May 22, 2018 by gentlemidwife

The Birth Story of Baby Darius

It’s hard to know where to start with Darius’ birth story, as there were several starts-and-stops along the way during the last week or so of my pregnancy. Joel will shake his head and say something along the lines of “shouldn’t a midwife know when she is in labor?”, but once again I had trouble figuring it out.

To give some background (especially if you’ve read my previous birth stories), we had used our dear friend Rose as our midwife with our girls, and she ended up being the first one on the scene after Matthias was born (she was home on a school break THAT weekend, and our midwife was on her way from Lancaster, but Matthias came in a hurry-read his birth story here). We love her, but due to a variety of reasons (especially the fact that Joel has no desire to ever catch one of his own babies again) we decided that this time we needed to use a midwife who lives closer to us. In the past two years I have been blessed to meet and work with Rose Marie Spicher, a midwife who lives half an hour away, and who worked for years in TX (where I did my midwifery training). She provided the “mothering” care I needed throughout my pregnancy, and it gave Joel a sense of relief to know she wasn’t too far away. With me being on maternity leave the month of May, and the fact that everyone else was expecting in May as well (I have NEVER received so many inquiries for one particular month!), I was just hoping that she wouldn’t be tied up whenever our baby decided to come!

So fast-forward through all the months of sickness, fatigue, finding out that we were expecting a baby brother (the children are still certain this was a direct result of their prayers, as I was convinced it had to be a girl given how sick I was!), and everything else until the beginning of May. By early May I was reaching that totally-done-being-pregnant stage where I wasn’t sleeping at night, having lots of cramps & contractions, felt extremely emotional all the time, and we were wondering just when this little fellow would decide to make his appearance. Between 34-36 weeks I was experiencing enough cramps and contractions to know I needed to take it easy, and once we hit 36 weeks I had a couple of times where I thought perhaps we were getting started-I distinctly remember one night when I couldn’t sleep because of contractions, so Joel & I slipped outside to take a walk in the moonlight. It would have been so romantic if I hadn’t been so uncomfortable! But everything always fizzled away, and left me feeling tired and discouraged.

At this point we were preparing for a visit from my parents, who live in Kansas. My sister had her first baby the month before, and my mom wanted to come out to help her over the time my brother-in-law was graduating and they were preparing to move. So she flew into northern PA, spent a few days with my sister, and was then joined by my dad. The plan was that they would drive down to see us before they headed back to Kansas, and of course we hoped that baby would arrive before they left, though we knew it was entirely possible that he would wait until they were home again. However, with all the early labor signs I had been experiencing, I’ll admit that I was getting my hopes up! Mom & Dad planned to arrive on Mother’s Day, and the night before I was trying to encourage things along, and ended up with a night of contractions with no baby to show for it. Everything was regular enough that I actually called my midwife to give her a heads up, but then it all petered out.

Mother’s Day 2017

I really had to work through the disappointment of knowing that perhaps my folks wouldn’t get to meet their grandson on this trip. We didn’t know when we would be seeing them next, and I hadn’t realized just how much I had my heart set on them getting to be here to see MY baby while he was new and tiny. It took some talking, praying, crying and processing with Joel to get to the point of being okay with the fact that perhaps this time with mom & dad was to be spent enjoying their company and not stressing over whether baby was here or not. So for the next few days, my parents helped to take my mind off of waiting for baby, and we enjoyed some lovely family time at the park, taking walks, picnics, a backyard barbeque, and some time for Joel & I to be together while our children were cared for.

The last night of their visit, they took our two oldest children back to stay the night with them in their cabin. In the interest of full disclosure, I had taken some castor oil in the afternoon, knowing full well that there was a good possibility nothing would come of it, and yet hoping that perhaps it would give my body the nudge it seemed to be waiting for. I was NOT going to get my hopes up, though, and I tried to just go to bed to get some sleep. I think it was around midnight or 1am when I woke up with a contraction, and yet I tried to sleep, as it sure wasn’t the first time that random contractions had woken me up at night! After an hour or so of not really sleeping, I figured I might as well get up to see if moving around made them go away or get stronger.

Joel sweetly got up with me, and fixed me sourdough toast with strawberry jam-his mom had given me jam and sourdough bread the week before, and it was becoming a regular midnight tradition to eat a piece when I couldn’t sleep! After another hour or so, Joel commented that these contractions seemed to be pretty regular and close together. I did NOT want to give another false alarm to anyone, and didn’t feel sure that this was anything more than what had happened on previous nights. Looking back, they were coming close together (every 2-4 minutes!), but they weren’t very intense, and they didn’t last long, so I wasn’t convinced they were doing anything. With my previous babies, my water had always broken either before labor began or at the start of active labor, so I kept waiting for that to be the clue that this was the “real thing”.

At 4:00am, Joel really felt like we should call Rose Marie, as he said he thought this seemed more serious, and he did NOT want to wait until it was too late! So I called Rose Marie, and I told her I still wasn’t sure this was “it”, yet Joel would feel better if she came, but she didn’t need to rush. The contractions were starting to get a bit more of an “edge” to them that took my breath away, but I still felt like I could make myself talk through them, though I preferred not to. Another sign I should have paid attention to!

Within 15 min of calling Rose Marie, all of a sudden things kicked in with a vengeance. Up till now I had still been puttering around, but hadn’t gotten birth stuff out yet, as I had gotten it all out and then had to put it all away a few nights before. I wanted to make sure I was in REAL labor before getting everything set up again, and figured I could do it in between contractions as a distraction. Well, that’s not how things happened. Labor went from being “not sure this is it” to “we’re in seriously active labor” in a few minutes! Joel called Rose Marie back and told her to step on it, and then he promptly called Lynelle (my birth assistant who was planning to assist Rose Marie with our birth-she lives less than five minutes away) and told her to come. I think it was around 4:30am when Joel called Lynelle, and boy did she know how to get over to our place in a hurry! Joel said he has never in his life been so happy to see Lynelle walk into a room, and it was just in time.

