My message is for all those fathers who might watch this video and be concerned for their daughters (grandchildren) who are considering a home birth. Because I was present for Alex’s birth, her two sisters’ births, and her brother’s birth, I know a little bit about the concerns a father will have. Yes, I was aware of the issues, hospitals’ concerns, and the various doctors’ concerns as Alex progressed through her pregnancy. I can honestly say, though, that my wife, Dianne, and I were always 100% behind Alex’s decision from the start because we saw where her heart was, her mind was, and where her indomitable spirit was. She invited Dianne and me to be with her during her birth week and we had the good fortune to help Alex and her family before, during, and after JoJo’s birth.

My wish would be that all children could come into our world the way JoJo was born - in such an incredibly loving environment. So fathers, when your daughter decides she wants to have a home birth, listen to her heart, listen to her soul. It is literally an opportunity of a lifetime for all concerned.

Thank you, Alex, for that gift!! Thank you!! Thank you!! We will never, ever forget the joy and the loving family setting you and John created. John was there for you and JoJo in a way that was so incredible - so loving.

Alex, your video with your brother’s music playing in the background is just so beautiful - it brings a tear to my eye every time I watch it. I Love You, Dad

I am at a loss for words, this was so beautiful. You make me proud to be a woman all over again! Thank you for sharing, I will be posting this so your message reaches more and more women to help them understand the difference with their own eyes. Congratulations!!

OMG! Alex, this is amazing! You just brought tears to my eyes! My husband and I just watched it and as soon as the video of Josephine being born played he said, "Yep, we can have a home birth." (Not that he really has a say). Such a beautiful film, congratulations to you are your beautiful family!!!!

Amazing! I cried, I laughed. It was glorious!
Thank you for sharing


Tammy,
5 VBAC's and counting!

THANK YOU for sharing your journey! It was just lovely...beautiful. I was touched by the moment when your oldest met your second as you soundly slept in the background due to the pain killers. I don't remember anything about holding my newborn twins for the first time because I was so "intoxicated" with medication after the c/s. I'm so happy for you that your 3rd birth was everthing it should have been, and everything you deserved. I cried tears of joy for you as you declared, "I did it!" Of course you did and good for you! Congratulations! You have a beautiful family!

CONGRATULATIONS, Alexandra! Thank you so much for making this video and sharing it with us! In just two weeks I will be celebrating my baby's first birthday, as well as the anniversary of my HBAC! My first son was born by Cesarean, and, like you, I didn't meet him for four hours. The OB goofed up during surgery and I was back in the OR at death's door a week later because of his mistake (which I was never told about, I had to find it out from my medical records). I chose a homebirth for my second child because not only did I know that I would have a snowball's chance in hell of VBACing at the hospital, I also wasn't willing to give them another chance to screw up my body! My HBAC was just about everything I wanted it to be and more, as triumphant and empowering as yours. :)

The footage of your second Cesarean is gruesome, I had to look away many times, but I'm really glad you showed all the nitty gritty details. I think too many people believe that all Cesareans are like how your first one looked - cut a slit in the belly, pull out the baby, la dee da! In reality, they are graphic, almost violent, and very shocking to both baby and mom's body. The look on Maddie's face said it all when she was fully born and holding her arms out. "WTF just happened to me?!" How much did she weigh, BTW? (Curious if she was as terribly big as they feared!)

I'll be sharing this video on my blog. Feel free to stop by anytime. You can read my HBAC story there too, by clicking the photo that says "My Triumphant HBAC" on the right. keyboardrevolutionary.blogspot.com Thanks again for being an inspiration! You are awesome!

Thanks I have had two cesareans without labor, because I went to 40 weeks plus 7 days they called it postdatism which it is not. Ahhh. There was nothing was wrong with me or my babies. Post natal depression lots of therapy for me and my eldest son - we suffered a lot. Sometimes I feel I know too much now that Im a hypnobrithing practitioner and childbrith educator and sometimes I dont know if I can pass the psyscological block that took me to the wrong place the last two times. Can I really have a birth? Thanks for lettign me see yours.

That was amazing. I am so touched that you chose to share this with the world. Thank you.

