The phenomenal Christine Torres with her son Rocco (23 months). Christine had an easy pregnancy with Rocco with no issues or complications. She always knew that she wanted to have an out of hospital birth so she saw a midwife from the start and planned to delivery at a birthing center. She ended up going post dates and was warned that if she didn't deliver by 42 weeks she would have to transfer care to the hospital. She tried everything she could to induce naturally but nothing was helping. Her 42nd week marker was a Monday so they made a plan for her to go into hospital that Sunday morning for a balloon induction. She would then check herself out and go to the birth center so she'd be able to labor and have the baby there. Thankfully, her labor started and she lost her mucous plug on Saturday night so she didn't have to worry about it. Sunday morning she went to the birth center and labored there all day. Her water broke around 4pm but contractions stalled. She was having a hard time and her mother wasn't supportive at the time. She was worried about the babies health and kept urging Christine to go to the hospital. Christine was very stressed and uncertain and ended up having to ask her mother to leave her birth. Her team suggested they take a break and try to sleep. Everyone rested but Christine, and at 6am on Monday morning she requested that they go to the hospital. She was still hoping for a natural labor and birth but opted for an epidural and pitocin so she could get some rest and hopefully push labor along. She was dilated to 5cms but not going any further. It had been 12 hours since her water had broke, she was past 42 weeks, there was no change in dilation after 5-6 hours and Rocco's heart rate had started to drop. She was told they would be scheduling a cesarean and Christine was very upset. As soon as he was delivered they took Rocco away for 5 hours for observations. Christine struggled with breastfeeding at first, working through pain due to the initial adjustment and getting the hang of things but Rocco also had a posterior tongue tie. She was eventually able to get that revised only to find out that she had thrush. She struggled the first 4 weeks to determine whether breastfeeding was for her or just not meant to be. She was pumping and nursing and trying to make everything fall into place. She was urged to join an in person breastfeeding support group and found it hugely beneficial. She had never been around or even seen anyone else breastfeed and was able to hear stories and identify with new mothers just like herself. She was able to work through the hurdles and is enjoying a breastfeeding relationship with Rocco today. Christine is also still an active part of her local breastfeeding support groups and hosts her own group to help educate new mothers. She has also found hope in healing in connecting with other mothers online who had planned home births and ended up with cesarean birth through resources such as Birthing From Within and Homebirth Cesarean International.