By this point my contractions were one on top of another, and I felt like I didn’t have any time to collect myself, catch my breath or get a break in between. Joel kept encouraging me to breathe through them (he didn’t want me pushing!), and I was leaning over the birth ball squeezing his hands for all I was worth, just praying that God would make it stop so I could catch my breath. Lynelle quickly realized things were serious, and started pulling all the birth supplies together. All of a sudden I told them there was no way I could keep from pushing any longer. It had been taking everything I had to blow through contractions, and I was done. I distinctly remember saying “you all are just going to have to catch this baby ‘cause I can’t keep him in any longer!” Lynelle calmly replied that everything was okay, and with the next contraction my water broke. Now I can laugh about it-that was the clue I had been waiting for all along to tell me if I was actually in labor! With the next contraction Lynelle could see his head, and she did an awesome job of coaching me through as I tried to breathe him out. Right at the point his head was delivering, Rose Marie walked in the room! Lynelle started to move out of the way, but Rose Marie just smiled and said it looked like she was doing a great job, so she might as well continue. Rose Marie guided Lynelle through the rest of her “first catch”, and the official birth time was 4:56am.

Those first moments after birth…

I can still remember the absolute relief that comes from being finished, and laying down with my baby on my chest. He cried just enough for us to know he was great, and then he snuggled on my chest, and we all exclaimed over his head full of strawberry blonde hair-that was a surprise! We had a really special next hour or so as we reflected over the crazy labor, the special-ness of the unplanned “first catch” for Lynelle, Rose Marie’s perfect timing, and Joel’s relief that he didn’t have to do this birth alone. We had invited another family friend to be present at the birth, and sadly she didn’t make it time, but her sweet & joyous spirit added to the atmosphere in the room as Joel fixed breakfast and baby Darius had his first meal. Thanks for coming, Mary!

And then it was SO amazing to call my parents and tell them that their grandson had arrived! Having them able to bring our oldest two over first thing that morning was so special. They were able to watch the newborn exam, meet our midwives, and see the children as they delighted in meeting their new sibling. It was the “icing on the cake” to have them around, and able to snuggle their newest grandbaby that morning, before they had to leave that afternoon to catch their flight home.

Yoanna & Matthias and Grandma & Grandpa meeting baby Darius. Yoanna was delighted to help Lynelle give him his first bath!

We had struggled with finding the right name for our little guy, and settled on Darius Rafael just a few weeks before his birth. Darius means “Upholder of Good” and Rafael means “God is Healer”. It is our prayer that our little son will grow into a man who does good, and is used to provide God’s healing to others. He checked out at 8# 10 oz, and measured 20 in long. Matthias was absolutely delighted to have a baby brother, and they continue to have a special relationship as brothers.

Here’s a few more snapshots of Darius’ “birth” day…enjoy this glimpse into our little family’s life, and feel free to check out the birth stories of our girls, Talitha & Yoanna.

Big sister Talitha was pretty excited to wake up and find that baby brother had “come out!”

Rose Marie checking baby out

Our amazing birth team-thanks so much for everything!!

April 25, 2018 by gentlemidwife

Birth Photographers: Local Options!

If you’ve been following the Gentle Delivery Facebook page (go like and follow here), you’ll remember seeing some photos this month of adorable newborns. April has brought some really cute babies! And there is something so precious and amazing about how these babies look in the first minutes and hours that can’t be captured at any other time. I am personally SO grateful for the dear ladies who took photos during those initial moments with my babies (one of my highlights of my baby born last year!), and it’s been something that I wish more women could have access to.

However, when I moved to State College, I was quite surprised to find out that birth photography itself isn’t a “thing” in this area. There are some great photographers willing to do newborn and “Fresh 48” sessions, but there’s not options for the mom who wants professional photos taken immediately before, during and after delivery. Now, to be fair, birth photography is a challenge-you’re asking someone to be on call, drop what they’re doing whenever you call, and to commit without knowing when, how long, and all of those details that make planning challenging.

But today I’m delighted to introduce you to some local options for birth photography that have very recently surfaced in this area! So, if you’re interested in hiring a photographer for your birth (one that can take lovely photos instead of the inexperienced shots that your midwife and her assistant get!), hopefully this list can help you by giving you some leads. If you’re wondering what all is possibly entailed in having a birth photographer at your birth, or what types of photos, etc., I would highly recommend you check out the sites of a few birth photographers that work in other areas of the country. A few of my favorites are T. Marie Photography , Monet Nicole, and Lyndsey Stone.

Catherine Malizia: Catherine recently contacted me, telling me of her interest in the area of birth photography. She stopped in my office for a visit, and I had a delightful time chatting with her and hearing about her vision to capture the amazing and special moments of birth for families. She is acquainted with birth in various settings, especially after spending some time serving with Midwives for Haiti. I think Catherine would do a beautiful job of respecting a family’s space and wishes in a birth setting-she definitely had the type of rapport that I think many moms would connect with. If you’re interested in hiring her, I’d recommend getting in touch and asking questions…she may be running some specials as she gets her “birth side” of her photography business off the ground! Besides her website (linked in her name), you can also contact via email: catherine@CatherineMaliziaPhotography.com

Denae Vigilante: Denae also works as a doula with the Doulas of Central PA agency. I had the privilege of attending a birth with Denae, and was impressed by her kind, gentle mannerisms. Birth photography is something Denae is doing more of these days, and you can check out some of her albums on her website!

Photo Credit: Denae @ Vilgilante Photography

Sara Blose: Sara has recently joined the State College community, and is exited to offer the option of birth photography to her photography options beginning with due dates in November. I’m looking forward to meeting Sara in person, but am glad that there is yet another option for families in this area.

Are you planning to hire a birth photographer for your birth? Or are you local to the Central PA area, and you used a birth photographer? I’d love to hear about your experiences, how you chose your photographer, and what you’re looking forward to the most, or what you appreciated the most about utilizing a photographer. I’m sure other families would love to hear of your experiences, too, so thanks for sharing!!

January 10, 2017 by gentlemidwife

2016 Highlights for Gentle Delivery

What a year 2016 turned out to be! I’m very thankful for the many clients I was privileged to work with, and for the many special memories that were made. When it comes to births, 2016 was extremely unpredictable, and I’ll be thankful if 2017 isn’t quite as adventurous. We had one very early baby, one very late baby, a set of twins, a baby that came so fast we didn’t make it in time (!), and about everything in between. 🙂

A few highlights and items of interest from the past year:

– Great birth team and back-up midwife:

Rose Marie, Lynelle & Myself with twins!

I was grateful to have the ongoing help of my current student, Lynelle Martin, as well as the help, support and back-up services of Midwife Rose Marie Spicher. These ladies are great to work with! Since relocating to PA several years ago, I have really missed the network of midwives that I used to assist and work with, and Rose Marie has been such a blessing to fill this niche. I’m grateful to know that clients are in caring, capable hands during the times I need to be off-call or out of town.

