[Birth Stories] How She Prepared Differently To Avoid Another Managed Birth

Danielle Ford has had two very distinct births, with her first happening with minimal preparation and many interventions. It wasn’t until getting pregnant ten years later that she realized she carried a lot of trauma from birth number one. She shares with Adriana how taking a deep dive into her birth options, and intentionally preparing to have a more connected birth allowed for a birth imbued with confidence and flexibility, despite facing the possibility of another induction.

What we talked about:

• High blood pressure leading to induction
• The problem with not self-advocating is you end up on your back for 29 hours
• Realizing the trauma your didn’t know you had
• Preparing for an intentional birth experience
• Facing another induction, even though blood pressure was fine
• Gathering herself and advocating to determine if induction was really needed
• Getting through a devastating prenatal appointment
• The joy of going into labor on her own
• Finding so much relief in water
• Connecting through gratitude with baby in the belly
• “Now I won’t be able to eat tacos!”
• Doing dishes and dancing (a.k,a. “ignore it until you can’t ignore it anymore”)
• The power of a birth preferences worksheet
• And then there wasn’t a tub!
• Setting the stage
• To check or not to check…
• The sacred space of the “Quietude”
• To break or not to break (the waters)…
• The unbearable urge that comes early!
• Letting her body decide the position
• “What my body did” versus “what was done to me”
• Having the tools to navigate her postpartum mental state

Related resources*:

• Evidence Based Birth® website
• Spinning Babies website
• 20 Powerful Birth Affirmations to Encourage and Inspire You, Healthline
• Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, by Ina May Gaskin
• Depression During Pregnancy & Postpartum, Postpartum Support International
• Intrauterine growth restriction, MedlinePlus
• Peanut Balls for Labor – A Valuable Tool for Promoting Progress? Lamaze: Connecting the Dots
• Wildflower Birth Support, Danielle’s doula Bridget Strub (my back-up doula partner, yay)
• Fuel for Fire protein squeeze pouches
• Huma PLUS Hydrating Chia Energy Gel

Related Birthful episodes:

• Healing Your Birth Story
• Childbirth PTSD
• All About Bed Rest
• Preeclampsia Essentials
• The Induction Process
• All About Inductions
• Birth Principles: Enhance Your Birth Plan!
• [Postpartum] Let’s Talk About Depression
  

Image description: Danielle Ford, a white woman with long wavy brown hair, is wearing a gray t-shirt and white silk midi skirt, and sits in a chair with her legs crossed, smiling at the camera

About Danielle Ford

Danielle, her husband, and their three children live in New York State. In addition to being a mother and wife, she works in healthcare and is active around social causes, including perinatal loss and bereavement.