Evidence Based Childbirth Classes in Monterey - Salinas - Santa Cruz
  • Home
  • About
  • Self-Paced Online Birth Classes
  • In-Person Classes
  • Contact

Student Interview: "So you're not mad I sold you on a natural birth?"

9/25/2013

0 Comments

 
My student and friend gave birth to her second baby this week. Her first was a "the works" birth with an IV, pitocin, epidural, infection, episiotomy and vacuum extraction followed by a stay at the NICU for baby. Both births were at Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula.

6:09pm, 2 1/2 hours after baby's arrival
S: All natural!
Me: I'm so proud of you! I cannot wait to hear ALL ABOUT IT!!! 
IS THERE SOMETHING BIGGER THAN CAPS????

Next morning
S:
 5 lbs 14 oz.. 19.5 Inches. No tearing or episiotomy.. 
Baby went right to chest and J cut cord.
Me: Well done! What position did you push in?
S: I pushed sitting but only because that's what I wanted.. It was only like 5 pushes and she was out.
Me: Sitting is still a great position.
S: I had the bed at 90 degrees, they wanted me to lay it back.
They did offer to break my water at one point.. I was like NO!!!!!
But shit that transitional phase was something else.. Ugghhh...
Me: Yeah... we don't lie, transition is when everyone is ready to tap out.
S: LOL ya I was like I can't do it I can't do it!
They were like umm well u are.
Me: And was J excited?
When I say that Eric gets stoked because he knows we're almost done.
S: He was super excited! Dr. wasn't here yet and the nurses were like don't push!
I was like too damn bad I can't help it! Water broke as I was pushing and Dr. came in right after.
Me: How long were you at the hospital before she came?
S: We checked into hospital at 10:30 she was born at 3:23.
It literally has been a night and day experience from C's birth.
Me: So... you aren't mad I sold you on a natural birth?
S: Haha not gonna lie.. I had moments. But ultimately it was much better.
The recoop has been 100% times easier already.
Me: Good!
S: Seriously though Cori.. I am so glad I did it naturally the way it was suppose to be. Best thing I've ever done. So huge thanks to you for getting me the tools I needed to get there!
Me: I'm so glad!
And portions of this convo is becoming a post right now...
S: Yay!!

Congrats S+J! It was an honor teaching you and I'm beyond thrilled that you achieved the birth you wanted. And welcome to this amazing, crazy world baby B, we are all so glad you are here!

Birth Story / Natural Hospital Birth / Brielle
0 Comments

Meet the Hospital: Dominican Hospital

9/20/2013

0 Comments

 
Dominican Hospital is located at 1555 Soquel Dr in Santa Cruz, California. Many Monterey County couples may not even consider Dominican an option because it's in Santa Cruz. Birth according to the movies is lightening fast and perilous, but in reality the first time mother will labor 14-18 hours, leaving plenty of time to travel the 30-45 minutes from Monterey/Salinas to Santa Cruz. Some couples travel much farther, even over state lines, for a birth place that will respect their desires.

From Dominican's website:

"We deliver small miracles. At Dominican Hospital, we are committed to offering a full service, state-of-the-art, individualized birth experience.

We believe every birth is special, from our tiniest 26-week preemies to our robust 12-pound full-term babies. That is why our Birth Center is designed with the latest technology and staffed with a highly specialized obstetrical team of physicians, nurses and auxiliary staff, available 24 hours a day. We are prepared for any type of birth and any situation that may arise.

At Dominican, we have high standards for both safety and patient satisfaction. Our birth rooms are well-equipped and cozy to help emphasize bonding while “rooming in” with your newborn. With patient safety as our first concern, our Birth Center includes an operating room in the Labor and Delivery area, and a Level 3 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) equipped to care for high-risk babies who need closer observation. The Birth Center, Postpartum, and NICU areas are staffed with highly trained registered nurses. Specialized staff such as anesthesiologists, neonatologists, perinatologists, clinical nurse specialists, lactation consultants and occupational therapists are available to meet with you and your family for any routine or emergency needs that may arise."
Dominican refers to their labor and delivery unit has a "Birth Center." It's important to note that the natural birth experience offered by a freestanding birth center is not the same as the "Birth Center" in a hospital. This is just the name that they have given their labor and delivery. To learn more about freestanding birth centers visit the American Association of Birth Center's website.

Dominican is supportive of women who choose to birth vaginally after having a cesarean (VBAC). Many women travel to Dominican to from Monterey for this reason. Dominican's Jacuzzi tub, birth stools, and access to midwives for low risk deliveries may also play a role in that decision. In 2011 almost 450 women traveled to Santa Cruz to have their babies.

Out of the total of 926 births at Dominican in 2012, 26.7% of the births were by cesarean section, (www.cesareanrates.com). Though this rate is below the state average of 33.2% and lower than all of the Monterey County hospitals, it is above the World Health Organization's recommendation of 10-15%. Dominican is a non-profit hospital, "a California survey found that women were 17% more likely to have a cesarean at a for-profit hospital than a non-profit" (Optimal Care in Childbirth by Henci Goer).

Dominican is certified as Baby-Friendly, meaning they utilize evidence-based practices in the postpartum such as immediate skin to skin, support in breastfeeding, and rooming in.

I had my second child at Dominican Hospital in 2011 with certified nurse-midwife Margann Mentor. The nurses were friendly and encouraging, my nurse knew exactly what to say to me when I felt overwhelmed. I could tell they were experienced in working with women who wanted to birth naturally. You can read my birth story here.

Meet the Hospital: Dominican Hospital - Reviews from Moms in Monterey County / Cori Gentry / Natural Birth

The following is from a Monterey military mom, Esther:

"I can't recommend Dominican Hospital highly enough. They were incredibly hands off through my entire stay, from labor through postpartum. Since I was GBS negative I didn't need an IV for antibiotics and they didn't even ask if I wanted a saline lock. The only needle I ever saw was when they drew blood to bank. I was able to eat while I was in labor and when I did need to be on monitors, they used the telemetry unit so I could still be up and moving around. The telemetry unit is also waterproof so it didn't restrict me from spending time in the jacuzzi tub, which is huge and made contractions so much more bearable I didn't even realize I had hit transition until they did an internal exam.

When it was time to push, they helped me take my gown off so Aaron could be skin to skin immediately. He stayed on my chest until it was time to clean and stitch me up, at which time my husband was surprised to be told "Okay Dad, take your shirt off, it's your turn for skin to skin". They didn't even consider clamping the cord until it stopped pulsing. They helped me get him latched on to nurse right away. EVERYTHING (bath, vitamin k, assessments, etc.) was done in the room with me. Literally the only time he left the room before we were discharged was when we moved over to the mother-baby unit. When they did the heel prick for the Newborn Screening, it was with me holding him, still clothed, breastfeeding him, lights down low, and she was very gentle with him.

They have a variety of bars and equipment for pushing so that you can deliver in the position that works best for you. I had been looking forward to trying giving birth in a position other than lying down but didn't get to because he came when they were doing an internal exam and unconstipating me. I literally only pushed once. I wonder if I would have pushed at all if I'd been standing up... lol. Once we moved rooms after he was born, they left us alone for the most part, except for the necessary vitals, checking if we needed anything, etc. They didn't push us to do this that or the other. The dry-erase boards were very well-organized with sections to write requests, considerations, and preferences. They encouraged us to use the boards for that purpose. It was also nice having it on the board when I could get another dose of pain medication after the baby was born.

We loved having a mini-fridge in the room and especially loved the double bed. My husband did sleep on the pull-out bed-chair in the birth room and the rest of the night after Aaron was born in Mother-Baby and he said it was actually pretty comfortable. The chairs are wider than the ones you see in most hospitals and have an actual mattress that folds out.

The nurses were FANTASTIC. I can't remember which night it was, Aaron was extremely fussy and didn't want to sleep unless he was being held. The nurse knew we were having a rough night and when she was busy, had another nurse come in and check on us. That nurse sent me back to bed and took Aaron and rocked him to sleep, then rearranged the bassinet to incline it a little and rolled blankets on the sides. I could have kissed her. The food was amazing too. I've never had hospital food before that actually made me happy for meal times to come around. One of the juice options is Martinelli's sparkling apple cider, that was my drink of choice. I'm also not a big seafood fan but I did like the salmon. They give you a celebration meal for two one night, that was nice. The food all tasted fresh, like they actually cook FOOD instead of just sticking packaged processed food in the microwave."