– Opportunities to further my education: Attending one day of Midwifery Today’s International Conference in Harrisburg, PA was a great way to meet up with other

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Bridge Certificate

midwives, listen to lectures on issues and complications during labor, and make new friends in the midwifery world. I also had the opportunity to attend the Midwives Alliance of PA Educational Retreat, where we spent two days learning about a variety of subjects such as congenital heart defect screening, perinatal mood disorders, atypical findings in newborn exams, and more. Updating my Neonatal Resuscitation Certification and CPR at the local Mt. Nittany hospital is always a great way to get better acquainted with the closest hospital in my area, and I enjoy the learning opportunities these occasions afford. Finally, towards the end of the year, I submitted the needed proof of 50 hours of continuing education credits in certain areas (pertaining specifically to emergency and complications during labor and immediate postpartum) and applied for and received my “Midwifery Bridge Certificate”. This ensures that my education and training as a Certified Professional Midwife are also up to the standards set forth by the International Confederation of Midwives to ensure competent and qualified care for women.

– Addition of CCHD screening at postpartum home visits:

Trying out the Pulse Oximeter

One new requirement for midwives providing out-of-hospital births in PA is that of submitting Critical Congenital Heart Disease screening result along with newborn blood screening test. This year Gentle Delivery added a Pulse Oximeter to our kit, and we’ve been successfully performing this test on all of our babies since this fall. We’re happy to be able to try to offer our moms and babies a full range of services-did you know that free hearing screenings are also now available for our clients?

– First Public Event: “Birth Expo 2016” & “Why Not Home?” Film Screening

Celebrating Birth Expo 2016

We are attempting to help educate the public on the full variety of choices they have locally when it comes to birth-this includes support (such as doulas), care providers (CNM’s, CPM’s and OBGYN’s), choice of birth location, and resources that help them to succeed in parenting (such as breastfeeding and babywearing). With these thoughts in mind, Gentle Delivery hosted the first “Birth Expo” for Centre County in July 2016. We were very excited about the support of over 30 businesses and birth professionals that came together for the day, and we’ve received alot of positive feedback from parents who found out about resources they didn’t know were available in this area. Viewing the new film “Why Not Home?” also provided a way for more families to hear about the option of home and midwife-attended birth. The big question now is whether to host something similar in 2017…if we did, would you be interested in helping to make it happen? Please contact me with your interest!

– New Resources in the Library

The library in the prenatal office continues to grow, with more books and resources added in 2016. Some of my personal favorites include “Redeeming Childbirth” by Angie Tolpin and “Your Best Birth” by Rikki Lake. Check out the list of Recommended Reading to see all of the titles available for clients to check out.

– Gift bag for Newly Expectant Moms

Helping moms to connect with local support services and resources is something we are passionate about! Due to being located in a university town, many of the families we interact with don’t have any family or previous connections in the area. One way we have attempted to help with this is by giving each family who comes in for an initial interview a free bag full of samples from natural-minded companies, coupons, and lots of cards, brochures and information from many area birth professionals and mommy/baby-centered support groups and businesses. If you or your business would like to be included in this welcome bag, send us an email or message and let us know!

– Our own special gift to new babies…

And while not necessarily “important” news, we’ve had fun giving our babies in 2016 special onesies to commemorate their big event! I have fun taking the time to make each of these little shirts for our babies, and clients in 2017 can also look forward to this little “thank you” gift that we pass on to our families.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you all in 2016, and blessings to each of you as you head into the new year! Remember, too, to follow this blog for future updates, “like” us on Facebook to receive current info and informative articles (Gentle Delivery), and watch for our photos of new arrivals on Instagram @gentlemidwife . We’d love to keep in touch!

April 13, 2016 by gentlemidwife

News & Updates from Gentle Delivery!

There have been lots of things happening around here this spring, and I thought it would be good to give you all some updates on exciting new developments at Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services. Here’s a brief summary of assorted news items…take a minute to check out what is going on!

Addition of Pulse Oximetry Screenings for Critical Congenital Heart Defects (CCHD):

My new Pulse Oximeter just arrived in the mail last week, and I’m excited to be offering at-home CCHD screenings in keeping with PA legislation. These screenings have been mandatory in hospitals since Act 94 was passed in 2014, and this year midwives are being asked to join in reporting these screening results. This is a simple, non-invasive test that I will perform at the home postpartum visit within 24-48 hrs of your baby’s birth. To find out more about the testing, click here.

Matthias helping me try out the new pulse oximeter!

New Apprentice for 2016!

As some of you know, I’ve been working on confirming a regular assistant/student, and I’m glad to be able to introduce you to Lynelle Martin. You can find out more about her by clicking on the “Current Assistants/Students” page, and those of you with babies due this year will be meeting her as she helps out with prenatals once a month and attends home visits. She recently finished her Neonatal Resuscitation Certification, giving clients the added benefit of two CPR and NRP certified attendants at births.

Midwifery Today Conference:

I’m looking forward to writing up a more detailed report about some of the things I learned as I attended a day of the Midwifery Today Conference in Harrisburg, Pa. I enjoyed lively conversation with Lynelle and Rose Marie (another midwife I want to introduce you all to at a later time!) on the drive down, and was encouraged as I visited with many other midwives from all over the country-including Kathy, the midwife who delivered several of my siblings and was instrumental in getting me started in this field. Midwifery conferences tend to attract an extremely diverse group of midwives (ranging from Amish to Hippie and everything in-between!), and there are so many things to learn from each one. The added benefit is more CEU’s that I am required to get each year in order to keep my certification.

Lynelle, Myself and Rose Marie after a long day at the conference!

YourWaterBirth.com Account Set Up:

I now have an account with Your Water Birth, a business offering affordable waterbirth and homebirth supplies, and if you are a client you can contact me for a code that will give you a 10% discount on your order! While there is a very affordable option in State College for those wishing to rent a birth pool, this company offers a great deal for those wishing to purchase their own pool and supplies. Check them out!

Travel Dates for Winter 2017

Just giving you all a heads up that my family will be taking a 3 week trip to the Midwest from Jan-Feb 2017 in order for my husband to teach at a Bible School for young people. We’re excited about the opportunity, and I will be glad to give you referral information if you are looking for a midwife over that time. For those who like to plan ahead, here’s your chance! <smile>

Advertising Cards Available:

I recently printed up some post-card sized advertising cards that contain contact information, a testimonial and information about the CPM certification. These will be on display at the area kids’ consignment sale at the end of April, but if you would like some yourself to pass out to friends, family and/or local home-birth-supportive businesses, I’d be happy to provide you with a stack!

