The radiant Rachel Brundage currently 32 weeks pregnant and Pearl (3).
Rachel knew from a very young age that her biggest dream was to be a mother. She notes that this may have been because her own mother decided to leave her family very early on, though she was lucky to have a strong father who raised two girls on his own. Rachel met her husband and knew very early on she wanted to have children with him.
They waited about 5 years and enjoyed spending a lot of one on one time together then rather quickly they got married, purchased a home and started trying for baby. They conceived within six months and Rachel decided to give birth at a hospital nearby that was midwife centered, used minimal interventions and offered the opportunity to use a birthing tub. Her pregnancy was beautiful and the only hiccup she encountered was an incorrect diagnosis of gestational diabetes, due to her paleo diet. Thankfully, an amazing midwife fought for her to received the correct tests and the diagnosis was removed from her chart. She went into labor a week after her due date and went to the hospital first thing in the morning after trying to sleep through contraction all night.
Rachel was only 3cms dilated when they arrived at the birthing center but while they waited to see if they would be allowed to stay or not, her water broke. There was meconium present and Rachel was Strep B positive so they allowed her stay due to the increased risk. She wanted to labor in the water but had to wait a bit for a room with a tub to be ready. Rachel was hoping to step into the birthing pool and have all her pain to disappear, but it didn't. After a short time she told her husband she needed something to manage the pain and was considering a narcotic to take the edge but when the midwife came to do a vaginal check, her face went white, she said "oh shit" and ran out of the room.
Rachel and her husband stared at each other terrified until her midwife returned with a doctor, nurse, and ultrasound machine. They learned that she was fully dilated and effaced but her baby was breech. The doctor looked at her and said, "We can do an emergency c section right now or you can have this baby how you wanted too. You can do it, your body can handle it. Whatever way you choose will be best and you will be happy." Confident in herself, Rachel signed the papers and proceeded with her plans of an unmedicated vaginal birth. She pushed and pushed and pushed for 3 hours when she was finally wheeled into the OR. They placed oxygen on her face and she continued pushing. At one point the baby's heart rate dropped, the doctor gave her a quick episiotomy, and Pearl came right out.
Rachel's husband was able to hold Pearl's legs while the doctor turned her around to get her out properly and all of a sudden she was on her chest. "I burst into laughter. I was finished. I did it. I was superwoman in that moment."
This pregnancy has gone very smoothly and though Rachel will be delivering with a different team of providers, is looking forward to whatever happens.
"Through this movement I want to continue to help show women that motherhood comes in so many different forms but we are all so beautiful. Each of our stories is magical and deserves to be heard. I'd love for my daughter and son to see this someday and know how proud I am of being their mother and how they have made me into the human I am today."