Special Delivery!

When I found out I was pregnant with my firstborn, I had two primary goals: to have an unmedicated delivery and to be seen by a female doctor. Living outside of the Kansas City metro area, I knew the first goal would be obtainable at my local hospital. However, there were no guarantees that the second goal would be within reach. That led me to research options beyond my hometown. I landed on a women’s health care group in Kansas City. In my mind, having an all-female staff of OB/GYN doctors and nurses was worth the extra drive time.

I was set up with a primary doctor to meet with during my initial visits. But during the latter half of my pregnancy, I met with other OB/GYNs on staff so that our first encounter was not at the delivery itself. It was helpful knowing that outside of scheduling an induction or c-section, the likeliness of having my primary doctor on call when I went into labor was slim. Nonetheless, the consistency of care within the first few months built a level of trust that was assuring for asking so many questions. It was my first pregnancy, after all, and I had a ton of them!

At my final prenatal appointment, there were some concerns about Baby’s heartbeat, so additional monitoring was performed. While the results confirmed Baby looked to be healthy, it also gave way to information I wasn’t expecting: I was in the early stages of labor. Contractions were steady enough for me to be admitted to the hospital system. The news was exciting, and it was also a relief that my entire labor process was monitored. I didn’t have to question whether it was too early or too late to make the long trek to the hospital, which was one of my biggest concerns.

When I looked out the top floor windows of my delivery suite, my eyes met at a gorgeous sunset that enveloped the distinct downtown KC skyline, and its beauty provided just the distraction I needed to transition into active labor. While the staff supported my desire to have an unmedicated delivery, the hospital’s policy prevented me from being able to move as needed after my water broke. Laboring on my back was not my desired choice. Likewise, ice chips weren’t cutting it after not having eaten the entire day. Thankfully, I had a relatively quick labor for a first-time mom, and no medical interventions were necessary.

A year later, we were Olathe residents with an announcement: Another baby was on the way. This led to a new health care search because we found ourselves on the other side of town. In between pregnancies, I had watched a fair share of TLC’s A Baby Story (remember those?!), in which many women showcased their election to water-birth, describing it as “nature’s epidural.” This had me intrigued. After all, if I could successfully labor flat on my back, how much better would it be sitting upright in a tub? Sadly, a preliminary search determined that water-birthing in a hospital system was prohibited in our new neck of the woods. (Rather, you could labor, but not deliver, in a tub). No birthing center existed in my region at the time, so I explored an option that was completely foreign to me: home birth with a midwife.

I primarily wanted a water birth, not a home birth. So I determined I wouldn’t make a decision until after an initial consultation with a local midwife. My fears were laid to rest when met with how favorable home birth outcomes are with skilled care. I couldn’t have predicted how we would test our midwife’s aptitude right out of the gate. The day before our first scheduled appointment, I was in a car crash that put blunt force on my abdomen. I was convinced something was terribly wrong, and an ER nurse’s inability to pick up Baby’s heartbeat only raised more concern. A nurse from the maternity ward was brought in and, after quite some time, was able to detect a faint pulse. At my first home appointment, I relayed how hard it had been for the hospital to find a heartbeat. No sooner had I explained, than the midwife had already found it, loud and strong, adding the tone sounded like a boy’s heart (a sonogram a few months later would confirm she was correct).

Our home appointments covered all the same bases as my hospital ones with my firstborn, including labs and ultrasounds, but extended to include lifestyle and nutrition coaching (literally going through my pantry together). This additional education armed me with confidence I would need as I experienced a precipitous labor—my newborn was in my arms 20 minutes after my water broke. On the other side of things, I was thankful a desire to water-birth led me to home birthing, since I would have had no way to make it to a hospital in time anyway. Being able to shower and lie down in my own bed after delivery was just gravy.

Three years later, we welcomed our third child, this time at a newly opened birthing center. The center provided a middle ground between hospital and home birth. Standard appointments took place in what looked like traditional exam rooms. Yet birthing suites were outfitted with all the comforts of home, including a jacuzzi, queen-size bed and kitchenette. Emergency medical supplies were inconspicuously housed within the three distinctly themed resort-like rooms, yet lost in the spa-like ambience that was created via aromatherapy, music therapy and a serene water wall. Before being discharged, the staff surrounded my husband and me, singing “Happy Birthday” to our newborn while presenting us a cake.

When number four came along, I decided to have another home birth, though this time with another midwife team. (My previous midwife had moved, meaning that in some ways, it was yet another new experience). This time, I found myself visiting an office for all my prenatal appointments. The only appointments that would take place within my home happened during the final month. My fourth pregnancy was a bumpy ride: bacterial infections, preterm labor scares and bedrest and long-term medications to bring Baby into the world safely at full term. With each hiccup along the way, my midwife gave me peace of mind.

I’ve been asked what my favorite birthing experience has been, but my response remains the same. All had favorable outcomes: healthy babies born in safe environments with skilled care. And truly, nothing could be better than that!

Lauren Greenlee is a mom of four hailing from Olathe.

As always, please consult your health care provider with any questions or concerns.