Meet Jaime, Arizona native, married, and loving on 4 children! She's the writer behind The Mac House Blog and Instagram
@themachouseblog sharing bits of her daily life, organizational tools and all things beauty. As a mama of 4, she's had quite a handful of experiencing through labor and childbirth so we've sat down and chatted to give you a glimpse behind her season of Motherhood.
We are so excited to hear more about your birth experience! The good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful moments! If you could summarize your delivery in a few sentences, how would you explain it?
My fourth baby’s delivery was incredible. It was calm, unexpectedly fast and it was the birth I had desired with my first 3 children. I felt so supported and respected. It also went so quick, that it took me a good 2 days to comprehend that the baby was here!
Did you have expectations on your labor and delivery prior to your delivery day?
Yes and no. When I initially found out that we were expecting, I got very nervous for the delivery. I had a traumatic delivery with my 3rd baby. My first two deliveries were very calm and well supported by my original doctor. But he couldn’t practice anymore due to a health condition, so I used his “replacement”. That was honestly the biggest mistake. She was unsupportive, mean and had her own ideas for how my birth should go. It was really difficult, because she treated me like I was so uneducated with regards to birth. Like I didn’t know what I was talking about. So when I found out I was expecting with baby #4, only a year after that traumatic birth, it brought back a lot of painful memories and emotions. I cried at my first 2 visits, trying to find a different doctor. Thankfully, I found an incredible practice that had Midwives and Doctors that not only focus on your health but your mind as well. Making sure that you feel fully supported and educated on your options!
What type of facility were you planning on for your birth? Home, birth center, hospital?
We planned on birthing at a nearby hospital that allowed Midwives to deliver the babies. I wanted a good happy medium between the safety of a hospital but the atmosphere of a home birth or a birth center. And thankfully we found one!
Were you planning on a natural, unmedicated birth or were you open to medication to either speed along labor or ease discomfort?
I was adamant about a natural birth. I really wanted to see if I was able to birth naturally, without an epidural and without being induced. I feel like our bodies are designed to birth, but no doctor had actually allowed my body to do what it was intended to do. I was frustrated that every doctor wanted to intervene in a perfectly healthy labor. I’ve never had any complications but doctors have always stepped in when they think the birth is taking too long. (My births have always only been a FEW hours. So it’s not like I am in labor for days!) An unmedicated birth sounds like torture to most people, but it was incredible. And not painful. I believe pain is a choice. And we really need to allow our bodies to do the work. When we relax and allow our bodies to function, birth gets a whole lot easier!
Did you have a support system present during labor and delivery? If so, how did that help or hinder your experience?
YES. This was the key factor in the “success” of my birth. I knew that I wanted additional support. And not just support of my family or spouse, but support from a birth professional. Someone who could answer questions, make educated decisions on my behalf and push me in those last moments that are always the hardest. I took private HypnoBirthing classes which changed not only my pregnancy, but made my deliver fly by! And we hired a doula. We actually had 2 doulas. I was able to call or text my doulas with any questions during my pregnancy and when I went into labor. This helped me not go into the hospital too early and just ease any concerns I had. They would remind me to trust my body, relax and trust that the baby will come when it’s ready. I could not have birthed without them!
When thinking about your delivery day, were you anxious anticipating your baby’s arrival or did you feel totally ready and excited about your transition into motherhood?
I was not anxious at all. I was so calm the entire pregnancy. My mom even said that I was too calm and she didn’t think I was ever going to birth! Thankfully, I had a really great pregnancy this time. Besides some tummy pain from stretching (which I now know was Diastasis Recti) I felt great! I slept really well. But I feel like I owe the good sleep and calmness to HypnoBirthing which really taught me to go into deep relaxation and to trust my body. And it puts a really positive spin on pregnancy. Which is great in comparison to people's horror stories that they tend to share.
Looking back, what was the most valuable thing you walked away with learning the day your sweet baby was born?
There are so many things that I now know are valuable. But the most valuable thing would be to trust my body and stay positive. You will only birth your baby once! It is such a magical experience if you let it be one. So trust that your body is designed to grow that baby to its perfect size and birth when it’s ready. And when you get into the science behind birth, it really shows you HOW our bodies really are designed for this.
If you could describe the day you met your little one in 3 words, which words would you choose?
Fast, comical and Magical! (We thought she was a boy..but she came out a girl! ha!)
What do you wish someone would have told you?
That the 4th baby is really hard on your body in different ways. I had a really hard time with my hips and pelvis going back to normal. I could barely walk for about 2 weeks. I finally got adjusted by a Chiropractor, which made a world of difference. But it was hard!
Labor pains go fuzzy over time… are you planning on any more babies in your future?
I do not feel ready to say we are done. We have 4 kids, and the thought of any more seems a little crazy. But the thought of saying we are finished for good seems even crazier. I LOVE being a mom. It almost brings me to tears because I am so honored that I get to love on these babies and help raise them. I feel like the luckiest person alive. I was thrusted into motherhood early on and I can honestly say it was the best thing that ever happened to me. So will there be a #5? Probably! Ha!