134. MyMaine Birth: Molly’s Mercy Hospital Birth Story with Loving Care From Midwives
Molly: 0:00
Yeah, it was it was great. It was really everything I wanted. I really just wanted a peaceful and straightforward birth, I guess. I really didn't want to tear. I I really wanted her to come out just fine. And I I got all of that. And I got to use the birth tub. So all around it was a it felt very successful and just so good. I was so happy.
Angela: 0:33
I'm Angela, and I'm a certified birth photographer, experienced duela, childbirth educator, and your host here on the My Main Birth podcast. This is a space where we share the real life stories of families and their unique birth experiences in the beautiful state of Maine. From our state's biggest hospitals, the birth center births and home births, every birth story deserves to be heard and celebrated. Whether you're a soon-to-be mom, a seasoned mother, or simply interested in the world of birth, these episodes are for you. Welcome back. You're listening to episode 134 of My Main Birth. For these next few episodes, I'm gonna be doing something that I think is really fun. And I'm gonna be sharing the stories of women who have already been guests on the podcast, but have new birth stories to share. And to get us started, today's birth story guest is Molly. Molly shared her first birth story back in episode 17. So go check that out to hear the first part of her story. And she is back today to share all about her second birth, which was at Mercy Hospital in Portland. Alright. Hi Molly, welcome back to my main birth. Hi. So you shared your first birth story back in episode 17, which was a little while ago. So for anyone that doesn't know, would you start by sharing a little bit about you and your family?
Molly: 2:03
So my name is Molly. Uh, my husband's name is Zach. Our son, who's two and a half, his name is Todd. Uh, we just welcomed Jane about two months ago. And we also have a cat named Andy.
Angela: 2:20
Amazing. Now, for anyone that wants to hear your first birth story, you can go back and listen to that in episode 17 of the podcast. And now to talk about your second birth story, would you share a little bit about how you found out you were pregnant for the second time and what your thoughts were in choosing your care going into it the second time?
Molly: 2:43
So we found out we were having Jane in late December. Um, we were actually we were planning on trying to start having a second kid, um, maybe in like January or February, and then late December came around and I hadn't had my period in a little while. So I was like, hmm, I should probably check. I took a test and it was negative. And then a couple weeks later, it's it still hadn't arrived. And I was like, hmm, you know, I'm gonna take another one. So I think it was actually New Year's Eve. I took one and it it was very positive. So that was exciting for us. We were we were definitely ready. It came a little sooner than we expected, but we were we were prepared. So that was very exciting news. And choosing care was the first decision. We, you know, it was the first thing we had to think about when we found out with my first. I had a home birth, um, and it was it was a wonderful experience, but it for anyone who goes goes back and listens to the episode, it was a little chaotic. It was a very fast labor, and I had to transfer after birth because my son had shoulder dystocia and his arm was injured, and I also had a pretty severe tear. So going into this one, kind of the first decision was do I want to have another home birth? And I put a lot of thought into it. It was a really hard decision to make because I loved my midwife. Um, she was incredible. Her name was Ariel Bernstein of um Sacco River Midwifery, and she was just incredible. So so much of me just wanted to work with her again. But I think actually when I got pregnant, she wasn't, I'm not sure if she was even back in Maine, because I I think she might have been finishing her master's degree. So once I found out that she might not even be around, I was thinking more like, do I want to have a home birth with someone else? And ultimately I decided I didn't want to. And the main reason was because transferring was rough, it was really difficult. It didn't ruin the experience at all, but it was very stressful. And I I wanted to seriously consider how much of a risk there was that I would have to transfer in. And the thing that made me the most nervous was if I had a home birth and the baby was okay, but I needed stitches again that I couldn't, you know, that were like very serious and couldn't be done at home, thinking about having to bring a perfectly fine baby to the hospital, like when I needed something was a little stressful, having to be separated. So then I decided after thinking about that that I didn't want to do a home birth again, but I did really want to work with midwives. So I started looking into midwives that worked in hospital settings. I have a friend who had a really good experience at Mercy working with the Mercy midwives. So I checked and they were covered by my insurance, and I decided to go with them.
Angela: 6:02
Awesome. Yeah. And so how are your appointments? Um, like once you started going in, how did that look?
