From the WBWC Blog:

Birth Stories

Ellery’s Birth Story

By Ashley Bullock I was 41 weeks and 3 days… It was about 1 AM on Thursday, March 8th when I started to feel what I thought were real contractions. I woke my husband, Nick, to let him know, and he told me to try to get some sleep! If we learned anything in our birthing class, it was to get as much rest as you can before active labor, because you are about to run a marathon! Truer words have never been spoken, and more energy has never been needed. I tried to go back to sleep, but it was a tough night of tossing and turning. I woke up around 6 AM and called my angel doula, Aubrey, to give her a heads up on how I was feeling. As a first-time mom, I wasn’t sure what labor was supposed to feel like. I asked all my friends about the beginning of labor and honestly, everyone had a different experience. The answer I generally got was, “you’ll know when you start to go into labor”, and that’s true, I did finally know. My contractions felt like cramping in my lower abdomen and an intense hardening of my stomach like Braxton Hicks. I continued laboring and resting until about 5 pm and that’s when my sweet friend Alicia, who is both a doula and massage therapist, arrived. Alicia gave me a massage and applied counter pressure during contractions. I labored this way for about an hour and a half. Once Alicia left, things got more intense, and I had to find other coping mechanisms. I leaned over my birthing ball and began really focused breathing. My doula, Aubrey, helped me breath through one contraction at a time. She told me when each contraction was at its peak and almost over. She breathed and moaned through every single contraction with me. She helped me keep a rhythm, and that was key as I hit each new level of intensity. My coping mechanisms were deep breaths in and out with a loud deep moan on the breath out, rocking back and forth from the waist, or hunched over a birthing ball. As I focused on each contraction, not the one before or the one after, I was able to stay peaceful and unafraid. It was all Jesus. His peace reigned so strongly in my heart during my laboring hours. His grace overwhelmed … Read More

Birth Story

By Abby H.     Throughout my pregnancy, I was pretty sure that our baby was going to come late because most first babies do. I expected to be at work well past my February 19 due date. So when my water broke at 10 PM on February 5, I was confused to say the least. First, I hadn’t really considered the possibility of an early arrival. And second, I wasn’t sure that it was my water breaking (maybe I had just peed myself, like you do). It turned out that it was the real thing. Here’s how it happened: The morning of Friday, February 5, I got ready for work as usual. Before I left the house, I told my husband, Andrew, to take a picture of me. I can’t remember exactly why I did it, but I’m glad I did because it’s the last photo of me pregnant and not in labor. It was a pretty normal workday, and then I taught prenatal yoga at 4:30 that afternoon. During class I noticed that my back felt especially achy, but everything else felt normal. On the way home I stopped at Whole Foods to buy soup bones to make bone broth, which I wanted to have during labor/postpartum, but they didn’t have any. We spent a low-key evening at home watching The Good Wife and eating frozen pizza, until the aforementioned water breaking. I was in the kitchen taking my night time vitamins and then I started to walk into the bathroom when it happened. I went to the bathroom before saying anything to Andrew because I’d just had something like 40 ounces of water to drink, but once I got into the bathroom, I was pretty sure that it was my water and not pee. I told him that I thought my water had just broken and he said, “I guess I’d better stop drinking.” I also texted our doula to ask how I would know if my water had broken, and she told me to put on a pad and see what happened. She also asked if I was having contractions, and I could feel my belly tightening if I put my hand on it, but I couldn’t feel anything else. I followed her advice and the pad was soaked within a few minutes, which suggested that it was definitely my water and not pee. We got … Read More