The following are reviews from other Monterey County moms:

"I labored in the tub at Dominican and the nurses are AHHHHHHMAAAAZZZZZING!!!! As was that tub! I was in there for quite some time and spent a good chunk of time in the shower as well. I wasn't bothered by any of the nurses and they pretty much left me to labor. Absolutely wonderful! Unfortunately baby had a short stay in the NICU, but fortunately, everyone there was wonderful. I even requested that he receive donor milk instead of formula, as I wasn't getting a drop out of me and the doctor accommodated my wishes! This was my second birth at Dominican and I thoroughly enjoyed that full size bed :0) It was like a vacation. Especially because we were served three celebratory dinners."
"Not all OB's at Dominican are VBAC friendly. My frustration lies in the fact that the on call Dr. (Dr. Nicholson) told Dr Klikoff she used the vacuum because they were worried baby's heart rate would dip too low and not come back up and that I wouldn't be able to push him out fast enough. Yet my records say I was pushing very effectively (literally, exactly what the doctor wrote down) and they didn't use the vacuum until he was nearly crowning. Wwwwhhhyyyy?! He was nearly out and I was doing fine! Reading my records just made me even more frustrated than I already was. Another care provider in my doctor's office wasn't surprised at all by his delivery once she saw who delivered him. She said she's far more conservative than Dr. Klikoff...she stopped short of saying she's not VBAC friendly but did say I probably freaked her out, walking into L&D attempting a natural VBAC and already feeling the urge to push."
"I was REALLY impressed with Dominican's birthing center tour last night... They highly encourage using the showers during labor if you want... The beds are specifically birthing beds that are designed to have all sorts of bars so you can labor (and push) kneeling, standing, squatting, in bed or out of bed, in whatever position is most comfortable for you. They also have the birthing stools... The sleeper chairs for support staff are a lot bigger and more comfortable than most hospitals, they actually had dads at one of their tours try out a bunch of different models and pick their favorite and that's the one they went with. Of course they have the Jacuzzi tub too that they encourage women to use...

The [postpartum] bed is a traditional double bed with (gasp) more than one pillow! The postpartum rooms do not have showers in them. I was a little iffy at first until she explained their reasoning. I guess too many moms try to go to the shower by themselves and get lightheaded and have issues, so they want you to be communicating with the nurse. The nurses will go in the shower and help you if you need it. Support people are "welcome and encouraged" to use the showers too. Of course the rooms do have toilets and sinks in them and a rocking chair...

I talked to her afterwards and explained how fast things moved with [my last baby], and that we're going to be coming from Seaside and that I don't plan on sticking it out at home and risking a car birth, and said 'But what happens if I get here and I'm not 4cm, are they going to send me back home?' She said 'Absolutely not. If that happens, just explain to them where you're coming from and they'll go ahead and have you stay there, they might have you go walk around outside and in Santa Cruz some but explain the situation to them and they absolutely will not send you all the way back to Seaside.' They encourage medication free labor but support whatever decision the mom makes and have a team of anesthesiologists in LDR to administer meds if asked for/needed."
"I had a great experience at Dominican with Dr. Klikoff, but I got lucky with a nurse who is at Sutter 99% of the time, and was only covering a shift at Dominican. Her name is Carol and I'm certain she's an angel."
 "I've had clients deliver there recently and Dominican is fine with eating during labor. They pretty much leave it up to Mom and how she's feeling. You can also bring a few healthy snacks with you--just pull them out when you need/want them." - doula
"I delivered there in 2009 - The staff was wonderful, so grateful to the nurses I had!"

Reviews from Yelp and Google:

"I had both of my youngest children at Dominican - I felt like a queen there. Great, professional staff, beautiful large room, more food than I could possibly eat. I give them 5 stars!"
"The birth center has great security, the nurses were nice, the rooms were bright and clean (p/s the post-delivery rooms where you stay for 2 days had double beds, couches, fridges, etc. - way nicer than the post rooms I've been in at Marin General and California Pacific in SF). The rooms didn't feel like a hospital, more like a 2-3 star hotel. Not bad, come on, it isn't the Hyatt. Before the tour I didn't think I would want to deliver at Dominican, now I am 100% happy with the idea. I especially liked how they played 'rock a by baby' on the loudspeakers when a baby is born (it happened two times while we were there), they have a level 2 and 3 intensive care unit for at-risk newborns (which Sutter does not have), and the security is top notch... not that I am a security freak, but it appears to be pretty much impossible to steal a newborn from that ward, the babies wear a low jack type bracelet and there are locked doors with passwords and cameras, etc. That was nice for the hubby who comes from a much more security phobic."
"Since the birth of my daughter 5 years ago I have visited Dominican many times.  The first was when Dr. Hencke knew what was wrong with me (rare pregnancy complication, which a lot of doctors miss).  The whole staff is caring.  When my daughter begin having seizures at 5 months old we were in and out of ER and pediatrics till she was one.  We had to transfer to Lucile Packard children's hospital twice because, even for having such a great staff, do not specialize in infants and seizures. We had an awful time at LPCH.  If I had to pick a hospital (and really who would want to be in a hospital) I would pick Dominican for the caring, compassionate staff."
"My son was delivered at Dominican. We were in labor room for 4 shifts, and every staff member we interacted with was amazingly helpful and kind. Same experience in the postpartum section of L&D. Would recommend, 5 stars. Even the food was good."

I include every review that is sent to me, if there is helpful information that you would like me to include, please let me know.

Learn more about local hospitals and read reviews from local women:
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
Dominican Hospital
Natividad Medical Center
Salinas Valley Memorial
Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center

You can view and download a chart comparing hospital options and amenities here.

Did you give birth at Dominican Hospital? Please share your experience in the comments below!

0 Comments

Your Childbirth Models of Care Options

9/19/2013

0 Comments

 
There are two approaches to maternity care: The medical model of care and the physiological model of care, also known as the midwifery model of care. Knowing the different maternity care models and which your provider practices can help you know what to expect during your pregnancy and birth and what your options are within that care model.

The Medical Model of Care

"Pregnancy in western society, in fact, straddles the boundary between illness and health" - Comaroff 1977: 116

The medical model of care (also known as the technocratic model of care or medical management) is a specific approach to maternity care that both doctors and midwives can subscribe to. If your care provider states that they follow the medical model of care, it's important to know what exactly that means.

"Medical management practitioners start from the premise that pregnancy and birth are intrinsically difficult and potentially dangerous process that, when left to occur naturally, frequently result in poor outcomes." - Optimal Care in Childbirth by Henci Goer
For care providers that practice the medical model of care pregnancy is a condition that depends upon treatment for a positive outcome. Interventions are necessary and superior to the natural/normal birth process.

Some key characteristics of the medical model of care:

  • Provider centered
  • Birth normal in retrospect
  • Female reproductive system dysfunctional
  • Mind and body are separate
  • Birth is a mechanical process
  • Intervention dependent
  • Routine care
  • Safety of baby pitted against mother's emotional needs
  • Adherence to labor time charts
  • Objective: Live mother and baby in reasonably good condition at discharge.

The basic premise is that birth is a mechanical process that depends only on "the powers, passage, and passenger" or the strength of contractions, the size of the pelvis, and the size of the baby. No other factors are considered such as the emotional state of the mother, her laboring position, or whether routine interventions are interfering with the labor process.

The theory presents that any problem in labor is mechanical and the provider as the mechanic can correct the situation with a procedure or medication. All unwanted effects of interventions are treated with more interventions:

"...when high-dose oxytocin infusion leads to nonreassuring fetal heart rate, the medical management model calls for IV fluid boluses, internal fetal monitoring, and, ultimately, cesarean surgery." Optimal Care in Childbirth by Henci Goer
This is opposed to lowering the oxytocin dose or avoiding its use in the first place.

It is important to emphasize that there is not much space for wiggle room in the medical model. Many providers do try to accommodate women's wishes, but it is a system that is not easily adjusted. For example, a woman who wants the freedom of movement in labor and then chooses a birth place where continuous monitoring is the norm may be thinking, "well, how hard is it to just not hook me up to a monitor?" Very. That monitor is apart of their staff. It reports to the nurses station so that one nurse can be assigned to several mothers. That nurse may not be able to effectively do her job without the monitor. Also, your care provider may be able to access the monitor readings from home or the office, which is a convenience that would be hard to give up. The monitor is also essential to the provider who believes birth is a runaway train ready to fly off the tracks at any moment. Without the monitor, how can a woman labor safely? Those taught under this theory literally may know of no other option. The monitor also reinforces the belief that the baby is a separate patient from the mother needing protection should the mother pursue her desire for a birth experience over the safety of her baby. Refusing an intervention in the medical model of care is not like asking for your burger with no pickles, it's a complicated system and an entire birth philosophy held dearly by its followers.

The medical model calls for less time spent assessing the mother as an individual, making this approach convenient for providers. Most routine tests will pick up possible problems in the pregnancy, but at the cost of providing individualized preventative care.

For example, instead of looking at a mother's risk factors, family history, and talking to her about nutrition and exercise in early pregnancy, a provider will routinely screen all women for gestational diabetes late late in pregnancy and then treat the women who develop the condition. Treatment may be hard on mom and prevention may have yielded better outcomes, but individualized care is unrealistic in busy practices that see lots of moms.

If you are very comfortable with your care provider making decisions for you and you don't mind medical procedures being done even if they may not be necessary, then choosing a provider that follows the medical model will likely not conflict with your personal feelings about birth. If you would like to be apart of making decisions about your care, would prefer a low intervention birth, or believe that pregnancy and birth are a normal part of a woman's life, you will encounter more conflict in this model of care.

