March 22nd-28th is World Doula Week. As part of the celebration, I'm featuring a doula attended birth story each day.

This is Jessica's story:

The birth of my 4th baby was my first experience using a doula and I wish I would have known about them for the first 3!  My doula was very responsive and attentive throughout the pregnancy for all my questions and concerns.  Just for a little background, my first 2 babies were c-sections and my second and third babies were premature so I could have been considered high risk but neither my midwife or doula made me feel that way during my fourth.  I was treated as though this pregnancy and birth was separate from my others, as it should be.  My 3rd was a planned c section also but I went to the hospital in advanced labor that came on quickly at 35 weeks and she was not waiting for them to prep me for surgery and was born all natural.  Because #3 came so quickly my husband was especially apprehensive about not making it to the hospital on time for #4, so during my last prenatal appointment at 39 weeks 5 days, I consented to a vaginal exam and stripping of the membranes.  (Also, I had never went past 37 weeks with any of my pregnancies.) 

We thought that would really get things rolling given my history so we planned to head to the hospital that afternoon, expecting to have her later that day.  Nothing was really happening by 4 pm so the midwife asked if I wanted her to break the amniotic sac and after thinking and praying on it for a bit, I consented.  My doula walked the halls with me for hours (I think her pedometer later read like 5 miles!), I bounced and rolled on the birthing ball and still nothing but irregular contractions so around 11 pm my midwife asked if I wanted to start pitocin.  I cringed and felt defeated because I really did not want to go there and now that my waters were broken I felt stuck.  After an hour or so of thinking and praying on it, I consented at about midnight.  The nurse that hooked me up took it upon herself to up my doses despite my agreement with the midwife to keep it low and slow.  The contractions were awful!!  Way worse than my natural #3.  I was still determined to birth without pain meds and my doula was essential in helping me achieve that.  She was great at applying counter pressure on my hips during contractions.  An hour later I hit transition and was ready to push!  During that time I moved from the bed to the bathroom and back to the bed, all the while feeling totally supported by my doula, hubby, and midwife.  After a little over an hour of pushing, and lots of encouragement from my doula and midwife, I was able to push my baby out!  My midwife said, "go ahead and reach down and help your baby come out!"  I basically got to deliver my own baby and for the first time I got to be the first one to hold my baby!  I loved my experience with my doula and should we ever find ourselves pregnant with #5, I will definitely be using her (Nichole Cutlip of Honey Blossom Birth Services) again!  She was even able to get quite a few photos for us, I'm so very grateful for that as well, as we don't have hardly any from our other births!

Jessica's birth was not only inspiring, but fun! We had so much good conversation while walking the halls that night, and more than a few laughs. Watching her achieve her first purposeful vbac was such a joy! Her strength, calm nature, and determination where shining so bright that night! I was thankful to get to be a part of her birthing journey, and thankful for the continued bond we've shared since her birth. Jessica is a great friend, an amazing woman, and she totally rocked her *VBA2C!

*In case you're not familiar with the acronym, VBAC stands for vaginal birth after cesarean, and VBA2C is vaginal birth after two cesareans.