New Babies:

And lastly, no update is complete without a few pictures of sweet spring babies! Blessings as you enjoy the lovely spring weather that is here at last!

Nothing like a peaceful newborn!

so sweet and tiny

Ready to call it a night and tuck everyone into bed!

February 6, 2016 by gentlemidwife

The Peaceful Birth of Talitha ~ Part 2

Here is the promised second part to Talitha’s birth story. If you want the background leading up to where this story begins, click here.

By this point in the afternoon, the noise from downstairs was almost constant, as Chris was doing his best to finish the basement project up by evening. Lucy had called telling us that their ETA was around 8pm, and just ecstatic to hear there was a good possibility that she might get to be around to see her nieces’ birth (we had told her before that we would love for her to be there, but also told her not to get her hopes up, as there were still two weeks until the due date. I think she prayed pretty hard!). I think it was around 5 or 6 that I went ahead and took a dose of castor oil, hoping that it might help things move along in order to have a baby by morning. We were just getting ready to sit down for supper around 6:30, when Rose arrived at the door-she thought she’d just come hang out, and check in on us! During supper, she noted that I was having to breathe through contractions pretty consistently, to which I replied that “I can still talk through these so I’m trying not to notice them”. She just smiled. Chris ended up clearing out of the basement around 8pm (Joel finally told him he’d better just clear out-he hardly had time to finish the project after waiting so long to start in the morning!), giving us about 20 min. to sweep, dust, and start getting the bed ready, when Daniel & Lucy arrived at 8:15. Lucy assured me that she could make the bed. By now I was starting to notice the contractions, so I took Rose to see where baby things were, and we talked more about where we were planning to do the birth, etc. We opted to “camp out” on the main floor, as Daniel was going to be banished to the basement, and we were hoping the toddlers would sleep through the birth in their own beds upstairs. One huge blessing of home birth is the ability to be flexible with the birth location! (oh, and we became more flexible as the evening wore on…)

At 9pm, I felt that release of pressure and felt the trickle that made me think my water had broken…and sure enough, the next contraction confirmed that! Now THIS felt like the “real deal”, and I knew I didn’t have much time before needing a place relax free from distraction. I told Joel that it might be a good idea for the children to go to bed (they were still super excited about the arrival of their aunt and uncle), and he caught the drift, and hustled them off to bed. Daniel disappeared, and it didn’t take real long for our living room/fireplace room to be transformed into a birthing room! Joel had borrowed a large air mattress which he set up in front of the wood stove, and Rose & Lucy got all the supplies out and in good order. I found it most comfortable to sit on the ball, as it helped to be able to move and relax at the same time.

I had always dreamed about having lovely music playing while I labored, and during my pregnancy had been very blessed by the “Sleep Sound in Jesus” CD by Micheal Card. Joel so sweetly made sure to put it on, and I can still remember how special it was to meditate on some of those lovely songs between and during contractions. The mood of the room was so peaceful, with the lamps turned low, Rose & Lucy quietly chatting in the corner, Joel holding my hand (and not minding my squeezing him…during labor I DO NOT want to be touched, but I sure need his hand to squeeze!), and these sweet songs filling the air. The one in particular that stood out to both of us was “Even the Darkness is Light To Him”…the lyrics that kept repeating in my mind were “so you are safe as the light grows dim, even the darkness is light to Him…The Father above does not slumber or sleep, He wakefully watches our ways, then there’s no reason for you to weep…would not Jesus safely keep…?” Even though it was intense, it was also amazing to me to feel so at peace and at rest, after so many events, activities, responsibilities, etc. that had taken place those last weeks and months.

Time seems to stand still during labor, or at least you lose all ability to gauge time. I think I spent about 45 min. or so laboring on the ball, and feeling grateful that this time I had a chance between contractions to completely relax and prepare for the next one (so unlike my previous birth!), even though they were coming about every 2-3 minutes. Joel would encourage me, Lucy would ask questions about labor and birth, we’d all chat for a little bit, and then another one would hit. Although I have such peaceful memories, I’m also struck with the fact that I vividly remember thinking “this is the hardest work I have ever done in my LIFE…how on earth can women forget how hard it is to have a baby?!” So there is one perspective on the roller coaster of emotions in labor! Another thing, that when I’m not in labor I can laugh about, but the one piece of instruction that stands out the most to me from all my years of working with other midwives and childbirth educators, the thing I remember is “if your lips are loose then your cervix is too”. I can’t remember who said it, but it sure is practical! For some reason, that is a point I can focus on, trying to keep my face muscles loose, and thinking about how it means everything else is loose and open, too.

Sometime between 10:15-10:30, I all of a sudden wanted to go to the bathroom. Once again, you’d think I’d know, but when Rose asked if I thought it was time to push, I told her that surely things weren’t that far yet, and that I was positive this was just a result of the castor oil. She looked skeptical, but being the sweet midwife that she is, she just said to go ahead. As I moved to the bathroom, Joel left to get something in the kitchen. Once I sat down, I felt one massive contraction coming on, and immediately needed his hand. After several extremely intense back-to-back contractions, there was that massive feeling of pressure, and instant change in tone. At this point, Joel strongly encouraged me to move off the toilet…and I’ll admit that inside I was thinking that that was a totally crazy suggestion…lots of babies are born on the toilet…and how on earth can I move now?!? However, Rose had quietly brought in the birth stool, and when I saw it next to me it looked possible to move, which we did as soon as the next contraction was over. I can honestly say that I don’t find pushing enjoyable…it’s like the last sprint in a long race, and I wonder if I’m going to be able to do it…but within 2-3 contractions, our little Talitha entered this world at 10:46pm. Only 1 hr. and 46 min. after my water broke and active labor started-and the castor oil wasn’t even necessary! She seemed a bit stunned, and took a bit to pink up and really cry…I kept rubbing her over and pinching her toes and telling her to breathe…Rose commented that I sure couldn’t quit being a midwife, could I? Once she gave a good long cry I held her close, and was amazed-she was no little baby, and she had a lovely head of dark hair!

Less than an hour old here, I think!

