Topic Archive: birth story

Episode 243 | December 6, 2011

Michelle’s Birth Story

PregTASTIC Panelist Michelle is back to share her birth story. Did she get an epidural or go med-free as she fantasized about? What was the one question she never expected the nurses to ask? And what does grilled cheese have to do with any of it? Plus, how milk allergies (more…)

October 31, 2011

Why I chose a midwife – and then delivered with a doctor

When I got pregnant with my first child, I’d been with my OB/GYN for a couple of years and it was only natural I would stay with him for my pregnancy. He seemed like a friendly enough guy, very professional and associated with a big hospital in the Western Suburbs of Chicago. As the pregnancy progressed, I realized that I wanted to have a birthing experience like my mother-in-law (three natural child births albeit in three very different locations: a military hospital, a community hospital and a home birth) and NOT like my own mother (first birth knocked out by gas so she couldn’t remember anything, second birth panic stricken almost in the hospital elevator). In addition I wanted my husband to play an active role in the birth experience – much like my father-in-law (who delivered his third child while the doctor watched) and very unlike my own father who never set a foot in the hospital, but just dropped my mother off.

So we signed up for the Bradley Method, a husband-coached natural childbirth class. During this class our birth plan emerged – waiting until 42 weeks if necessary, no artificial breaking of water, no interventions (IV, pitocin, epidural, episiotomy), no constant monitoring = ability to move around during contractions, no early cord clamping etc. (more…)

August 16, 2011

Naming My Son

Sadly, my journey as a PregTASTIC Panelist came to an end when my husband and I crossed the milestone of recording my birth story this past June. I listened to the recording when it was released a couple weeks ago and some thoughts crossed my mind. Boy, I say “um” a lot. And wow, this was the first PregTASTIC show with a commercial! And that tapping noise in the middle is me burping the baby. Like most mothers, I could talk about my birth stories till the cows come home and there were a few further stories I wish I had remembered to share. Here are the ones about how we named our son.

Where did the nickname Manny come from? When I was about four months pregnant with Lenny, my oldest child, Vera, declared that she had come up with a name for the baby. She comes up with fabulous names (Soriya, Alau and Zwanzanito, for example), so we were bracing ourselves. Somehow, she came up with Manny. I guess it is appropriate when you think that this was our first man-child. The name stuck and was endearing to us all. While we didn’t decide to name our son Manfred or Manuel in the end, our younger daughter Stella still calls him Manny. She confuses some people when they ask her what her baby brother’s name is. (more…)

Episode 228 | August 2, 2011

Theresa’s C-Section

PregTASTIC Panelist Theresa is back to share her birth story. Did she succeed at a planned VBAC? What was her husband’s clever way of sharing the birthing experience with family and friends around the country? How is their older son adapting to the family’s new (more…)

June 1, 2011

Lyssa’s Birth Story

I’ve been reluctant to write my son’s birth story, though I’m not totally sure why. Baby brain still has a hold on me and I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in over 6 months. I have trouble concentrating, and just when I think I might have a moment to gather my thoughts–it is gone–or the baby cries–or both. Things happened so quickly and erratically that night, it’s hard for me to remember exactly what happened. I lost all concept of time. Suddenly, I forgot everything I knew about labor and second guessed every early twinge, embarrassed I didn’t know and afraid I was having a hysterical episode of some sort–crazy.

I had been having severe right hip pain for the last 2 weeks, an apparent pregnancy related inflammation of the sacroileac joint . Barely able to walk, it was all I could do to drive my son to and from school each day. I woke the morning of November 19th with an urge to get the house tidied up and somehow managed to do some cleaning. After a chiropractor appointment, I “assumed my position” on the couch, somewhat crampy but such gastrointestinal issues were nothing new.   My first baby had been 5 days late, everyone told me this one would likely be late as well.  By my calculations, I still had days to go. (more…)