That was amazing! I was crying so much while watching the birth of your second babe. How big was she in the end? I may have missed that along the way. Thank-you so much for sgaring this. As a student doula this has shown me again why mummas dont want c-sections unless they are truely needed.

I was lucky with my secong babe that the Ob 'missed' his size, he was born 10lb 15oz. My third birth was a Home Birth and he was 11lb 0oz.

Thank-you again for sharing :) I just also want to ask how you feel about the midwife doing all that suctioning in you HB?

Since a few people have asked, I thought I would post it here: My first daughter was 7lbs10oz, my second was 9lbs8oz, and my third was 8lbs8oz. :)

What a beautiful video! My c-section was for a 9lb 6oz boy after failed induction for supposedly being too big. I had a hospital VBAC with an 11lb girl and then a home water birth with a 10lb 13oz girl. I hope all the future moms who watch this realize the ACOG rules are causing way too many unnecessary c-sections.

I would not have joined this site just to make a comment if it was not for your dad Alexandra (I already know the vast difference) but what I needed to say is THANKYOU BILL!!!!! your message made me cry before the video even started.

my mum actually refused to come to the hospital with me for my second birth, said that it scared her, she was terrified of doing that again (my mother has 5 children, all but one homebirthed), so she not only supported my decision to homebirth, she totally encouraged it, she helped me convince my husband, she helped me face the world when i told anyone that i was going to homebirth!

once again THANKYOU!! amazing to see, not just from a parent but from her father!!! WOW

The video of your second cesarean was brutal. How on earth can people think that is possibly better for babies? I had to keep looking away from both videos...still traumatized by my unnecesarean 8 years ago. I've since had 2 freebirths, the most recent was an amazing water birth.

Alexandra,
I am sitting at my desk frantically trying to wipe the tears from my eyes so no one will see me! This is quite possibly the most heart-wrenching (c/s) and most triumphant (homebirth) thing I've ever witnessed! Thank you so much for sharing this with us and I applaud you.

Thank you!

I'm pregnant with my 3rd (2 c-sections previously) and desperately wanting to VBAC. Granted my section stories are not as unhappy as your 2nd, maybe it's different here in Canada, I held both of mine immediately after (right in the OR) and they weren't out of my sight the entire time we were recovering in hospital. The doctor's "fears" for me trying to deliver vaginally- big babies. Both my 1st (boy) and 2nd (girl) were big, neither engaged and my boy was 16 days "overdue" with no signs of labour. Your story and the comments here have helped me strengthen my resolve to not go through the terrifying moments of another surgery. Thanks everyone!

I cannot tell you how much respect I have for you...you are an amazing woman. I also have a ton of respect for your husband, who clearly is very supportive of you and loves and respects you very much. Thank you for sharing such intimate 'places' in your lives...you have left an imprint in my mind/heart, and 'cracked' them open a lot more, once again. Blessings.

P.S: I was researching for my husband and her partner (expecting in the spring), at their request...and as well, my daughter is expecting her first in a few weeks. Our first child was born by emergency C-section almost 27 years ago. When the time came for our next child I deliberately sought out a doctor who would let me try to give birth naturally....which I did....3 more times. I will say, however, that I was always yearning (during labour) to be able to climb into some water, to not have to leave the shower (all that was available) AND to have the courage to push to give birth in a more natural, calm setting (ie: home). As it turned out, the 4th (and last) babe had many complications (breech and a few others) and this wouldn't have been possible, in the end. I can so relate to not getting to hold or connect with your newborn babes for hours...24 with the first, and I was pretty out of it! Your father's testament to supporting you touched me deeply...and has lent new perspective to think about, and to share with my husband (about to become Grandpa). Thank you, again. Respectfully and with love, Light, and Blessings your way.

Thank you so much for posting this video. I cried and cried through both of your c-sections. I can totally relate to your first c-section.. I recognized the look on your face (even though we can't see your eyes). I had that same fear and trepidation with mine. How wonderful that your husband took video of the c-sections; mine was not allowed, and he didn't think to sneak it until it was too late. I did not get to meet my daughter for 4 hours, and I, too, was so doped up on drugs that I wasn't really with it.

