Testimonials

Note from Clara's Parents: "Kelley, We can not thank you enough for everything you have done to help us bring our baby into the world in a way that felt right to us. I felt that I had a friend I could call with any crazy question throughout the whole pregnancy, and still now that Clara is here, you've always been comforting and reassuring. Having, you, along with Joyce, Gina, and Erin, at the birth, just made it so special, and I can't say enough how good it felt to have someone that I know and trust as much as you to guide us through it and welcome our baby. We are so lucky to have found you! Thank you again!! Love, Tory and Kevin"

Note from Kelley: Clara was greeted by the birds singing her praises outside. Her two kitties were also there guarding her birth, relaxed as could be. I will always remember the blissful look on her momma's face as Clara glided out into the water right into her parents' hands. Tory said that she didn't realize Clara was about to join us so quickly...but fortunately we had the camera ready anyway. Welcome, Clara! It was a pleasure to be at your birth.

Jean's Story of Her HBAC, as posted online

I did it! Kaian is here! I am so excited to announce the birth of my baby boy Kaian. He arrived on Tuesday 9/18 at 6:07 a.m. after about 7 hours of labor. I had him on my living room couch!

Here's our story:

On Monday evening I started to get the feeling that I'd be in labor very soon (I know I must be Nostradamus or something considering I was 9 days past my edd). I kept bugging DH to go to the park w/ Riley because I knew it would be the last time we'd go out as a threesome and I wanted some fresh air. While we were there I felt fine, a little pressure but no contractions or anything.

We came home around 7 and I made Kraft mac n' cheese for dinner (I did add broccoli to give it some integrity) and we had some ice cream. At about 10:15 I took Riley into her room to nurse her and started having some mild contractions. This was nothing new; I had been getting them while nursing for weeks so I didn't think much of it. At 10:40 I called Greg in to sing Riley a song and get her into her crib and I did what I always do - I beelined it to the bathroom to pee. I had just finished my business and was sorta just sitting on the toilet waiting for the right moment to get up when I heard and felt a strange "pop" at the top of my belly. Immediately a gush of fluid poured out of me into the toilet. I started shaking (excitement) and called out to Greg that my water had broken. He was so excited he was almost dancing!

I called Kelley (my midwife) and she told me to try and sleep because it could be minutes or days before labor begins. I stood there as a puddle accumulated below me and agreed to try to sleep, but I knew I'd be calling her back very soon.

I took a shower and was amazed at how much smaller and lower my belly looked. After that I started to get onto all fours to try and get baby into a good position (he was head-down with his side facing out that morning when Kelley checked). Contractions started soon after my shower and were pretty strong and surprisingly close together, about 2-3 minutes apart. We called Kelley again and again she told me to sleep, but she wasn't surprised when I called her 5 minutes later and said she should head over since she is an hour away.

Greg got to work setting up the birthing tub and I could feel myself starting to withdraw. The surges were extremely intense now and I was leaking all this fluid and was finding it very hard to change positions. I was lying on my side on the floor for a long while waiting for the tub to get full. I told Greg to call my friend Sara, who was supposed to be my doula. I knew I was not going to want her to do anything for me but I still wanted her to be there since she was really excited about the birth. When Sara arrived all I wanted was for her to hold one leg up for me while I labored in that same side-lying position for a while longer.

To our surprise, the tub was filling fast with murky, brown water. There had been lots of rain earlier that week and the water had been a little cloudy, but I couldn't believe how gross the water looked. When Kelley arrived she said not to worry and that I could get into the tub anyway. I wanted to be in the water but truly had to be convinced to get up and get in because I was having so much trouble changing my position. Finally I got up the strength to get into the tub and after a few minutes in the water I did feel more comfortable. It was not the blissful experience I'd expected but it was better than lying on the floor.

This is where things get really intense. I wasn't speaking to anyone unless absolutely necessary anymore., I was way too focused on "opening up" with each contraction and the surges were so intense I was making these animal sounds to deal with them. If someone tried to move my hair or touch my shoulder I shrugged them away - I was sooo not interested in being touched in any way.

One wonderful thing was that everyone there totally respected this and they were quiet and did not try to force me to answer any questions or anything like that. Really the only one I talked to at all was Kelley and that was to let her monitor the baby's heart rate (which remained perfectly strong!) and to say no thanks to Dh and Sara, who kept offering me sips of Recharge. Kelley told me later I was very polite (lots of pleases and thank yous) and that whenever someone offered to do something for me I would respond "I want nothing." I had no concept of what time it was. I was exhausted, sweating, and believe it or not, nodding off between contractions. I kept feeling my face hit the water and I'd wake up to another strong bolt going through my body. It's funny, but as quiet and serious as I was, I had Bob Marley in my head all night.

There definitely came a point where I said "how much longer?" and "I can't do this!" and I even said "I think I'll take a c-section now!"and Kelley very quietly assured me that I could and was doing it and told me how great I was doing. I felt the urge to push, or bear down, soon after getting into the tub. When I felt the need, I did it. I didn't ask if it was OK, Kelley told me to do whatever I needed to do. I never once knew how dilated I was (Kelley never checked and I was thankful for that). That urge to push came with some contractions and with others no. It was so overwhelming there was no way I could deny it. I could not believe how strong my body could push down ... I kept feeling like I was pooping (gross I know but that's the only way to describe that feeling - like you're pushing with all your might).

