We are delighted to partner with St. Luke's to bring you a sponsored post series that highlights the birthing process from different perspectives.
Labor. It’s messy. It’s complicated. It’s beautiful. It’s private and intimate (and yet… it can sometimes feels like a spectator sport!). No two birthing experiences are alike but there are enough similarities that moms often share a fair amount of good advice and information on how to prepare for labor and delivery with moms-to-be . But what about those other people in the room? Your doctor and your nurses? They’re also a wealth of knowledge when it come to the birthing process.
Duluth Moms Blog caught up with four women: two new mothers, an obstetrician, and a nurse and interviewed them about the ins and outs about life (literally!) in St. Luke’s Birthing Center. Keep tuning in each day this week as we share their words of wisdom.
Meet Carrie Taylor Kemp
Photo by Three Irish Girls Photography
Carrie works in a college setting assisting students in gaining professional experience before graduation. This includes searching for internships, honing resume writing, preparing for interviews, and enhancing social media profiles. She also takes this content to the classroom as a member of the faculty. Carrie and her family throw rocks at the Lakeshore, pitches at the Little League field, and her most treasured personal hobby is race training with friends. She has a love of travel and is trying to indulge in it more often. Carrie has two sons, Leo, whose birth she shares with us today, and William.
The Interview
When you were researching your options for childbirth, what made you settle on a hospital birth at St. Luke’s?
The smaller facility was appealing. I had a sister who had worked as a nurse there, and several family members who had received medical care there, so the setting was familiar. The OB staff I had encountered during my pregnancy provided me with answers and assurance.
What were you most looking forward to about giving birth? What were your biggest fears?
I knew that it would be an incredible bonding experience for my husband and me. Bringing a person into the world is such a unique and all-consuming gift. My biggest fears was uncertainty of the unknown, especially managing pain. And although I didn’t want to admit it at the time, I feared having a C-section, knowing my sister had experienced it with challenging deliveries. When I attempted a VBAC with our second child, my fear still seemed to point towards not knowing what to expect, and assuming labor would be long.
Describe your most empowered moment during childbirth. What gave you courage and strength?
When labor stalled and my options for achieving a VBAC began to dissipate, the OB gave us additional time to consider our next steps. We were involved in every part of the conversation and decision making process. I felt incredibly empowered to stay we tried and needed to resort to a C-section. I knew waiting wouldn’t change that outcome. And in some ways, that decision was a relief.
Did you make a birth plan? What went according to plan, and what didn’t?
My plan was to attempt a VBAC. For much of the second half of my pregnancy, my doctor and I discussed the factors that determine successful VBACS, and how my previous birth and family history played into my likelihood of avoiding another C-section. Clearly, ending up with a second C-section wasn’t the plan, but due to additional and unforeseen complications that were discovered during my eventual surgery, that option was clearly necessary and potentially less dangerous than trying to deliver naturally with the complications that would be discovered.
Did you let anyone stay in the room with you while you gave birth? If so, who?
Since I was in the operating room for my C-section, there was a whole party in there! The CNA was on my right and the anesthesiologist on my left. They talked to me continuously throughout the procedure, and ensured I understood what was happening and that I felt comfortable. I would hear my husband chime in every so often, and was actually happy to hear the chatter among the medical staff.
Carrie with Baby Leo
Who were your favorite nurses? What did they do that stood out to you?
Stephanie was amazing! She correctly predicted our son’s gender and exact weight. She stayed with me during labor and post-surgery. It was so comforting to have a consistent and supportive person talking you through processes, and explaining why certain
things were occurring. Perla was also incredible–she remembered us from our first stay. All of the nurses really went the extra mile, even carefully stamping our newborn son’s foot and handprints on a baseball to take home.
What was your first meal after you gave birth?
It was morning, so breakfast: eggs, bagel, the works! I follow a gluten-free diet and St. Luke’s was really accommodating. I’m pretty sure I ordered two desserts per meal.
What surprised you about your recovery after birth?
That despite having experienced a C-section before, how hard the recovery would be the second time. My incision was much more extensive than a traditional C-section, so very soon after returning home I completely gave into more rest, lots of sitting, and asking for help constantly.
Do you have any advice for pregnant mamas who are preparing for labor?
Don’t compare yourself and your plans to anyone else–that is never helpful. Whatever you envision your plan to be, communicate that to your labor coach. Determine how willing you are to change your mind. Equip yourself with some visualization or meditation exercises, something that can help you focus to work through labor. And surround yourself with positive people–that makes a difference.
Name three essential items a mom should pack in her hospital bag.
