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Amalie's Story...
My name is Amalie Pittman and I have had 4 homebirths. My son was born while we were living in Ohio, where lay midwives are illegal and nurse midwives can only practice in a hospital under a doctor. I was young and though we knew we wanted a homebirth, I was pressured into seeing an OB. She was very negative about everything that I wanted. I am a veggie, but I was to start eating meat, because the ultrasound said he would only weigh @ 4 lbs. I couldn't squat because it would make it too difficult for her to examine me, water birth- out of the question, dad catching- no way. Finally in my 8th month we decided that there was no possible way that this woman, who didn't respect me or my wishes for my birth, would be the first person to hold my child.
I am an avid reader and went to the library and checked out every book I could find on homebirths and emergency birthing. We stocked up on the items recommended for an emergency birth and waited. My due date came and passed.
Thirteen days after my "date" my labor began in the late morning, smooth, easy pains that still allowed me to prepare our birthing area, which was a converted 1967 International school bus. As the pain increased, we got our birthing crew together, which included a few close friends and my mother in law. The labor was good all through the day, towards evening it intensified. I changed positions often, though most were squats or variations thereof. My man and friends helped me squat and massaged my back. Around 8:30, I felt the need to push, so my honey crouched down under me with a flashlight. He saw the baby's head and because it was squished it had a little ripple on the scalp and he thought that it might be the cord, so I got into the hands and knees position, and with about 5 pushes out came my son, Zion, at 8:43 p.m. He weighed 9 lb 1 oz, double the weight the expert told me to expect.
When I moved to Las Vegas, I met Megan (Kellie's Daughter) right after her first baby was born, we shared birth stories and when I became pregnant again I called Kellie. My daughter Kaya was born with Kellie attending, dad catching, and my mom cheering us on. Flawless delivery, no tearing even though she weighed 9' 12.
My next daughter Stella was born with Kellie attending and my mom catching, of course dad was right there sharing it with us all as well. Stella had cord around her neck and body, there were some heart decells while I was laying flat but in other positions the heart rate was good. She weighed in at 9' 1.
Hanah Leah was born this March, once again with Kellie attending. We had always wanted an underwater birth, though circumstances had never made it possible. This time we made it happen.
I had been ill with a severe cold for a few days and had not slept for 2 nights. I started having easy contractions in the late afternoon, when they were about 5 min apart but still not very painful I had my man fill up the pool in my dining room. I called Kellie and she came and checked me, that was around 7, I was dilated to 3, she wanted to go home and take a shower and eat and told me to call when I felt them intensify. I put a movie on for my hunny and mom and baked a pizza. I fell asleep for around 1 1/2 hours, first sleep in days. When I woke up around 8:30 it was on, my rushes were about 2 min apart and very strong, I called Kellie and went and sat in the tub. She got there and I was in the tub, she asked if she could check me and I told her NO because it hadn't been too long since I was only a 3 and I just knew she would say 4 or maybe 5. Because it was all of our 1st waterbirth she just wanted to make sure it was going smoothly. What a surprise I was at 8 and with a light push opened to 10 instantly. A few pushes later and out she slid, all shiny and clean. Absolutely amazing, I wish I had all my children in water, though my other births were awesome as well. She weighed 9' 8 and is the most passive baby I have ever seen.
I am apprenticing with Kellie to be a midwife and she has been on me to write my stories, but now seeing how lengthy they are she might wish I hadn't.
I hope everyone who reads this loves their births as much as I love mine. People are scared of their bodies and of the miracle of birth but they shouldn't fear life and the passage to it.
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