The Physiological Model of Care

“Remember this, for it is as true as true gets: Your body is not a lemon. You are not a machine. The Creator is not a careless mechanic. Human female bodies have the same potential to give birth well as aardvarks, lions, rhinoceri, elephants, moose, and water buffalo.” - Ina May Gaskin, Ina May's Guide to Childbirth

The physiological model of care is more commonly referred to as the midwifery model of care, and sometimes woman-centered care. Physiological refers to a characteristic of an organism's healthy or normal functioning (Merriam-Webster Online). The belief held by followers of the physiological model of care is that birth is fundamentally healthy and normal and birth is safest when practices facilitate normal birth. The physiological model of care is a holistic approach that addresses a woman's physical, psychological and social well-being:

"The midwifery model of care makes the woman and her life the central focus of prenatal care. A large part of the midwife’s attention focuses on the pregnant woman as a unique person, in the context of her family and her life. The midwife is interested in the woman’s expectations and experience of her pregnancy—her perceptions and beliefs; her knowledge and opinions; her questions and worries; her satisfactions and dissatisfactions; her comforts and discomforts; her desires, decisions, and actions; and the effect of all these on her pregnancy, fetus, labor, delivery, breastfeeding, postpartum recovery, and development as a mother." - Our Bodies Ourselves

Some key characteristics of the physiological model of care:

  • Woman centered
  • Birth is a normal life event
  • Female reproductive system healthy
  • Birth is holistic
  • Observation dependent
  • Individualized care
  • Safety of baby and mother's emotional needs not mutually exclusive
  • Mother and baby are an inextricable unit
  • Time charts irrelevant
  • Objective: Live, healthy mother and baby, positive birth experience.


Women who transfer from a provider practicing the medical model of care to one practicing the physiological model of care are often shocked by the differences. Appointments are longer and much more in depth. The provider following the physiological model of care will usually ask the mother what her wishes are in birth as apposed to a women having to ask if a provider will "let her" fulfill whatever her wishes are. Women are an active participant in their prenatal care.

The physiological model of care supports autonomy between the provider and mother. In the medical model of care supports class distinctions where the provider holds I higher class standing than the patient. The physiological model of care recognizes that the couple is able to take responsibility for their birth and take part in the decisions that will affect it. Couples are often encouraged to research and care options are thoroughly explained. The woman is not caught in a system where the provider/institution may be biased towards a higher intervention birth which would yield more income for the provider/institution.

Holding the perspective that birth is normal does not mean fewer precautions are taken in ensuring a healthy and happy mother and baby. While tests and procedures are not used indiscriminately, all of the tools (like doppler to listen to baby's heart beat, checking blood pressure, ordering blood tests and ultrasounds) employed by those practicing the medical model of care are still used in prenatal visits, but care is taken to ensure all tests are appropriate.

The physiological model of care is most often adopted by midwives. While doctors are trained in seeking out complications and intervening in labor, with little or no training in normal birth, midwives receive extensive training in how to facilitate normal birth in addition to being able to identify complications so that mothers who need an obstetrician can receive that care.

Middle Ground Model of Care

Yes I made that up.

Is there a place in maternity care for two models that appear to be so different?

Your Childbirth Models of Care Options  /  Cori Gentry  /  Natural Birth
A 1999 study distributed a questionnaire to pregnant women regarding their provider style preferences. It found that women preferred elements of both midwifery and medical styles of care." Concluding that:

"Broadening access to obstetric care will involve moving from our own preconceived notions of appropriate packaging into a patient-based and multi-option setting for delivery of these services."

As women become more informed about our options and the differences between the medical model and physiological model of care many may switch from providers and hospitals that only offer the medical model for providers. This is a positive change for women, and hopefully a wake-up call to those individuals and institutions not practicing woman-centered, evidence-based care. However, hope is not lost for medicine!

With cooperation from those who practice the medical model but want to give women options, there is room for both models in maternity care:

"Midwifery and medical obstetrics are separate but complementary professions with different philosophies and overlapping but distinct purposes and bodies of knowledge. Physicians are experts in pathology and should have primary responsibility for the care of pregnant women who have recognized diseases or serious complications. Midwives are experts in normal pregnancy and in meeting the other needs of pregnant women— the needs that are not related to pathology. In most countries, midwives have primary responsibility for the care of women with uncomplicated pregnancies."  - Our Bodies Ourselves

In most of the rest of the developed world in countries like the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan, low risk women see midwives while women who are determined to need an obstetrician transfer care to one. The result? These countries have much lower rates of maternal and infant deaths... in fact, we are rated 47th. It is safer to give birth in Singapore (3 deaths per 1000 births), Iceland (5/1000), and Qatar (7/1000) than it is to birth here (21/1000). Medicine plays an essential and irreplaceable role in our society, but the medical management model of care alone is an unbalanced system leaving few options for low risk women who hope to have an uncomplicated, normal birth.

As an expecting couple you are the consumers. You have a choice in what kind of care you receive. More than just your birth experience rides on that decision.

0 Comments

Meet the Hospital: Salinas Valley Memorial

9/13/2013

0 Comments

 
Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital is located at 450 E Romie Lane, Salinas, California. SVMH does not list anything on their website on their amenities, but like our other Monterey County Hospitals, SVMH is certified as Baby-Friendly, meaning they utilize evidence-based practices in the postpartum such as immediate skin to skin, support in breastfeeding, and rooming in.

Salinas Valley Memorial provides a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and have a perinatologist on staff for high risk births.

Out of the total of 1686 births at SVMH in 2012, 32.2% of the births were by cesarean section, (www.cesareanrates.com). Though this rate is below the state average of 33.2%, it is above the World Health Organization's recommendation of 10-15%. SVMH is a for-profit hospital, "a California survey found that women were 17% more likely to have a cesarean at a for-profit hospital than a non-profit" (Optimal Care in Childbirth by Henci Goer).

SVMH is one of two hospitals in Monterey County that do not offer the option of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) to women despite the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and The National Institutes of Health's 2010 recommendations to do so. Unlike hospitals who support women in having a VBAC, SVMH is not required to have an anesthesiologist or obstetrician on the floor at all times.

In 2011 SVMH had the second highest epidural rate (66%), and the second highest induction rate (20%) in Monterey County*. (Monterey County Weekly)

SVMH also does not offer the option to birth with a certified nurse midwife, which is the standard of care in most other developed countries and has shown to improve maternal and infant outcomes according to a recent study including 16,242 women published August 2013 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

I had my first child and SVMH in 2009. I found the rooms to be nice, though when I asked for a room with a tub none of the nurses knew which of the two rooms with tubs had ones that worked. One nurse said "no one ever really uses them." I had an IV and ended up not being allowed to use a tub anyway. About half of the nurses were very kind, reviewed my birth plan and were supportive. The other half seemed more interested in monitors and were dismissive of the importance of my birth experience. A few nurses were unkind and and made unnecessary comments. I was given an episiotomy by Dr. Nelson, even though I have gone on to birth a bigger baby by over a pound without even a tear. You can read my birth story here.

Meet the Hospital: Salinas Valley Memorial Hospital - Reviews from Monterey County Moms / Cori Gentry / Natural Birth
Photo Credit: Monterey County Weekly
The following is from a Salinas mom who had five of her six babies at Salinas Valley Memorial. Her first five births were medicated, and I had the honor of attending her sixth and first natural birth. She shares a little about each birth:

1998 - My labor and delivery with Tyler was awful from the time I checked in all the way to the time I pushed him out. L&D nurses were rude and less than compassionate, even telling me at one point to "shut-up there are other laboring women here." When the pain got to the point where I felt I needed pain relief I asked for an epidural only to be told: "Too late, you waited too long so you will just have to deal with it." The OB was Dr. Nelson, not my OB but was in the same group. He was rude, cold and was basically just doing his job. He told me if I wanted this baby to come out faster we should do an episiotomy (which he did). Second baby, first episiotomy! The ONLY positive was that I was able to stay in the same room the entire stay.

2006 - Went in to be evaluated for possible ROM (rupture of membranes) at 38 weeks and 2 days. Took 3 hours for a nurse to say she was "pretty sure" I was leaking fluid and that I would need to be admitted. Immediately started me on Pitocin and after 6 hours of intense going nowhere contractions I asked for pain relief... they gave was an intrathecal. Pain relief would last for about 3 hours. My heart rate and blood pressure plummeted as did the baby's. The next few minutes were a blur but I heard them say something about "If it continues to drop we can give a shot of adrenaline"...words of comfort, I think not! Spent most of the next 3 hours in and out of sleepy state. As the pain meds were wearing off I was told I was fully dilated and to go ahead and to start pushing. Maybe 2-3 times into pushing the same doctor who delivered Tyler, Dr, Nelson, told me "I want to do an episiotomy rather than let you tear." Yet again I ended up with an episiotomy! Brenna was my smallest baby at 8 pounds 11 ounces & in the future I would push a 9 pound 10 ounce baby out with NO episiotomy!!! Anyways back to this experience. I had asked upon admission that the Hep B vaccine be put off until I had a chance to talk to my pediatrician about it. That note was overlooked and a nurse gave it to my baby anyway. Do they even read the admittance papers? I spent nearly 12 hours after delivery vomiting due to the intrathecal. The nurses kept threatening to take Brenna to the nursery to give her a bottle if I didn't want to breastfeed her. Didn't??? No, more like couldn't, but I did and they were nice enough to give me a barf pan. The nausea & vomiting were the worst I have ever experienced in my life. There was such a lack of support. When we confronted the nurse about the vaccine she basically said that we were just worried about the cost! We were self-pay at the time, no insurance. Took forever to get discharged. Just an all around awful experience.

