A Redemptive Home Birth (VBAC)

Mack’s birth story (7/3/23)

I had been getting a couple of updates from Elise throughout the day and was prepared to head out at a moments notice. It was about 9:15pm when I got the text from Shari (the best midwife ever) that she would be heading to Elise’s house, but she thought it would still be a little bit before I was required to be there. I got all my equipment together and headed toward Highlands Ranch, not wanting to miss a minute of this miracle. 

I remember vividly driving to Elise and Micah, the date was July 2nd and the weather that night was beautiful - I was driving with my windows down and the radio blasting and the song “Fear Is Not My Future” by Elevation Worship came on and I was fully believing in the words of that song as I continued to drive. I was praying over the night and what was to come and believing that Mack would be joining his mom, dad and sister, Millie, earth-side without issue. 

When I arrived, Elise was on the couch in the living room, breathing through a contraction and taking sips of water in-between. She had decorated the walls with affirmations, photos, prayers for baby and string lights to encourage  warmth and love in her birth space. 

Once Shari arrived, she began setting up her midwife station at the kitchen table and asked Elise for an update; she got the doppler out to listen to baby’s heartbeat and it was strong. The pool was being inflated and filled with water (Micah hadn’t gotten to that part yet) while Elise was laboring on the floor with Micah supporting her from behind. Once the pool was full, Elise wanted to get into the water which helped ease the pain of the contractions which were getting stronger by that point. I’m not sure of the exact flow of the various position Shari encouraged her to try, but I do know that the water was not helping Elise progress enough so Shari and her assistant walked Elise to the bathroom down the hall but as she was headed there, she knelt to the floor as a surge went through her body. Elise tried sitting on the toilet, sitting on a birthing stool in the kitchen, on all fours leaning over the medicine ball and when the pressure became too much, Micah stood above her with the Rebozo to give Elise some relief. Elise tried laying on her side, with Micah next to her, rubbing her back and kissing her forehead gently while he whispered encouragement to her (I captured some beautiful images of these moments) and then back to the water for a little bit.

I remember Shari telling me that she thought it would still be a while until Elise was ready to push, but once Elise started breathing and moaning more heavily, Shari said, “That sounds like pushing noises!” and we were off to the races! Elise was so focused and such a badass during her labor - since this was a VBAC, she was scared that her uterus would tear with her pushing and had trouble letting go of her fear. There comes a point in every labor, I think, where you want to give up and just take the easiest possible way out of the situation, but through the love and encouragement verbalized and felt by everyone in the room, Elise was able to let go and trust in her body’s ability in what it was made to do. Mack was delivered by Shari and Micah in the kitchen and I was sitting behind Elise on the kitchen counter for the best vantage point. I remember being so in awe of Elise’s strength but also recognized how exhausted she was. As soon as Mack was out, he was placed on Elise’s chest and I could see joy and love immediately fill her face - her baby was finally in her arms and she had brought him forth. It was an honor to witness this miracle and I am so proud of my beautiful, brave friend.