Julie
When we first arrived at the hospital, they thought they were going to send me home. They told my husband they thought I wasn’t really in labor yet based upon how mellow I was laboring and were shocked at how far dilated and in progress the birth actually was. I know that Yoga Way to Birth was a big part of that and felt like Tina’s support and guidance added to the beauty and profundity of our experience of Anya’s birth.
In addition, we got checked in and in the tub at about 8:30 or so and she was born gently, quickly, and beautifully in the tub just before 10:30. The nurses and midwife weren’t in the room to assist until after her head was born and just before her body was born for the same reason they almost sent us home. They assumed we weren’t as far along or that I was even pushing based upon what they typically see in birth and I think that is in large part due to the amazing support (Yoga Way to Birth, our amazing doula Brooke, and my husband Jeff, of course!) that I had.
It was beautiful and tender and powerful and fast and life-changing!
Francesca
Our birth experience turned out quite differently than expected…which, of course, was to be expected! After planning and preparing for a home birth, when the time came I labored hard at home for over 30 hours before deciding to head to the hospital for an epidural and some much needed rest, after which I joyfully pushed our girl out. Though it did not go “according to plan”, I love our birth story.
Throughout my labor I kept hearing Tina’s voice, reminding me, “Birth just wants to give you your baby…She doesn’t care how she does it!” And I felt so much peace with our journey, even with the unexpected, even with the deviation from “the plan” (ha), because I trusted that my body and my baby were doing exactly what they needed to do. If you had told me early in my pregnancy that my birth would end up being a hospital birth, I think I would have been crushed (and disappointed in myself for “failing” at a home birth). But I am so grateful, because I see now that our birth class prepared me to simply…surrender.
I had room for our story to unfold in real time, in its own powerful, mysterious way. I don’t feel like a failure. I feel like a rockstar. I have never felt more powerful; I worked so hard for so long. I didn’t know I had that kind of strength and stamina. I am astonishingly proud of myself. That is what I wish for each of you out there still waiting to meet Birth and meet your babies….no matter how your birth unfolds, may you feel powerful. May you surrender to the mystery. May you feel proud.