2007- I went in for an induction at 38 weeks due to leaking fluid... knowing that I would want an epidural for pain relief. This time around I had positive, supportive nurses throughout my labor process... when I asked for my epidural they asked me if I was sure that I wanted one. I let them know that I get nauseous and sick with anesthesia, for which they informed the anesthesiologist who gave me an anti-nausea medicine to curb that side effect. The anesthesiologist was nice and professional with a calm demeanor which I appreciated. He had no problem with the placing...  About 4 hours later I was fully dilated and they told me that I was ready to push. Dr Watkins, the doctor on call all night long, had just ended his shift but earlier he told the nurses that he started this and wanted to see it through so to page him when I was ready to push. He was great and very encouraging through the pushing phase, patiently and slowly we worked through every push until my 9 pound 10 ounce baby girl Summer was here! Dr. Watkins was the first doctor to ask my husband to cut the cord! Yes it only took four babies for a doctor who seemed to care about the whole labor and delivery process for all of the family members involved. Summer had a nuchal cord and meconium so she needed some assistance for about 10 minutes or so with some members of the NICU, she never left the room and as soon as all was clear she was placed on me for some skin to skin & nursing. Since she was a big baby they had to check her blood sugar quite frequently which I found to be a little disruptive but other than that everything else went well.

2010 - This was a scheduled induction for my 40 week due date at 7am. Upon check in I was greeted by a nurse who explained what was about to happen, third time being induced [at Salinas Valley Memorial], first time having it explained in detail. At about 8am I was given Cytotec and some weak contractions started. I liked that they didn't do cervix checks all the time, I think throughout the day up until delivery I was checked a total of four times. My nurses pretty much left me to do my thing until about 2pm when they decided to start Pitocin. Throughout the day I had been able to get up walk around, sit in a rocking chair, use a birthing ball which was a nice change of pace from my past laboring experiences! At 6pm my OB came in to do a check...4 cm. She said the head felt low & that if I was ok with it she felt she could go ahead & break my bag of waters to really get things moving, I said sure & away we went. At 7:30 I started to get the shakes & felt quite a bit of pressure so a nurse checked me & found me to be 8 to 8 &1/2 cm! I was having contractions but nothing too bad, so in a pure panic all of sudden I decided I needed an epidural now before the horrible pains started! The anesthesiologist was an older man who had many years under his belt, my epidural was placed & working with-in 10 minutes. Twenty minutes after the epidural took full effect I pushed out a 9 pound 8 ounce baby girl. Madison went straight to the breast where she nursed for an hour! The aftercare I received was excellent, the team of nurses respected my experience as a fifth time mom & I appreciated the time alone bonding with my newborn baby girl. There is only one regret I had with this L&D ...The decision to have an epidural and while that falls on me, I wish there would have been some words of encouragement from the staff or doctor that would have led me to believe I made it to 8 cm without pain meds, I could see this labor through totally pain med free! Even my doctor told me at a later appointment:. " You made it that far, you could have gone all the way." I think laboring women need to hear that as they near the end of their laboring phase, positive words & encouragement can take a person just as far as pain meds without the side effects.

2012 -  My first natural birth. I labored at home for about 11 hours before going to the hospital, I wanted to avoid any and all procedures/interventions that come with a hospital labor. In the 25 short minutes that I did labor at SVMH I was asked to leave a urine sample and had an IV started. I did not like those two things. I also had to ask for my baby rather than them just giving her to me immediately. I should note that she had a nuchal hand (hand up by her face) and meconium so NICU nurses needed to check her out, but when they were done I had to ask for her.  I did like that I was able to be in an upright position for pushing as Dr. Gilbert said "whatever is most comfortable for you." I also liked the fact the he took the time to explain the super twisted cord and how rare it was for it to twist to the side it did. I liked that the nurse asked if it was ok to give Aubree a bath instead of just taking her to do it. I didn't like that they don't have showers in your postpartum room, they have community showers that you have to walk down the hall to get to. For me that seemed to be an inconvenience.

 Discharge was a breeze. From check-in to check out I was at SVMH for a total of 26 hours. That being said, I did not like the cost! I had no pain meds, baby didn't need any special aftercare other than the brief visit from NICU, nothing complicated and still my bill was about 17,600.00, that seemed to be kinda on the high side. I will say that this L&D was by far my fav,the outcome was the most incredible experience I've ever been through!


Cori, I would like to say thank you for being an advocate for natural childbirth and always willing to answer any of my questions."

More reviews from Monterey County moms:

"I gave birth at SVMH in April 2013, it was induced so I spent 40 hours in L&D before my baby was born and 3 days postpartum due to my babys' hyperbilirubinemia...

Overall staff is very friendly, each shift, including the nurse in charge, introduces themselves and writes their names on the board in the patients' room. The nurse call button is answered promptly day or night. I had an opportunity to review and discuss my birth plan in detail with a nurse. Unfortunately, we had to deviate from it due to medical reasons, but my wishes were honored and I was given 2 extra hours before we had to utilize a procedure I was not comfortable with."
"I was 1cm dilated and not effaced at all. They told me to prepare for a long road. They inserted Cervadil and told me to rest up... I wanted to go as pain med free as possible; I really did not want an epidural...

Honestly, sitting on the toilet was the most comfortable place to be! The nurses kept telling me they needed to check me and I told them to go away! Around 3am, my body started pushing on its own. The nurses kept asking if I wanted an epidural, I finally caved in. When the anesthesiologist got there I was, big shocker, on the toilet. The nurse came, took one look at me, and said they needed me on the bed immediately and that my body was pushing the baby out...

My husband grabbed one arm, and my mother grabbed the other and they threw me on the bed. The anesthesiologist started the epidural... The epidural did not kick in until the OB was stitching my 2nd degree tear."
"L&D rooms are fairly spacious with full baths [in 2 rooms] for those wishing to use hydrotherapy. Birthing balls are also available, just ask."
"SVMH is a baby friendly hospital: they promote immediate skin to skin contact and breastfeeding. Lactation consultant is available during weekdays (I believe) and free breastfeeding support group meets every Tuesday 1 - 2pm. I would recommend calling Shawna, the lactation consultant, Tuesday morning to confirm the meeting. Both times that I showed up I was the only attendee and ended up having a free private consult!"
"I was only 3cm dilated which was enough to get me admitted and a bed in labor and delivery. Unfortunately, there were forms to sign and it seemed like it took the nurses hours to get these forms ready. During this time, the contractions were increasing with pain and my mom, my fiance, and I were in this small, dark room with a few nurses watching the tragedy of Michael Jackson on TV. I remember my fiance whispering to me, 'If they don't quit watching that TV we are going to pack you in the car and drive to CHOMP.'"
"When I have birthed there (4 times) it was a positive experience with no rush. [With my 4th in 2009] my Dr. at the time anticipated a dinner time baby but I knew better and told him lunch. He was pleasantly surprised. Babies come when they are ready and she was ready before the Dr guessed it."
"Our first nurse was HORRIBLE. She took one look at me and rolled her eyes. I had tested positive for Group B strep and needed IV antibiotics to protect the baby during delivery. Apparently the nurse had little patience for this. She gave me the IV, then hooked in the antibiotics, cold. I immediately forgot about the painful contractions. My arm felt like the bones inside it were freezing and breaking apart! It was so painful and unbearable. I begged for some relief. My nurse offered little help...

At this point, I had to go to the bathroom (again). This REALLY irritated our nurse. Basically she told me that I couldn't get out of bed and I could just go in the bed, and that someone would clean it. No kidney dish, no bed pan...just sheet and mattress. Thanks. So after holding it as long as I could (which made the contractions 10x worse) I went, in the bed. Humiliating. That was the first time during labor that I started crying."

"The labor and delivery rooms were very nice, all the nurses were wonderful. Dr. Chan listened to my wishes (however, I did NOT want staples after my c-section and she forgot and gave me staples....she was very apologetic) My anesthesiologist was the best ever. I did not want morphine and I wanted something for nausea and he was awesome. I was slightly disappointed that the NICU team wouldn't let me see Nathan at birth. I got to hear him cry and they whisked him off to the NICU. I was able to see Adeline and she was much smaller at a different hospital. Recovery was wonderful and Dr. Chan was right there typing her notes while I recovered. That is when she realized she gave me staples and was so sorry. I had to request a breast pump... they kept telling me that I didn't need one yet. They accommodated me but they didn't send anyone from lactation until the next day. No biggie to me since I knew what I was doing anyways. The nurses knew how much I wanted to see my son and got me up there after 12 hours. I didn't get to see Adeline again until over 24 hours. The NICU was wonderful there. We had a private room and that was so nice. Postpartum was awful. Stuffy rooms, super small, no shower. Nursing staff was wonderful... especially Nurse George."
I include every review that is sent to me, if there is helpful information that you would like me to include, please let me know. And thanks for the positive feedback guys!

"Thank you for doing these reviews, I think they are incredibly helpful for expectant parents."

Read about other local hospitals:
Community Hospital of the Monterey County
Dominican Hospital
Natividad Medical Center
Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center

You can view and download a chart comparing hospital options and amenities here.

If you birthed at Salinas Valley Memorial please share your experience in the comments below!
0 Comments

Meet the Hospital: Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula

9/11/2013

0 Comments

 
Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula (CHOMP) is located at 23625 Holman Highway in Monterey, California. Like our other Monterey County Hospitals, CHOMP is certified as Baby-Friendly, meaning they utilize evidence-based practices in the postpartum such as immediate skin to skin, support in breastfeeding, and rooming in. CHOMP provides a Level 2 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), babies that are in need of a Level 3 NICU are transferred to a Bay Area hospital like Stanford or UCSF, sometimes to Dominican in Santa Cruz or Natividad in Salinas.

