At Home, With Nature
Heather's Story
I have five children. My first was a hospital birth. I’m sure not all birthing centers are equal but I wouldn’t wish my hospital birthing experience on anyone. My other four were all with Shauna. Those four were calm and what can be called nothing less than beautiful. Watch our video link and you’ll agree.
Let me contrast the hospital birthing experience to the homebirthing experiences. I felt like a number to the O.B. She rushed me through the prenatal appointments, stone faced and mostly silent, poking prodding, jotting things down with no explanations. Keep in mind this was my first baby. Nearing delivery she told me not to call her when I went into labor, she told me the nurses would call her. After I was seven hours in the hospital she showed up literally moments before the birth, and when she did, she communicated with me not at all. The day after my son was born, I nervously called the O.B. with some brand new mom concerns. She told me only one thing. “Don’t call this number. This number is for my pregnant patients.”
Shauna on the other hand, came into my home for all the prenatal appointments and was calm, tender, and communicative. She asked me questions and made sure I had no more questions before she would leave. I felt comfortable with her and I knew I could trust her to lead me through the process clear to and through delivery. Then after delivery, rather than saying, lose my number, she was a welcome visitor in the comfort of my home for another 6 weeks of postpartum mother-baby wellness check-ups.
Speaking of comfort and home, I wouldn’t use those words to describe my hospital experience. There was no heat in my room and the only bed available to me was broken. I had a terrible time trying to get any sleep sitting up. At my home birth, I was able to rest in my own bed. At the hospital, I was required to be strapped down while they monitored the baby. The straps were too tight and cut heavy marks in my skin but they wouldn’t loosen them for me when I told them. At home, Shauna was able to monitor each of the baby’s heartbeats without requiring me to be strapped down to a bed. She could do this from any position I wished to be in. There are many birthing position options at home and none of them have stirrups. I was free to move and labor as I felt I needed. So much of the hospital birth seemed to be done, not for my comfort, but for the hospital's convenience.
This is why I prefer having my babies at home with Shauna. She will come to your happy place, and she makes it even better. You’ll be surrounded by only those you choose to have there for support. No coming and going of staff. No shift changes. No cold stirrups, instead a warm tub. No keeping you in the dark under bright lights. No strangers, instead a calm, attentive midwife I call, friend.
My husband, August, and I would like to share a video we made of our son's birth. It is on Youtube and is called “The birth of my son.” The video captures well the calm that came with Shauna at my side.
Congrats on your little one!
- Heather Hunicke