Vegan Birth Stories

Please read our collection of birth stories. If you'd like to submit your own, please submit your story here. Vegan or vegetarian birth stories are welcome.

Fern's Birth Story

The Birth of Fern

We had been preparing for our planned home birth. Bob and I had found a great midwife and she had been visiting us monthly to watch my progress. We had also been going to a nearby Ob/Gyn office which employed several Certified Nurse Midwives to receive "official" medical care on the advice of our lay midwife. Also we had taken an excellent childbirth class which really helped to prepare us for what was ahead. Information really is power. However I wasn't due for another 25 days when my water broke unexpectedly. I hadn't even bought home birth supplies yet, and my baby shower was scheduled for 4 days later! We had been out to dinner, and when we got home I went upstairs to lay down. When I sat up, I felt a gush! I called Bob and we knew it was time to call the midwife.

She told me to stay calm- this was no guarantee that I was going into labor. She told me to call her if anything more interesting began happening. Well contractions began by 11pm. My labor picked up rapidly, all the while gushing water all over every new pair of panties and pajamas I put on! I didn't know what to do! I couldn't seem to find any comfortable position, but I just breathed through the intensifying rushes and moaned and groaned. I kept wondering out loud when we should call our midwife back.

Into the wee hours of the morning, Bob began falling asleep and I was unknowingly entering transition. I couldn't get off the toilet. I just sat there moaning and pressing on my back. Things were getting really intense, so Bob called the midwife. As I was on the toilet, with each new contraction my body now began to push. I was shocked and a little scared! With no one there to check me I didn't know if I was fully dilated or what part of the baby was presenting. But I decided that my body knew what it was doing and I had no choice but to go with the flow. I got into the shower and began alternating positions while panting and pushing.

I tried to slow the birth so as not to tear. We rubbed on some olive oil, and I could feel the head with my fingers! How amazing. It was really happening! Soon I couldn't hold back and I started pushing in a squat position in the tub. At that very moment I heard our midwife arrive and I gave a mighty grunting push. She rushed into the bathroom and as soon as her hands were in place, I stood up and my beautiful 6lb. 10 oz. baby girl fell into her hands 6 hours after my first contraction! She cried immediately despite the cord being around her neck 3 times. Bob cut the cord and we cleaned her up. I took a shower as she was all checked out. We lay down together and began to nurse . Just goes to show that nature runs its course miraculously without interference if our brains don't get in the way. Thank you God.

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