Chrissy's Story...
I want to start off by saying that without Jessica, I wouldn't have even
known that a home birth was an option for me my third time around. I
had looked into water birth options for my second child but didn't know
Jessica and therefore have the resources from her to find anything that
would work. Once meeting Jessica I now know I have endless resources
and that comforts me.
My story starts off as my 3rd pregnancy that was healthy (as were my
other 2) where I felt no need to deliver at the hospital, but living in PA
didn't have a birth center close enough for us. I decided to hire Jessica as
my doula and decided on planning a homebirth with a midwife.
My husband and I took Jessica's Bradley classes and learned so much
even though we already had two children! The classes were wonderful and
prepared us for a new level of drug free delivery (which I had with my 2nd
at the hospital).
My husband and I wanted our daughters to be there right after the birth
to meet their brother and have no guidelines for hours they could be
there. We didn't want restrictions on eating during labor or have to worry
about childcare for however long the hospital stay would have been.
Jessica came to our home and reviewed our birth plan with us which
included our family and friends attending the birth or being upstairs
waiting for our son to be born and watching our older children. Jessica
offered a lot of advice and services to help us in our birth process. Once I
began with the onset of labor she provided me with support, nutrients,
labor positions to help the baby's position and comfort measures for me
such as massage and creating a quiet environment. My husband's touch
was one of my best comfort measures!
Once my midwife arrived Jessica reiterated my birth plan to her and her
assistant so that I would have exactly what I wanted. She helped with the
preparation and set up of the birthing tub, continued to help me relax and
stay hydrated. She also helped answer my husband's questions and
family's questions, as well.
She reassured me that I was doing an excellent job and helped me with
different positions to bring the baby down faster. Once the actual birth
started, not only was she there for support, she found time to take
pictures and video clips to make everything special beyond words. After
we gave birth to our son, Jessica stayed to help clean up and answer any
questions I had. She stayed and observed my midwife to be with me for
support as the midwife stitched up my tiny tear. Jessica then made sure I
ate a good meal and then assisted me with breastfeeding. She was one of
the best things (besides my husband) to have happened during my
pregnancy and I will continue to highly recommend her to any and
everyone I know that is pregnant or plans on becoming pregnant in the
future! I will surely use her during my next pregnancy to ensure my family
and I have our birth wishes followed.
Chrissy & Jake, Parents to Brody and his two big sisters
Natural waterbirth at home
I want to start off by saying that without Jessica, I wouldn't have even
known that a home birth was an option for me my third time around. I
had looked into water birth options for my second child but didn't know
Jessica and therefore have the resources from her to find anything that
would work. Once meeting Jessica I now know I have endless resources
and that comforts me.
My story starts off as my 3rd pregnancy that was healthy (as were my
other 2) where I felt no need to deliver at the hospital, but living in PA
didn't have a birth center close enough for us. I decided to hire Jessica as
my doula and decided on planning a homebirth with a midwife.
My husband and I took Jessica's Bradley classes and learned so much
even though we already had two children! The classes were wonderful and
prepared us for a new level of drug free delivery (which I had with my 2nd
at the hospital).
My husband and I wanted our daughters to be there right after the birth
to meet their brother and have no guidelines for hours they could be
there. We didn't want restrictions on eating during labor or have to worry
about childcare for however long the hospital stay would have been.
Jessica came to our home and reviewed our birth plan with us which
included our family and friends attending the birth or being upstairs
waiting for our son to be born and watching our older children. Jessica
offered a lot of advice and services to help us in our birth process. Once I
began with the onset of labor she provided me with support, nutrients,
labor positions to help the baby's position and comfort measures for me
such as massage and creating a quiet environment. My husband's touch
was one of my best comfort measures!
Once my midwife arrived Jessica reiterated my birth plan to her and her
assistant so that I would have exactly what I wanted. She helped with the
preparation and set up of the birthing tub, continued to help me relax and
stay hydrated. She also helped answer my husband's questions and
family's questions, as well.
She reassured me that I was doing an excellent job and helped me with
different positions to bring the baby down faster. Once the actual birth
started, not only was she there for support, she found time to take
pictures and video clips to make everything special beyond words. After
we gave birth to our son, Jessica stayed to help clean up and answer any
questions I had. She stayed and observed my midwife to be with me for
support as the midwife stitched up my tiny tear. Jessica then made sure I
ate a good meal and then assisted me with breastfeeding. She was one of
the best things (besides my husband) to have happened during my
pregnancy and I will continue to highly recommend her to any and
everyone I know that is pregnant or plans on becoming pregnant in the
future! I will surely use her during my next pregnancy to ensure my family
and I have our birth wishes followed.
Chrissy & Jake, Parents to Brody and his two big sisters
Natural waterbirth at home
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Trusting Our Bodies
For more information on The Bradley Method®, for an international listing of instructors or to contact the American Academy of
Husband-Coached Childbirth® directly, please contact: The Bradley Method®, Box 5224 Sherman Oaks, CA 91413-5224, 1-800-4-A-BIRTH
or 1-818-788-6662, www.bradleybirth.com
Husband-Coached Childbirth® directly, please contact: The Bradley Method®, Box 5224 Sherman Oaks, CA 91413-5224, 1-800-4-A-BIRTH
or 1-818-788-6662, www.bradleybirth.com
| Jake & Chrissy work together using various positions to cope with the pain of labor as it moves into Chrissy's lower back. |
| Jessica has Chrissy move into a quiet environment and get in bed on her side because her labor is progressing quite quickly until we can set up the birth tub and until the midwife and birth assistant arrives. |
| Jake supports Chrissy both emotionally and physically as she labors in the birth tub quickly approaching 2nd stage labor. |
| Chrissy moves to a squatting position during contractions to move baby down faster as Jessica holds her up and braces her. |
| Jake and Chrissy embrace as she stands over her birth tub during a contraction. |
| Baby Brody is born en caul (with his bag of waters still intact) under water and was lifted up and the bag was broken by the birth assistant and Chrissy and Jake embraced and greeted him for the first time. |
| Jake holds his newborn son for the first time while Chrissy moves from the birth tub to the bed. |
| Chrissy sitting up in bed with her two girls Autumn and Cayman a few minutes after the birth. |
| Brody being weighed - 7lbs, 6oz |
| Brody lifting his head and moving around. |
| Jessica holding and welcoming Baby Brody to his new world before she leaves. |
| Natural Childbirth Classes & Birth Doula Services |