At some point Kelley told me to feel inside and see if I could his the head and I couldn't believe it - his head was right there! Once I told her I could feel the head she took the baby's heart rate and it had slowed down. She and Joyce, the other (wonderful!) midwife who was there, suggested I change positions. She said the baby was still doing fine but now he was acting like a baby in labor (before that she kept joking that he seemed totally unaffected, like he was having a great time) and that I should try and get him to move down a little quicker. She said I should get out of the tub and lay on the couch. UGH. I was in NO MOOD to be moved. But I knew it would help the baby come out sooner so I used every bit of strength and stood up, leaning on Sara, and got my ass out of that tub. I wobbled over to the couch with a baby's head between my legs and layed down and immediately got to pushing.

Greg had gotten Riley out of bed (it wasjust about 6 a.m. now) and she was just watching the whole thing unfold. I thought she was going to be scared to see me in pain but she was surprisingly amused. If I yelled or moaned, she giggled. It was really nice to have her there to lighten the mood.

Pushing itself felt great! What didn't was the "ring of fire." I was saying that I felt like I was tearing and Kelley kept saying "you're not tearing you're stretching!" I was like "Yeah right, oh well, F-it" and pushed with all my might. I don't know exactly how many pushes it took. Joyce was there with the mirror and I could see his little face (I'm still unsure of what position he was in, I'll have to watch the video Greg took) and this made me want to hold him so bad so I gave it my all and out he slid! He was on my chest and crying and everyone was rallying around us taking pictures and the midwives were doing whatever it was they needed to do ... He stayed attached to the cord for a good 25 minutes before they clamped it and Greg cut it. Kai got 10s on both his APGARS and was wide-awake, just calmly looking around at everyone and taking it all in. I couldn't believe he'd come out of my vagina!!! (lol)

Once the placenta was out I layed down in our bed with the baby to nurse. I was sore and shaky and still in a bit of shock. Greg made me toast with peanut butter that tasted like wood so Kelley got me some yogurt and strawberries. Everyone really wanted me to eat and get some fluids but I was really not hungry. Riley was supercharged and running around like a nut while the midwives cleaned up our apartment so Kai and I had some alone time with Daddy.

It didn't really even hit me that I'd just had a VBAC for a while. I realized I hadn't thought about my scar even once during the entire birth. I felt totally strong and capable the whole time, even when I said I couldn't do it anymore I knew I was going to. Everyone around me had complete faith in me and I know that their positive presence helped to keep me calm and focused... and that's how little Kai came into this world!

Nikki’s birth story for Connor Michal

I was very uncomfortable and couldn’t sleep, noticing a lot of pelvic pressure. Around 2:00 AM I used the bathroom, and noticed some pink mucus, and just had a feeling this was “it.” I up woke Mike and explained what was happening, and then called Kelley. It was now almost 3:00 AM, I was excited and nervous, and decided to take a shower. I had a stronger surge in the shower and took a few long breaths to help me stay relaxed. Once I was finished getting dressed, another surge happened, stronger than the previous, and I felt like squatting near the bed. Mid-squat I heard a “pop” and felt a huge gush of warm liquid; it actually sounded like a little babbling brook! I laughed, and waddled into the bathroom. It was 3:20 AM.

I told Mike to call Kelley and give her an update. While I was standing there, getting the shower ready again, more fluid leaked, but not as much. It was clear, so I wasn’t worried, but very surprised at the amount. I decided to weigh myself: 5 pounds less than before I went to bed, that is over half a gallon of fluid. Surges really picked up in intensity from that point on, and I had to go to the bathroom several times. During surges, I’d kneel on the floor near the bed and breathe through them. Mike started rubbing my back, the deep breathing was his cue.

Kelley arrived around 4:00 AM and began setting up supplies. I was able to talk in between surges, but during them I wanted just wanted to breathe and have my back rubbed. I sat on the physio ball for a while, then back into the bathroom. Around 4:20 I called my sister Jeanne, and said “Hi, Hailey’s awake and I’m in labor.” She said she’d be on her way, and arrived just around 4:30. By this point, I was moaning during the surges, and could feel myself starting to get a little sweaty. I was ready for this to be over and just be able to rest and hold my baby. Kelley brought up the birth stool after I had some very intense surges. They were very powerful, and I could really feel them stretching and opening, there was just so much pressure. I was saying things like “I can’t do this anymore”, and was getting worried about how much stronger things would get. In the back of my head, I knew that meant I was probably in transition, but it was still overwhelming me a little.

