Birth By You
Doula Services
Woman to Woman support to Birth by.
Doula Services
Woman to Woman support to Birth by.
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Birthstories
Birth Story of Seth 6/2007, told by Seth's mother.
"I was 37 weeks into my pregnancy and knew I could have quite a while to go, but I was ready to have my son. I went to the OB earlier in the week and she estimated my baby to weigh somewhere around 8 lbs 12 oz to 9 lbs 4 oz. That scared me enough to want him out right then. Around 8 pm I started feeling weird pains. I described them as bad gas pains, and that's what I thought they were. I wasn't too concerned until 10 pm when there seemed to be a pattern to the gas pains. I timed them at around 12 minutes apart. I would have them for an hour and then they would go away. I decided to go to sleep and see what happened. The next morning at 7 a.m. I was on the phone with my best friend, Jaime. She lives in Georgia and had called to check on me. I was laying in bed about to get up when I felt a little burst of water. I thought I had peed myself at first. I went to the bathroom and the water kept going. Jaime told me my water broke and to call my doula, Susan. Susan told me to get on the birth ball and start timing any contractions I might be having. Susan and I kept in contact via phone until she arrived at my house around 9 a.m. At that time the contractions were about 5 minutes apart but weren't as strong as they needed to be. Next to arrive at my house was Will, the father. Soon after, my mom and sister came over to help with my dogs. They took them to a boarding facility since I knew I was going to be in the hospital for a few days. At first we tried the breast pump to get the contractions stronger and closer together. The contractions got a little stronger. Then Susan told me we needed to walk to help the baby move down and get the contractions going stronger. It was extremely hot and humid outside so I suggested we go to the mall. We went to the mall about 11:30 a.m. We walked the length of the mall and my contractions went to about 2 minutes apart. So I decided I wanted to go to the hospital about 12:40 p.m. We got to the hospital around 1:40 and they started my antibiotics and IV. The nurse checked me and said i was 2 cm. They put me on the monitor and were concerned about the baby's vitals he was have decels so they put an internal monitor on him. It wasn't long before I had dilated to 4 cm and I started asking for drugs. I started rethinking the all natural birth idea. Susan stepped in and suggested a shower for the pain. She was great. My friends and family started pouring into the room. They just sat back and gave me my space and let Susan work. I wanted to stay in bed a little longer and work through the contractions. In the meantime, we had to switch LDR rooms. When I got into the new room the nurse checked me and I was at 7 cm. Susan reassured me that If I could get to 7 I could get to 10. The contractions got intense at this point so I have to say that the time between 7 and 9 cm was a blur. I do remember all the support Susan gave me. She was constantly there to rub my back and help me through the contractions. I do remember the good news that I was at 9 cm. It all happened so fast that I never did get to take that shower. Once I got to 9 cm I stalled out. I was at 9 cm for 1 1/2 hours. The contractions were beyond intense and I felt "pushy" as Susan called it. At the peak of each contraction I pushed. Even though the nurses and Doctor were urging me not to push, I had no choice. My body was pushing and it was like I had no control. The Doctor suggested starting pitocin to try and help me get to 10 cm. I agreed and then shortly after regretted the idea. The contractions were unbearable. It was then that I told the Doctor to do whatever she had to to get him out. The baby's heartbeat wasn't doing well under the stress of the contractions. They called the anesthesiologist and started talking like they planned on doing a c-section. Once in the OR the doctor had me get on the surgery table. The nurse told me it was important for the safely of my baby that we move fast. I was so scared. Once on the table the Doctor checked me once more and I was dilated to 10 cm. She moved me back to the labor table and told me to push. Twenty minutes later I had my baby boy on my chest. He was beautiful and pink and screaming his head off. Best of all, he was born without the assistance of any pain medication. William Seth was born at 10:40 pm and weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches long. He was absolutely perfect. I can't rave enough about Susan. She was my saving grace during labor. Without her, I would have screamed epidural at 4 cm. I would have stayed in bed and ended up with a c-section for sure. She never left my side, did whatever she had to do to make the contractions bearable. My whole family loved her. Hiring Susan as my Doula was the best decision I could have ever made for me and my baby. Even now she is there for me. She answers my questions and checks on me often. I have found a friend and wouldn't trade her for the world."
Melissa K. of Frisco
"Very supportive and helpful. Would highly reccomend her as a Doula"
Dr. S., OBGYN, Frisco
"Susan is a natural."
