Ep 68: The Mysteriously Missed Birth

There's a first time for everything.  Sometimes midwives miss births, sometimes they *almost* miss births, and sometimes....  Well, you'll have to listen in to hear the odd in-between!  

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Resources Mentioned in this episode:

Coming Alongside A Friend Who Has Experienced Loss

Show Notes:

• Cierra is a Le Leche League Leader who love supporting parents in breastfeeding.
• Cierra’s first pregnancy ended in miscarriage weeks after she thought she was in the “safe zone”
• Cierra never forgets the compassion of the OB that was on call when she learned that her baby had passed. She gave her a massive hug and support in a time of need.
• The “at least” comments are so painful to the grieving parent
• stillbirthday.com
• Second pregnancy was several months later—this time there was less jubilation, more “survival mode”
• Cierra opted for an epidural, which she says began the “cascade of interventions”.
• The delivery was very difficult, requiring forceps.
• The next birth was much faster, and she had a baby at a hospital-based birth center.
• On the way to the birth center, as Cierra was very far along, she said, “THIS IS WHY PEOPLE HAVE HOMEBIRTHS”
• Their baby was born only 30 minutes after arriving
• With their third baby, it was easy to decide to have a homebirth
• Cierra’s midwife helped her as she decided to stop tandem nurse during the pregnancy of her most recent baby.
• Cierra experienced prodromal labor with this pregnancy
• Cierra is laboring on the tub. She stood up to walk to the birth pool, but as she stood, she felt that her baby was coming immediately.
• Her third baby “birthed herself”—fetal ejection reflex!
• The bathroom was dark, and nobody could see. Everyone thought the baby was about to be born…..
• The baby had already been born! She caught herself on the toilet seat.
• There was a true knot in the cord
• Cierra’s midwife said, “I’ve missed some births, and I’ve almost missed some births. I’ve not missed a birth right in front of me before.”