The remainder of postpartum went well…I moved from the bathroom (seems like births have a habit of happening in the tight, small quarters of the house!) and snuggled into the temporary bed set up in front of the cozy woodstove (that night was one of the coldest we had that winter!), then Rose did the newborn exam. Even with all my determination to grow a smaller baby (her brother had been 9#), and all my attempts to eat a strict diet and exercise regularly, this baby girl weighed 8#15oz, and that at a good 2 weeks early! And no, my dates weren’t off! Big

Yoanna meeting her sister

sister Yoanna got to come down and kiss the baby, and her eyes full of awe were so sweet as she gazed on her little sister. After some food, and an absolutely lovely shower, I was packed off to my own bed upstairs. The ladies had the house looking normal again, Rose headed home (by now the snow had stopped, and the snow plows had gone through), and we enjoyed the pampering of Aunt Lucy for the next 4 days. Having her around to entertain the toddlers, cook meals, clean the house, and take care of all the little details was a tremendous blessing, and another gift from God.

Talitha Shalom means “Little Girl of Peace”, and it’s our prayer that she will embody this name as she grows, and that her life can be filled with God’s peace…just like the night of her birth was!

The children meeting baby the next morning

Three little ones to nurture!

Capturing her expressions

Dear Aunt Lucy and Uncle Daniel!

Less than 24 hours old!

Mama has her hands full!

Talitha with baby E-the one I caught just two days before my birth…this was their first time at church!

February 5, 2016 by gentlemidwife

The Peaceful Birth of Talitha ~ Part 1

Note to my readers: I kept thinking I’d get this story written long before now, but I finally finished it just before my baby turns one. How time flies! My apologies on the length…there were so many details that had to be shared to give the background, but if you aren’t interested in those, just wait for the actual “birth story” coming soon!

When I sit down to write out the story of Talitha’s birth, the subject that continually comes to mind is that God answered prayer. Seriously. The winter of 2015 was unlike any I have ever experienced to this date, full of stretching in areas physically, spiritually, and emotionally. In order to understand part of the picture of how so many things came together in order to make her birth the peaceful event that it was, bear with me as I give you some background to that cold February night…

My husband, Joel, has served with All-Nations Bible Translation for many years, and earlier in 2014 the decision had been made to build a training base in the State College area, just 2 miles or so from our home. It would take too long to recount the ways God opened doors for a location, permits, funds, etc, but suffice it to say that, as generally happens with construction projects, this one had taken much longer than expected before all the red tape was completed in order to begin building. Which translates into the “crunch” time beginning while I began my last trimester of pregnancy, even though it hadn’t initially been planned that way. While I was not helping with construction J, it was our responsibility to make sure the volunteers had coffee, snacks for break, lunch, and sometimes even a place to stay along with breakfast and supper. Joel had tried to get help in for this, but to make a long story short, nothing worked out-though he was able to get a number of churches and interested individuals to help with some of the food prep, in order to reduce my load. I will admit that these months were HARD. When I’m pregnant, I’m extra emotional, uncomfortable, unsocial, and ready to be DONE. To add hostessing, food prep, and all the effort that goes into that to having two toddlers to care for, all the while dealing with pregnancy issues stretched me beyond what I thought I was physically able to handle. Oh, and I should mention that our small church community (made up of about 7 families) had THREE pregnant mamas, two major moves, a house renovation project AND health issues during the last two months of my pregnancy. But God gave strength, and we pressed on, reminding ourselves that at least the construction project wasn’t something that was going to be repeated!

How the building project looked in January…so much snow that volunteers had to be taken up the lane in a 4 wheel drive vehicle!

Besides the building project, I also was committed to delivering babies! The “last” baby I had on my radar before my own was due the end of January. When I took on this sweet couple, it was with the idea that January would be my “rest month”, as Joel was actively lining up help for the month in order for me to prepare for our baby. I also figured that since there were a solid 5 ½ weeks between this mamas due date and my own, this also should be no problem. Well…sometimes God has other plans in mind! I started getting a bit nervous about how all of this was going to work out when I began having preterm labor signs of my own around 33 weeks. When I realized that I was beginning to dilate, and that baby was settling lower and lower, we seriously reduced my time on my feet, which helped to slow the contractions. I began praying that God would help baby wait at least until this other baby came…and that baby wouldn’t come before we could do it at home. We figured out a workable plan in which I would sit with my feet up after every hour or two of work, which helped to keep things at bay, though I started wondering if we’d be meeting our baby sooner rather than later. But back to babies…the one due in January was not to be my “last” one after all! One of the ladies in our church, who is a good friend, had some things come up which made their family feel like perhaps the midwife they had chosen was not a good fit for them. While I do not normally get involved with a situation such as this (there’s often a deeper reason when a couple and midwife part ways late in pregnancy, and it’s not something to delve into without concern), we had a close relationship with this family, and felt like we needed to help them out. Incidentally, this mama was due the same week as I was, and we had been neck-to-neck throughout our pregnancies, though she was convinced she’d deliver first, as her babies tended to come early. We lined up a back-up, just in case, as there was the real possibility we’d both be in labor at the same time…

Getting things ready for baby sister to arrive!

So all of that brings us to the first week of February. At this point, I’m still having contractions whenever I ‘m on my feet for awhile, and I’m waiting on two babies before my own can come. It’s the kind of situation where you keep saying, “Okay, Lord, let’s see how you’re going to work all this out…” 🙂 In the middle of all this, we started a renovation project in our basement…we had help to do it, and wanted to have the basement ready by the time my mom came to help after our birth, and I didn’t want to be dealing with dirt, dust and noise with a newborn, so we dug in. There were times I cried-like when the heater came on in the basement and spewed concrete dust all through the house…but the guys made great progress throughout that week, and one afternoon a sister from church came over to help me clean. After waiting about 10 days from his due date, the “January baby” came…and I felt like it was a direct answer to prayer to have a clear night for travel (no snow and ice on the road) and a straight-forward, relatively short labor, complete with a healthy baby. I felt a huge sense of relief, too, as that was one more responsibility off my shoulders, allowing me to feel more prepared for my own baby.

By the time the third week of February began, my friend and I were wondering who was going go first. I had reached that point where one is chronically uncomfortable, but so had my friend. That Sunday night she went into labor (just 3 days after moving into her newly renovated house…talk about cutting it close!), and early Monday morning I was called over, helping them to welcome a baby girl within an hour or two of my arrival. Once again, God was gracious, giving them a lovely birth, with no issues that would have been challenging for this very-pregnant midwife to take care of! This week were also trying to finish up the renovation in our basement, as Joel’s sister, Lucy, and her husband were supposed to be arriving that week in order for Daniel to do some trim work at the ABT project. So I napped around construction noise, and felt grateful that meals at the ABT project were being taken care of by another church family who had moved into our community just the week before (remember my mention of two moves over this time?!).