J.S., CNM, Denton
"Susan was very helpful, supportive and focused. I would hire her again!"
Milena W. of Denton
"I was 37 weeks into my pregnancy and knew I could have quite a while to go, but I was ready to have my son. I went to the OB earlier in the week and she estimated my baby to weigh somewhere around 8 lbs 12 oz to 9 lbs 4 oz. That scared me enough to want him out right then. Around 8 pm I started feeling weird pains. I described them as bad gas pains, and that's what I thought they were. I wasn't too concerned until 10 pm when there seemed to be a pattern to the gas pains. I timed them at around 12 minutes apart. I would have them for an hour and then they would go away. I decided to go to sleep and see what happened. The next morning at 7 a.m. I was on the phone with my best friend, Jaime. She lives in Georgia and had called to check on me. I was laying in bed about to get up when I felt a little burst of water. I thought I had peed myself at first. I went to the bathroom and the water kept going. Jaime told me my water broke and to call my doula, Susan. Susan told me to get on the birth ball and start timing any contractions I might be having. Susan and I kept in contact via phone until she arrived at my house around 9 a.m. At that time the contractions were about 5 minutes apart but weren't as strong as they needed to be. Next to arrive at my house was Will, the father. Soon after, my mom and sister came over to help with my dogs. They took them to a boarding facility since I knew I was going to be in the hospital for a few days. At first we tried the breast pump to get the contractions stronger and closer together. The contractions got a little stronger. Then Susan told me we needed to walk to help the baby move down and get the contractions going stronger. It was extremely hot and humid outside so I suggested we go to the mall. We went to the mall about 11:30 a.m. We walked the length of the mall and my contractions went to about 2 minutes apart. So I decided I wanted to go to the hospital about 12:40 p.m. We got to the hospital around 1:40 and they started my antibiotics and IV. The nurse checked me and said i was 2 cm. They put me on the monitor and were concerned about the baby's vitals he was have decels so they put an internal monitor on him. It wasn't long before I had dilated to 4 cm and I started asking for drugs. I started rethinking the all natural birth idea. Susan stepped in and suggested a shower for the pain. She was great. My friends and family started pouring into the room. They just sat back and gave me my space and let Susan work. I wanted to stay in bed a little longer and work through the contractions. In the meantime, we had to switch LDR rooms. When I got into the new room the nurse checked me and I was at 7 cm. Susan reassured me that If I could get to 7 I could get to 10. The contractions got intense at this point so I have to say that the time between 7 and 9 cm was a blur. I do remember all the support Susan gave me. She was constantly there to rub my back and help me through the contractions. I do remember the good news that I was at 9 cm. It all happened so fast that I never did get to take that shower. Once I got to 9 cm I stalled out. I was at 9 cm for 1 1/2 hours. The contractions were beyond intense and I felt "pushy" as Susan called it. At the peak of each contraction I pushed. Even though the nurses and Doctor were urging me not to push, I had no choice. My body was pushing and it was like I had no control. The Doctor suggested starting pitocin to try and help me get to 10 cm. I agreed and then shortly after regretted the idea. The contractions were unbearable. It was then that I told the Doctor to do whatever she had to to get him out. The baby's heartbeat wasn't doing well under the stress of the contractions. They called the anesthesiologist and started talking like they planned on doing a c-section. Once in the OR the doctor had me get on the surgery table. The nurse told me it was important for the safely of my baby that we move fast. I was so scared. Once on the table the Doctor checked me once more and I was dilated to 10 cm. She moved me back to the labor table and told me to push. Twenty minutes later I had my baby boy on my chest. He was beautiful and pink and screaming his head off. Best of all, he was born without the assistance of any pain medication. William Seth was born at 10:40 pm and weighed 8 lbs 2 oz and 20 inches long. He was absolutely perfect. I can't rave enough about Susan. She was my saving grace during labor. Without her, I would have screamed epidural at 4 cm. I would have stayed in bed and ended up with a c-section for sure. She never left my side, did whatever she had to do to make the contractions bearable. My whole family loved her. Hiring Susan as my Doula was the best decision I could have ever made for me and my baby. Even now she is there for me. She answers my questions and checks on me often. I have found a friend and wouldn't trade her for the world."
Melissa K. of Frisco
"Very supportive and helpful. Would highly reccomend her as a Doula"
Dr. S., OBGYN, Frisco
"Susan is a natural."
J.S., CNM, Denton
"Susan was very helpful, supportive and focused. I would hire her again!"
Milena W. of Denton