Tara Jane’s Birth Story

By Allison Dembowski   The first Dembowski born in 26 years arrived September 8, 2016 at 3:09pm. She was 7 pounds, 9 ounces.   I woke up early the morning of September 7, at 38 weeks 1 day, with what I thought was a constant backache. When I fully woke up, I realized the pain was coming in waves, but I had been falling back asleep in between. I laid in bed for a while texting with my mom, Laura, about my symptoms. At the time, she was a nurse at the birth center, and training to become a midwife. (Now she is a midwife there!) She told me that what I was feeling was likely pre-labor pain and to drink water, take a hot shower, and keep an eye on it. I sat up to get ready for work, and on the edge of the bed, I felt my water break. A lot of fluid came out as I rushed to the bathroom. I sat down and let it flow, and when I wiped, I saw my bloody show. I couldn’t believe it! I never imagined my baby would come before her due date of September 20, let alone 2 weeks beforehand!   I texted my mom again and continued to try to get ready for work, but I kept gushing fluid. I woke up Frank and told him what was going on. He was as shocked as I was. We were definitely not ready. I’d had what (I realize in retrospect) was a nesting urge on that Monday, and had run several errands and cleaned the bathrooms. When Frank had come home from work that night at 9:30 to find me cleaning the bathroom—when I usually was either already in bed or getting ready to go—he said I seemed like I had more energy. I replied that it was panic!   I called the midwife at the birth center and explained what was going on. I asked her was this it, and should I go to work? (Not thinking straight) She said yes, and no! Our plan was to go to Durham to labor at my parents’ house with my mom, since we live two hours from the birth center. However, Frank had a presentation to do for class, so we spent a few minutes debating about if he should go do his presentation, or if we should … Read More

Milo’s Birth Story

by Jennifer Mohamed   This story has been a long time coming, as my little squish is now almost 16 months old. On Saturday, November 5th, I went into the hospital to work my second-to-last shift in the Special Care Nursery before officially going out on maternity leave.  I had my bottle of Suki’s Blend ready to start right after that weekend (right when I turned 39 weeks).  You see, I went over 41 weeks with my first kiddo, and I was going to try everything to prevent that from happening again! Of course, because I had a plan in place, the labor gods decided to remind me who is truly in charge.  I had been having Braxton Hicks contractions each night from 7 PM to 10 PM for the past week, so I was not all surprised when the painless tightening started.  It wasn’t an overly busy night; we had women in labor, but no births yet.  I was working with a nursing student, so it mostly involved a lot of teaching, which I love! It was inching towards midnight, and without even realizing it, I had started pacing around the unit.  One nurse joked that she thought I was in labor.  I laughed it off but texted my husband to go ahead and sterilize the umbilical ties just in case. I had just come back from a birth and was sitting down to document when I felt that warm, watery release.  I stood up from my chair as my waters flowed down my scrubs, into my shoes and onto the floor.  My first thought was, “Well, at least my fluid is clear.” It took me a few minutes to gather myself, put on some mesh panties, change into dry scrubs, and finish documenting, of course. I was so grateful to all the wonderful nurses who were working with me that night as they fetched me all the things to get cleaned up and even packed my bag for me to leave work.  I called my husband as I was walking to my car, and then I called the birth center while I drove home. Emily was on, and I remember telling her my contractions aren’t super close or that painful so I am going to go home, shower, arrange childcare and maybe get some sleep. I went home and did just that, except when I laid down and … Read More

The Birth Story of Nova Genevieve

by Alyssa Wells In July of 2016, I became a mama to a beautiful baby girl named Iris. I delivered her at Women’s Birth & Wellness Center with my husband, mother, doula, and wonderful midwife, Belinda. I gave birth in the water and all in all had  a marvelous experience! It’s no surprise when I found I was expecting again, I chose the midwives at WBWC again! Everything about this pregnancy was very similar to my first pregnancy. We were overjoyed to find out we were expecting another girl since our babies were going to be so close in age. My due date was October 27th, making my girls about 16 months apart. Built-in best friends! At 40 weeks and 5 days, labor began exactly like my first birth with contractions beginning at midnight. With my first, I was able to go to sleep for about 5 hours, so after timing a few contractions and realizing this is probably real, I decided to get some rest. Unfortunately, I woke up after only an hour to strong contractions that I couldn’t sleep through. After trying to fall back asleep and realizing I couldn’t, I woke up my husband around 2 AM to let him know I was in labor. We decided to call my doula. I knew I was in active labor, but since I had only been laboring for 2 hours, I told my doula it was too early for her to come. I was so tired, and I was going to try again to get some rest. After about an hour and half, I was beginning to have to really work through each contraction. My husband began applying counter pressure on my hips, and I felt that I really needed him to get me through the contractions. I sent him downstairs to get me something to eat and had a few contractions alone, and knew I needed my doula with me. At about 4 AM, I called her and told her I needed her and she let me know she could get to my house at 5:45am. I then called Laura, the on-call midwife, to let her know I was in labor. When she heard me go through a contraction, she suggested I come in. After being in labor for only 4 hours, it seemed too early for me to head to the birth center, but I did have … Read More