Baby E around 24 hrs old…this was the day before my own baby came!

Another aspect of uncertainty surrounding this birth also had to do with the availability of my own midwife. Our dear friend, Rose, had been involved with our previous two births, and we really wanted her for my midwife again this time. For each birth, God answered specific prayer related to her availability, and this time was no exception! She was working down in Lancaster, and while she had permission from her employer to head our direction when needed, my last labor hadn’t given us a lot of warning-and Joel was not in a hurry to do a solo birth again! I had also been hoping to have my student, Emily, involved, even thinking that at least she’d get some good practice if Rose couldn’t make it in time. But she was already committing to attending her next midwifery class in Maine, which was scheduled to take place the last two weeks of February. So we prayed, and committed the situation to the Lord, knowing that He would work it all out somehow…but not knowing exactly who would be a part of our birth team.

Tuesday night, the 17^th/18^th, I slept fitfully, being awake for several hours with contractions. While intense enough to keep me from sleeping, they wouldn’t get any stronger, and I kept wondering at what point I should be calling Rose to come. When morning finally arrived, I was tired and discouraged. By this time I had experienced many uncomfortable nights with little sleep and lots of contractions, and wasn’t sure how much longer I could survive physically and mentally. After so many hours of consistent, time able contractions through the night, finding myself at only 4cm was so disappointing…surely things should be happening by now! Joel was so understanding, and after giving me time for a good cry on his shoulder, he sent me for a long, relaxing bath, after which he put me back to bed to see if I could sleep. He then proceeded to tell our friend who was working in the basement to wait to come for several hours. I know this seems like an unrelated detail, but it played into the events of the rest of the day! I was able to sleep in the quiet house, and once I woke up refreshed, Joel told Chris to come back-we found out that Daniel & Lucy were coming that evening, instead of waiting for the next day-so we needed the basement for them to sleep in!

I still look back on that Wednesday as a gift. Up to that day, my life had been so full, the schedule so tight, so many urgent, pressing things to take care, running from here to there. No time for reflection, or for that mental preparation that is so helpful when facing something like labor. Even after having had two natural births, I found myself fighting fears of a different type this time. Nightmares of having to be taken to the hospital, because I couldn’t take the pain. Wondering if I could mentally cope with whatever might come in labor. Every time I would voice those fears, my husband would remind me that they weren’t coming for the Lord, and that I needed to trust in Him, and resist those fears. Yet having a day in which to reflect, and be able to gear up mentally for labor was something I needed in order to be prepared. Joel encouraged me to take the day “off”, and he even suggested taking our little family out for lunch. It’s one of those sweet memories I have…our last outing as a little family of 4, enjoying some relaxed time together at the local Chinese buffet. Talking about when the baby might come, and the children soaking up the time with mommy and daddy.

Contractions continued to come and go throughout the day, and Joel (wisely) wondered if it might not be a good idea to touch base with Rose. He really didn’t want her to be very far away if things did start to happen! Rose informed me that she was off work the rest of the week, and was thinking of heading up to her family’s place in order to do some study, and be closer to us in case baby decided to come. I went for a walk in order to get some fresh air and sunshine (though a storm was brewing), and found contractions very strong and intense while walking, though they would slow down again whenever I would sit. Around this time, Joel and I discussed whether or not I should consider taking castor oil. While we didn’t want to interfere with God’s timing of this birth, we also knew that I was physically very run down, and we were concerned about how I would handle more sleepless nights should things continue. After talking with Rose again, and finding out that she was studying at a nearby restaurant, as she felt from the tone of my voice earlier that she should be close by (and a snow storm was predicted for later on in the evening!), we decided to try castor oil if things didn’t move forward on their own. The mind-body connection is amazing, as contractions began to pick up again after just knowing that Rose was 2 miles away!

To be continued….

September 3, 2015 by gentlemidwife

My favorite conveniences for the first days postpartum…

If you’re like me, sometimes you roll your eyes at yet one more advertised item deemed a “necessity” for baby. Seriously, what more does a newborn need than diapers, a few blankets, and mama to snuggle with, sleep close to, and nurse whenever he wants? I’m not saying some of these accessories aren’t helpful-I have my favorites gizmos that I find to be a blessing (the bouncer and Bumbo being at the top of the list!), but I think we can forget that babies don’t need 101 items in order to survive the first days and weeks. That said, after having my third child earlier this year, I was reminded once again that there are some things out there, that while not necessities, can help in easing the transitions and recovery process during the initial postpartum period. I keep thinking I need to write them down, in order to share them with other mamas-to-be, so here’s my attempt at listing some of my very favorite postpartum items to have on hand:

Note: this list is totally of my own making, and the links given are solely for your benefit-these are NOT affiliate links, nor do I receive any compensation for posting these!

For Mom:

Depends/Disposable Underwear:
- No joke! This may be the only time in your life when disposable underwear seem wonderful. They are comfortable, keep you and the sheets clean, and make life easier…
  Snuggling with my littlest and the new big sister
A good quality, comfortable nursing bra:
- It’s been my experience that higher cost = higher comfort when it comes to nursing bras. My absolute favorite is the Bravado! Seamless Body Silk. It’s adjustable, has no wires, is easy to use, and adjusts to your continuing adjusting size during those first weeks!
Nursing Cups:
- These were new to me, recommended by a client. But I’ve found them to be a life saver during the days your milk comes in and your body is trying to adapt! They relieve some of the pressure, giving you some relief, and make it easier for a newborn to latch on. Depending upon my milk supply and the infant, I’ve used them for anywhere between 48 hours to 3 weeks as we get the latch/supply/demand/initial soreness figured out. If you struggle with inverted or flat nipples, these can also help to pull the nipple out, making nursing go much better. Here’s the ones I use: http://www.amazon.com/Pharmics-0813-0099-00-O-cal-ette-Nursing-Cup/dp/B002UKXLJK
Wish Garden New Mother’s Salve:
- Nothing beats this salve in being the ultimate for nipple care and repair. Used after every feeding, it helps relieve soreness, heal trauma, and is a general all-purpose healing salve for about anything else, to boot. We keep it around and use it for wounds, bruises, etc. when it’s not being used for a newly nursing mommy! Find it here: http://www.inhishands.com/new-mothers-healing-salve/
Maxi-Milk herbal tincture:
- Whenever I sense my milk supply is low, a few days of using this supplement always makes a difference. I keep it on hand for those times when baby is experiencing a growth spurt, sleep is in short supply, or when the schedule is unusually hectic. A hungry baby is an unhappy one, which then makes for a stressed mama! Nothing else I have tried works like this stuff does. Order it from: mountainmeadowherbs.com
Nursing pillow or several extra pillows:
- Having a good pillow handy during those first days of breastfeeding can help get baby in a good position, and keep your back from the strain of bending over…sometimes you don’t even realize you are bending over or getting uptight as you help baby nurse…but this can help you relax and save you from some stressed muscles!
A few good books:
- The first 2 weeks after baby comes are a critical time for you as a mom to lay low, rest, and enjoy these first days with your baby. I’m always amazed at how long it takes a newborn to nurse those first weeks, and I find that I enjoy having a few good books around from my “reading wish list” to enjoy makes that time feel like a mini-vacation.
Thank you notes:
- I know, you need to rest those first days, but I find, too, that those first 2 weeks while I have extra help around and meals coming in are the best times to write little notes. Once I start getting back into “real life”, that time evaporates. So I like to be prepared ahead of time, with blank note cards so I can keep from getting behind on writing notes to those who bless us!
  Enjoying my little “vacation”…you can see my little tote on the end table
Postpartum Tote:
- Before my baby came, I prepared a little portable tote basket with the essentials I would need, in order to eliminate trips up and down the stairs. It contained nursing pads, salve, diapers, wipes, and a few other items that I might need, and I kept it on the end table by the couch. It saved me many steps, as the rest of the baby items were upstairs!

For Baby:

Coconut Oil:
- This stuff is amazing for baby skin care! With the antibactieral properties, it helps to keep cradle cap and baby acne at bay, as well as nourishing baby’s tender skin, and adding moisture during dry months. This time I purchased the liquefied oil, in order to make it easier to use, and sometimes I’d add a drop or two of some sweet-smelling essential oil to lather baby with after her bath.
  All cozy in her muslin blanket while big brother holds her hand!
Bulb Syringe:
- The 2oz. size works the best, in my opinion. Many times your midwife will include one in your birth kit, but they can also be purchased from medical or birth supply companies. These are great for the occasional gagging babies due on mucus, or for cleaning out stuffy little noses so baby can sleep better.
Muslin Swaddle Blankets:
- I love these! While the name brands do seem to be the softest, the “off brands” work as well! The cotton is breathable, allowing baby to be comfortable while still feeling secure when wrapped tightly. And they make great nursing covers, or sun shades for baby…and they are big enough they can still be used when baby is past the newborn stage!
Baby Book:
- If I don’t have a baby book ready to write in, then I miss so many little events of those first few days. Plus, the extra time mama has to sit and hold baby also translate into a few extra minutes to jot things down as they happen, rather than trying to remember after the fact!
  Lots of love and kisses!

So, what are your favorite items? Anything you would add, or give to a new mama? I’d love to hear your suggestions and thoughts!

February 27, 2015 by gentlemidwife

Announcing our new arrival…

Baby Talitha joined our family on Feb. 18th, born at home, and weighing in at almost 9#! We are thoroughly enjoying her, and this explains why I may not have responded to your emails or other communication if you’ve tried to get in touch with me recently. More details regarding her birth will be shared eventually, once I have a chance to process everything, recover, and become a bit more accustomed to life with three little ones. 🙂

For now, here’s some pictures of our sweetheart:

Sisters meeting for the first time…midwife getting ready to perform the newborn exam

Happy siblings!

2 days old…

Sleeping peacefully all wrapped up

We love her!

September 30, 2014 by gentlemidwife

Random Life Happenings…

Well, my hopes to keep up with blogging a post at least once a month fell to the wayside this summer! My big plans and ideas came to a rather screeching halt when we found out that we have another little one on the way…soon after that discovery I was sick enough with morning sickness that I found it hard to keep anything up besides the bare minimum! I’m very grateful to be past the 1st trimester by now, and we’re anticipating our new arrival to make his/her appearance come early March. This news does, of course, have ramifications for midwifery-at this point I am taking clients until the beginning of February, and will then take time off until May. For updates on my client schedule for the next months, feel free to check out the “current availability” tab.

We had a fun family trip out to KS for my sister’s wedding at the beginning of July. All of my immediate family (along with much of my extended family) lives in the central KS area, so it was good to reconnect with family and friends again. Making memories by taking horseback rides, going fishing, eating donuts with Grandpa, visiting the zoo, and in general being spoiled by all the grandparents, uncles and aunties made for a lovely time as far as the children were concerned! 🙂

Family Photo at Aunt Charis’ wedding

Two baby girls made their appearance in June, with both of them ending in lovely births. It’s always a special privilege to be involved when a baby makes it’s arrival…those first moments of a family being together for the first time, savoring the new baby looks, smells and cuddles are all so amazing and unique to each individual, and it makes me so grateful to be able to be a part of it!

Little baby K, and my sweet assistant Beth, who also helped me with the delivery of baby K’s big sister!

My little guy delighted to hold baby C. when she came for a visit!

Another new development that has occurred recently is taking on a new student here at Gentle Delivery Childbirth Services. At some point in the near future, I’d love to tell you more about Emily, but I’ll just give you a little teaser for now. 🙂 Those of you who are current clients will likely be meeting her in some of your upcoming visits, and from the interaction we’ve had so far, I think you’ll thoroughly enjoy her and her passion for serving mamas and babies in this special time of life. Emily is just getting started in her training, and I’m excited about having a steady assistant to help me out with visits and births during the months ahead!

September brought with it two little fellows, who both interestingly enough, decided to make their arrivals on Saturday nights! They both seem to be thriving, and if they continue at the present rate, won’t be little fellows for long! For both of these births, I had the assistance of Gretchen D, a midwife/assistant who lives nearby.

Baby R with Gretchen and myself

and here with baby L!

Hopefully it won’t be quite so long until next time…but there’s a little peek into my life the past while…and here’s a peek into what is to come, as birth kits are prepared for the upcoming fall babies!

Birth kits ready to be delivered to families at their home visits!

Have a lovely fall, and thanks for your continued interest in the work here. If you haven’t already done so, feel free to take a peek at our facebook page: facebook.com/gentledelivery. And keep posted on the blog for new pages coming soon!