Mike knelt behind me while I was on the birth stool, and I would lean back into him, while he stroked my arm or shoulders. He spoke about ocean waves and letting my body rise and fall with the waves of my body, since he knew this was my favorite images. During surges, I leaned forward a little more, breathed deeply and moaned, and Mike dug his fist into my lower back. Kelley and Joyce were near me too, encouraging me with comments like “you’re body is doing exactly what it is supposed to… let yourself open… your baby will be here soon.” It felt like it would never be over. Finally I was so uncomfortable and trying not to cry, so Kelley suggested I try kneeling on the bed. Mike built me a mountain of pillows to lean into. I felt more and more pressure building with each surge, was moaning louder, and needed stronger counter-pressure on my back. Kelley commented that the baby was probably rotating back into position. I felt a change with the next surge and recognized that my body was starting to push, and said “Oh, they’re pushing down now” and could feel the baby moving down more.

Kelley, Gina, and Joyce all made comments about how baby would be here very soon. Gina went downstairs to get Jeanne and Hailey so they could be there for the birth. Kelley told me to go with my body, and with the next surge, go ahead and push a little if I felt like it. I couldn’t stop it, I had to push. Then I felt the burning sensation of my skin stretching, which I knew meant the baby was starting to crown. I felt like my body would burst open, but heard Joyce and Kelley comment that I was stretching beautifully, my body knew what to do. I wanted to have a gentle birth, but at the same time wanted it to hurry up and be over! Then I heard Kelley say, “oh, what a lot of hair, just like Hailey.”

Kelley and Gina were monitoring the baby’s heartbeat with the Doppler, and hearing it so strong and steady was very encouraging and reassuring, I knew things were going just as they should. During the next surge, while pushing, I heard Kelley say “Nicole, reach down and touch your baby” and at that point the tears were definitely more joyful. Mike was great, he would push on my back during surges, and rub gently between them, while offering quiet words of encouragement. During the next surge baby’s head emerged, and while I rested until the next urge to push, there was some giggling by Mike, who told me baby was out up to his or her nose, facing right at him. Then the next push the head emerged, and another couple of pushes and baby was safely on the bed. I felt so much relief as he slid out at 5:42 AM, and leaned forward to catch my breath. I looked over at Mike who was smiling, and I could hear Hailey yelling “Baby, Baby!” I asked Mike if it was a boy or a girl and he said “girl…no, a boy, definitely a boy.” Mike and the midwives helped me to sit down on the bed, and then put Connor into my arms, and covered him. He had a long cord, so it was easy to hold him. I commented about my yelling, and they said it wasn’t that loud, but to birthing mom’s and their heightened awareness, it usually does sound louder. He was crying, covered in a lot of vernix, and looked much bigger than Hailey did. I spoke softly to him, with Mike nearby, and Jeanne telling Hailey all about her new brother.

My concept of time was way off, I was sure I had been pushing for at least half an hour if not more, and was shocked when Kelley told me it was only 11 minutes! I was very tired and sweaty, but knew the hard work was over, and I could rest in the comfort of my own home. I got more comfortable against some pillows, and tried to nurse Connor. He latched on right away and nursed very well on both sides. I could really feel my uterus contracting, but knew that it was great for my body and of course the baby. After that, the cord was clamped and Mike cut it.

It took a while for the placenta to come out. I got up to use the bathroom, and while sitting on the toilet, finally had another contraction and gently gave a little push, the placenta came out, without anyone tugging at it or giving me drugs. Connor was still crying, but when placed back into my arms, calmed down a little. With Mike sitting next to me, Hailey climbed up and got to meet her new brother. She waved hello and called him “Baby”, and touched his hair, very gently. We took pictures, and then she was ready to go downstairs and play.

Kelley and Gina did a newborn exam, Joyce examined the placenta, then showed it to me. It was awesome to just stay in our room with a few people we knew, not being apart from Hailey, not needing to change rooms or deal with the nursery. Nobody was placing more emphasis on monitors than on me, suggesting medications, or leaving me alone while they had to change shifts. It was such an amazing experience and my recovery was quicker, easier, and more relaxed. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat!"

"Kelley- Thank you for everything. Words can not express how thankful I am for you and your wonderful team, Joyce and Erin. Tristan's birth was one of the most amazing moments in my life- it healed so many wounds from Olivier's birth and restored my faith not only in my own body, but in the birth process itself. Your kind words, support, and caring nature gave me the perfect experience. Our whole family had adjusted so well to Tristan's arrival thanks to the calm and peaceful entrace he enjoyed. Plus it's so fun to listen to Olivier tell people he went to Target and came home to a baby brother! Thank you so much. With love, Amy, Marc, Olivier, and Tristan"

Note from Kelley: Jocelyn informed me that she was told during a Reiki treatment that I received her babies in a past life also. Apparently, we go WAY back! In this life, Jocelyn and Tim's baby was welcomed by her Nana, Deb, and mom's sister, step-mother, and sister-in-law who were all in the room during her peaceful waterbirth.

Note from Jocelyn: "Kelley, I can not thank you enough for everything you have done for me throughout my pregnancy. You have comforted me and put my mind at ease more than you’ll ever know. You truly are a gift! Words cannot speak how you have impacted my life in just the little time I have known you. Although my pregnancy and birth were not quite what I anticipated, your supervision and guidance were all I needed to get through it all. I was at ease knowing that if at any time I had an issue with my pregnancy, you would be right there to answer questions or to see me immediately if needed. I also knew that when I gave birth, YOU would be there, not some random person who I had never met. You have a rare gift and I am so glad you are able to share this with other women.

