Own Your Birth

I Thought I Did Everything Right

“Don’t worry! Your body knows what to do!”

How many times have you heard that? I heard it so many times leading up to the birth of my oldest son.

While I was pregnant with him, I thought I did everything right. I never missed an appointment. I took the classes to prepare. I even did prenatal yoga and exercise classes. As my due date got closer, my midwife told me the all too familiar line, “Don’t worry! Your body knows what to do!”

Then I went beyond my due date. I took castor oil. They ruptured my membranes. And my labor started aggressively and fast. I had horrible back labor. My midwife who was mostly not in the room kept repeating the phrase, “Don’t worry! Your body knows what to do!”

My labor became a runaway train

My labor had become a runaway train and I was alone on the train. My son was born giving me a 3rd degree tear. And I entered motherhood feeling like I had been hit by a bus and my body didn’t know what to do.

After he was born I learned I had a “posterior presentation”. This is what gives back labor. If it had been caught weeks earlier, there were very easy things I could have done to correct the position. Mom’s with posterior babies don’t go into labor on their own as easily. Their labor can also stall. I learned that your body does indeed know what to do - and will do it given the right circumstances!

I Needed a Doula

I didn’t have a doula for my first birth. I didn’t think I needed one, I had my husband by my side after all. I had a team of midwives. I was giving birth in a birthing center. A doula’s role though is completely different then all the other staff. A doula would have been with me for the entire labor unlike midwives.

A doula would have been a calming presence for my husband. She would have helped me manage difficult contractions. She would have given unbroken physical and emotional support. She would have offered resources and the benefit of her experience.

That’s why I became a doula. Because no mother should have to walk the road of labor and delivery alone. She should have the support that catches a posterior presentation early when it can be corrected. She should start motherhood feeling empowered, centered, and joyful.