"It still amazes me that active labor was so short and so easy."
Today, we would like to introduce you to Lauren Smith.
Lauren, thank you so much for giving us the chance to learn more about your birth story!
What were your greatest challenges in preparing for your birth BEFORE joining Werk Your Birth program?
I was a high risk mama with Lupus and anxiety. First pregnancy and baby for myself and my husband.
What made you decide to join Werk Your Birth?
Finding a provider that looked like me was difficult and to add on being high risk the odds for a birth without interventions were not in my favor. With the help of this course I was able to find a great OB that specializes in high risk pregnancies, and work with her and my Rheumatologist to have the birth experience that made sense for me and my husband.
To learn more about how you and your partner can become prepared for birth, check out my virtual birth coaching here.
Okay, so tell us about your birth? Walk us through your story!
The Sunday before I gave birth we took a CPR class with our parents and a few of my siblings. We all joked about me going into labor during the class, but I was only 38+2 and everyone kept telling me the first kid is ALWAYS late. We went through the night and around 1a Monday morning my water broke. It wasn't a big gush and no bloody show so I called my mom and went back to bed. That morning we got up ate breakfast and cleaned up the house a bit. We had our 38 week check up and because I wasn't having strong waves and nothing was continuous so I figured we'd go back home and I'd be able to rest until things picked up. MY husband said we should grab our hospital bags just in case and I'm glad we did.
I found out at our appointment I was about 5.5cm and most of the fluid around the baby was gone. Still feeling great we walked over to LD to get checked in. In SoCal the COVID rules were still pretty strict so I was on my own for check in while hubby did a COVID test in the lobby. I felt good telling the charge nurse I did not need a cervix check or vitals because my OB had just did everything and I gave her the numbers. There was some push back and I let her know she could call the office to confirm because I truly didn't want to be poked at again (something I may have given into without the training from Chanel). I sat calm and my husband walked up and was able to chat with the nurses and let them know there was no need for all the vitals and showed them a little video of us walking over from the doctors towers. I was shown to a room with still no strong contractions but they were more consistent. Phil called our parents while I signed the rest of the paperwork. I turned down the baby monitor so I could still be mobile and felt good about this choice.
It was now about 8pm and had been almost 12 hours since my last cervix check, I agreed to one out of my own curiosity and was about 7cm at this point. Still no contractions that stopped me in my tracks but I agreed to an IV and the monitor so I could stay hydrated and go to sleep. Dad stayed up and watched the monitor while I rested.
Around midnight a nurse came in and said she noticed a few dips in the baby's heart rate during my surges and asked if I wanted anything for the pain. At this point I wasn't in pain but was starting to get uncomfortable. I denied and let her know if his heart rate dropped and didn't recover I would consider pain meds. Shortly after our conversation that's exactly what happened. Around 1:30a the doctor came in with the epidural and the baby's heart rate was back strong but I felt strong pressure in my bottom and sure enough I was just about 10cm. They called my OB and got the room set up. She barely got in the room before I started pushing. About 5 minutes and 4 pushes later our son was born.
It still amazes me that active labor was so short and so easy.
How did Werk Your Birth positively impact your birthing experience?
I was able to have a plan a, b, c and fully prepared for what we were getting into. During pregancy and well into the postpartum. While everything was new post partum and still a surprise, we were both prepared and had tools how to approach most things; in-laws/visitors, first blow out, and even transitioning back to work.
What has this program done for you (and your partner)?
In both of our families EVERYONE was apart of previous births. From being at the hospital, to coming over the day the baby came home and I knew that wasn't going to work for us. Chanel helped us have the tough conversation with our parents that we wanted to have this experience for us. We delayed visits from immediate family for a week and a half and got to adjust to our new normal before letting anyone else in our space.
Were there any results you weren't expecting that pleasantly surprised you?
Breastfeeding! A lot of what we went over was mental prep and how to stay focused to support each other during our new journey as parents. Coming from a families where no one breastfed I set a goal to at least get through three months and not be too hard on myself if it didn't happen. Here we are still going strong and I wouldn't have done it any other way. I can't thank PJ's Auntie Chanel enough.
What would you tell a mama who is hoping to prepare for birth?
Trust your body and speak up.
Before we end, what would you tell someone who is considering investing in the Werk Your Birth program?
I've told all my friends that have recently found out they are expecting to hop on Chanel's page NOOWWWW. I told them they need to be following to get a spot as soon as one opens up. The hospital class is just that. They prepare you to give birth at their facility and nothing else.
With Chanel we were prepared for the end of pregnancy-today 10 months PP.
Be sure to follow this mama on her journey on Instagram @_laurenmichel
If you have been a part of my Werk Your Birth program and want to be interviewed, fill out this link.
Do you have a desire to join our community and become empowered during your pregnancy and birth, join here.
Looking for more information? Take a look around because we have so many resources available to you (and your partner) on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and of course here on our website.