Bridget's Story ? Madison Birth Center

Why did I want a natural birth?

I had my first baby all natural in a hospital setting in Woodbury, MN. My friend was able to attend as her first doula experience, this was key in helping me keep my birth all natural. I labored a long time at home and even longer in the hospital and ended up having three different nurses. I also had the last nurse as well as the midwife switched in my last two hours of laboring, this threw my psyche way off. I tried for a water birth, but the environment wasn?t as calm as it needed to be for me to mentally relax. I ended up having a significant tear, and the midwife became stressed which caused me to be stressed. Although the hospital staff honored our wishes to keep baby with us and have as little intervention as possible, it was still stressful with the lights, sounds, switching of shifts, and constant medical check ups. Yes, I had done a very long and intense birth all natural, but it wasn?t the ?natural? that I had expected and imagined. With the surprise of finding out about my second pregnancy, now being in Madison, both my husband and I felt we needed to seek out the ?natural? and less stressed setting we had imagined. We were referred to the Madison Birth Center by a family member. This was the setting that we imagined along with the care and kindness that we had hoped for. My three year old son was able to be a part of my pregnancy journey, as he was welcomed at every visit and made to be a part of these visits. The transitioning for my baby as well as my self seemed to be instinctual for me to let my body handle birth once again working as a team to bring baby forth. This time having a home birth with the Madison Birth Center, it was done in a more relaxed environment with a more focused team that allowed the transition from womb to world to happen in the natural state it was meant to be. The midwives guided me with kindness and love that built my confidence and even though this was my body and baby that had to make the birth happen, this time as compared to last time I felt I had everyone in the room supporting me and lifting me up as a team to allow the transition to be calm and natural for baby. Even with complications during and after birth, again having a significant tear, the environment was calm and relaxed. The midwife and assistants were so in tuned to me and the baby, the complications were handled calmly and professionally in a way that was so different than that in the hospital.

What did I learn from the experience?

To be successful in all that I need to do, it takes the right people around you to allow you to make it happen. I am stronger in saying exactly what I want and seeking out the ways and answers to allow it to happen. I share my two very different experiences with others and let them know not to be ?scared? into having a natural child birth in a hospital setting and to seek out the natural child birth and setting that they imagine and feel confident in doing so.

What it did for my baby?

My daughter was born on the coldest day of the year in January of 2009. After the birth I was able to lie in my bed with my daughter on my chest cuddled up under blankets as my husband kept the fire in our living room burning. Our family was able to transition smoothly and effortlessly because I did not have to leave anywhere with our daughter. For two weeks we were able to love and comfort her here in our home, we never once took her out in that time as the Madison Birth Center had follow up care done in our home. When our family practice doctor found out that we were using the Madison Birth Center, he knew they gave such great care, that he followed up with us over the phone so our first appointment was at two weeks. This allowed our daughter to transition from the womb into her home more peacefully, allowing her to feel the love of her family as she adjusted to her new world.

How has it changed me as a person? My family? My perspective?

Receiving the sincere and focused care that I did at the Madison Birth Center, I realized that more needed to be done for women to allow them a better experience on the journey into motherhood. I share my two very different ?natural? experiences with those I meet, giving them the confidence and knowledge that they can make their choices to fulfill their needs and wants for the birth they?ve imagined. Soon after my daughter?s birth, I too wanted to give back to women the type of care that I received from the Madison Birth Center. I am now a certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist. Allowing a woman to accept her inner primal strength and support her in the transition is important, and I feel that this experience has made me stronger in accepting this and able to support and share with others. I know from the experience of the care we received as a family with my pregnancy and the care we received during the birth and the follow up, allowed us to have a quicker and stronger bond as a family. My son and my husband were as big of a part of my daughter?s birth as I was, because the support team around us ensured this bond. I was able to be strong and confident because of the level of focused and sincere care that the midwives, my friend, and my husband had during the birth. The natural state of my surroundings, the calm music and low lights allowed a peaceful transition into the world for both my daughter and I. If more births were supported in this way, it would allow the natural bond and healing of a mother and her infant to be that much stronger.

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