The Birth of Iris Aleta

Most mamas can push their babies easily through the birth canal, but midwives are always prepared for that big baby whose shoulders are a tight fit. This is the beautiful story of one of those rare babies. We hope you will hear the message: Believe in your body, listen to your heart, trust your midwife! by Morgan Vuznytsya My pregnancy was no easy one. From all-day nausea up to 26 weeks along with four viruses and surviving the NC summer with a toddler, it was quite the adventure! But knowing it was my last pregnancy I soaked up every little kick and hiccup I felt inside my belly while pondering if I was carrying a little boy or a girl. Every time I would dream of my baby, it was always a girl as her birthday approached. As a second-time mom and birth doula, I did all the things to prepare and felt good about the upcoming birth. The only tiny fear that kept rising up in the back of my mind was shoulder dystocia. One of my second trimester prenatals with one of the midwives, Belinda, turned into a long therapy session where she let me talk about all my concerns and reassured me that whether my fear was from being a doula who had experienced different birth situations or if it was my intuition, my body was capable and I was in good knowledgeable hands with the midwives.   Come 34 weeks my Braxton Hicks were becoming very regular, especially with activity, and started to make me nervous. I ended up going to UNC after having them come every 3-5 minutes and last a minute with cramps when up and moving around, but thankfully I wasn’t dilated and was told just to take it easy. I did my best to ignore them and not stress over preterm labor while my mom and grandma pulled together to help out with household chores so I could lay low.   By 36 weeks I was having real prodromal contractions every night and would wake at the peak of them while thinking, “nope. Not happening little one! We are birthing at the birth center!” and go back to sleep. Once we hit 37 weeks I felt so relieved! My husband and I went on a dinner date to celebrate and during our date I felt those prodromal-like contractions again (thanks oxytocin!). I … Read More

Help a WBWC Mom Support NICU Families

by Lauren Dudley   Labor Day weekend of 2014, my husband and I decided to venture to Myrtle Beach for our “baby moon”.  I had been given the go-ahead from our midwives and doula to do it since, as a first time mom, I probably had about five weeks left till birthing this baby!  We left Thursday and by Friday night contractions had started.  My husband decided it was high time to leave Myrtle Beach Saturday morning, in case it turned out to be the real deal.  Well, it was!  Christopher crashed our party Sunday night after 3 days of labor! We were, of course, directed to UNC, after the midwives checked me and discovered I was already 4 cm!  The rest is history! Carey, our midwife, was by our side for 12 hours at UNC until Chris was born. We ended up having to stay in the NICU for a little over a week due to jaundice and feeding issues.  During that short time, the hour and fifteen minute drive back home might as well have been five hours when you’re emotionally exhausted.  We missed our home and the small necessities you take for granted everyday. By Christmas that year, I was more than thankful for the care we received from both UNC NICU and WBWC!  I wanted to give those families stuck in the hospital over the holidays a little taste of home.  Our bags started out very small, with a small fleece blanket, shampoo/conditioner, bobby pins and hair ties, snack bars and $5 Starbucks gift card.  Over the three years we have done this, it has evolved into something amazing.  We are now able to give all those things plus body wash, lip balm, toothpaste/brushes, journals and this year some photography sessions for families that will be there for an extended period.  I asked Holly in the boutique for some of her contacts this year and ended up with Motherlove donating samples of nipple balm, hand salve and diaper cream. Moondance Soaps is donating soaps AND lip balm! I am overjoyed with the generosity these companies have shown us this year. Every year I usually get one email from a mom in the NICU who has received one of our bags.  It makes all the hard work and hustling SO worth it.  Some send photos with the blankets we give them, some just a letter of how … Read More

