I am so grateful to be sitting here sharing our story with you. It feels like just last week that I found out I was pregnant and sharing that wonderful news. Having a baby for us is such a blessing and prayers answered after many years.

I have always been transparent with my health story. I know that sharing my experiences has help to support and inspire others in the past. Sharing my birth story might just do the same! If someone you know might benefit from reading this, feel free to share 🙂 We chose home birth and a holistic approach to pregnancy because it was the best decision for OUR family. It could also be the right fit for other families, but many do not have the knowledge or first hand information on what all that entails. Hopefully our story will help fill in some of the gaps 🙂

As you know, I am holistic health practitioner and in my solo business I help others achieve overall wellness through lifestyle changes and a functional medicine, root cause approach to long term results. I prefer and recommend natural remedies and options as much as it sees fit for the person. Give the individual the right healthy environment and support, the body and health will heal and thrive!

Fun Fact: Brian and I both did not have a Home Birth as our first option. We had both envisioned using a Birthing Center, thinking it was the happy medium between being at home but also the comfort of knowing we were at a hospital if any complications arose.

After doing research, we scheduled our first appointment with a midwife through the hospital system that has a birthing center at one of their hospitals. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the visit. While the midwife was nice, she explained it was not really a birthing center at all; you had access to natural methods to deliver, but it still fell under the hospital guidelines. This specific medical group also had 16 midwifes and she said, more times than not, she is not the one to deliver with the family, but another midwife on staff at the time. That was Disappointment #2.

So after more research, lots of prayer and discussion, we met with a midwife team that was on the west side of Cleveland. I connected with her immediately from that first phone call consult. She made me feel comfortable, answered questions and we set up an in person consultation with her and her assistant.

After meeting with Colleen and Natalie of The Village Midwifery, we felt so much more confident that home birth was right for us. We felt excited and empowered, working in collaboration together and having open discussions and informed consent with all choices for pregnancy, labor & delivery and post partum.

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My due date was for Monday August 1st, but I had intuition that she would arrive early. In fact, we had plans up until Sunday July 24th, so we joked with everyone, saying “Let us have our weekend and then you can come after. Tuesday the 26th is wide open, you’re good then baby”. Obviously we know it doesn’t work that way, but in our case, IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED!

Sunday night the 24th I started having some very mild cramps. I knew that it was not Braxton Hicks because these were lower abdomen & crampy versus tightening around the bellybutton, like I had felt before. They were maybe every 20 minutes, but it was noticeable. I did not get up Monday to go to the gym with Brian; I wanted to take it easy. I ended up just going on walks that day and glad I listened to my body. The cramps continued all day Monday, about every 15-20 minutes. They were enough to be noticeable, but didn’t stop me from doing normal activity. I did cancel my personal training clients at the gym, but did some cooking, had virtual coaching sessions, laid in the sun! I had been texting our midwife Colleen and doula Sarah with updates and they said to continue to monitor but to do “Do Life until you can’t”; basically don’t freak out but go with the signs.

When Brian got home that evening I knew labor was happening that night. The cramps (contractions) were now about every 10 minutes and increasing in intensity. Some I had to stop what I was doing and lean over, or many times, get into a forward leaning kneeling position. Brian was amazing at getting the downstairs ready for where we going to have our birth tub set up. This was a multiple step process (looking back we should have done it Sunday) because it took him hours.

By 9pm contractions were now about every 7-10 minutes and I called Sarah. She was going to head over and support me and also help Brian with anything else he needed. We had been given a list of supplies to get, which was mostly things like extra sheets, towels, plastic shower curtain liners, etc. We had these all together beforehand in the basement (basically like how you would pack a hospital bag lol). I also did have my own bag of labor items I might want: affirmation cards, book, essential oils, robe, etc.

Sarah arrived shortly before 11pm. I had been upstairs since Brian was working on the birth pool. She came up and we talked about my current state. We went down to check the pool and since it was so large, it was really hard to keep it a hot temperature. It ended up being lukewarm; I felt really bad but I went back upstairs, thinking maybe I’d try it again later. Well, I never went back down after that and never even got into the tub! I ended up laboring upstairs the whole time (I STILL feel bad that Brian spent so much time on setting up the pool!)

Sarah had set up tea light flameless candles and I turned on background Christian labor worship music (I found a playlist on Spotify called that!) We had our stability ball, a peanut ball and a giant U shaped inflatable “seat” as well. From 11pm for the next few hours, we tried different positions: side lying on the bed, kneeling on the bed, kneeling on the floor with my arms on the bed or stability ball. I also took a hot shower and occasionally paced around upstairs and did light side to side rocking/stretching. Sarah was so great in recommending different things to try. Brian ended up taking a short nap downstairs (it was 1am and he had been up since 5:30am!) It had been several hours that my contractions were about 7-10 minutes apart, but they weren’t consistent and I felt like I my progress was slow. Mentally I was starting to doubt; “Is this a normal pace, am I doing ok, what do I need to do to progress?” I noticed heat (shower) and lying on my side, while made me feel more relaxed, they actually slowed the contractions. I thought, “No no, we need to speed it up, that is the opposite effect LOL!”