Unfortunately in Arizona we can't VBAC at home unless we want to go unassisted. While I know my body can birth this baby, I'm not willing to go without a midwife. So, sometime next month, I'll have my baby in the most VBAC-friendly, NCB-friendly hospital in the Phoenix area with my husband, midwife, and doula by my side. I chose a midwife practice that delivers in hospitals that has a very high VBAC rate. I'm glad I at least have choices in this large metropolitan area.. some women are not so lucky in Arizona. In fact, there is a woman in Page who has to drive down to Phoenix for her VBAC (a 5-hour drive) because her hospital doesn't even allow them. It's a shame that Arizona law doesn't allow midwives to do HBACs. Basically we're forced to choose between no medical expertise at all vs. hospital.

I know my body can do this, and I truly appreciate you for posting your video. Every day I try to watch or read a VBAC success story; I have developed tremendous confidence from them. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Your video is inspiring.

Alex, thank you so much for sharing this. Your family is beautiful. I'm grateful that you had the courage to stand up for your beliefs.

Alexandra, how can I get in touch with your brother to buy his music? I showed this video to my best friend and she loves his music. She visited his myspace page but can't download any of the music. My email is toryanderson@gmail.com

Thanks!

This is soooooooo beautiful!!
Thank you so much for sharing your story. We need more women to do this kind of things, so, others can see the beauty of having a home birth delivery, and the HUGE difference between one thing and the other.
Im looking forward for my own home water birth around June 3rd 2010!!! Im so exited :)

WOW, Alexandra, as the husband (most of the viewers are women?) my now pregnant wife Sarah sent this video to me, funny as another thing she has cried at watching since being pregnant.
It was so courageous of you both to create this empowering film and show the public what a C-section birth looks like 2 times! We have learned that there are certain chemicals released in the mother at birth, that chemically bonds you to the child, can you recall this or do you have a special attachment to your 3rd child?
However, it was not clear in the video that the doctors forced you to have the procedures, maybe filming it was not allowed, but it would have added so much poweful value to your filming.
We are hoping to have a natural birth with a midwife and or doula in a birthing center in SF area, but within easy driving distance to a hospital for emergencies. My wife is so strong but we want to lean on the safe side too. The water birth looks truly amazing and hopefully the bath will work out for us. Being a lover of water, I can not think of a more natural state to be born in. Congrats and thank you again for the courage to post and share this video online. Experience is power over ignorance.

i found your video absolutley amazing! I have two boys. Both emergency c-sections. Neither were explained to me in any great detail. I felt like both my children were ripped away from me. Both were immediatley taken to the nursery after I got a quick glance of a nurse whisking them away. Before I became pregnant with my first son i read spiratual midwifery, by ina may gaskin and was amazed with the stories, like i was amazed with your homebirth. i feel like i never even had a chance. untill i saw your video i never knew women had vbac's after 2 csection births? i thought it was totally out of he question. if i am ever blessed with another pregnancy what would you suggest I go about doing to try for a natural birth? i feel totally clueless. if any other commenters have any advise please email me...santinokristen@yahoo.com thank you so much for the wonderful video that has inspired me and given me hope for the future! I cannot describe the courage it has given me!!!! absolutley amazing!!!!!!!

Thank you soooooooo much... I am sitting here in tears because I watched your face and relived every moment of the birth of my children. It just hit me as to how scared and sad was when I had mine and never thought it would bethat way. My first c-section was because I had twins. one was breech and the other transverse, and BIG. I carried them to 38 weeks and theyu came into this wotld at 6 and 8 lbs. After I was on so much morphine I did not get to see them until they were 14 hors old because I slept through everything. My husband sat in the NICU with them because I Could not even wake up long enough to see them. I remember waking up and just wanting to get to them and not wanting to wake my husband who was able to make it back to me, I walked in a trmendous amount of pain all the way from recovery to the nicu all by myself. He sort of freaked when he woke up and I was gone and nobody knew where I was. He later said he was not surprised as to where I was because he knew there would be no keeping me away once I woke up. I hated the feeling of entering the nicu unsure of wheter it was ok to pick up my own babies. Later my recover from my c-section was so bad I was not able to leave the hospital for a week. There was so much air trapped inside me that i could not release that could barely hold my babies . I had every kind of doctor in my room from gynos to cancer doctors. no body could figure out what was wrong. It was later discovered that was given too much medication in my spinal and it not only paralized part of my lungs but numbed my intestines for a whole week. recovery was slow and I remember not being able to really bond with my babies until they were almost a month old. I vowed to have a vbac the next time around and thought it was just what I had to go through for my twins, but just like you my 2nd girl leila was BIG. And I was promised over and over that I could try for a vbac and then at 38 weeks my world came crashing down when they told me that she was too big and i HAD to have a c-section. I cried to my doctors... they knew my first experience and my fears and just said... i sorry you are just no longer a candidate for a v-bac. I was told that I also had no more chance of at a natural delivery. The Secont recovery was almost as bad as I was had 2 year old twins who wanted to jump on me and hold the baby and just hug and I could not. my boday was slow healing and took almost 3 months to recover comlpetly. I want to have one more but the thought of another c-section turns me away quickly. I have researched vbacs after 2 and found that it is possible but most doctors will not attempt it. Also my c-section with my second was completly unnesesary. I was furious to know that chances at having leila natually were snatched away from my without a care.

