If you are considering homebirth and looking for a midwife who will give you
exceptional care and attention, I truly believe that you do not need to look further than
Natalie Wommack. We had a wonderful experience working with Natalie. Here is our
story:
I just had my second child and my first home birth a week and a half ago- so it is all still
pretty fresh! We had our first child with a midwife at a birthing center in the Dallas area,
and I really thought we would do the same with any other children. However, when we
got to Katy, I couldn’t find a birthing center close enough to our home, and so we began
to consider a homebirth. I am so glad we did!
First of all, the care that I received from Natalie Wommack was in my opinion second
to none! She pays attention to detail and truly cares about her patients. Not only does
she take the time to check on baby, but she also checked on me. She helped me stay on
top of nutrition, exercise, and even stress levels. I never felt rushed at appointments and
looked forward to them. Natalie also provided tons of resources (books, DVDs, etc.) that
I was able to borrow and use as a refresher course. Natalie was also kind enough to talk
with my mother-in-law who is an RN and was uneasy with our choice to do a homebirth.
Natalie’s hospital experience made it easy for her to talk with my mother-in-law, and she
also allowed her to borrow resources from her library to help address her concerns. I had
complete confidence that if there was a need to transfer at anytime during labor, Natalie
would be extra cautious and would make the right decision at the right time. The care
I received with this pregnancy/birth was better than that of my first, and I was not at all
displeased with my first birth. My mother and mother-in-law (who were both present at
our firstborn’s birth) both commented on how impressed they were with Natalie (esp. as
compared to my first midwife). She is such a calming and encouraging presence during
labor and delivery.
For me having this birth at home was wonderful for many reasons. For one thing, when
my contractions kick in, my labor doesn’t typically last that long (this time 51/2 hrs)- and
so it is nice to not have to travel somewhere when contractions are strong and coming
quickly. Also, it is just really great to be in your own surroundings where everything
is familiar and comfortable and where anyone you want to be present can be. It is also
wonderful to have the freedom to move about and eat/ drink as you please. With both
labors, I spent time in the bathtub to help ease contractions. With this labor, Natalie
had me do some special rocking positions because the baby was posterior and having
trouble turning. These things would not have been allowed in most hospital settings,
but without them it would have been much harder for me to give my babies a drug-
free natural birth. I am a small-framed person, and I fear that in a hospital setting, I
would have ended up with an unnecessary C-section with at least one of my children.
And I LOVE the fact that when the work is all over and that sweet baby finally arrives,
I am the one who first gets to hold the baby. (Isn’t that only fair! ) I witnessed my
sister give birth in a hospital in January ‘07, and it broke my heart when she had to wait
15-20 minutes before she ever got to touch her baby because of the routine testing that
could have waited. Then, she only had 40-45 minutes (whether or not mom and baby
had figured out nursing) with baby before the nurses would be back to take her to the
nursery. With a midwife and a homebirth, the baby never leaves your sight! You get to
soak in every one of those special first moments, and those you love (grandparents, aunts,
etc.) can be present, too! Also, my sister was given an episiotomy long before it was
clear if she needed one. This made her recovery time take SO much longer than mine.
It was over a week before she was able to be up and walking about without lots of pain.
For me, it was a matter of days. With both babies, I was not given an episiotomy, and I
did not tear with either birth.
Finally, the one thing that made this birth extraordinary was the fact that my midwife
was a Christian! Natalie prays for her patients and the babies they carry. My labor
and delivery was a beautiful experience spiritually as she prayed and spoke Scripture
over us the entire time. Then, when baby arrived she was praising the Lord for
his safe arrival. It brings tears to my eyes to think about it. What a precious time!
I think for many the thought of labor with no epidural is overwhelming. With our first
child, we took the Bradley method classes, and found them very beneficial. I wish we
had done a refresher course this time around. If you can find a way to do some sort of
natural childbirth course, do it. When you consider the amount of money most people
save doing a homebirth, the cost isn’t that much and we learned so much. If a class is not
possible, read up on it as much as possible. Natalie has tons of resources! Ultimately,
have someone who will be your “coach” during labor. Their job is to encourage
you, and to remind you of your goals during contractions. With this kind of support
during labor, I think most women are entirely capable of having a drug-free birth.
Tara Gilson
Leave a Reply