Rising Moon Midwifery

I met Kate 4 years ago when she was an awesome La Leche League Leader. There were older women even younger moms, but no one I felt had any clue about my life other that Kate. We both wore skirts often and she had really strong beliefs the kind that don't offend people just the kind that are stating matter of fact. I really like strong women. That was my first impression.

Then I was fortunate enough to become friends with Kate, Noah, and Elijah. Their exciting energy is contagious. I like it best how Noah and Elijah are these balls of energy, yet so gentle with babies. It seems to be a dichotomy, but then that's what having a strong mother does for boys. They are going to be awesome fathers one day!

When I had been hanging out with these beautiful pregnant or nursing women at Kate's third Thursday meeting long enough I finally started to think about having another baby. I talked to Mike and Kate both were for having babies so Mike and I started the fun process. (It took longer than I expected but it turned out we were most likely to conceive in August; just like Ana, our first.) We had a great pregnancy!

I was really healthy. We had lots of fun appointments. We decided against the use of Doppler, and Kate and Merle were very comfortable using a fetal scope.

Kate and Merle decided on a first week of June due date. I was sure it was going to be more like middle of June date. As the end of my third trimester was approaching, Kate and Merle kept saying, "this baby is coming early." I was thinking, "I am not early for anything in my life, this baby is definitely coming first week of June." What do you know they were right! Kate said just have Ana's birthday (May 28) and then see what happens. Memorial Day, May 30th, I went into labor again!

Kate and Merle gave Mike and I the space we needed to tell our baby it was time to come see the world! We listened to music, got in and out of the Aquadoula, walked around our neighborhood and did all this without any intervention from Kate and Merle or machines. We asked for a natural birth and that's what we got, unlike the hospital midwife who caught Ana. Our daughters had polar opposite births, this makes me sad.

To some the end justifies the means, but I think that being over reactive to a natural dilemma causes confusion and pain. While Ana's birth was full of self doubt, Caitlin's birth was full of self assurance. With Ana's birth I can't count how many invasive pelvic exams, yet with Caitlin's birth there was ONE when I asked Kate if I was dilated enough to push. With Ana's birth the bag of waters was broken to "speed things along,"but with Caitlin's birth I was assured that I ate so many "healthy organic foods that I made a really strong amniotic sac," but I could push and break it myself! Guess what? A little positivity goes a long way. After Merle said that, I broke that sac and Kate caught Caitlin Rose 5 minutes later!

I had a great hospital birth, and I am very lucky that things went in the right direction because that midwife would have sent me to the OR quicker than you can say supercalifragelisticexpialidocious! I would have to say that comparing home birth to a hospital/birth center birth would be like comparing healthy organic foods to antibiotic, preserved, hormone, colored, pasteurized foods. Need I say more?

Kate and Merle were our consummate companions. They brought laughter to our happy home and safety for a moment that Mike and I are not skilled with. We named Caitlin after our friend and midwife Kate because they both forever changed our lives for the better.

When all the excitement of family coming to meet the baby, and Ana went over to Granny's house for a sleep over, Mike and I stared at our sleeping baby and kissed each other in our bed no one bothered us. This was a moment that was more precious to me than the actual birth. It was so calm with our two hour old baby and this has set a precedence in her life. She is very funny and calm. I'm sure there will be tantrums and wrong doings, but she will be reminded at these troubled time that mommy and daddy love you so much. Even from the beginning of her life we want to make sure it is filled with peace, happiness, and love!

Eileen O'Donnell Meacham