304 South Cottonwood Suite A Richardson, TX 75080     214-366-3579     loverslanebirthcenter@msn.com
Site Design & Photographs by Earth Mama Photography
The Birth Story of Melissa's baby

When I moved to Dallas in May of this year, I was 2 ½ months pregnant.  I
wanted to find a CNM, but didn't have the resources here.  My husband's
family told us to go with Presbyterian Hospital, that they were the best for
birthing.  As I hit about six months, I decided to ask questions about what
they would allow at the hospital, as I wanted a natural birth.  No was the
answer to the majority of my questions, and I was told that an episiotomy
was a medical decision.  I felt differently, and decided to look into birthing
center, as I didn't like hospitals anyhow.  This is how I found the perfect
place for me to birth my baby.

I had a long labor, and felt every bit of it.  Due on November 12th, I started
having painful contractions about 1 a.m. on November 9th.  For me, these
early contractions were impossible to sleep through for some reason, so I was
awake throughout my labor.  Not knowing how far into labor I was, we
called Dinah the next morning.  She advised me to try resting or to speed up
labor with certain techniques.  Since I was unable to sleep, I opted to speed
thing up by walking and then headed in to the Birth Center to check my
progression.  I was a bit disappointed to find I was only dilated to 1 ½ and
70% effaced.  I went home, and again tried to sleep.  I dozed slightly
between contractions, but was still unable to sleep.  My sister stayed up
through the next night with me, and massaged me while I labored in a hot
bath.  The next morning, the contractions were getting more painful, but I
was starting to feel the effects of loosing two nights sleep.  My sister called
Dinah for advice, and she pleasantly surprised me by offering to drive to my
place and bring some herbal tinctures to cut the edge off the pain and help
me sleep.  This time, wanting to rest, I decided against being checked, as to
avoid bringing on more painful contractions.  Sleep still eluded me as the
contractions continued to grip me.  Again we called Dinah, and agreed to
meet at the Birthing Center around two.

At this point, I was 5 cm dilated and completely effaced.  As I hd been
doing, I continued to sway my way through the contractions.  I took a warm
shower, and Dinah put me on the birthing b all, and then backwards on the
toilet.  I preferred the birthing ball, though I progressed less, I felt less labor.
 After a few hours, Dinah decided to break my water to speed things up.  As
my water broke, a contraction hit and I rushed to get in the tub.  From this
point, I went into a daze, from the sleep depravation, the pain, and the
relaxed environment of candles and music.  At this point, I felt labor would
never end, and didn't feel I could continue, but Dinah and her assistants
were there to keep me going with positive feedback.  I clung to the tub
though it slowed labor down.  Finally everyone convinced me it was better to
have more pain for less time, so I got onto the toilet again.  Dinah checked,
and I was dilated to a 9 with a lip.  She tried to move it a couple of times, as
my husband held me, but it kept slipping back.  Judith suggested the
knee/chest position to get rid of the lip, and it worked.  From there, I hopped
back in the tub, in a semi-squat position, and pushed.  This was by far the
best part of the labor, as I could feel my son moving through the birth
canal, and then reached down and felt his head as it crowned.  My husband
said he came out swimming, and Dinah pushed him to me in the water.  I
was the first to hold my new baby and look him over.  Having no drugs, he
was so aware, and turned to look at his dad when we spoke.  I had him
nursing within the first five minutes of his life, and haven't had trouble
with it since.  My husband was able to cut the umbilical cord, and then we
were left alone to bond with out new son.

To me, this was the best birth I could have had for my first child.  The
atmosphere was very relaxed and I was able to labor any way I felt like
laboring.  I was left alone in my own world of labor to feel the natural
beauty of it.  I had very positive and helpful people surrounding me, there
when I needed a positive note or someone to relax me.  I was able to choose
my positions of labor and birth, and therefore did not tear and healed very
quickly from this birth.  I was also grateful to have Maya capturing this
beautiful moment in pictures.  Dinah was very wonderful in informing me
of my options, and still letting me choose the way I wanted my birth to be.  I
will forever be grateful that I found the Lovers Lane birthing Center, and
would highly recommend it to anyone having a baby.  I truly appreciate
Dinah and her birthing staff.