I can not help but to stare at little Cadence (or perhaps more fittingly, not-so-little Cadence) in complete awe knowing that I supported her life for nine months and then birthed her without any drugs or medical intervention. You have no idea the confidence I have gained as a woman by doing this. I am so proud of myself and of my mothering. I really impressed myself. However, I do not feel like I could have done it without you, Joyce, Erin and Gina. You were all so fantastic and have helped me fulfill my dream of becoming a mother and giving birth naturally. It really was a picture-perfect birth. I could not ask for anything better. I had all of my loved ones there to share one of the most (if not THE most) important day of my life.

Each and every time I look at Cadence, from now until forever, I will know that I gave birth to her the best way a woman can, giving her a great start at life. And every time I look at her, I will think of those who helped me do so. Thank you so much for giving me such a wonderful, priceless gift. There is NO way I would have gotten through the pregnancy and birth without you. I can only hope and pray that you will be there for the next one. You are just amazing and I love you to pieces!

Yours, Jocelyn

Nola’s Birth Story, written by her Mama

All along, we planned on having a natural birth. At 28 weeks we decided for various reasons that instead of using the Cambridge Birth Center, we would instead have a homebirth using Kelley Faulkner of New Life Midwifery. Kelley came to our house for home visits every two weeks, and then every week. At my 39 week visit (a Sunday) Kelley said that she thought we would have one more visit, but I should be prepared just in case the baby decided to come that next week. My in-laws had arrived the week before, and my mom, a pediatric nurse who used to work labor & delivery, was flying in the next day, May 15th. The plan was to have them help prepare the nursery and the house, and help after the baby came with whatever needed to be done. Turns out we didn’t have much prep time before the baby came! On Tuesday I did some serious nesting; I had my mom and in-laws cleaning the house and staining furniture. Dru and I took the car in for a car seat inspection and bought a new futon mattress.

The next morning, Wednesday, May 16th, I started having contractions (a.k.a. surges). I noticed them at about 5:00 am. They were very light and about 5-6 minutes apart. At about 7:00 I told Dru and called Kelley to let her know. I knew that nothing would happen anytime soon since they were so light, but since Kelley has young children and lives 45 minutes away, I knew I needed to give her ample warning. Throughout the day I checked in with Kelley, but there wasn’t much to report. The contractions kept coming, but they were still light. For a while they spaced out to 15-20 minutes apart, but then my mom and I went for a walk and they came back to 5-10 minutes apart. On our walk we stopped by a bakery and bought a birthday cake for the baby; it was chocolate raspberry with chocolate icing and chocolate covered strawberries – delicious! After our walk the temperature dropped and it started raining. Drops in barometric pressure have been known to encourage labor.

Around 7:00 pm, our friends Travis and Diana came over. Kelley suggested I drink a glass of wine to help my muscles relax and to help me sleep. I took her orders and sipped wine while we visited with them. Around 8:30 the surges became uncomfortable enough where I wanted to walk around rather than sit. I wasn’t having to breathe through them, but they were noticeable to my mom. After Travis and Diana left she debated about whether she should spend the night or not, and decided that it would be best to sleep on the couch. We all went to bed at about 10:00. Around 11:30 or so, after resting but not really sleeping, my water broke. We called Kelley and she told me that she, her assistant Jackie, and another midwife (Heather) were on their way. I was still feeling pretty good so she said that they would take their time coming over. They didn’t want to come too early since we don’t have much room in our apartment.

After my water broke though, things kicked into high gear. The contractions started coming with much more intensity. Kelley told me that if the water kept coming to get on the bed on my elbows and knees, with my chest to the bed. I did that through a few surges and that position actually felt good as the surges became stronger. When I wanted a change of positions, I got on the birthing ball with Dru on a stool in front of me. I put my arms around his neck and breathed through the surges while Dru rubbed my back (Although the baby was not posterior I had a lot of back pains through the labor). I labored like this until the midwives arrived. When they got here they asked me if I wanted to use the Aqua Doula. I had not really made up my mind about whether I wanted the tub set up or not. It was an extra cost, and I was a little worried about our wood floors and the fact that we rent. At that moment though, the water sounded wonderful. So I told them that yes, I did want the tub set up. It took a couple of hours to fill and by the time it was ready for me I was very ready to get into the water. It was such a relief to be in warm water up to my neck. I spent most of the rest of the labor in the water, except for a few times when the midwives had me get up and walk around to change positions.

When the second stage of labor came I was in the water. The surges got stronger and eventually my body started pushing. I waited to push until there was just no other option. I’d heard about the “irresistible urge to push,” but for me it wasn’t just an “urge,” it was something that had to happen. I don’t know how long I pushed for, but eventually I could feel the head: I was surprised at how soft it felt. Before long the baby’s head was out and at 6:33 am I was able to muster enough strength to push out the rest of her body. Kelley helped receive the baby, and she and I put her on my chest. My first thought was surprise at how big she was. Dru and I looked down and stared at our baby for the first time; the hours of pain and labor were forgotten. We looked into wide, dark eyes looking directly at us and instantly fell in love. After the midwives suctioned her and she took her first breath, we realized that we didn’t even know the gender. We’d been so absorbed with the baby’s face we hadn’t thought to look to see whether it was a boy or girl. I looked and announced to everyone that she was a girl, much to our surprise (most people thought I was carrying a boy, and they’d convinced me as well).

