Lauren will be sharing the birth of her daughter in July 2023 where she had an empowering unmedicated hospital birth where she was supported by her husband, doula and midwife team. While her pregnancy was relatively uneventful, Lauren found out she was expecting a month after her father had suddenly passed away, and discusses navigating the rollercoaster of emotions related to the loss of a loved one during pregnancy. She also experienced a subchorionic hematoma early in her pregnancy and her breech baby was turned by an ECV at 38 weeks. She also discusses postpartum and the importance of community with a newborn. She is more than happy to discuss her experiences further, especially dealing with grief and/or her ECV experience- so please reach out to her at @nodeegity on instagram!
Lauren’s baby was frank breech the majority of her pregnancy. She tried chiropractor care, acupuncture, spinning babies and the circuit method but ultimately decided to have an ECV to help turn her baby. Her midwife team were amazing with their care, but did not support breech birth so her only options were c-section or ECV. At 38+5, Lauren had a successful ECV to turn her baby head down. 9 days later she went into labor the day before her due date (39+6) and had her baby exactly on her due date. Her doula was instrumental for her as her baby was sunny side up while descending and then luckily turned for the birth. She utilized rebozo, the bath, shower, counter pressure, tried nitrous (it was not helpful) and while her labor stalled twice, nipple stimulation and ultimately Pitocin helped her achieve the epidural and minimally intervention free birth she desired. Lauren hired a birth photographer to capture her birth, and is so happy to have the images to remind her of her strength and resolve to push through difficult times. She had no physical complications post birth, but without the help of the other mothers she met postpartum, the residual grief from losing her father would have made postpartum much harder.
Resources
- Know Your Options Online Childbirth Course
- The Birth Hour podcast
- Doula: Ashley from Empowered Beginnings (@empoweredbeginningsct)
- Midwife Team: With Women Wellness (@withwomenwellness)
- Prenatal Chiropractor: Dr. Victoria Chamberlain, (@backtobalancechiroct )
- Liz, Baby Circle: Mother Luna (@motherlunact)
- Forrester Lactation: Lauren Akers (@forresterlactation)
- Birth Photographer: Vivien Steimbridge (@vstemb)
- Pelvic Floor Therapy: Regenerative Edge Physical Therapy (@r.edge.pt) , Courtney Edgecomb (@pelvicpt_edge)
Aeroflow Breastpumps
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