By Breana Garlick In November of 2017, I was 19 years old and newly married when I got pregnant with my first baby. I was seeing midwives at a freestanding birth center for prenatal care and was planning to have an unmedicated birth at the center. I'd had a difficult pregnancy from the beginning. Severe… Continue reading My Home Birth After Preterm Classical Cesarean
Category: Birth Story
“It Will Have to be a C-section.”
The Devastating Impact of Unsupportive Providers I felt the heat in my cheeks as I looked at the doctor. I was in the office for a pregnancy confirmation appointment with my first baby after an emergency cesarean twenty months before, where I received what is known as a special scar. After my daughter’s traumatic delivery… Continue reading “It Will Have to be a C-section.”
Katie’s Vaginal and Inverted-T Twin Birth
Didn’t see that coming… When I sat in the dark in my bedroom at 4:30 am holding the positive pregnancy test 6 months after the birth of my first son, I cried tears of fear. I knew it. I had been so tired for no reason. I wanted a lot of kids but not this… Continue reading Katie’s Vaginal and Inverted-T Twin Birth
Morgan’s Inverted T Incision
I wouldn’t say my birth story was a traumatic event, but I would call it a domino effect of bad events that led to the most beautiful person I’ve ever met. I had spent the larger part of my pregnancy feeling so sick. My head was always in a fog and I couldn’t even vacuum… Continue reading Morgan’s Inverted T Incision
Shayna’s Birth Story (Jessica’s Inv T Cesarean)
I really wanted a VBAC for this one. I knew my last birth could have been very different. We couldn't afford a midwife, didn't even know of any in the area, but I didn't really look either. Guess I wasn't quite ready to rock that boat. I did however find a doula that had had… Continue reading Shayna’s Birth Story (Jessica’s Inv T Cesarean)
“I Am Not OK” – a mother’s reflection on identifying birth trauma
At past 40 weeks pregnant, we were anxiously and excitedly awaiting the birth of our fifth child. When my water broke, we hurried to the hospital feeling excited and ready to meet our girl. We were laughing and cracking jokes when we arrived and got to the room. This was our 5th rodeo, after… Continue reading “I Am Not OK” – a mother’s reflection on identifying birth trauma
A.R’s Birth (VBAC and Rupture)
Ever since my first birth resulted in an "emergency" c-section, I knew I wanted a VBAC. Uninformed and uneducated heading into my first birth, I knew my priority was to change that for my second. I spent a full year reading birthing books, engaging with ICAN chapters, attending birth expos in my community, etc. Wish… Continue reading A.R’s Birth (VBAC and Rupture)
Cora River’s Birth Story (Lisa’s VBA2C and VBAR)
Summary version: In June 2018, after many years of preparation, I had a successful vaginal birth after two cesareans and uterine rupture, which happened in 2015 with my second birth. Everyone said I couldn’t/ shouldn’t, but I did. Here’s my story... I love birth stories. And like most, this story begins with the birth of… Continue reading Cora River’s Birth Story (Lisa’s VBA2C and VBAR)
Gabriel’s Birth Story (Bridget’s Inverted J)
It was my first pregnancy. Starting around 32 weeks, I noticed that my baby seemed to be in a side-lying, horizontal position. This is called transverse and was confirmed by my midwife and by ultrasound. So, I started doing everything I could to see if I could spin this little one. I did acupuncture with… Continue reading Gabriel’s Birth Story (Bridget’s Inverted J)
Rylee’s Birth Story (Micah’s Classical Incision)
Rylee had a large mass connected to the right side of her head, face, neck, and shoulder. It covered her airways meaning she could not swim low amniotic fluid. At 26 weeks 3 days I went into labor (uterus measuring 42 weeks along from fluid build up). She passed away 15 minutes after birth and… Continue reading Rylee’s Birth Story (Micah’s Classical Incision)