Kyle and Hannah: hospital waterbirth

My labor started at 6am on Sunday, Heather came to our home around 11am and she stayed with us until nearly 4am the following morning! My labor was unusual in that while I was clearly in labor with close and strong contractions, they weren't always regular, which we know know is because my baby was asyncletic, so her position was giving my body a challenge to push through labor. Her position also gave me excruciating pain in my right side for nearly all of my labor. Heather was amazing as a source of calm and support - just being with us and helping me find positions to alleviate discomfort, massaging me, giving me tea to help my labor, answering questions, encouraging me/us, and lots more. We decided to go to the hospital just to see where my body was at, if midwife could come up with ideas to help baby move, and even possibly take medicine to help with the terrible pain in my side (I had always planned to have a completely unmedicated birth but I couldn't even stand). We got to hospital and I was 6cm dilated and nearly 100% effaced. But the pain in my side was so excruciating I couldn't even focus on my labor. The whole night Heather stayed with me holding my hand, helping me shower to have heat on my side, guiding me through positions, holding my hair back when I was vomiting, verbally affirming me and encouraging me about everything that was happening, that it was normal, and getting me focused on the end result! Her guidance with my breathing was a game changer when it came time to push. I pushed my baby out in 16 minutes without any medication, which apparently is pretty fast for a first time mom! I really attribute it to my breathing (which Heather guided me in).

Both my husband and I have told everyone we can't imagine having gone through this process without Heather! We are so grateful to have had her be a part of such a special and exciting time of our lives.

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