she began saying hypnobabies scripts to me and massaging my back during the pressure waves. Rob was helping set up the birthing pool now, too. Soon I heard our little 2 1/2 year old come trotting in and he started "helping" set things up. :) The Pressure waves would start in my back and move forward and down to my cervix. It was very intense. I couldn't completely turn myself "off" like I had learned in my hypnobabies classes, but I was relaxing my cervix during the waves so I felt like I was doing great just staying in center. Finally I heard DyAnna say that I could get into the pool after I emptied my bladder. She helped me up and into the bathroom and there I had some really intense waves. I was hanging onto DyAnna for dear life during the waves. I finally got into the birthing pool and it felt SOOO good!! I leaned over the side and held onto Rob as each pressure wave came.  Little Knox was now in the living room watching Toy Story. He would come in and out to see what was going on. Kelly and DyAnna helped push on my back and pour warm water on my back. Soon I felt my water break. I felt a "POP" and gush of fluid come rushing out and I told everyone what had just happened. After that the pressure waves came stronger and closer and I could feel Jax's head moving down and my body stretching. It started stinging and the pressure was SO intense!!! Finally, his little head came popping out and I reached down and felt his head and all his hair! I use the word "pop" because it really felt like that! DyAnna said that his little hand was up by his face. The pressure was like having a HUGE bowel movement. My body was pushing him out without me really doing anything. It was Amazing! I was very vocal saying "Ahhhhh" through all the waves and keeping my focus on relaxing.  I needed Rob right there in front of me. I thought I was going to wake up the other kids because I was so loud. :) I kept saying, "Oh my goodness!" DyAnna told me to now close my mouth and push him out. I felt his body slide out and DyAnna was telling me to reach down and pick up my baby!  I looked down and saw him in the water! I picked him up and put him to my chest. He was perfect.  His round little face, chubby little cheeks and dark head of hair. "Look at you!" was all I could say, over and over again!! I couldn't believe he was here. He had THICK white vernix (white creamy good stuff) all over his back. He was born at 3:20 am on the 28th!! My favorite number and the day Knox and I were born! :) I thought it was special that his little brother Knox was there to see him be born!

I got up out of the pool to deliver the placenta. I kept holding Jax and he was so happy to be in my arms.  He was grunting but never screaming or crying. I was helped into bed and DyAnna checked me to see if I had any tears. NO TEARS!! Just a tiny little paper cut on the side where Jax's little hand was up by his face. It was amazing!  Jax was still attached to my placenta while DyAnna showed us how big it was! It was a huge, healthy placenta. After a while Rob cut the umbilical cord and Jax was already trying to make his way to start nursing. He was so alert. He started nursing and was doing so well. Awhile later, he was weighed and measured and checked out by DyAnna. He was perfect as can be! 10 pounds 2 ounces and 22 inches long! Such a big boy!

I was able to get up and get in the shower really quick to get cleaned up. Kelly made me a yummy egg salad sandwich that I gobbled down. It was so good!  Everyone had everything cleaned up and put away and said they'd be back to check on us soon.  We all were able to get a few hours of sleep before the older kids came into our room and were excited to see their new baby brother!  The rest of the day we had family visitors and lots of resting!  I was still in shock that Jax was finally here, healthy and happy and I was already at home in my own bed. I never felt so good! I never knew how far I was dilated or effaced because I was never checked throughout my pregnancy or during my birthing time.  I am thankful for that, too! It was an amazing experience and I am blessed that during the whole thing I never felt nervous or scared. I was at peace and was able to relax and let my body do what it was designed to do. I wouldn't do it any other way!

Elizabeth's Story

Growing up I had always planned on getting an epidural during labor, but I found myself reevaluating that decision when I was actually pregnant for the first time.  I did a lot of reading and talked to several friends who had experienced an unmedicated birth.  This appealed to me and I decided I would also try to have a natural childbirth.

My husband was also supportive of this.  We felt strongly that we would need extra support to help get us through labor.  A family member had suggested we hire a doula.  Luckily we listened to this advice and found ourselves meeting with Karen (Editor’s note: Karen was a previous doula at Peaceful Birth Choices and is now taking a break from birth work) a couple months before I was due.

Karen was very helpful even before I went into labor.  She came to our home to meet us and to get an idea for our birth preferences and to answer questions.  She also helped us become familiar with our birthing options and gave me suggestions on topics to discuss with my doctor before the big day.  Most importantly, she helped me feel calm about labor.  I knew she was a good fit for us.

We called Karen at 2 AM, two days before my due date, to tell her that my water had broken and that we were on our way to the hospital.  She was there shortly after we arrived. She immediately was helping me feel comfortable by getting me drinks, offering suggestions to help my labor progress, and by providing many words of encouragement.  My labor progressed very slowly at first and my doctor wanted to start Pitocin.  This was one of my big concerns with labor and was something I absolutely did not want to do.  With Karen’s help we had learned the importance of asking for more time before starting interventions.  We also were aware of natural ways to help labor progress.  We were fortunate that my labor did pick up on its own and Pitocin was not necessary.  Karen and my husband were very involved during my labor by helping to manipulate my body into more comfortable positions during contractions.  Karen was great at suggesting new positions for me to try.  She was also able to guide my husband and help him know how to best help me.  Karen was able to discern when I needed help, when my husband needed support, and when we needed privacy as a couple.

The birth of my son was such a beautiful experience for me and my husband.  We will always feel a close connection with Karen since she was part of such an intimate moment in our lives.  Since my experience with Karen was so positive I plan on doing natural childbirths with my future children, of course with the help of a doula!  on getting an epidural during labor, but I found myself reevaluating that decision when I was actually pregnant for the first time.  I did a lot of reading and talked to several friends who had experienced an unmedicated birth.  This appealed to me and I decided I would also try to have a natural childbirth. 

My husband was also supportive of this.  We felt strongly that we would need extra support to help get us through labor.  A family member had suggested we hire a doula.  Luckily we listened to this advice and found ourselves meeting with Karen a couple months before I was due.

 Karen was very helpful even before I went into labor.  She came to our home to meet us and to get an idea for our birth preferences and to answer questions.  She also helped us become familiar with our birthing options and gave me suggestions on topics to discuss with my doctor before the big day.  Most importantly, she helped me feel calm about labor.  I knew she was a good fit for us.

We called Karen at 2 AM, two days before my due date, to tell her that my water had broken and that we were on our way to the hospital.  She was there shortly after we arrived. She immediately was helping me feel comfortable by getting me drinks, offering suggestions to help my labor progress, and by providing many words of encouragement.  My labor progressed very slowly at first and my doctor wanted to start Pitocin.  This was one of my big concerns with labor and was something I absolutely did not want to do.  With Karen’s help we had learned the importance of asking for more time before starting interventions.  We also were aware of natural ways to help labor progress.  We were fortunate that my labor did pick up on its own and Pitocin was not necessary.  Karen and my husband were very involved during my labor by helping to manipulate my body into more comfortable positions during contractions.  Karen was great at suggesting new positions for me to try.  She was also able to guide my husband and help him know how to best help me.  Karen was able to discern when I needed help, when my husband needed support, and when we needed privacy as a couple. 

The birth of my son was such a beautiful experience for me and my husband.  We will always feel a close connection with Karen since she was part of such an intimate moment in our lives.  Since my experience with Karen was so positive I plan on doing natural childbirths with my future children, of course with the help of a doula!