[Birth Stories] Different Births, Different Wishes, with Krissy Whitehead

For her first birth, Krissy Whitehead didn’t have much of a plan, other than getting an epidural. That birth was a lovely experience, so what made her alter her birth wishes with each consecutive birth, and choose a home waterbirth for her fourth one? Go listen.

 

 

What we talked about:

• Birth One: A lovely epidural birth
• Birth Two: Let’s do the same thing again
  • Membrane sweep and an easy start
  • The magical six cms.
  • Too fast, quite furious
  • Blow in nurse’s face as her only coping mechanism
  • What is this euphoria I’m feeling?
• Birth Three: Preparing for an unmedicated birth
  • Taking the classes, doing all the things
  • What if I fall asleep and my water breaks? Oh, wait.
  • Come hang out at the hospital
  • “Just give me another hour.”
  • Six cms: “Call the doc… nevermind, baby’s here.”
  • On Fetal Ejection Reflex
• Birth Four: Let’s stay at home!
  • Feeling supported instead of tolerated
  • Going past the due date, by a lot
  • A gentle start, filling the pool, wanting her kids around
  • Doing bedtime in active labor
  • Delivering her baby into her own hands
  • The benefits of a more supported and knowledgeable postpartum

 

 

Resources mentioned and other helpful links*:

• Safe Infant Sleep: Expert Answers to Your Cosleeping Questions, by James McKenna
• Bedsharing and Breastfeeding: The Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine Protocol #6, Revision 2019
• SpinningBabies.com
• What to Know About Your Water Breaking (TACO), from the Lamaze blog
• The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Genevieve Howland
• Evidence on: Premature Rupture of Membranes, from Evidence Based Birth
• Facebook post by Krissy, chronicling her journey to having a homebirth:
  • Post #1 – Overview of all her births and what led me to a homebirth
  • Post #2 – How she met her midwife, and Krissy’s research on homebirth
  • Post #3 – What prenatals looked like in comparison to OB visits
  • Post #4 – Resources she used (yay Birthful!)

 

 

Related Birthful episodes:

• Epidurals & Breastfeeding, with Dianne Cassidy
• Safer Bedsharing, with Teresa Pitman
• Tongue and Lip Ties, with Dianne Cassidy
• Chiropractic Care, with Dr. Elliot Berlin
• Your Birth Hormones, with Dr. Sarah Buckley

 

 

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About Krissy Whitehead​

Krissy Whitehead is wife to Greg and a stay at home mom to 4 girls. Her passion is educating about the things that she’s interested in! Some of those things include toxin-free living and all things birth related!.

 

 

 

 

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Title music: “Vibe Ace” by Kevin MacLeod, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).

Sponsorship music: “Air Hockey Saloon” by Chris Zabriskie, from the Free Music Archive / CC BY (edited for length).