CHOMP refers to their labor and delivery unit has a "Family Birth Center." It's important to note that the natural birth experience offered by a freestanding birth center is not the same as the "Birth Center" in a hospital. This is just the name that they have given their labor and delivery, it does not mean they necessarily offer a more natural approach to birth. To learn more about freestanding birth centers visit the American Association of Birth Center's 

About CHOMP's amenities from their website:

What to expect during your birth:

"Our 13 rooms are equipped for labor, delivery, recovery, and mother-baby care. As you prepare for the birth of your child, we thought you might like to know some of the things we believe at the Family Birth Center...

  • Birth is one of life's most special events.
  • Birth and parenting occur with greater ease, comfort, and joy when parents know what to expect.
  • Parents can make decisions and accept responsibility for their own healthcare.
  • Family, visitors, nurses, doctors, healthcare providers, and all hospital personnel are regarded with dignity and respect.
  • Your support person should be encouraged to stay with you and your baby throughout your hospital stay.
  • Your nurse will manage your labor according to the instructions from your doctor. Your heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, and temperature will be monitored periodically, and your urine will be checked for protein and glucose. Vaginal exams will be done to check the progress of your labor.
  • A test may be performed to determine if your water has "broken."
  • A fetal monitor will be used to assess your contractions and your baby's well-being.
  • You may eat and drink as instructed by your doctor.
  • You will be encouraged to walk and move while you are in labor.
  • If you choose to have an epidural, an anesthesiologist will be called.
  • An episiotomy occasionally is performed at delivery if needed.
  • A special suction device or forceps may be used to assist in the birth if needed.
  • If it is determined that your baby will require special care at birth or shortly after birth, a pediatrician or neonatologist will be called to attend the delivery of your baby.
  • Identification bands will be placed on the baby and on you and your partner. Your nurse will discuss your baby's security at the hospital.
  • The usual length of stay after a vaginal birth is about 1-2 days, for a cesarean birth 3-4 days.
  • In the Monterey County Weekly article, The Holistic Hole, director of CHOMP’s Family Birth Center, Catherine Powers said, "medication-free births like Ellis’s only represent about 1 percent of the hospital’s deliveries. Doulas, though rare, are allowed to attend to laboring moms... We’re all moms here at the Family Birth Center. We believe birth is a choice,” Powers says. “[But] we are a medical model, so that’s what we provide.”

    You can learn more about the medical model of care (as opposed to the physiological model of care or midwifery model of care) and your options within it here.

    Out of the total of 1045 births at CHOMP in 2012, 32.9% of the births were by cesarean section, (www.cesareanrates.com). Though this rate is below the state average of 33.2%, it is above the World Health Organization‘s recommendation of 10-15%. CHOMP is a non-profit hospital, ”a California survey found that women were 17% more likely to have a cesarean at a for-profit hospital than a non-profit” (Optimal Care in Childbirth by Henci Goer). Though, in 2012 CHOMP did have a higher cesarean rate than the only for-profit hospital in the county, Salinas Valley Memorial.

    CHOMP is one of two hospitals in Monterey County* that do not offer the option of vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) to women despite the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and The National Institutes of Health‘s 2010 recommendations to do so. Unlike hospitals who support women in having a VBAC, CHOMP is not required to have an anesthesiologist or obstetrician on the floor at all times.

    In 2011 CHOMP had the highest epidural rate (79%), and the highest induction rate (37%) in Monterey County*. (Monterey County Weekly) CHOMP also has the highest episiotomy rate (11%) in the county, which is quite a bit higher than other local hospitals like Natividad (2.8%) and Dominican (2.3%). (CalQualityCare.org)

    CHOMP does not offer the option to birth with a certified nurse-midwife, which is the standard of care in most other developed countries and has shown to improve maternal and infant outcomes according to a recent study including 16,242 women published August 2013 in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

    Meet the Hospital: Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula - Reviews from Monterey County Moms / Cori Gentry / Natural Birth

    The following is a Salinas mom's experience touring CHOMP:

    I toured CHOMP in spring of 2012. CHOMP seems to only allow pregnant ladies and one other adult on the tour. They also don't schedule a tour until pretty late during pregnancy. I was 6 months (I think) when I finally got to do a tour.

    CHOMP is a nice hospital. They have lovely grounds and gardens, a koi pond, and valet parking.

    The Family Birth Center has a nice waiting area with comfy furniture and awesome murals. It also looks out onto a garden. There's a place to get food and drinks just down the hall. There are no visiting hours, so family and friends are free to come whenever. You can tell the nurses if you don't want visitors.

    The rooms all have adjoining bathrooms with showers. The showers are spacious enough for laboring in. They also have hand-held shower heads and stools. The beds can be raised and lowered and the back can be raised and lowered to allow for all kinds of laboring positions. There's also a sofa that converts to a bed like a futon. It was pretty big, big enough that I thought my 6'3" husband could sleep comfortably on it. Each room has a white board so moms can leave notes about preferences and what not for the nurses. The room we toured look out on to a garden. The rooms also have TV's with DVD players and a little stereo thing for CD's or an MP3 player.

    Moms have a nurse who is their primary nurse. If mom ends up in surgery, this nurse will usually attend the surgery/recovery as well. They seem concerned about making sure moms of continuity of care through the entire labor and delivery process.

    CHOMP is known for their milkshakes. Apparently, all of their food is good. You can order food anytime. I'm sure they charge a premium for it, but its nice to know its an option if you really want that cheeseburger at 2am.

    The nurse on my tour said they encourage laboring moms to move around. They do monitoring 20-30 minutes of every hour, so mom has to be lying in bed for that time.

    CHOMP has a surgery room (or possibly 2?) in the Family Birth Center. There's a recovery room across from surgery where mom goes after surgery for a couple of hours. After that, mom returns to her room. Having all that stuff close together means dad/birth coach can stay with mom and/or baby pretty much the entire time. They really seem to have the c-section routine down. They also encourage moms to be up and moving around soon after surgery. On my tour, all of the other moms (5) were having scheduled c-sections and they all seemed very impressed with CHOMP.

    Overall, CHOMP is a nice hospital. If I were having a scheduled c-section, it would be my first choice. I decided that we wanted a lower intervention birth so we had our daughter at home with a midwife."

    More reviews from Monterey County moms:

    "They took me to my room – which was a teeny tiny room that they haven’t used in a long time but had to shove me in it since they were extremely busy. I stripped my clothes off as fast as I could, got my monitors on and hopped up on the bed.

    They checked me and I was “just a lip” – I think meaning I was about 9 cm and almost fully dilated and ready to push. I had to pant through several contractions… I don’t even know how many but way too many in my book! I was waiting for the doctor to show up so I could push. I kept asking how much longer, and they couldn’t really tell me! I kept saying how it wasn’t fair that I had to wait, and that I wanted a 15 minute break from the contractions to catch my breath. Luckily there was a nice lady there that was actually a nursery nurse, that came in to help me through my contractions. She told me to blow out birthday candles so that they would just flicker and not go out. That helped a bit, because otherwise I really wanted to push. Everything in the room was chaotic. I can’t remember how many people were in this tiny “closet” like room! One particular nurse came in to put my IV in and I yelled at her saying she can’t do it now! I couldn’t imagine I’d be able to stay still for her to poke me. It took her several tries but she did get it in. After what seemed like an ETERNITY, panting through a billion contractions (ok so it was like 20 minutes)… I was finally told that the doctor was close enough to the hospital that I could start pushing."
    "Being a first time mom, and having heard some negative stories about delivering at CHOMP, I had my concerns about being able to have a natural birth, free from interventions there. However because of my insurance, CHOMP was really my only option.

    I ended up having a fairly problem free pregnancy, and as my due date approached I wrote a birth plan, which I reviewed thoroughly with both my doctor and my doula. Labor started naturally with my water breaking in the middle of the night and contractions starting about 30 minutes later... I arrived at the hospital about an hour after labor had started and at first was a little put off by the attitude of the nurse who I was assigned to. However after my husband and doula gave the nurses my birth plan, the nurses attitude changed and I was left to labor as I wished. I labored in a few different positions including kneeling, standing, and laying on my left side towards the end. The baby was monitored occasionally, but really the only intervention I was required to have was a Hep-Lock, in case of emergency. I ended up laboring for about 6 hours total with pushing for about an hour. With the help of my husband, doula, and doctor I naturally delivered a healthy happy 10 1/2 lb. baby boy, without any medical interventions. Following the delivery I was put on a Pitocin drip to help my uterus contract and minimize blood loss because my uterus was so expanded from having carried such a large baby.

    During the remainder of my stay at CHOMP, my son stayed with us the entire time, and I was happy with the help and breastfeeding support that the nurses provided. The only downside to my stay was there were a lot of interruptions and they did the hearing test in the middle of the night. Because of this, and because we had postpartum and breastfeeding support outside of the hospital, we decided to only stay one night. The only other thing that bothered me during our stay, was that because my son was so large they tried to treat him as if he was a diabetic baby (even thought I did not have gestational diabetes). My pediatrician ended up intervening and they did only 3 of the 6 blood glucose tests that they wanted to do."
    The doctor wanted to induce me at almost 37 weeks because the non-stress test was  94% and they wanted to see 100%. The doc told me he didn't want to have to have me come in every other day for a non-stress test and said I needed to be induced. I didn't have any problems throughout the pregnancy...