Molly: 6:08
The appointments were um great, definitely not as uh like personal as with my first midwife, who like the appointments were you know long and we often just ended up like chatting and getting to know each other on you know a more personal level. Mercy, they were you know like faster, more like a typical doctor's appointment. You know, they're they're busy, they've got a lot of people, and but they were good. The midwives were amazing. Oh, bless you. Bless you. Oh, three. Wow. Um, they really uh they they took you know my opinions into consideration and were never judgmental about decisions I made. Um it did feel more holistic than like an OB. With my with my first, I saw an OB for the first 20 weeks and then switched over and started planning a home birth. And so it it it was better than my experience with an OB, not quite as personal as my experience with a home birth midwife, but somewhere in the middle that I was happy with. Yeah. And I I did most of the basic tests and uh stuff with them. I did I got one extra ultrasound this time late in pregnancy, I think at like 37 weeks, just to get a size estimate. Because my first was a large baby, he was nine pounds, six ounces, and they wanted like a size estimate for her just to maybe kind of gauge what the risk of another shoulder dystocia was. Obviously, there's other risk factors besides sides, size, but that's kind of one thing they were looking for. And ultimately, like I don't think the last ultrasound was really necessary because I I kind of knew what I wanted to do either way, and that was just you know an attempt at a vaginal birth.
Angela: 8:13
Were they recommending a cesarean because of your the way that your first birth went?
Molly: 8:18
They didn't recommend one, they did they they said it was an option. They were like, you know, we can offer like an elective if that's more what you're looking for. Um, and I wasn't, I really did want to try uh vaginal unmedicated again. And they they respected that. And I think they the whole time they kind of were just talking to me about like you know, my my personal comfort with the risks, and I decided I I thought it was worth trying. I definitely didn't want an elective C-section if if it wasn't really necessary. So I I decided to go for a vaginal birth, and they respected that choice and were were game to try and help me get it. So I appreciated that.
Angela: 9:07
Yeah, oh that's so helpful. And like they can just like lay out all the options and like give you like the all of the options and then let you choose and then respect that. Like that's that's so good. So what were your how were you doing like emotionally like with this pregnancy, considering how your first birth went? Like, were you having a lot of anxiety about like the shoulder dystocia or other things as like your pregnancy progressed?
Molly: 9:34
Somewhat, yeah. With my first, I had such little fear going in. Um, I think I was just extremely optimistic and excited. This time I was still mostly optimistic and excited, but of course, I I had more of an idea of like, you know, things that can go wrong, things that can complicate birth. And um, so yeah, I I was a little bit worried. I knew it was probably pretty likely this baby would also be on the larger side. So I and I was also a little, well, pretty worried about um tearing really bad again, because I think there was also an increased risk of that as well, since it happened the first time. Um so those were my my biggest fears for sure was like another really bad shoulder dystocia, another really bad tear. So I did want to, I wanted to try to find any way to like slightly prepare, both you know, mentally and physically. Mentally, I think I kind of just had to just not overthink it too much, not assume it was going to happen, be mentally prepared if it did happen, you know, everything turned out okay with my son. There's no reason it wouldn't, you know, turn out okay again. Physically, I wanted to prepare, um, just you know, finding exercises or stretch to help get the baby in a really good position, and also work on like my scar tissue to try to like you know, see if I could like soften it ahead of time. Uh, I ended up doing pelvic floor therapy in my second and third trimesters. With my first, I did pelvic floor therapy postpartum only. This time I thought it might be helpful ahead of time, and it really was. My therapist worked with me on all sorts of different positions and kind of explaining to me how you know the baby moves through your pelvis and different positions that can help like help them drop and then help them move their shoulders through and then help you push. That was all extremely helpful. And she also explained to me how to use like a pelvic wand to do like perennial massage, um, which I think also really helped me. So that that was completely worth it. I I loved that. And I wish I'd I'd wish I'd done it prenatally the first time too. I just didn't really know it was a thing back then.
Angela: 12:10
Yeah, definitely. That can be so helpful to do, like in preparing for birth, too, for sure. That's awesome that you're able to do that. So, how else were you feeling like physically as your pregnancy progressed?
Molly: 12:21
Mostly this this pregnancy was very smooth. I had a toddler to keep up with this time, so there was a lot less, a lot less rest. Uh, but in some ways that was good. I think it was helpful to be active. My third trimester was in the middle of summer, so that was that was the the tough part, probably, is once things got really hot and I was huge and really tired. That was the biggest struggle, I'd say. And both with my first and and with Jane, I had really bad rib pain, especially on my right side. I don't really know why, but my ribs just do not want to make this the space at the end, I guess. So that was also really tough for the last like six weeks. I was I was in a bit of pain there. But the the one good thing about being pregnant in the summer, as long as you live near water, is just swimming all the time. I went to the beach so much, and the water was really one of the only things that relieved the rib pain, and it just felt so good. So that that was really nice.
Angela: 13:28
Oh, awesome. That that must have helped with like the toddler too, to like go just go to the beach with him and keep him busy and you can, you know, swim and yeah, the beach is amazing for toddlers because it's it's he just will chill, you know.