January 1, 2014 by gentlemidwife

Matthias’ Birth Story

With this being the start of a new year, I’m attempting a new start at keeping this blog more up-to-date. My hopes are to at least post once a month, so we’ll begin with this, and see if I can keep it up! Blessings to each of you in 2014!

Having just celebrated Matthias’ first birthday, I thought you all might enjoy hearing a few of the details surrounding his birth…

They say that being a midwife to a midwife can be a challenge, and I’m afraid I’ve proved that to be true once again. My second pregnancy, while easier during the first half of the pregnancy, was definitely more uncomfortable during the last several months. My friend/neighbor was expecting as well, and since we were due the same day, we joked about who was going to have hers first. In hindsight, I don’t think I was really joking-I thought I should be the first one, as I was certainly bigger and seemed to be more uncomfortable!

However, wouldn’t you know, but 2 weeks before our EDD, my friend calls me at 4am wondering if I’m having my baby, as she thinks hers is on it’s way. At the beginning of her pregnancy (before I knew I was pregnant myself!), she had asked if I would deliver hers, but with our due dates being so close, it was pretty much impossible to commit to it, which was disappointing for me, as births have been pretty few and far between since moving to PA. Once she found out I wasn’t in labor, she said she’d call if things progressed before her midwives arrived (they had 45 min. to drive), and sure enough, things progressed rapidly, and I was soon on my way up the hill and had the sweet privilege of delivering a little boy about 10 min. before the midwives arrived. It really was humorous, me, who was so big and cumbersome I hadn’t cleaned my own tubs in weeks, was leaning over a large tub delivering a baby without any thought at all!

Baby E – here about 1 hour old!

I remember reading somewhere when I was initially beginning my midwifery training about there being strong hormones present at a birth, and how these sometimes made other pregnant women have their babies when they were exposed to a birth environment, so it wasn’t very hard to wish that I would have my own baby yet that day. However, it certainly didn’t work that way, and I began what turned into a very long week. With my first baby, I had no “false labor”, and everything was very straight forward. This time around, I had night after night of timeable contractions, little sleep, and an active toddler to care for during the day. Then Thanksgiving vacation arrived, and Joel was home from school for 4 days-and that would be a PERFECT time to have a baby. But that didn’t work either! By the end of the week I was a basket-case…exhausted, ready to be done, my blood pressure was going up and making me feel sick, and I was ready to do anything to get this baby out. My midwife suggested that I try to get some sleep, and wait to do anything until I was rested…which sounds like something I would have told someone else…but wouldn’t hardly hear myself.

Sunday morning I again had timeable contractions. Strong enough to be uncomfortable, but I wasn’t going to dare miss church, lest all the ladies wonder if I was home in labor, only to show up pregnant again next week. We had a Thanksgiving get-together with Joel’s family, and by the afternoon all my possible labor signs had died down. I hiked up our mountain trail TWICE (really desperate!), and gradually got grouchier as the day wore on (hormones kicking in, in retrospect). By afternoon we had decided to give castor oil a try, so I started chugging, and consumed more than I will recommend to anyone to take again. However, by the end of four hours of hoping something would kick in, it felt like nothing was happening. I cried again…and talked to my midwife …she lived 2 hours away and thought she should go ahead and come “just in case”, but I was just as adamant that there was no reason she should drive all that way only to turn around and go home again.

At 9:30pm I checked to find that was a good 4cm dilated-not much more than a few days before. So I let my midwife know that nothing was going on, and I was giving up and going to bed. Joel and I had a few minutes to talk, and then I had a contraction around 9:45pm. We thought, maybe things are actually going to start…and a few minutes later they did…this time I had a massive contraction, followed quickly by another and my water broke. Joel jumped up and said he’d better make sure Debby was on the way. She assured him that despite my wishes that she would wait, she was already on the road. By the time he came back to our room, contractions were coming so strong and so fast that I thought I was going to go crazy. At that point I asked him if we should go ahead and tell Rose to come (she was a midwife friend of ours who lived close by and was home in our area for Thanksgiving break-we had been hoping she could be there for our birth). He gently told me that I had contractions like this for a long time with Yoanna, so there really wasn’t any rush. To this I replied that if I had to go a long time like this I would just die, and I meant it.

Because he was teaching school, Joel needed to have a sub to take his spot the next morning since it looked like he wouldn’t be going in himself. So he quickly got on the phone to line one up-he had made some tentative plans but needed to make sure they were confirmed. It felt like he was on the phone forever…the contractions were incredible, and I didn’t even have time to move between them…every time I even breathed another one would start, and I never even got up off the end of the bed. By about 10:05, I started calling for Joel…not too loudly, as we wanted Yoanna to stay sleeping…but I didn’t know how I was going to make it. When Joel realized how serious things were, he tried to call Rose…which took longer than it should have, as I had scribbled her number on a scrap paper, and couldn’t tell Joel where to find it! I still remember him finally getting ahold of her, and hearing him tell her that she’d better hurry, as he didn’t think she had 10 minutes to get here (and she only lives 1 mile away!).

Right about then I realized that unless Rose really hurried, no one else was going to be around. This baby was COMING! Thankfully, I had set up my birth kit earlier that day, and everything was ready. Joel had the bowl of immediate supplies handy, and stepped right up to the plate. It was kinda weird…one minute I couldn’t think of anything, and the next minute I’d think, “oh, I need to make sure I…” Guess that’s the strange side of coaching so many other people through their births! Joel did especially well at helping me to slow down and breathe, allowing Matthias to be born slowly…I felt like my body was just pushing him out without me making any decisions. At 10:20pm, Joel caught his son, and handed him to me, and we both looked at each other a bit awed. It was just over 25 min. from the first major contraction! Rose walked in about 2 minutes later, about as surprised as we were to see the baby had already come.

We quickly called Debby, and told her we were in good hands with Rose, so she turned around and went home…good thing, too, as she had a quick one the next morning that she would have missed if she had been at our place. Rose took care of all the remaining things, and Joel said he was really glad to have her walk in and finish the job. We were so grateful for a safe birth, but for the record, my husband says he isn’t going to plan on delivering the next one solo. And we found out why the last weeks were so uncomfortable…Matthias weighed in at 9 lbs., over 1 ½ lbs. larger than his sister!

About an hour after his rapid arrival!

Big sister meeting baby brother

Matthias around 1 week old

Gentle Delivery Midwifery Services (Centre Co. PA)

"…He shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." Isaiah 40:11

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