    I told the doc I didn't want to be induced and that I wanted a natural birth. I felt my birth plan was a waste of time. He assured me this was the best option and I could still have a natural birth... natural meaning vaginally. So, the next morning I was induced. Having my water broke felt like the biggest violation to me with our unborn child. I will never forget that eerie moment. Within less than 1 hour, baby's heartbeat went from the being in the healthy 145 bpm range to 119 bpm and slowly decreasing. Before I knew it, the doc called and said we had to deliver via c-section. He was at home watching the monitor when he made the call. I was never asked to rotate, etc.

    After 9 painful attempts to give me a spinal anesthesia, the anesthesiologist was ready to give up and have me go under for general anesthesia. I wouldn't have that. So I told them I felt my position was wrong sitting up right on the OR table. I told them maybe I should have the back of my knees to the table and then lean over to open up the spinal column. So we tried it again. Each time more painful than the last. It felt like your sorest muscle being pulled apart. At last, 45 min later, the 10th time worked like a charm. I immediately felt a weird, cold sensation run down my legs. I remember shivering, even though I wasn't physically cold.

    Once the baby was out and they allowed me to hold her, I asked for back up hands from daddy because I couldn't stop shaking. There she was. Born 3 weeks 2 days early. An unnecessary preemie, in my book. Went against all my motherly instincts I felt as a mom. Fortunately, she was healthy. I had weird heart palpitations and flutters for 4 months (I attribute that to the chemicals put in my body) never had that happen before.

    In the end, I wasn't even in labor for more than 2 hours. My body could not birth naturally once the intervention took place. I was angry for a long time. Instead of having me rest more, whether at home or in the hospital, and be monitored, to let the baby grow and come out when ready, the interventions started, leading to a c-section. Never thought I'd have one of those. My mom had 10 babies naturally, I felt I could birth naturally too.

    I was banned from CHOMP if I wanted a VBAC for any future pregnancies, so 4 years later we had another baby, this time born at home.
    I've had my 3 kids at CHOMP: 2010, 2012 and 2013. I had gone in the first time expecting to do an all natural birth, no meds. I had an open mind though, knowing and telling myself it would be okay if I did end up getting an epidural. I did and it ended up saving my life and my babies, I truly believe that. I had to be turned on my side and my pelvis/hips slid out of socket because of the weight of the baby and my super lax tendons. If I had not had the epidural, I would have been in immense pain, and not have been able to push.

    Anyhow, after that, my next two, I knew my plan, and the hospital staff was very accommodating to my needs and wants. One birth we had to be moved out of our room because there was so many babies being born that night. They gave us a nice room overlooking the forest and had great nurses.

    My third baby, which was born this past March, was born at 36 weeks. I had gone 3 times before for pre-term labor. I ended up having to stay and extra 4 days, and they accommodated me by giving me a room for free to stay close to my son. Even though he was under lights, the nurses allowed me to go into the nursery to nurse him and see him. Excellent, nurses, every time.
    "My daughter was born at CHOMP. We hoped for a natural birth, but one thing lead to another and I got to experience the "cascade of interventions" first hand. We ended up with pitocin, my water was broken, an epidural, episiotomy, vacuum extraction and then my baby had to stay in the NICU for 5 days because of the infection we got while in labor, which I've learned can happen when nurses do many cervical checks after your water has broken."
    "I had a c-section at CHOMP 5 years ago. I was moved three times starting the day after the surgery. The second room I was in was atrocious. There was a jack hammer breaking apart the neighboring wing. It was so loud I couldn't hear my husband talking nor my baby cry. I asked the nurse if there was anywhere else they could put me and she said 'would you rather be in the hallway?' Anyway, I waited in a wheelchair in the reception/waiting area until a room became available. It took a few hours, but I was grateful, all 13 rooms were full. I went on to have a VBAC at Sutter for my next child."
    I include every review that is sent to me, if there is helpful information that you would like me to include, please let me know.

    Learn more about local hospitals and read reviews from local women:
    Community Hospital of the Monterey Peninsula
    Dominican Hospital
    Natividad Medical Center
    Salinas Valley Memorial
    Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center

    You can view and download a chart comparing hospital options and amenities here.

    If you birthed at CHOMP please share your experience in the comments below!

    *hospitals included were those with 200 beds or more

    0 Comments

    Birth Matters to Dads

    9/10/2013

    0 Comments

     
    Dear expecting dad,

    You are having a baby! Are you excited? Nervous? Have you given any thought to what your birth will be like? Oh wait... what was that? Yes, your birth.

    I could not have given birth to any of my children with out my husband, Eric. Ok, they would have come out, but it wouldn't have been through my own power. Milo, our first, would have been a cesarean if it wasn't for Eric. When I was scared, he was my courage and reminded me of the confidence I have in birth. When I felt lost, he knew what my goals were and he reminded me of them. When the moment came when the doctor was ready to prep me for the operating room, I looked to Eric first. I needed his guidance in our birth. He didn't have to know a ton about birth, but he knew me and that's why he was so important.

    Guidance... I know... maybe you were thinking your job would be to just not pass out and guidance in childbirth sounds like it's way out of your birthy skill set. Eric thought so too: I'll be out here... in the waiting room... you let me know when it's ok to look. Don't feel bad, birth is a little scary, the way skydiving and rock climbing are scary, but it's worth it to overcome some of that fear to experience something amazing.

    There's a lot of talk about the "birth experience." Maybe it's something you've heard your wife say. Why can't you just go to the hospital, have this baby, and go home? Isn't that the whole point - to come home with a healthy baby? Why does how it happens matter?

    Think about the day you were married? Did you have a big celebration? An intimate ceremony? A private trip to the courthouse? Even if you eloped I bet you have a memory of your new wife smiling back at you in the car. You will never forget that day. Yes, you came away with a marriage certificate, but how it happened is a memory that will be a permanent milestone not just in your marriage, but in your life story. The birth of your child will be no different. You will never forget it, whether it is a good or bad experience. Maybe your wife has already listened to other women tell their birth stories. Women tell their birth stories like they were yesterday, they may only have a few memories that precious. And you know what, if you ask a father and he doesn't just respond with a joke, you'll hear his recollection is just as fresh. Do you want to leave this memory to chance? Protect it.

    My husband and I took a lot of time to decide what our wedding vows would be. I chose to "love, honor, and obey," and my husband vowed to "love, honor, and protect," and we have lived happily ever after by those promises. However, without having to make a promise in front of his family and friends, a man has a desire to protect his wife and child.

    Birth Matters to Dads / Cori Gentry / Natural Birth

    Protecting your wife and child does not mean going into your birth ready to fight with your care provider. It is not going into war, it is reinforcing your little home with knowledge and a plan so that when this powerful event blows into your lives you and your wife are not left dazed and hurt. Birth trauma is real, some men and women come away from their births with very painful memories. The quote in the image above is from a documentary that addresses how birth can affect dads called "The Other Side of the Glass:  A Birth Film Series for Fathers." The following are two stories of how dads coped with their births.

    My husband and I are big stand-up comedy fans. Many of our first dates were held in San Francisco comedy clubs. One of our favorite comedians is Louis CK. We are also pretty smitten by Marc Maron, so you can imagine our excitement when the two came together on Maron's podcast, WTF.

    That interview is actually why this post is even being written.

    Louis' account of meeting his daughter, me holding back tears in the Target parking lot hurting so much for him and being so proud of him for sharing a story that I know many men carry in silence. Birth is important. How you meet your child matters. Please listen to Louis CK's story below, it's 4 minutes. There is some of language. Listen... I'll wait...


    Online recording software >>
    The point of listening to Louis' story is so you can hear his emotion, how important this moment is to him. Isn't is worth preparing for? Protecting? Not just for the safety of your wife and child, that's a whole other post, but for this experience?

    The next story is by a friend, Ray. Ray and his wife, Dana, got pregnant right after moving from Pacific Grove to the east coast, which was pretty unfair to all of us they left behind, but we are slowly forgiving them. When Ray asked me what books he should read I listed a few, and since I obviously couldn't offer them my classes, I suggested they take Birth Boot Camp classes online. This is Ray's account of meeting his son, Washington:

    "I don't know where it began exactly, but I do remember that Jim Gaffigan spurred me on just a little. 'When you think about the male contribution to life, it's kinda embarrassing, really.' That quote and his mention of home birth, inspired me to learn something about childbirth. Dana was carrying the baby, Dana could feel the baby, Dana was going to deliver the baby... I wanted to do something a little more than just stand there, terrified, on game day. I wanted to take responsibility for my wife, especially since this was her first child (meaning she had no idea what she was doing either), and my future baby. I read books. I watched documentaries. I read articles and blog posts. I couldn't do much during her pregnancy, but I could help her be comfortable, healthy, and educated. I took her to a birth class at the hospital. We watched the Birth Boot Camp videos together. I bought lots of books. I tried to feed us healthy food, since I normally cook for us. I encouraged her to walk with me. I did what I could.

