Dear Lina,
I just wanted to write and let you know how helpful your workshop has
been. It started me off on a path of discovery which led me to have
exactly the birth I hoped for. A friend suggested I do your workshop, and
once there I realised that there were many ways to give birth, that there
were choices and I could have control of these choices. It was very
empowering.
I still stayed with my obstetrician until I was 36 weeks pregnant and
brought my birth plan in. We had discussed it earlier but I guess actually
seeing it on paper made her realise I was serious about actually wanting
some input. We to'd and fro'd over every point, but it was after I said I
wanted to be left go if my second stage went longer than two hours without
intervention, and she replied with, “look you’re not the only one having a
baby, we have a hospital to run you know” that the alarm bells went off in
my head. That along with the comments that: I couldn't have my baby
squatting (apparently western women don't have the strength in their
legs.....); Absolutely no chance of natural third stage delivery, and they
had to cut the cord straight away and take the baby away to 'clean it' 5
minutes after delivery (she had this strange obsession with cleanliness)
that I said thankyou for the pre natal care so far and good bye. Oh yes,
she also laughed, yes laughed, when I said I was going to try and only use
natural pain relief.
I rang the hospital and canceled my booking. I was told about Dr Bruce
Sutherland at the Hawthorn Birth Centre (Melbourne’s only independent free
standing birth centre). They were happy to take me on there even at my
late stage. Finding them was like coming home.
The birth was one of the most fantastic experiences of my life. I had a
7.5 hour labour, I had my beautiful baby girl in the water, my husband
caught her, I had no tearing or need for stitches, (which you probably
don't remember was my main fear,) and she was 8.7 lbs! We stayed in the
water for 2 hours afterwards floating her. We also chose a lotus birth
(where the umbilical cord is left attached to the placenta until it drops
off by itself – takes ~ 3 – 8 days), (now wouldn't that have freaked out
my first obstetrician! ) and the cord came off on the third day. The
midwife was fantastic and Bruce just sat on the edge of the pool and
patted my shoulder, which, as he said, was as it should be as every thing
was going along just fine. Yes I squatted, no I did not have any drugs, my
second stage was 3 hours, I obviously had a natural third stage and we
didn't cut the cord! And most importantly she is so healthy and beautiful.
I watch our video and think how wonderful and natural it all was. I
wouldn't have been able to do this had I not attended your workshop.
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