Monday, 20 July 2009
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Giving birth in an Amish Farmhouse
Ever since I was 15-16, I knew I wanted to give birth either at home or in a birthing center with a midwife.
I was 20 and had been married for 2 months when I got a positive preg. test. A friend of mine referred me to her midwife, an Amish woman about an hour away from where I lived.
About 9 weeks pregnant I started my prenatal visits and the midwife was wonderful! She didn't do anything unnecessary or invasive, just let everything happen naturally.
October 7, 2008, I woke up at 4am with early labor. Labor progressed throughout the day and at 4pm we left to go to the midwife with the contractions 5 minutes apart.
Disappointingly, I was only 2cm. She sent us home and we returned around 9:30 or 10 that night. The midwife did everything she could to make me comfortable, at this point I was 5cm--halfway, yay! She gave me evening primrose oil to speed the dilation up, and I was able to labor in the tub.
All my contractions were back labor, so my husband got really good at massaging my back during every contraction.
About 1:30 I needed to push, and received the OK. 25 minutes later, my beautiful baby boy was born. It was the best birth I could have imagined.
The Amish have no electricity, so the room was lit only with a gas lamp. That alone totally set a very peaceful atmostphere.
The midwife was so gentle and helpful in all she did. Soon after the birth and my son was cleaned up, she brought me a cup of peppermint tea, oh that tasted sooo good! After a few hours of much needed sleep, she brought us the best homemade breakfast I have ever had. Eggs, chicken and gravy, cereal, tea, juice, prunes, toast, it was all so wonderful!
I have since moved, and am saddened that the rest of our children won't have the opportunity to be born under her care. I know God will provide when the time comes though, and I'm glad I can trust Him to bring another midwife my way in time.
Did you use a midwife for your birth? Would you?
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About the Author
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- From: MissSneedville@xanga
- Name: Naomi
- About Me: I am 19, a Christian, and striving to become the Proverbs 31 and Titus 2 woman that God has called me to be. I enjoy sewing, crocheting, COOKING, etc. God brought a Godly man into my life--Billy Miller. No wedding date yet, but I'll keep you posted!
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Comments (23)
your experience sounds wonderful. I would of loved to have done something like that, but all mine were high risk pregnancies, so it wasn't really an option.
I love reading about birthings like yours tho.That sounds like a wonderful birth!
How wonderful! I am going to a midwifery program that delivers in a hospital. Just switched at 24 weeks/6 months. The OB who I was seeing in my hometown had a nicer office and was only a few minutes away from my house, but we were always rushed through our office visits and didn't feel like they wanted to hear anything we had to say. Now we are driving about 30 minutes and going to a less nice clinic, but that's not what it is about! We were treated so much better by the staff and the midwife. We can't wait to go back! I am looking forward to a birth where I can do things as naturally as possible without any unnecessary interventions, something I feel like I could not have done with the OB.
The website for the midwives I'm seeing is: www.vanderbiltnursemidwives.org.
that sounds like the best way to have a baby
After 4 hospital births, for my 5th baby I decided to have a homebirth with a midwife. The prenatal care with our midwife was PHENOMENAL compared to what I had with OB's in my previous pregnancies. We rented a birthing tub and I delivered in the tub. Though it was the most intense pain ever- I am really glad for the experience!
whoa.... I so want to do what you did now! of course, I am far from being ready to give birth.. but it's a nice story to remember for the future.
Sounds like a wonderful experience!! I wouldn't mind experiencing that myself and would consider it if I lived in Amish country!
Sounds amazing to me!
I had our son (now 20 months old) at the home of a midwife. It was a wonderful experience- natural birth, no meds, etc. I labored in a birthing pool for the last hour or so, and that was very helpful. My husband and I will go back to our midwife for baby #2, whenever that is. :)
That sounds like an excellent birth!
The only reason why I didn't do a non-hospital birth was because I was scared of placenta previa, cord prolapse, and all of the complicated scary things that you see in the books. I just had a drug-free hospital birth. That was as authentic as they would allow, since they tried to force the epidural on me several times and insisted on sticking needles in my arms. Ugh.
I would like to use a midwife the next time around. The hospital my sister works at has midwives who are epidural friendly. That would be what I would be looking for!
I ended up in the hospital for both of my births, but both were attended by midwives and were wonderful. We are going to try again for a home birth this time. I don't think I could ever give birth with doctors and nurses that I don't really know. I think it would be weird and scary.
That sounds absolutely incredible. I would love to be able to have a midwife and a homebirth but I'm "high-risk" and end up having to have interventions. = (
I'm almost 11 weeks pregnant this time and am hoping very much that I will not have to be induced this time and, though I can't have a homebirth, will be able to at least skip out on medication.
I think it's great when people can do a home birth. It scares the crap out of me though. lol.
I had a home waterbirth with my last baby --- gave birth in my own livingroom. Loved it and wouldn't do it anyother way now .......although after 4 kids, we're done!
i will def remember this story(: but id be scared to do it tho!
I want to birth with a midwife, unless I'm high risk, which in that case I'll give birth in a hospital with a midwife.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I loved reading this.
What a beautiful story! I would love to have a similar experience if that is at all possible for me. Ideally, I'd like to give birth at home, but even in a non-traditional hospital setting with a midwife would be ok. Reckon the first step is to get pregnant though :D
my midwife is amish!! she was so wonderful! we had our baby at home, and her and her sister came. it was an amazing experience. i plan to have all my kids at home if possible! lol...i also was brought tea after my son was born. with milk in it...yum!!
It's so cool that you had such a great experience!
One of my sisters was delivered by an Amish midwife in Indiana back in 1988. My mom really liked having my sis in such a nice setting. I have two other siblings who were also born at home.
My little man was supposed to be born at home too. I had an awesome midwife and a very good pregnancy. However, there were some complications and after 10 hours of active labor I had to be transported to a hospital...where I labored for another 14 1/2 hours (with an epidural and pitocin to help things along) before my little man arrived. He ended up having to stay in the hospital after that for another 2 1/2 days on antibiotics. We went home and three days later I ended up having an eclamptic seizure and being rushed to the hospital where I had to stay for three days!! I also had/still have the PUPPS rash...which added to the misery!! My little man is two weeks old now as of yesterday and we are finally home and settling in.
Needless to say, after all that...as much as I love my midwife I will be having the next one in a hospital...hopefully in a birthing center with a midwife, but in a hospital nevertheless!!
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