Emily

I remember feeling so empowered and proud and strong after my second baby, who was born at
home. I could do anything. When I started sharing birth stories with my friends, I was amazed to
hear how terrible their labors and births were. One friend who stands out in my mind more than
anyone had both her babies by c-section.
She came to the hospital with her first and wasn't dilated very far, but when she reached 7 cm,
she felt the urge to push and was told she absolutely could not. After a while of not being able to
push, though her entire body was telling her to, her baby went into distress and the doctor
decided to take him by c-section instead of letting her push him out.
With her second baby, she wanted to have him naturally so she waited until she was 7 cm before
she went to the hospital and told the nurse to let her try a natural birth. Without a word to my
friend, the nurse immediately gave her an injection to stop her labor and started prepping her for
surgery.
As soon as her son was born, the doctor held him up over the sheet so she could see him and
then handed him to the nurse.
She gets emotional to this day when she recounts that she didn't even get to hold him or kiss him
before they took him away. She knew she was perfectly capable of delivering her children and
she is outraged to this day that the doctor wouldn't communicate to her what was going on, let
alone let her try to give birth naturally when there was no reason she couldn't have.
To add injury to insult, when she became pregnant the third time, the new doctor she was seeing
said (after a very thorough internal ultrasound) that the last doctor absolutely butchered her uterus
and letting her try to give birth naturally at this point would put her and the baby at risk.
Her feelings on the matter are comparable to someone who has been violated on the very deepest
level. She has had something very precious taken away from her twice. Nothing will ever replace
those experiences and she can never get them back.
I cannot express how glad I am that I did not give in to the fear and worry that those in the
modern medicine industry often create about birthing with a midwife or in any other
unconventional ways. How grateful I am that I chose something better for myself and my children
and that my midwife's blessed hands were there to catch my children.
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This same scenario has happened over and over again to countless women who give
birth in the hospital with a doctor. My advice to anyone reading this and planning a
hospital birth is to ignore their admonitions to stop pushing and do it anyway. You will
not hurt your cervix if you just do it the way your body tells you to do it. I usually find
that telling a woman to push for a second at a time, taking a quick breath in between
pushes, will quickly open the cervix to 10 cm. Then just push your baby out before they
can cut it out by pulling both your thighs up and out while you are semi-sitting. If they
have you lying down, get your husband or coach to lift your shoulders up or put pillows
underneath you, or just raise the bed up when the nurse isn't looking.
Just remember this- the cervix is a piece of meat, not a fragile thing made out of
ceramics. If it hurts to push, back off a little. However, you might just find that it feels
really good to push!
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Erinn

I am the mother of 7 children. My first birth was an emergency cesarean. I was diagnosed with
pre-eclampsia and had to deliver 2 months premature. My second child was born in the hospital
naturally. It was a horrible experience and I felt so humiliated by both the doctors and the nurses.
I left the hospital feeling berated and embarrassed by how I was treated and how my husband
was treated. I was uncomfortable and afraid to do anything, including moving to make myself
more comfortable. Needless to say, my first two births were dramatic, one being an emergency
c-section and the other totally devoid of compassion for something that should be a beautiful and
joyful moment in two parents' lives.
I decided never to go through that kind of experience again. I felt nothing could be as bad as what
I went through in the hospital, and since I am not a fan of I.V's, among other things done at the
hospital, a home birth seemed exactly what I was searching for.
Some friends of mine recommended Lydi. So, with my third pregnancy, after talking with her and
asking various questions, I felt with every fiber of my being and soul that this is how I am to
deliver my babies. Five out of my 7 children were home births.
I cannot use enough positive and beautiful words to describe the most beautiful and amazing
experiences I had giving birth to my babies at home with Lydi. I was relaxed, calm, and felt
completely involved with what was going on during all phases of the births.
My husband was included in every stage of the process. The home birth experience was
absolutely incredible and amazing. I had so much regret for having my second baby in the
hospital. The pure joy I felt after having my other children at home is irreplaceable. The ease of
giving birth and the lack of pain and restriction involved cannot be duplicated anywhere else.
Lydi kept me informed with everything that was going on with my body and what she was doing.
She did not talk above me or tell me to be quiet and just do what she says.
The complete relaxation I felt throughout the whole process was amazing and is exactly why my
home births were very easy with a fast recovery.
One of the best parts for me during labor was the fact that I was able to push just a little with
each contraction. The ease and freedom I was able to experience by doing this was so liberating.
Once my water broke, it was not more than three contractions when the baby was born and
cradled in my arms.
AMAZING!! It was one of the most surreal and joyous moments of my life!
Lydi was a blessing in my life, my husband's life, and most importantly, in my children's lives. The
connection I have with my children is a direct result of how they were birthed.
The ability to relax and be comfortable and to be respected as a woman makes the PowerBirth
Principle amazing and for that I will always be grateful for Lydi, her knowledge, and the
compassion she shows towards the mother and the baby!
____________________________________________________________

Nan

Thank you for making my 4th embarkation into motherhood a blessing that I could smile through!
I was so overwrought with fear for the birth of my 4th child, after the mind bending pain of the
previous 3. I wanted that baby desperately, enough to face the dragon of delivery. You promised
me at our first meeting, and probably during the phone conversation before I saw your beautiful
face, that I would be able to have child #4 without the agonizing experiences of the past.
I didn't believe you. I just wanted to keep my sanity and be healthy enough to care for a healthy
newborn. You continued to assure me, month after month, as you sincerely visited me and
monitored my health and that of my unborn child.
Did you know that I had initially wanted to be hospitalized for the birth? I joked about wanting to
be knocked out 2 days before and awakened 2 days after. I wasn't really joking. What I wanted
was to erase the pain of the past births at home and never experience it a 4th time. I wanted to
believe that babies were indeed delivered by storks. I wanted nothing to do with the event! I had
even enrolled with a doctor and gone through all the routine tests and examinations. I was
planning to go with the flow of the status quo: hospital, epidural.
But, something nagged at my mind, reminding me of my convictions about non-medicated births
and the potential beauty of giving birth, if just allowed. I had tried it 3 times and just couldn't get it
right!
Well, in all my pondering, worrying, and praying, I finally heeded the answer from above that all
would be well if I chose to have another home birth. In reading the newspaper, my husband found
an article about you. I read it, recognizing the name of one of your clients. I called her and got the
lowdown on you. She had nothing but good to say. I thought you were worth my investigation. I
called you and that's how it all began.
The night of it all, when the true test came, it was like a dream, not a nightmare. I called you,
knowing it was time for me to meet the challenge, and you came right away. At the moment of
your arrival you went right to work, making my work easier. It was not even an hour when I
heard my baby's first cry. It was a miracle in my life, commonplace in yours!
Past times had exacted hours from my life, draining me before I ever met my babies, the rewards
for my sacrifice. During those minutes of labor, you told me how to respond to the natural
inclinations of my body and my body responded, in turn, like a dance. The pain was that of
planting a big, heavy tree, or, perhaps, more like moving a mountain with faith in God and
assistance from Him.
I had a smile on my face when my baby first looked at me. I was interested in her, wanting to
meet this important little person. I was still in control of my mind and body when she entered the
world. It was a POWERful feeling to know I had done it and done it well.
I thank you for all these gifts. The best thing that happened to me that year was the beautiful birth
that you played such an integral role in assisting. That wonderful night when my 4th baby (and
later the 5th) was born was one of pure joy.
Thank you, Lydi. I love you!