However I was getting tired. Sarah said to lay down for the next few ones, just rest. I reluctantly did (remember I didn’t want to slow things down). During the 2nd contraction on the bed my water broke with a pop. I KNOW that was God speaking to me saying, “You are doing great and on the right pace. This is my way of telling you to keep going”. It was the sign that I needed for reassurance and it boosted my confidence. We texted our midwife team (Colleen and her assistant Christine) and woke up Brian.

After the water broke, things DID start to progress! Contractions were now stronger and happening every 4-6 minutes. I never described the contractions as pain, but just intense pressure. It was always low in my pelvis and then was radiating into my hips. I spent a lot of contractions kneeling, so my thighs did get fatigued as well. I could tell about 15 seconds before it was happening, then during a contraction I focused on relaxing my breathing, using Brian or Sarah to grip their hand, and Sarah would read/say affirmations to me such as “Your body knows what to do, you are strong and capable, your getting closer to meet your baby”. She has such a soothing calm voice; I was repeating those in my head but it really helped to have someone verbally say them as well. Both Brian & Sarah would give me encouragement after every contraction. Some I was able to carry on a conversation in between, some I just rested and had silence.

This went on for about 90 minutes total. At about 4am, Sarah called Colleen giving her an update. Contractions were now consistent at 4 minutes apart, lasting a good minute and continuing to increase in intensity. I kept asking “When are they going to get here??” Not knowing how fast labor progressed, I wanted the peace that my team was with me! When I asked them to come, they got ready and arrived at 4:45am. My team’s approach is “hands off” until need or desired. They are conservative in that they sit back, assess the situation, and talk to the doula or support team there before coming over to me immediately or without being requested. They did collect my vitals regularly, but in no way did I feel bothered or pressured.

At one point in that 4am hour I went from the bedroom to the bathroom. I started to feel what is called the “Transition Phase”, where the body is moving from regular contractions to being fully dilated and ready to push. The contractions felt different; at the peak I was getting the urge to push (yes, it felt just exactly like as if you had to have a bowel movement!) I sat on the toilet for probably a half hour during this. And yes, I admit…I did end up pooping LOL, but at least I timed it right and was on the toilet! HA!

This is when the labor got the most intense. I was so exhausted; we had been up all night and my body was just TOAST. There was constant pelvic pressure that increased as labor progressed. Then the contractions for me felt like the name…a huge muscle contraction throughout my entire hip complex and pelvis. It got so intense my whole body was shaking and trembling. I held on to both Brian and Sarah’s hands and used my legs to stabilize and support me as well. Between contractions I could barely make out a sentence. Again, needless to say, it was a huge test to endurance and strength, both physically and mentally.

Once Colleen and Christine arrived, I was on the toilet and really anxious, thinking, “When are they going to check on me??” I asked Brian and Sarah if they could come talk to me and let me know my progress and how I was doing. Similar to earlier around 2am, my confidence started to drop. I had no idea how close I was to the finish line. We had not checked cervical dilation at all and I could feel the transition of the sensation to push, but was I ready? My biggest concern was pushing too early!

I asked again if Colleen could come in and at that point we moved back to the bedroom. We, because I could barely stand up on my own from the toilet! Brian and Sarah had to practically carry me into the bedroom, where I sat on the U shaped stability ball/seat, eventually moving back into the kneeling position leaning into our bed.

Colleen came in at that point and asked if I was doing okay mentally. I said, “Yes I know I can do this, but I need some reasurrance of where I am at. I don’t need a number (cm dilated) but can you tell me if I am ready (to push) or not?” She understood and said yes we can. After the next contraction she replied, “Remember you know what to do. Trust your body. You are ready, baby is ready when you are”. After I heard I remember a big mental sigh of relief; YES we are really close!

The last 10-15 minutes of labor were short but intense! The contractions transitioned from just the pelvic pressure into fully “pushing” stage. Each contraction I focused on short breaths in and out through my mouth, starting and finishing with the deep more steady breathing. Each one Brian told me “Relax” and gently pressed my shoulders down, as my body would want to seize up and contract, vs relaxing down into it. Sarah was on my right, telling me affirmations, words of encouragement, reminding me of my breath, bearing down etc.