The Birth Story of Penelope Amber

by Erin Abernathy We decided in the fall of 2016 that we were ready to add another child to our family. After two months of trying, we decided to take a short break after Christmas. I traveled with my son to Florida to spend time with family for two weeks. On the way home I was feeling sick, since we all had spread a stomach virus around and I was the last one to have it. I was five days late when I decided to take a test just out of curiosity. I thought I was still recovering from the stomach virus and that it had messed up my cycle. To my surprise, the test showed a positive. I was in shock. I took two more tests to be sure, and they all came back positive. The one time we decided let’s just take a break and not try right now, and I wind up pregnant. I told my husband later that day to which he responded “How? You’ve been gone for two weeks? Is it mine?” Of course he was joking but just as in shock as I was. While I was down in Florida, I had actually been researching birth center births and looking for the closest ones to us. I found two birth centers about an hour and a half away from our home and saved their sites. I had discussed having a birth center birth with my mom, husband and best friend. The main concern was distance, since our hospital is only five minutes from our home, but I knew that it would be worth the drive. When I had my son, I had a vision of a natural and calming birth. I researched everything to figure out what was best for me and my baby in the process. I learned breathing techniques and how to get through contractions. I unfortunately did not get the experience I had imagined and was left feeling like I missed out. We went and visited two birth centers. I felt at home at the Women’s Birth and Wellness Center and knew it was the place that my next child would be brought into the world. During my prenatal visits, the midwives made me feel in control of my pregnancy. Everyone was so friendly and helpful and so in tune to what I wanted. On Monday, October 9th, I was 41 … Read More

The story of Natascha Jones and my 100th birth as a CNM at WBWC

By Belinda Lashea, CNM It was a full house at the birth center, and I was called in on my day off to help out. I got lucky when Carey asked me to be with Natascha and Sean, who were getting close to birthing their sixth baby. When I walked in the peach room, the energy was hypnotic, SO MUCH OXYTOCIN AND LOVE! They were working well together, and I would occasionally listen to the baby or make a suggestion, but mostly, I just watched the beauty and power of this woman and her man, getting the baby out the way they got her in! The nurse, Emily, came in to check on things, and I took the opportunity to use the restroom. I didn’t get far when I heard the Crowning Cry! I ran back to the room just in time to see Natascha beautifully birth the baby’s head, with the amniotic sac still intact. I felt a little thrill knowing this very special baby was going to be born in the caul, an auspicious sign in many cultures. I checked for a cord and it was there, loosely about the neck and shoulders. I gently pulled it over her head, and I realized there was a true knot in the cord! The shoulders and baby came with ease and she let out a loud cry right away. That knot in the cord didn’t slow her down a bit! Sean and Natascha were ecstatic and so in love with this baby girl. Sean expressed his disappointment over not being able to catch the baby as he had with some of their other children. He had been needed behind Natascha for support this time. I asked him if he wanted to catch the placenta instead, and he jumped at the opportunity! It was the first time I’d had a dad catch one in 18 years of attending births! This was a very special birth for me for many reasons. It was my 100th baby as a CNM at WBWC. AND she came on my day off, was born in the caul, and had a true knot in her cord! WOW! A birth and a family I’ll never forget!  

My Birth Story

By Bianca Anderson I came upon Women’s Birth and Wellness Center when I researched water birth in NC. Its holistic/natural approach to women and birth instantly drew me in. My first child, Brooke, was successfully birthed here October 2015, just as I dreamed: in the water, with a most awesome team, Jessica and Christina, there to usher her in safely. When I came for my wellness checkup in January 2017, we were welcomed with warm arms. I went back with Ms. Tracey to be weighed, and we began talking of siblings for Brooke. She looked at me and smiled as I said I hoped to see her soon. Then she said “Yes, maybe even at the end of the month!” I paused, but she had turned away and gone on to her next assignment. I never did ask her what she meant by that! Let alone, if she even remembers saying it- all I know is I remembered it and held to seeing them again at the end of the month! Sure enough, at the month’s end, we found out we were expecting again. Pregnancy wasn’t easy, but it was healthy and without complication. The midwives and nurses are always there to help, and their advice is based on experienced professionalism. Each one knows exactly what they are talking about and doing. They work to make the motherhood journey a strong healthy one. Finally the time came. I arrived at the birth center to my utter delight to have Jessica as the midwife on duty. I was so excited to have her yet again to help birth our baby. But, she couldn’t stay. Her shift ended and she had to leave about 3 hours into labor. She gave blessings and hugs and introduced our new midwife/nurse team, Lydia and Missy, who would prove to be angels as well. Lydia was stressless and skillful in her work. A quiet voice in the loud pain. Reassuring me to trust my body and work with it. About two hours later our son Eden was born, healthy and strong. Missy and Lydia took care of my family and me, making sure we were comfortable and well. It was just beautiful to have them there; and on top of it all, Lydia is pregnant and Missy was on Mommy duty herself, as she had to nurse her own baby. Proof of WBWC being a place … Read More