    Now, concerning her plan for birth, over time she had decided that she wanted a natural birth. She wanted to have the baby in the healthiest way possible and did not want a c-section. So, I began reading. I read books for doulas and midwives. I read blogs and watched documentaries. I didn't want that time to come and for me to freeze up. I didn't want to get sick to my stomach. I wanted to be focused and do everything I could to help her in any way I could. After all the preparation, I was ready to have the baby in the bathtub if the situation went a little crazy. She had contractions for over 30 hours, only to find that it was all in preparation. She hadn't dilated at all when we got to the hospital, though the doula and I, with all my charts and knowledge of "normal" labor, were certain she should be well on her way. That disappointment was something that I wanted to prevent her from dealing with, but not everything can be planned out perfectly, no matter how well you know your options. At the hospital, on our way out of the hospital since they don’t admit women until they are 4 cm, her water broke. We went back up to Labor and Delivery. They confirmed that her water broke and admitted her. Once she was in the room, nothing went according to her plan. Her legs were exhausted. Her contractions were intense. She went from partially clothed to completely naked, which wasn't in her original plan. She was in a kind of sitting, half leaning back position with her legs on the handle bar. In all of this, I was calm and confident. After 5 hours of contractions, she began pushing. After an hour and a half, we had a baby. There were people coming in and out, because we were in the middle of a nurse shift change. There was all the technical aspects of monitors and refusing drugs. But I knew all of that stuff. I knew what to expect. Even when everything exploded in activity in the last moments, when his head came through, but his pulse dropped low. The nurses demanded that Dana push more, but I understood what was happening. The shoulders came out and then the rest. His eyes opened and he began to cry. Before any doctor or nurse told me, I knew that my baby was fine.

    Had I not taken time to prepare, the entire thing would have been confusing and terrifying. I would have felt like I was at the mercy of doctors and nurses. I wouldn't have known how to help my wife through pregnancy or labor or delivery. I would have been a 'supportive' bystander, rather than right there in the moment. Did I mention I requested to catch my baby? The hospital wouldn't allow it, but it was worth it to ask, just to see the shocked look on their faces. I think that the classic picture of dad pacing around the lobby is well past done. We have the privilege, but I also believe the responsibility, of helping our wives. That's my wife and that's my baby and, in a way that shouldn't take anything away from mom, it's my birth experience too."
    Birth Matters to Dads / Cori Gentry / Natural Birth

    So, really, congratulations! I hope this was inspiring and not too intimidating. You can do this, you made it through this whole post and that's a fantastic start.

    Moms, I would love to hear how your partner impacted your birth. Dads, I would love to hear your birth stories!

    0 Comments

    A Home Birth After Cesarean - Emma

    9/5/2013

    1 Comment

     
    Anna and Shaun's first baby was born via cesarean in Selma. Ca, but they had little Emma Faith here in Salinas. Lots of pictures, you know I love pictures! Anna is now the leader of Monterey County's local ICAN (International Cesarean Awareness Network) chapter which meets the first Thursday of every month. Anna was also my photographer at my third birth.
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    My first child, Brennan, was born via cesarean section after a very long labor and 2.5 hours of pushing.  It was a pretty upsetting experience for my husband, Shaun, a chiropractor, and I after we had spent our entire pregnancy preparing for a natural birth.  Soon after my daughter was born in February 2008 I began vigorously researching vaginal birth after cesarean and discovered many things that could help me to avoid a cesarean a second time around; one of those things being to have a home birth.  It took over a year for us to conceive our second child, but when we did, right away we knew things were going to be different.

    Immediately I began interviewing local home birth midwives and after one meeting, Shaun and I knew that we’d found the woman who was going to help us have our home birth; her name was Maggie.  Maggie has been a midwife for over 35 years and was a pivotal part of the movement that legalized midwifery in the state of California.  She’s a wise woman and recognized as such in the community and all over the world; she’s even a published author.  I knew that I was in good hands in choosing her to be my midwife and felt that the Lord had brought us to her area to aid us in the birth of our next child.  Maggie also practices the art of apprenticeship and we felt equally as confident in her apprentice, Carol.  They seemed a perfect fit for us.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
     During my pregnancy, everything went off without a hitch.  We decided to opt out of all testing and didn’t use Doppler or ultrasound.  We first heard our baby’s heartbeat at our 20-week appointment with a fetoscope and the midwives always palpated my belly to find the position of the baby.  It was a wonderfully relaxing pregnancy in which my husband, our midwives, and I trusted that my body would do what it was made to do without any interference, and it did.

    At 40 weeks 2 days gestation, January 27th, I had my very first contraction at 9:30 p.m.  These continued all night and were irregular, but were strong enough to wake me up at times.  I knew then that this was really “it,” but it could be a while based on my experience with my first child.  These contractions continued, but were still irregular for most of the day.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    Just over twenty-four hours later my contractions started to regulate and were consistently about 9 minutes apart.  I knew at this point that I’d better try and get some sleep, but I figured it would still be a while before the contractions were close enough to really keep me from sleeping.  It was a good thing I went to bed when I did because I was up again a few hours later.

    At about 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, January 29th, I was awakened by some pretty strong contractions and was shocked to find out that they were only about 5 minutes apart and were lasting for over a minute.  Again, I figured I still had lots of time so I tried to get some more sleep, but I couldn’t so I decided to get up and listen to my Hypnobabies birthing affirmations and prepare myself for the day ahead.

    I had bloody show for the first time at about 4:00 a.m. and called Maggie at 5:30 a.m. to let her know that things were happening, but told her that she didn’t need to come just yet because I felt we were a ways off and I was doing okay.  She told me to call her back in an hour and let her know how things were progressing.  I also called my friend, Andrea, who was going to be coming to photograph/videotape the birth for us.

    There was more bloody show at 6:20 a.m. and that’s when I lost my mucous plug as well.  I called Maggie again at 6:55 a.m. to let her know that my contractions were about 3-4 minutes apart and lasting for over a minute.  I asked her and Carol to come and she said they would be over around 8:00 a.m. unless I needed them sooner.

    Around 8:00 a.m. Maggie and Carol arrived, and then shortly after, Andrea arrived as well.  With everyone present, I felt I could really relax and focus on allowing my body to do its work and open up to allow my baby down.  The apartment was bustling with excitement and preparation for the birth.  I was breathing through contractions in bed while everyone was preparing the birth pool, getting out supplies, making coffee, and watching the morning news.  I continued to listen to my birthing affirmations and relax my body.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    Shortly before 9:00 a.m., I asked Maggie and Carol if they could do a vaginal exam to see how far I’d progressed.  (This was the very first vaginal exam I’d had throughout my entire pregnancy.)  I was happily surprised to find out that I was 4-5 cm and I couldn’t believe how quickly things were progressing!

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    I continued to “ohhh” and “ahhh” through contractions (the tonal sounds are supposed to help open the cervix up) and swivel my hips to try and work the baby down.  Around 10:30 a.m., I asked for another exam because I felt like things were really getting intense.  Again, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I was about 7 cm and my bag of waters was bulging with each contraction. 
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    Around 12:30 p.m., I was dilated to 8 cm and decided to have my water bag broken to try and speed things up.  Afterward, I immediately noticed my contractions were stronger and I got into the birthing tub to see if it would make things more comfortable.  The pool ended up not feeling as nice as I had expected, partly because I couldn’t find a comfortable way to sit in it, and I didn’t stay in very long. It was only about an hour later when my body started involuntarily pushing a little bit.
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    The midwives suggested that I try a couple of “test pushes” to see if it brought the baby down anymore.  So I leaned over the side of the birth pool and pushed with some contractions while Carol checked to see if the baby’s head was coming down.  With the exam, we found out that I was almost complete (10 cm), but had a “lip” to my cervix still so Carol tried to hold it back while I pushed.  It took an hour-and-a-half for the lip to disappear.  This, after I tried all sorts of pushing positions:  standing, squatting with support from Shaun, sitting on the toilet, on my hands and knees, side-lying, lying on my back, and squatting while hanging from the knobs on my bedroom door.
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    During this time, I’d been having trouble urinating so Maggie suggested I get in the shower to see if it relaxed me enough to be able to go.  It didn’t work and I had some of the worst contractions yet while I was in the shower with no one to help hold me up for support.  While I was in there, I started to think the baby wasn’t coming out and that I was at peace with going to the hospital if that was the case.  One of the only things that kept me from absolutely deciding to go was having to ride in the car, which I knew would be agony.  Maggie said that if I was going to the hospital we were at least going to get the baby down far enough so that a vacuum could be used and I could avoid a repeat cesarean.  So around 4:30 p.m., I got back on my bed and kept trying to bring the baby down.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    As I kept pushing, we soon noticed that my urethra was extremely swollen and bulging out right above the baby’s head.  This is something Maggie said she had never seen in her 35+ years of practice as a midwife, and so she began icing my urethra in between contractions.  At this point, I reached down and felt my baby’s head.  There was a caput succedaneum, meaning that there was swelling on top of the head that is caused by a prolonged or difficult delivery.  (After the fact, Maggie told me that the baby’s head was asynclitic, meaning the head was tilted to the side, and that it straightened out during one of the times that I was pushing and the head was inching out and then going back in a little bit.  That would explain the prolonged pushing and the caput.)The exhaustion was starting to set in as I neared 4 hours of pushing and I really began doubting myself as I started to swell just like I did with my first birth, and I feared that the same thing was happening as did before.  It was then that I reached down and felt my baby’s head and Shaun held a mirror for me to see exactly how close I was to delivering my baby.  And after some words of encouragement and working through some mental blocks, I never had the idea of going to the hospital or being too exhausted enter my mind again - and I pressed on.  Much to my surprise, the most effective position for me to push was on my back with my legs pulled back (the lithotomy position commonly used in the hospital), which is generally the second worst position to have a baby aside from hanging from your feet.