I had about 4-5 contractions of actual pushing, which lasted about 10-15 minutes total (?) It is hard to tell in the moment lol, as it felt like as soon as the contraction ended, another one started. Each one I could feel her head moving down. Once baby girl was crowning, the “ring of fire” is real! It was a burning sensation but again, to me it was not pain, only a new sensation, that I knew would over soon. These physical feelings were intense; I remember saying out loud, “Oh yea, ok, it’s burning, this is it”! BUT it gave me confidence knowing I could feel what my body was doing and the purpose. I used these physical feelings to my advantage; instead of being scared of it, I embraced it and worked WITH my body. During the pushes, I gave in and let my body lead. The last contraction I just knew, this was it, she is coming out with this one! And with that, Natalie Faith was here! Colleen caught her and she handed her to me from between my legs. There we sat down on the floor, just in awe of what had happened. We had a baby! Sarah and Christine were able to take the photos that I’m sharing here. It was so awesome to have it caught on camera 🙂 She was born at 6:47 am.

Immediately after, we wrapped her in a towel and had immediate skin to skin together. Once the cord stopped pulsing, Brian was able to clamp and cut it. From there I handed Natalie to him and stood up to deliver the placenta. I found it amazing that during labor I could barely get up on my own, after 10 minutes after delivery, I got up from the floor by myself, standing and half squatting without any assistance, fatigue or pain. It was wild what the body can do!

After that, we all sat there for a few minutes as Colleen checked vital on Natalie. They helped me into the bathroom where I took a quick rinse off shower and used the bathroom. We went back to the bedroom where I literally just got into bed! Christine had been cleaning up and Colleen did more newborn vitals and testing. She measured her and Brian got to weigh her. She was 18 inches and 5lb 10oz, our little peanut! Then she got handed back to me and Colleen stayed, answering any questions we had and going over what to do in the next 24 hours. To me, she told me I had to stay upstairs in bed 🙂 Sarah continued to be there for support until about 8am. Within 2 hours the team had left and the house looked completely normal; you would have never known there was a birth there!

The rest of her birthday was wonderful. Brian and I spent the whole day relaxing in bed, sleeping when we could and just enjoying the time together the three of us. Overall I felt GREAT; I kept movement very minimal but I did not experience extreme pain, soreness etc. In fact, I not once described my labor or contractions as painful. To me, they were VERY intense whole body contractions and pressure. Part of this is definitely mindset (pain is subjective!) My recovery has also amazing and drama free. By day 3 (Friday the 29th) we all went for our first walk together. Since then I have been walking daily, short and gentle to begin with, and increasing my steps each day. I have also added in light core activation exercises and stretching. All is good!

I am so grateful to feel SO good and to have had such a wonderful birth experience! I prepared myself in many ways for MONTHS ahead of time. However, no matter how prepared you can be, things STILL can happen and might not go the way you had envisioned. I was aware of that but kept a positive attitude and manifesting a healthy, smooth and enjoyable labor. And it happened! 🙂

I understand that Home Birth is not for everyone for different circumstances. We all deserve to have birth experience that you feel comfortable, safe, confident and in positive, supportive environment. For us, being at home provided all of that. I think of the alternative and being in a hospital. I am not comfortable at all in hospitals & would have to firmly deny most of the traditional routine/procedures that they do during and after a birth. I know that a reason why my recovery, mood and energy, as well as our baby’s health, has been so wonderful, is because it happened in a safe, calm environment. If I was in a hospital, I would have felt stressed and pressured, which is NOT what you want for labor!

Being a hospital setting would have brought constant monitoring, offering of interventions (that are not always needed) and limitations such as you can’t eat or drink, move around (be in a kneeling position like I was) among other procedures that we didn’t feel that were necessary. Again, every situation is unique, and we had an established relationship with a hospital midwife if for emergency we needed to transfer. But in sharing our story, I hope that it can help educate those about home birth; the benefits, efficacy and safety.

I also hope my story of a natural, unmedicated home birth can inspire other women to do multiple things:

1. Acknowledge your power as a woman and our innate amazing ability to give birth!

2. Encourage you to seek different options for labor and delivery

3. Ask questions, do research, and be your own advocate for your health AND the health of your child

4. Don’t be afraid of labor; again, you are designed for this. There are many different “pain relief” options instead of using drugs (that have side effects for both you and baby).

My biggest pieces of advice for expecting moms? It is about being PREPARED. It is important to create:

1. A strong, positive mindset around pregnancy and labor.
2. A safe birthing environment
3. A strong support system (spouse, family, friends, doula)
4. An open, collaborative relationship with your birthing team/professionals with informed consent

There’s much more I could share about the Home Birth experience, but feel free to reach out to me personally with any questions! Email: finessefitnesswithallison@gmail.com

Until next time, Be Well!