Last week I had the privilege to be my friend's doula for her VBAC. Her first birth was by cesarean for severe preeclampsia at 8 months when her baby was still breech. She went in for a doctors appointment and they sent her straight to the hospital for her c-section. She had a difficult recovery and her baby was in the NICU for eight days.
Well, this pregnancy 2 years later was much better! She did a lot of things to make sure she was healthy and she didn't have preeclampsia. She decided she wanted a VBAC (I like to hope that sharing my story helped).
She went 6 days past her due date and had her baby the day before Audrey's 2nd birthday. She was sooo strong and determined to have her VBAC, when many other women would have given up. She had a very long labor and she pushed for 5 hours!!! Her doctor kept giving her time constraints, saying that she would have to have a c-section after 2 hours of pushing. Two hours came and went and the OB gave her another half hour, then another, then 15 more minutes, than 15 more, than a few more pushes, then a few more, then just one more, then just one more and so on! By the end it was seriously down to the last push, "For real this time!" said the OB, and then he came out, all 9 pounds, 3 ounce of him. It was so wonderful! The dad cried and so did I. My friend had mouthed to me near the end "say a prayer for me" I was saying very sincere prayers for my friend silently. She is such a good person, she deserved to be blessed this way.
Being close to Audrey's birthday brought back memories of her birth. Why didn't I go into labor? Why did my midwife not encourage me? I wish I had surrounded myself by people that supported me like my friend did. As difficult as my experience was/is, I am glad for where it has brought me today. Two years after my daughter's birth--in which I could have lost her because of complications of the c-section--I got to witness a successful VBAC of a good friend. My birth experience led me to the journey of being a doula, and that has been so rewarding. With every birth I attend (17 now!) I feel a little bit more healed, because I got to be part of a wonderful birth. Each birth I attend is so special to me. This one with my friend was so special because of how hard she worked and how strong and amazing she was. I'm so happy for her!
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Yeay!! Im so happy I made your birth blog :) And I am so ecstatic that I got the best duola in the world to be with me during my VBAC experience! I know you will heal from your disappointment....and I know everything in hind sight will become clear and you will know the reasons things happened the way they did with Audrey. You and Brian believed in me when I was doubting and about to give up. I would have changed NOTHING about my whole experience...I am a very lucky and blessed mother. I am also super blessed to have you as a friend. Thank you!! LUv, Karen
ReplyDeleteThat is so wonderful! Go Karen! It must be so rewarding being a doula, and especially for vbac moms. It sounds like you did a great job yourself:)
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