The midwives wait until most of the blood has drained from the placenta before they cut the cord. During that time we rested on the bed as a family for the first time. I ate some quiche and Dru ate some soup. The birth was an amazing experience. I never once wanted drugs or felt like I couldn’t do it, even though the surges became very intense toward the end.

Having a homebirth and asking my mom to be there were the best decisions I made during this pregnancy. My mom’s experience with births, along with our close relationship, meant that she knew exactly what to do. Dru remembered much more than I did from our natural childbirth class about how to breathe through a contraction, and this was a great help to me. Labor was intense and uncomfortable, and I’m so glad that we were able to go through it here at home. Our daughter, Nola, is a healthy and beautiful homebirthed baby!

"I just had a homebirth with Kelley for our first-born on March 22, 2007. We are in the Somerville area and if you've been on our block, you have seen the sign promoting homebirth and "It's a boy!" in our yard. I can't say enough in the positive about Kelley. We switched from another practice sort of late in the birth, with Kelley as our doula prior to that. The more we met and talked with her, the more our fears about homebirth were allayed. My husband is a skeptic in general, and Kelley's immense knowledge coupled with her warm manner convinced him that he should be open to switching, and that's saying something. Through the course of the process, she was always available by phone and email for every little question. She was wonderful in connecting the community of her clients, and now I have wonderful new friends and support. Her support team is phenomenal and it's apparent that not only does she attract professional people who know what they are doing, but they are all really lovely. I remember having some private time a couple of hours after the birth and on the other side of the door hearing the buzz of the ladies cleaning up the house, talking and enjoying the feeling in the air almost as much as we were. How wonderful! I still email her with questions frequently, often consulting Kelley before our pediatrician. We will happily use Kelley for our next birth. I'm happy to answer any questions!"-Erika, a first-time Mom from Somerville

Kiyan's Birth Story, Written by his Mom "Through what ended up being a much longer and ‘more interesting’ labor than expected (see my husband’s account of Kiyan’s birth), Kelley and her birth team kept me relaxed, focused inward, and content with knowing that I could do this. It was such an amazing, amazing experience to labor at home with the support of these calm and competent women. Moreover, being at home enabled me to move and progress as my body cued me, not bound by standardized medical procedures or hospital rules and restrictions. Indeed, we unfortunately ended up having to transfer to the hospital, so I feel that I can speak to the contrast between home and hospital. Yet, Kelley was there with us throughout, both at home for the many hours of labor and at the hospital for the final push. She ensured that Kiyan was able to enter this world in the gentlest and safest way possible. And she ensured that I never gave up and so was able to feel his birth without the numbing effects of pain medication. That was such a gift, because birthing a baby truly is a miraculous feeling. Overall, the experience was and is difficult to capture with words – I can only say that it was incredible, and I wish that every woman could experience labor and birth as such a natural and beautiful rhythm. " -Rebekah, a first-time Mom from Somerville

Kiyan's Birth Story, Written by his Dad

Dear Family and Friends,

Rebekah and I are excited to tell everyone that we welcomed Kiyan Conrad Barry into the world this past Monday, 5/7/07, at 4:30 am!! Rebekah is feeling good and Kiyan is a happy, healthy 8 lb little boy. Rebekah and I are absolutely overjoyed and still in awe of how amazing the little guy is! His name is an old Turkish/Persian word that means "star" or "center" and is pronounced like "Ryan" with a "K". Enjoy a few of these early pictures from the past few days.

The birthing experience was the single most amazing event I have ever lived through. Rebekah's due date was May 10th, but all along she'd had a sense that he might come early and sure enough he did. Early Saturday morning Rebekah starting having some contractions. We spent most of Saturday just hanging around the house and going on short walks. By noon she was having regular contractions every 5 minutes or so. They weren't too strong yet - but nonetheless she would have to pause for a moment and breath through it for 20-30 seconds until they passed. At that point we thought that something was maybe happening, but it's hard to know and you can have false starts so we still weren't totally sure. By Saturday evening, however, they were still 5 minutes apart, but they had gotten stronger. We tried to watch a movie for a while but she was having difficulty concentrating so we just relaxed together waiting to see what would happen. We talked to our Midwife around 10pm and she said that it might be starting and to call her as soon as we wanted her and her team to come over.

Well by 1:00 am we were pretty darn sure it was happening since the contractions were getting quite strong so we call our midwife and they headed over to our house, arriving around 2:30 am. There were 4 of them, 2 midwives and 2 apprentices - all very experienced with birthing and wonderful at providing the right kind of support and comfort all along the way. They also brought along a big birthing tub - about hot tub size, 5 feet across and 3 feet deep which we filled with hot water right in the middle of our house! It was so cool. By then Rebekah was fully into the swing of things, having frequent strong contractions. I was amazed at how she dealt with them, just breathing through the contractions each time for 30-40 seconds. They seemed so powerful each time they hit that I was sure that we'd be seeing our little boy in a matter of several hours. Well, not quite, it turned out...

