When Jarred and I found out on May 27, 2000 that we were pregnant, we immediately began searching for a midwife. We have a very natural and healthy lifestyle and of course we desired for our pregnancy and birth to be in line with those ideals. At the time, we were living in the city, so our first call was to a group of midwives there. However, when I reached an automated telephone system, was disconnected, then told I could not have my first appointment until four weeks, I hung up in tears. I looked again in the yellow pages. I saw a listing for the Family Nurse Midwives and I called immediately. Sue was so friendly and gave me an appointment for the next week. When Jarred and I had our first appointment we were so impressed by how quickly we were taken back, how long Sue and Gretchen spent talking with us, and the abundance of educational information we were sent home with. Jarred and I drove one hour and fifteen minutes to our appointments, knowing that just weeks before our due date we would be moving closer to the hospital. In November, we found a lovely home just five minutes from the hospital! After the chaos of moving, finishing school and the holidays, I spend the little time I had left really focusing on the birth. I had continued yoga and meditation throughout my pregnancy and had read some books regarding visualization and relaxation. My husband frequently gave me back massages as well as perineal massages in the last several weeks. I was ready!! Now it was up to the baby to decide when he or she was ready. At 2 AM on January 15th I awoke for one of my frequent bathroom breaks.

When I laid down in the bed again, I thought I felt a tightening sensation. Is that what I thought it was? I waited until I felt it again and again. After one hour of light contractions seven minutes apart I knew that my labor was really happening so I awoke my husband . He and I laid in bed together and I described to him the sensations that I was feeling. At 5AM we went to the kitchen and had some cereal. Now the contractions were getting stronger, lasting 45 seconds and coming every five minutes. We put on some relaxing music and held each other ( in between contractions) as the sun came up. Around 7:30 AM we paged Gretchen and told her we would come to the office after it opened to get checked. I got a shower and ate again, meanwhile walking and marching during each contraction. We went to the office at 10:30 AM, expecting to get checked and return home for a while (we lived only five minutes away). However, when Gretchen told me I was 7cm dilated, I was really surprised. She said we should check into the Family Birth Place. We ran home for a few things, get a breath of fresh air and then checked into our room at 11:30 AM. Gretchen checked me again and I was 8cm. After monitoring the heart rate, I walked around the hallway. then got into the shower. At 1PM my contractions became so intense that breathing, walking or visualizations were no longer helpful. I just had to get through it. At 2:15 PM I was 9 1/2 cm and Gretchen said if I wanted I could begin pushing. I was unsure but after another contraction I said "Okay". I did not find pushing to be uncomfortable or painful just very challenging. I pushed for over one hour with my husband holding my leg up. At 3:18 PM our child finally came into the world and to our surprise Gretchen announced that it was a boy (most of our family thought it would be a girl). I am proud of myself and very happy with our experience. I hope by sharing my birth story it allows more people to see the joy and beauty of the experience of childbirth. I truly believe it is an amazing process that in less than one day a child makes his way from inside his mother into the world!!

Written by Kara Forsyth, Greensburg, Pennsylvania