The Amazing, Healing, and Empowering VBAC of Mohamed Ali

I began my quest for a VBAC while they were wheeling me in for my daughter's cesarean. After 4 years of seeking knowledge and understanding of why things ended up the way they did, I decided I would do things differently the next time. And after months of researching online and interviewing midwifes, I chose Chris Duffy to "catch" my next baby because we had the same ideology about childbirth and I felt her expansive knowledge of Naturopathy was just what I needed in my VBAC journey.

The birth:

I went into active labor around 10 am on Friday morning after having been in pre-labor since previous Wednesday night (my due date). Chris came over and checked me and I was dilated to 3 cm. All day long I moved around the house, laboring, with Chris checking on baby's heart rate intermittently. Sometime in the afternoon baby's heart rate started going too high during contractions and not returning to a normal range in between. Despite changing positions many times and in many ways, it continued and Chris decided we needed to go to the nearest hospital as this was a sign of distress that could quickly turn into a true medical emergency. Since I was only at 5 cm dilation, I knew another cesarean section was imminent at this point. I felt totally defeated but also knew it was necessary since baby's wellbeing was our priority. Chris called the hospital and let them know we were coming and we were told to go directly to L&D. She had me hold the Doppler on baby's heart rate the entire ride and half way there he totally flipped sides in my uterus. I lost his heart rate on the Doppler and finally, after a few seconds I was able to find him again and felt better. Upon arriving, we were taken into a room immediately and a nurse began checking me in. She checked my cervix and I was at 6 cm and put me on the monitors. Amazingly, his heart rate was excellent! We were overjoyed! Chris asked what we wanted to do and we decided to continue with our plan for a homebirth and after this brief detour, we went home. We think the flip during the car ride fixed whatever issue there was.

As soon we arrived home, my husband began filling the birthing pool. Chris called the assistant midwife and the other apprentice to come (one had already joined us at the hospital). After a bit more laboring, Chris checked me again and my cervix was 7 cm dilated and his heart rate was still great. I was excited that plans were back on track but still in disbelief my VBAC could actually happen.

The rest of the team arrived and I got into the pool (Finally!) at 8 cm dilated. The water felt so good and provided instant comfort and relief. The student midwives were so supportive; they helped me manage the contractions by applying pressure to my back and showed my husband how, they kept the pool water at the optimal temperature by dumping in hot water, they brought cold and hot compresses, and they brought me water/pedialyte constantly to keep me hydrated. Chris and the assistant midwife checked baby's heart rate frequently. We could not have had a more supportive team! I got out of the pool every so often, switching from sitting on the toilet to leaning on the counter, to lunging, etc. in an effort to keep progressing.

After moving very smoothly up to 8 cm, my progress had seemed to slow down. My bag of waters was still intact and Chris asked me if I wanted her to break it so that the contractions would apply more pressure and thus speed up the labor, but I declined because I was worried it would put baby into distress again (this was the BIG mistake I made with my previous birth that led to my cesarean and I just could not get past that fear as much as I trusted Chris' expertise). We decided to continue for another hour and check again. At this point I was starting to really feel overwhelmed at the peak of the contractions, so I knew that I must be in transition.

Just before midnight, Chris checked and there was a small cervical lip that wouldn't budge so we decided she would hold it back during a contraction while I pushed his head past it. This finally progressed me to "complete" and Chris then gave me the go to push when I felt like it. There was no lull of contractions at this point and the contractions were so intense I couldn't focus! I really wanted them to stop and knew the only way how was to get him out! I reached up and felt his head and it gave me the strength I needed. I pushed with all my might (roaring so loudly I'm surprised the next block didn't hear me) and 5 or 6 contractions later his head was out- what a relief! Chris hardly had time to prepare because it happened so fast! His head was still ''in the caul'' (covered by the amniotic sac) and I was totally amazed as I looked down and saw him! Chris checked for the cord and at the same time the next contraction hit and I gave one final mighty push he totally emerged into the water! I was so relieved but so stunned that I had just birthed a baby that the assistant MW had to remind me to grab him! I pulled him up to my chest and he began breathing right away. I was totally astounded at what I had just done!

After relaxing for a few minutes, Chris asked me to get out of the pool to deliver the placenta on the bed and so that she could monitor my bleeding. Unfortunately my uterus wasn't contracting anymore. They gave me herbs to speed the delivery of the placenta and I nursed the baby, but it just wasn't coming. I was still bleeding moderately and so the midwives decided to call an ambulance for transport to the hospital before things got bad. I was disappointed that I would have to go back to the hospital but ecstatic that I had VBAC'd!

Since baby was excellent, he stayed with the assistant midwife and the two apprentices. He had gotten some colostrum already and was sound asleep, so I felt ok about leaving him in such capable, loving hands. The ambulance crew took me through the ER to L&D and after initially being ignored by the hospital staff (boy was I glad I hadn't delivered there!), my placenta finally came out (by traction and manual extraction) and the OB on call stitched up some tearing due to the rapid emergence of baby's shoulders. We checked out a few hours later and went home to finally rest after such an eventful night! Despite two trips to the hospital during the process, I am so pleased with the birth and I truly feel that Chris always "managed" my homebirth in the safest manner possible for me and my baby. My VBAC was a positively life changing experience and has totally renewed my faith.

Mohamed Ali - 9 lbs 2 oz, 21 ½ inch long