Rebekah continued to have very strong contractions throughout all day Sunday. It was amazing to see how well she just coped and mentally and physically kept strong through hour after hour of contractions followed by a several minute break followed by more contractions. This was a marathon in the truest sense of the word. We all did what we could in terms of comforting her, providing her with back rubs, foot rubs, food, water, you name it. The midwives were wonderful at not only comforting Rebekah, but coaching her through it all, including trying numerous techniques to try and help things along. Despite it all, the little guy seemed quite content to just hang out inside. Actually, it was reassuring to know that he was in no way stressed – throughout it all his heartbeat remained regular and strong, he seemingly had no idea of the herculean efforts going on outside!

Nonetheless, despite our best efforts our midwives recommended around 11 pm Sunday night that we transport to a hospital. There were no safety risks, but the baby’s head wasn’t connecting properly with the cervix and thus the dilation of the cervix had stalled at around 7-8 cm. Hospitals can administer pitocin (which important to us, doesn’t cross the placenta) to make the contractions get both stronger, but also more productive in the sense of moving the baby along.

Thus we headed over in our own car. It was inspiring that after already going through nearly 24 hrs of active labor, Rebekah was still strong enough to walk down the stairs to our car and get in, pausing along the way to breath through a contraction. We arrived around mid-night and went up to the labor and delivery room. The hospital staff were very friendly and very respectful of the fact that were a home birth transfer and that we did not want any pain medication – indeed, although at the hospital, Rebekah still very much wanted to have a natural child birth. They did the initial check through, and hooked Rebekah up to the pitocin drip as well as the baby monitor, but then gave us space, allowing our own midwife and one hospital midwife to be the main caretakers. Nonetheless, it was more awkward in the hospital since Rebekah had numerous IV and other wires coming off her thus restricting her movement and making it harder to find comfortable positions. Most importantly though, the pitocin gradually started to have an effect as Rebekah's contractions became even stronger than before (which I could hardly imagine it possible, but there you have it!). Despite the greater contractions and thus pain, it was encouraging because Rebekah could sense that she was finally making more progress. By about 3:30 am, the whole thing really kicked into high gear and we all sensed that little Kiyan had finally gotten the message, pushed the go button and decided to make his move. And finally, at long last, he came into the world at 4:30 am!

When he did, we all realized what the hold up had been. The little bugger had gotten his hand stuck up by his cheek which had made it hard for him to get into a good birthing position. And a good birthing position is key, since once he gets his head snugly lined up with the cervix, it sends a signal to the body to jump start labor to the next level and that's what we weren't getting to due to his hand. But the moment he arrived, all that was quickly forgotten. He was so amazing and beautiful and cool to look at. He cried for a while but then looked straight up at me and just stared quietly. I knew I loved him so much right then and there. I also knew how absolutely incredible Rebekah was to have courageously continued through it all for over 28 hrs of active labor and nearly 48 hrs of continuous contractions! Nothing has ever been so miraculous as that entire experience!

Overall, it was such an incredible experience and both Rebekah and I feel so lucky to have been under the care and support of our home birthing midwife team throughout it. Indeed, even though we ultimately had to transfer to the hospital for the final stage, being at home for the first 24 hours of active labor made such a difference.

We are once again back home and have been getting to know each other for the last several days. It truly is a reality shift to suddenly have this little human to care for 24/7. But he's so worth it and I hope you all get a chance to meet him someday in the not too distant future. He’s certainly a little mover and shaker, his hands and feet are all over the place all the time.

Love,

Ivan, Rebekah, and Kiyan

Note from Kelley: Kim is a single mom of two boys. I attended her birth alone and she received her baby entirely on her own in the wee hours of the morning. Big brother Matthew and Uncle Bill were also there to greet Mason as he peacefully joined us. You'd be wrong to think that this is all this strong super-mom does. In addition to homebirthing and exclusive breastfeeding, she also owns a store selling natural and organic baby products. Check it out www.yourbabynaturally.com

Note from Kelley: Melissa lives far up in New Hampshire, so she drove down to my house the evening she thought that labor would begin. And sure enough, within a few hours of her arrival, she began to feel surges. Five hours later, Charlie was here. He was welcomed in our spare bedroom with his dad and big sister by him. My family and some other midwives were also present for the celebration. My house was truly blessed this day.

Note from Kelley: Sharin's baby boy decided to come a teeny bit early, thus was born in the hospital. This was a beautiful VBAC birth for Sharin and the room was filled with love when Allesandro made his debut. We had a midwife from Women's Health with us that day, so I was there to offer support and take photos of this joyous day.

Note from Kelley: I was with Melissa and her family for her last two births, both beautiful natural births. Liam took a little longer to come than his sister, and Melissa worked harder than ever before to get him here, but when he finally decided to join us, he made a swift and gentle entrance with both moms, his big sister, his Nannie, and his Uncle Chris there to welcome him. Thanks to Jamie, our wonderful photographer who was present, we got terrific photos of the days events, which included some cake-making, music playing, tub hopping, and biking. The birthing was the grand finale of those super-fun days. Big sister, Janie, is our newest little midwife also.