    After some amazing encouragement and coaching from my birth support team, I finally began to make real progress.  I was crying out to the Lord to give me strength and Andrea was praying for me out loud.  Maggie and Carol were telling me not that I could do it, but that I WAS doing it.  Shaun was my rock and was ever so loving and encouraging through the whole process, and his excitement was contagious.  Around 5:35 p.m., the baby’s head started to crown.  To my surprise, I never got the “ring of fire,” but the only burning sensation and immense pain I felt was in my swollen urethra.  It took what seemed like forever to have another contraction so I could push the head out, but in reality it was probably 2-3 minutes.  I began praying for another contraction to come so I could relieve the pressure and get the baby out.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    At 5:49 p.m., the baby’s head was out.  The cord was loosely around her neck once, and it was easily unwrapped.  I wasn’t having very strong contractions anymore, most likely because my uterus was so exhausted and so was I, and so I just kept on pushing until the rest of the baby came out.  Her first shoulder came out easily, but the second needed a little help from Maggie.  At 5:50 p.m., our baby was born and put right onto my abdomen.  She looked right at me and let out a little cry, and she was perfect.  I asked Shaun to check the gender and when he said “it’s a girl” I was shocked because I thought it was a boy, but I was thrilled for our daughter, Brennan, who had really wanted a little sister.   Brennan ran in right after hearing the baby’s cry and she was instantly in love with the baby, not even noticing the blood and fluid.  I’m so thankful that this whole experience is what she will view as “normal” birth.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma
    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma

    A few minutes after the baby’s birth, Carol said we should cut the cord because she thought I was bleeding a bit too much and I needed to hand off the baby to Shaun so we could get the placenta delivered.  I ended up not bleeding much at all, but it did take 28 minutes to get the placenta delivered.  I sat on the toilet for a while waiting for contractions to start up again and eventually got 2 shots of Pitocin and then lay on the floor in my room where I delivered the placenta, which the midwives said was one of the largest they’d seen.  The placenta was completely intact and had no irregularities.

    Upon examination by Maggie and Carol, I was found to have no tearing, which they thought was due to the length at which the baby’s head was crowning because it allowed for gradual stretching of the perineum.  Within a few minutes, I was cleaned up and sitting in bed with my baby girl, whom we named Emma Faith, in my arms.  She immediately turned for the breast and latched on right away with her big sister lovingly stroking her head and holding her hand.  While I spent time bonding with my girls, the apartment was getting cleaned up.  An hour after the birth, you would have never known that anything happened there.

    Before leaving, the midwives examined Emma and made sure that she was nursing well.  We talked for a bit about the day and I thanked them for all they had done and for believing in me even when I didn’t believe in myself.  We all toasted with champagne to the beautiful new life that was in our midst, and then we were left to enjoy our new family of 4.

    During the whole process, not once did I feel in danger or afraid that something bad was going to happen.  I knew the whole time that I was in completely capable hands and I trusted Maggie and Carol knew what they were doing, and I trusted that my body and baby knew what they were doing.  If I had been at the hospital to have this baby, I would have most definitely been forced into a repeat cesarean for a number of reasons.  I’m so grateful for the choice that Shaun and I made to have our baby at home and to trust this body that the Lord gave me and the process of birth.  So many people thought I couldn’t do it, and especially at home, but I had my home birth after cesarean and now I feel like I can take on the world.  I pray that someday home birth will be more normal than hospital birth and that women begin to trust the innate intelligence of their bodies and not the educational intelligence of doctors (unless absolutely necessary, of course).  It is my hope that all women get a chance to know the incredible joy that I feel when I remember the birth of my daughter, Emma.

    Birth Story  /  A Home Birth After Cesarean  /  Anna + Emma

     If you'd like to share your birth story please email me at corilynngentry@gmail.com.



    1 Comment

    An Almost Bathroom Birth - Drako

    9/4/2013

    0 Comments

     
    Birth Story - Courtney + Drako

    I had your average, uncomplicated pregnancy. I was due on Friday, 9/23/11. That following Monday the 26th, I went into the OB’s office for an ultrasound and stress test. Stress test was first, baby was fine. We went up for the ultrasound and the tech was too quiet. I knew from her measurements my fluid was low. I was scheduled to have a follow up appointment with my OB 2 hours later. Well by the time I walked downstairs, they told me to go straight over to the OB’s office. My OB told me they needed to induce me because my fluid was low, it was measuring 4.2.

    I went home, grabbed my hubby and hospital bag and off to Memorial we went. I arrived and was checked in at 2:30pm on 9/26/11. It took the nurses 3 tries to get an IV set up. At 5:15pm the on-call OB decided to show up. She checked me, I was 1cm dilated and not effaced at all. They told me to prepare for a long road. They inserted Cervadil and told me to rest up.

    Around 8pm I was bored, and not feeling any contractions so I got in the tub. No jets, but it was relaxing. I figured it might help things along. They had pretty much left me alone. I had no meds going in and no fluids either. They let me have a liquid dinner tray around 9pm, yeah for Jell-o!

    Around 10pm, I started feeling the contractions. They were not bad, just felt like moving menstrual cramps. The nurse came in to check me; I was 3cm and 50%. Things moved fast after that!

    I wanted to go as pain med free as possible; I really did not want an epidural. Around midnight I asked for a Demeral shot. All that did was make me feel drunk in between contractions. At the same time, I started feeling like I needed to go #2. Honestly, sitting on the toilet was the most comfortable place to be! For the next couple of hours I was going back and forth to the bed and toilet. By 2am, my contractions were back to back. I could not get off the toilet. The nurses kept telling me they needed to check me and I told them to go away! Shane, my hubby, would just follow me back and forth and stand in front of me for support. I was addicted to his scent. I did not want him to touch me, just stand there so I could rest my head on his belly and smell him.

    Around 3am, my body started pushing on its own. (I had no idea that is what was happening until after the fact.) I started moaning and my mom knew something was wrong. Yes, apparently I was trying to give birth on the toilet! The nurses kept asking if I wanted an epidural, I finally caved in. When the anesthesiologist got there I was, big shocker, on the toilet. The nurse came, took one look at me, and said they needed me on the bed immediately and that my body was pushing the baby out.

    I refused to get off the toilet! My husband grabbed one arm, and my mother grabbed the other and they threw me on the bed. The anesthesiologist started the epidural. He got one third of the way done (only a partial shot and the tube set up, but nothing in it) and I had to lie down. The nurse checked me and yelled at the other nurse to call the OB.

     After waiting and breathing through contractions for another 20 minutes, my OB showed up. She told me to push and two pushes later my 7 pound, 7 ounce 19.5” baby boy was born at 4:17am 9/27/11. The epidural did not kick in until the OB was stitching my 2nd degree tear. Moreover, I could still feel most of that. I felt fine afterwards, and Drako was perfect! No cone head or anything!

    Birth Story - Courtney + Drako
    Birth Story - Courtney + Drako
    Birth Story - Courtney + Drako
    Birth Story - Courtney + Drako

    If you would like to share a birth story, please email me at corilynngentry@gmail.com



    0 Comments
      PictureI'm a childbirth educator, birth doula, and birth activist with 4 little boys and occasionally enough time to write.



      Events

      Natural Birth Series
      Sept 28 –  Nov 15 
      Carmel, 6:30–9pm 
      Register

      Infant Sleep for Expecting & New Parents
      September 28th
      6:30pm - 9:00pm
      Register

      Gentle Cesarean: Planning & Recovery
      September 30th
      Toro Park, 3-6:30pm
      Register

      Natural Birth Refresher
      October 15th
      Salinas, 1– 4pm
      Register

      Preconception & Early Pregnancy Class
      October 22nd
      Salinas, 1– 4pm
      Register

      Sibling Prep for Parents & Kids
      November 4th & 5th
      Toro Park, 2:-4pm
      Register

      Fall Home & Birth Center Birth Series
      Nov 7 – Dec 12
      Salinas 7pm–9pm
      Register

      VBAC Class
      November 12th
      Salinas, 1–4pm
      Register

      Natural Birth Series
      Nov 29th – Jan 17th 
      Salinas 6:30–9pm 
      Register


      Archives

      January 2017
      January 2016
      August 2015
      March 2015
      February 2015
      January 2015
      December 2014
      September 2014
      August 2014
      July 2014
      June 2014
      May 2014
      March 2014
      February 2014
      January 2014
      December 2013
      October 2013
      September 2013
      August 2013
      June 2013
      May 2013
      April 2013
      March 2013
      February 2013
      January 2013
      December 2012
      November 2012

      Categories

      All
      Birth Class
      Birth Stories
      Breastfeeding
      Cesarean
      Circumcision
      Dads
      Doula
      Exercise Pregnant
      Grandparenting
      Induction
      Midwifery Care
      Monterey Salinas Birth Options
      Natural Birth
      OB-GYN
      Recipes
      Reviews
      Sex
      VBAC

    © Copyright 2012-2022 Cori Gentry. All rights reserved.

    • Home
    • About
    • Self-Paced Online Birth Classes
    • In-Person Classes
    • Contact