Sharing Wisdom

3 months late but I wanted to share my birth story! On May 9th I birthed without fear with my first baby.  Little bit of back story...I started going to the hospital to birth with the midwives there and told them specifically I wanted a water birth. I went there for half my pregnancy when finally at one of my check ups I was told I was not able to have a water birth because my BMI was to high for the standards of the hospital. This didn't make sense to me and when I asked they said that they want to make sure people are able to get out of the tub once a they have the baby to deliver the placenta and apparently overweight people can't do that? It was at that moment I decided to go to the birth center instead. I was pretty sure I wanted to do it naturally without pain meds and when I made the jump to the birth center it was decided for sure and I was really happy about my decision! On Thursday May 4th I was getting my hair done and started feeling very mild contraction

The Art of Storytelling A blog post by Erika Seirup The act of storytelling is a primal, natural phenomenon for humans. We are cultural beings, and storytelling has been a way for us to pass on traditions and learn from others. It is through storytelling that we gain empathy and connection. There is no time in our lives more vital to share our stories than when we are giving birth. Birth stories weave generations of mothers around the world together with each word and will continue to do so for generations to come.  Preserve the Memories When we tell our birth story, it tends to make it feel more real. It isn’t as though the birth was make-believe prior to being shared. No, you cannot mistake the power you felt as you pushed your baby down and out. But sharing your story helps bring the experience from a memory that may feel abstract to a solid, concrete moment that seems tangible. As time goes on, your memories of the birth may fade some. They may even change a little.

Mia Rivers Veltri This pregnancy was so different from the first. I was achier than the first, more nauseous than the first time and felt so much bigger the whole way through compared to my first pregnancy. On the plus side, my hair was thicker, instead of losing a whole bunch and I was able to maintain a higher level of fitness throughout my pregnancy thanks to a lot of work on my nutrition and fitness before pregnancy. Similar to my first, I felt very blessed to have a healthy pregnancy with no complications. Part way through this pregnancy, the Corvallis Birth Center opened. I was really excited about the prospect of delivering at the birth center but felt conflicted about leaving my physician that I had worked with for so many years. I trusted her, and we had become friends, and it felt like betrayal to change providers during one of the most exciting times in my life. I spent a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of moving my care and in the end, decided delivering at th

Due date: January 29, 2017 Arrival date: February 5, 2017 This was my first pregnancy and delivery and let me tell you, it did not go as expected in every aspect. I always heard not to get too hung up on the due date, so I went into the week I was due with an open mind that Kolby could potentially not make his appearance when we expected. But each day that passed after my due date felt like months - I was ready to meet our baby boy! I didn’t have any signs of labor either. I never felt Kolby drop, my mucus plug never came out, and my water never broke. I thought I was going to be pregnant forever. On February 3rd , my friend and I decided to take a Costco trip so that I could get some walking in. As we were walking, I felt some sensation in my stomach that I hadn’t felt before. It wasn’t painful, but it was definitely uncomfortable and something I had never experienced before throughout my pregnancy. My stomach was so rock hard, you could have probably bounced a quarter off it.