Note from Kelley: Danielle worked so hard to get Rowan to come on time, but despite trying every trick in the book, he still came a little "late." If anyone doubts that babies come in their own time despite our efforts, you should talk with this mom and she'll tell you that is definitely out of our hands! When he was good and ready, he came easily into his mother's arms in the water and we all rejoyced.

Note from Kelley: Baby Holden had a pretty interesting birth. He was supposed to be born at home, but due to a last minute turn of events, we all met at a nearby hotel and greeted him in the bathroom there. So he had an almost at home, out of hospital birth. He was welcomed by his Mom, Dad, and his big brother and sister. No hotel rooms were harmed in the making of this baby! Fun times! Yes, we'll go almost anywhere...

Note from Kelley: Heidi is a dear friend, fellow doula and HypnoBirthing Instructor. She had invited me to her second birth to do some relaxation. Her last birth was a planned homebirth that didn't go as she had hoped. Heidi was determined to have her homebirth this time and worked hard to prepare for a gentle experience with no intervention. I was not Heidi's midwife, but was so blessed to have been invited to receive this baby, and Ben literally glided into my hands with her husband and older son, Hayden, and midwife present. The photo above of Heidi standing above her gently birthed baby, still connected by the cord, with heavy tears of joy is an image I will never forget.

Note from Heidi:

"Kelley, I have received so many cards like this from women thanking me for what I did for them during their pregnancy and birthing, and I always think that it was nothing...just what I do and love doing. However, being the one that was on the receiving end of the situation makes me realize how they must have felt. I am forever grateful for all you did for Ben and I throughout my pregnancy and for your presence at my birthing. I know it would not have turned out the same without you there. Your role as my doula turned into my midwife, and even though it wasn't our plan, I am truly happy things ended up that way. You are very gifted and will make such an impact on the birthing world! Keep doing what you do...there are so many women and babies who will benefit from your talent and efforts. You bring so much trust and loving energy to birt with you and it makes such a difference! I contemplated for weeks as to what gift would be enough to show my gratitude...there was none. Love, Heidi and Benjamin"

Jennah's Birth, by Mom

I have wanted to write about Jennah's birth so many times, but the emotions are so strong and it is hard to find words to describe the most wild and wonderful experience imaginable. Pregnancy alone was full of twists and turns in my awareness about my body and my baby. Even early in my pregnancy, I never had imagined that I would give birth at home. Had I not had my midwife, Kelley, in my life, I can only what we might have been subjected to.

It was somewhere around week 18 that I literally felt as if Jennah was speaking to me from the womb. I went in for a "routine" visit with my OB and it suddenly became very clear that, as far as he was concerned, I was not making any decisions in my care and the care of my unborn daughter. I was told that day that I was "going to have my ultrasound in two weeks"- a procedure that, after reading about the potential risks, I had hoped to avoid. But at the mere suggestion that I would decline, my OB gawked and seemed appauled by my supposed parental negligence. Jennah began to move so abruptly inside and I knew that it was her way of saying "RUN now, and FAST!"

So, I did... I left the OB that day with no intention of ever returning. I was certainly not about to let a doctor suggest that they knew what was best for my baby or for me. As a single mom, it was especially insulting. I had no plan, but I knew that my old plan was removed from the drawing board for good. I went through my remaining pregnancy desperately trying to find other providers. I got smarter about my questions and during close to twently (yes, TWENTY!) visits with other conventional providers, not one was giving me good answers. It was clear that they thought my baby was really their baby!

And that was the point where I realized, there had to be a better way. I had read, amongst other great books, Ina May's Spiritual Midwifery from the library. For nearly my entire pregnancy it had not dawned on me that people actually still had homebirths! But all at once, I had the notion that this was my only hope to have the gentle, loving, and wonderful birth I'd been dreaming of. I was skeptical that even a home midwife would accept that I was in control of my decision making. After asking around online, someone suggested that I talk to Kelley about attending my birth.

My dream was coming true. Kelley encouraged that I make every choice for a healthy birth. She supported my ideas and encouraged my goals. She didn't simply pretend that I'd attain what I was seeking; she believed it with every once of her being. In two short weeks before I birthed, Kelley and I became very close and I finally felt ready to relax and just enjoy growing my little girl.

Labor began at 1:15am and I awoke abruptly to a really strong sensation. I called Kelley right away. I don't know how I knew that it was the real thing after just one contraction, but I just knew. Kelley suggested that I try to go back to sleep and rest more, but even just during our phone call I had a few more contractions and they were really intense. About an hour later, the surges were still coming and I couldn't rest, so I called Kelley back and she left right away. I paced, I rocked, I breathed. Kelley walked in and I was already beginning to feel an intense pressure like I had never felt before. The contractions were easy for the most part, but the pressure took a lot to relax through. Kelley told me that this was probably a sign that I was progressing well.