I do want to thank you sooooo much for this video. It was restored in me a hope to be a mother in the way it should be. I too long to hold my babies right after they are born. the look of awe on your face was so inspiring. thank you thank you thank you. you have blessed my life in ways you do not know.

thank you for posting this video Alexandra :) I am 24 and don't have any children yet, but I definitely want to do the home water birth someday after watching your video. I work @ a hospital and I hate the whole induction to c-section route that most women have to deal with now. I don't understand why OB/Gyn doctors and a lot of people in general think its weird or dangerous to want to have your baby @ home. This is how its been done for thousands of years- only in the last 50 years or so has it become the "social norm" to have them @ the hospital. thanks again for sharing your experiance, you have a beautiful family.

What a great story! Thank you for sharing such a compelling journey.

Congratulations! This is so wonderful. I love stories of HBA2Cs and HBA3Cs and so on! These are what kept me going in planning my HBAC which was successful on March 8th of this year. What a wonderful sisterhood we share. Thank GOD for these wonderful babies and wonderful memories...Way to go, MAMA!

American College of Obstetrics just put out this article about VBACS!! here is the link

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_med_repeat_c_sections

Absolutely gorgeous home-birth! The first two "unnecaesareans" made me cringe and so very sad. I had a wonderful home water birth a month ago, against doctor's recommendations, but it was the best experience of my life. Congrats to you and your family and may EVERY women considering an elective caesarean, see this!

Thank you so much for sharing this.

My first was a scheduled c/s for breech presentation. I was never allowed to labor and I was repeatedly denied for an external version. Then I was told I had too little fluid for baby to turn. It devastated me to end up with a c/s.

I went on to have a hospital VBAC with an epidural but then went even further and had my next 6 babies all at home unassisted; 5 were waterbirths and 1 was a "land" birth. I never looked back after my first waterbirth.

I am so happy you found the joy and empowerment to have the birth you needed and wanted.

i got teary-eyed watching this... and NOT at the medical births! i got chills seeing you pull that baby out of the water and hold her straight from your womb. i've had two children, both born at home, and i cannot imagine what you went through the first two times being separated from your newborns. you are such a an inspiration to other mommies out there to fight for a better birth.

44 minutes... It's insane. The best turn around I have seen for a mom to get her baby after a cesarean is FOUR HOURS. Babies belong with their mothers... The sooner, the better!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. I am 22, and a mother of a 13 month old little girl named Cadence. My husband and I were forced to opt for a C-section when our daughter's heart beat kept plummiting after each contraction. It actually turned out that she had a blood clot in her umbilical cord that was blocking oxygen, etc from entering or leaving. My c-section literally saved her life, and I am so grateful for that! But next time around I am seriously thinking of VBAC. I feel that I missed out on this awesome experience, both for myself, and for my daughter and I to bond. I didnt see her until almost 2 hours after she was born! If you dont mind me asking, why in the world did it take 4 hours for you to get to see your second daughter?? I cant imagine having to wait that long to hold or feed my child. My email is danelle0806@live.com if you can reply. Thanks so much. This video was very inspiring!!

Danelle Edwards

Thank you so much for sharing this as a Doula I will use this to inspire other VBAC mother to overcome their fears