Bernice Good went into preterm labor when her water broke at 31 weeks. Though the circumstances were less than ideal, she had what she describes as a lovely vaginal hospital birth with no interventions. The struggles continued during the 19-day NICU stay, and she shares how they successfully navigated breastfeeding with all of the obstacles of prematurity. Go listen.
Listen directly through our website player, or however you usually listen to podcasts.
What we talked about:
- Birth is what you see in movies… or is it?
- Steering away from a hospital birth
- Bleeding from 8 to 16 weeks
- All looks good, but labor may be premature
- A big gush of amniotic fluid at 31 weeks
- How common is a premature rupture of membranes?
- Shock/disbelief/shame/guilt
- Trying to keep baby inside
- Denying the start of labor
- Let’s get you over to L&D
- Committing to the moment, to peacefully having a baby
- Going with what her body was telling her
- Climbing the mountain from peak to peak
- I have to push!
- Baby briefly to her chest, then off to NICU
- Hospital protocol and NICU admission
- 19 days of travel, 19 days of negotiating options
- Skin to skin and donor milk
- Nipple shield/pumping/practicing
- Exercises for a wider gape
- Connecting with other NICU preemie parents
- Feeling supported by her support team
- Cocooning at home to make up for being apart, without pressure
Skin to skin in the NICU
Resources mentioned and other helpful links*:
- Preterm Prelabor Rupture of Membranes (PPROM)
- Nipple shields, by Kelly Bonyata from KellyMom.com
- Breastfeeding Inc (Jack Newman’s website) breastfeeding videos
- La Leche League International (llli.org)
- Understanding kangaroo care and its benefits to preterm infants, Pediatric Health, Medicine and Therapeutics Journal
- The Mama Natural Week-by-Week Guide to Pregnancy and Childbirth, by Genevieve Howland
- Latch: A Handbook for Breastfeeding with Confidence at Every Stage, by Robin Kaplan
- Fearless Birthing: Clear Your Fears for a Positive Birth, by Alexia Leachman
- The Functional Core Program, by Hannah Bower
- Sollybaby.com
Visiting baby shortly after birth
Related Birthful episodes:
- Navigating the NICU, with Sue Hall
- Effects of Stress During Pregnancy, with Parijat Deshpande
- Informed Consent in Childbirth, with Cristen Pascucci
- Breastfeeding your Newborn, with Dr. Jack Newman
- Dealing with Birth Fears, with Alexia Leachman
Freshly born
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Happy and healthy baby
About Bernice Good
Courtesy of Bernice Good
Bernice Good is a Harrisonburg, Virginia transplant with Latino roots. She is a wife, believer, and a stay-at-home mama to her 1-year-old son after being an Administrative Assistant for 5 years. She enjoys studying the Word, being active, and loves all things “birth”. She and her husband, Branson, work together for their family run flooring business and love being parents. They have been married for 5 years and enjoy serving their church, traveling, and most importantly, drinking coffee together.
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).
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