Within a half hour later, I felt that my body was pushing down. Kelley told me to only push if I absolutely had to. She hadn't checked for dilation and didn't want me to push too soon, but I just knew it was time and there was no stopping my powerful body. I went toward my kitchen, I think in search of a drink of some sort, and suddenly I felt the biggest downward shift. I knelt down and with one small grunt, Jennah was born into my hands at 3:20am. Kelley gave her a little rub to get her breathing because she held her breath at first, she she then took in a big breath and looked around. We gazed into each others eyes and life just felt so right in that moment...so perfect. I didn't hear my baby cry for several days. She was and still continues to be the most peaceful soul. I completely attribute her sense of calm to her gentle, peaceful birth. Life as a mom is more amazing than I ever could have imagined. I hope to be blessed enough to do it all again someday. I am entirely grateful that I was spared anything but perfection for Jennah. What power we women have!

"All of my friends talk about their births like they were the most excruitating experience of their lives. I want to tell them how great mine was, but I feel like I might hurt their feelings. I just wish that everyone knew that birth didn't have to be full of great pain. For me, it was the single most exhilerating day of my life and I don't have the words to thank you for showing me that there was a better way. I am looking forward to giving birth again and Ferdinand and I want you to be there every time." -Maura, a first-time Mom from Brookline

"You were amazing and there is simply no way I could have done it without your support and encouragement. Thank you so much. It was a long and very challenging experience for me, but I feel so physically and emotionally whole, and every time I look at Morgan I am so glad to have birthed her without any drugs." - Ali- a first-time mom from Boston

"I finally got it down, Kelley! It took three times to figure out how to let my body do what it needed to, but it finally happened. I think I am still in shock! Jamie's birth has completely changed my life. I had never realized how much my last two births were impacting my attitude and it is hard to even admit that, but I really felt so diappointed in myself. I just needed to feel like my body was really capable of giving birth. This will be our last baby, but I almost wish that I could relive it all over again a fourth time. If I can talk Bill into one more, then you'll be hearing from us again! I will be giving your name out to everyone we know!" -Nancy, a third-time VBAC Mom from Milford

"Thank you for reminding me of my strength. Thank you for keeping me empowered. Thank you for keeping me focused on my baby. I could have done this without you, but I'm glad that I didn't have to. You are on my call list for Baby#2." -Michelle, a first-time Mom from Southboro

"Kelley, you were terrific! As you know, I was feeling so nervous in the weeks before I met you, but you put my mind at ease. I wasn't even orignally planning a natural birth, but it was far better than I'd imagined it to be. Jason and I always felt that we could be calm and relaxed when you told us things were "just as they should be" and I can't imagine what our experience might of been had we not met you. Everything you told us to expect proved to be true and you were even right when you said that we might come out of this feeling that we didn't need to be in the hospital because I absolutely feel like we would have been perfectly fine at home. Now I know and when we are ready to make Amanda a big sister, you'll be the first person we call." -Elizabeth, a first-time Mom from Framingham

"Audrey's birth was so amazing and a large part of that was your presence - we were SO lucky to have you there. It is incredible how one little being can spread so much love - every day she gets better and better! Thank you a million times for helping bring her here!" -Lila, a first-time Mom from Medford

"I was just at the New Moms' Tea at the BirthPlace today and was thinking of what a positive birth experience I had. It really sinks in more and more as time goes on how lucky I was to have the positive energy that you and the midwives provided me to help me through the birth. I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect birth. In my [other] new moms group there are about 15 women and one day there were ten of us in the room and when asked about their birth experiences it turns out 8 of them had had c-sections. I felt very lucky indeed to have been able to give birth without surgical intervention with so much support and care." -Michelle, a first-time Mom from Newton

"Kelley, I don't have words to praise what you did for me, my partner, and our baby in the most cherished moment of our life and I can't thank you enough for it. I'm just writing a little so others can know what a priceless service you provided. Before meeting you, my idea of a doula was a stranger that will be with you in the labor room helping you with breathing but I was wrong. In fact, you were the one who made the difference in our birthing experience... You are truly a gem and priceless and please have enough time for being with me in my next pregnancy which I look forward to somewhere in near future. You are the nicest person I have ever known." -Ayesha, a first-time Mom from Clinton

"Thank you for the class memory. Matt and I were both very impressed with you and your class. I walked away feeling I have learned a great deal and I am in a better place having experienced your class. You have discovered your calling, you're lucky and YOU'RE GREAT AT IT!!" -Trilby, a first-time HypnoBirthing Mom from Millis

"Thanks again - for attending our birth and supporting us throughout the whole thing. The birth was not completely what I expected it to be - But, I was extremely pleased with what all happened. Although it was tough at some points, looking back, I don't think it could have been better. I was thrilled at how the recovery is fast compared to my C-section." -Mitsuko, a second-time VBAC Mom from Cambridge

"I can't believe that I did this! Me! These two beautiful creatures came from my body and I am truly amazed. Dan keeps raving about thier birth and we can't imagine doing this again without you. I just want to relive their birth forever. Everyone must be sick of hearing me talk about it, but I just can't stop. You encouragement and Dan by my side was all that I needed!" -Tracey, a Mom of twins from Waltham