Violet’s Birth Story

By Missy Swanson I knew I was having a girl from the minute I found out I was pregnant. I already had one little boy, and things felt different right away.  During my pregnancy with my son, I craved all things salty and fried, and I had the irresistible need to paint my kitchen and take on home improvement projects. This time around, as my pregnancy progressed, I craved watermelons and cherries and sweets; I had bizarre urges to learn to quilt and to bake things. I had a lot of nausea, but it wasn’t as intense as in my first pregnancy. We decided not to find out the baby’s gender at my ultrasound, but I told everyone it was a girl anyway. The time leading up to the birth was difficult for my family. We experienced the devastating losses of close family members and family friends. I began to worry that something would go wrong with the baby. After listening to my grief and anxieties, my mother reassured me, “This baby will be a bright ray of sunshine in this dark year.” I took that to heart as best I could and tried to focus on the new life growing inside me. My due date was June 16, and it came and went quickly. I continued working until a few days past my due date (my son had been 15 days overdue), but I was exhausted and ready for the baby to come. Sometime after 41 weeks, we started doing all the usual things to encourage labor, and we made a plan to get the baby born around 42 weeks. So on June 30th, when I was exactly 42 weeks, my parents came and took our 2-year-old, and then I had a morning of castor oil, acupuncture, and herbs. I choked down the castor oil first thing in the morning and then headed out to my acupuncture appointment. The plan was to then continue some labor herbs and check in with the midwives later in the day. By the afternoon, I had been having uncomfortable contractions all day, but nothing that felt “labory.” I was getting very tired and discouraged, and decided to call and see if I could come in for a sweep. We lived a little over an hour away from the birth center, so we planned to get a hotel and sleep if nothing was happening.  … Read More

Ella’s Birth Story

By Jessica Morgan It was a dark and stormy night…well, it was a dark night anyway. I had gone downstairs to sleep on the couch, because that was where I was most comfortable for most of my pregnancy. I woke up at 2:30 AM with a pain in my abdomen. At this point in the pregnancy, if Ella kicked while I had a full bladder, I experienced a similar pain, so I simply got up and used the bathroom. Meanwhile, I had another pain…and then another, and I knew it was labor. Once again, my labor started with contractions five minutes apart and, after two babies, I have never had any issue differentiating between Braxton Hicks and true contractions since they are so different (at least for me). After an hour of timing my contractions, I called the birth center. Due to my long drive and previous history (me arriving in labor with my oldest, Judah, and him being born 4 hours later) the midwife on call gave me the green light to go ahead and come in. By this time it was close to 4:30 AM. I called my parents so that they could come to the house and be with Judah, and then I went to wake up my husband, Josh. If you’ve never had the pleasure of waking someone out of a deep sleep to tell them you’re in labor, it’s quite comical. This is how it went: Me, walking into the bedroom fully dressed and showered: “I’m sorry honey, but it’s time.” Josh, sleepily turning over: “What? Are you having contractions?” Me: “Um, yes.” Josh: “Did you call the birth center?” “Yes.” “Do they want you to come in?” “Yes.” (This would, in fact, be the reason I am waking you up) “Have you called your parents? Do I have time to take a shower? Do you need a shower?” “Please go take a shower, honey, I need you to be a little more with it before you get behind the wheel.” We made the uneventful drive to Chapel Hill, and this time around it was much easier since I hadn’t waited until I was in transition to start the trip. Although we did still have to stop at Sheetz so I could pee (and Josh could get coffee). By the time we arrived at the birth center and got checked in, around 7 AM, my … Read More