Molly: 13:44
Like it's so hard to get toddlers to just chill, but he he loves the beach and he's he's still now in November asking to uh go to the beach all the time. I'm like, yeah, the next next year he loves the beach.
Angela: 13:58
Oh, that's so fun! Awesome. So now how were those final weeks and then days looking like leading up to when your labor started?
Molly: 14:10
The last uh few weeks were mentally tough. I think the first time I was really in no rush to give birth. I think part of me expected to go to like 42 weeks, and I I was like okay with that. I didn't go that long, but this time by the time you know 37, 38 weeks hit, I was I felt done. I I was so exhausted and so ready for her to be here. I I think every day I was just you know praying a little bit, like maybe today's the day, maybe it's today. There was one day where we were we were gonna get takeout and we were deciding what to get. And I said, we need to get uh we need to get Thai food, we need to get spicy fried rice, because that's like that's what I ate right before I had my first. So I was like, we gotta get spicy fried rice, we gotta get this baby out. So we had that for dinner. The next day I woke up and I had this huge to-do list. Like, I need to clean this, I need to meal prep this. I had so much stuff to do, and I was so cranky. Um, and I'd I was writing out, I was finishing my to-do list for the day, and the last thing I put on was like, pack birth bag. Like, I still hadn't done that. And then right as I finished typing that, my water broke. I was like, Oh, oh, there it is. Um and I my husband had taken my son out on a little bike ride around the neighborhood, and I texted him and just said, you know, no rush. I think my water did just break though. Um so he came back and uh it it definitely kept kept coming in big gushes. So I I was like, wow, I guess today's the day. And I was so relieved. Um it was about I think it was about 10 in the morning. So I was I was happy about that. Um because one of my one of the things that was stressing me out the most was having to leave for the hospital and leave my son at home. Um I'd never spent, you know, a night away from him before, or really very much time during the day. I'm a stay-at-home mom, so I'm with him all the time and like we co-sleep. So it was, you know, I was very nervous. I didn't want to have to just leave in the middle of the night. I wasn't really sure if it would be better if I left when he was asleep and he didn't even know, or but I didn't want him to wake up without me. So it was I was like, okay, it's daytime. He's here. I can like say a proper goodbye. Um our plan, the whole yeah, I know. I was I was excited that I could say goodbye to him.
Angela: 17:03
And you probably rearranged your to-do list and put pack the birth bag at the top of the list, right?
Molly: 17:10
Yeah, that was at the top, and I had to go do it right away. So after my water broke, that was the first thing I did was start was start packing and uh get my son back in and kind of tell him, like, oh, we're we're about to head out. I had to call my mom. She was the one who was gonna stay with my my son. It took a little while to get in touch with her. She was she was taking a walk on the beach, but I uh uh luckily she there was there was plenty of time. I was nervous though because my first came so quickly that I was was like, I gotta get there. Like, I gotta get there, you know, before before the baby comes. But I also wanted to get to the hospital before things got super intense because I really wanted to use their birth tubs. I also didn't want to drive during really bad contractions. We live like very, very close to Mercy, so it it was only like a five-minute drive, but I had like two contractions on the car ride and they were unpleasant. So I'm I don't know how people make it for like long car car rides to the hospital when they're in labor.
Angela: 18:18
Dad you had been having like consistent contractions, or were they still kind of like irregular when you were able to like like make your way in?
Molly: 18:27
Yeah. So water broke at 10. I wasn't really having any contractions until closer to like 12:30. And then I started noticing them, and they were relatively consistent. So at that point, I called my midwife and was like, Yeah, I'm I'm feeling something. Um, and she said we could come into the office and just get checked out, and then she would, you know, let us know, like, oh, you can go home for a while or you can just go to the birth center. So we went to the office. The contractions were feeling stronger. I had two in the car that were like, oh, okay, this is this is something. She uh checked me out, confirmed it was amniotic fluid, did a cervical check, and I was six centimeters. So she was like, Yep, go to the birth center. I'll see you later. So I was super happy about that. We I was still able to walk, it wasn't super uncomfortable. So we were we walked over and they got me all checked in. Uh, they they let me know ahead of time that they they like to do like a stress test when you first get there for like 20 minutes or so. I was okay with that. So they put the little like belt thing around my belly um to follow contractions, I guess, and check the heart rate of of the baby and stuff. And the nurses were like hyping me up because I was I was still pretty relaxed and just like talking, filling out forms. And uh one of them was like, Oh my god, like are you are you feeling those? Like those are big contractions. I was like, uh, it's not so bad yet. So that made me feel great. I was like, nice, I'm strong, I'm doing good. And everything seemed normal. So they took the belt thing off. And at that point, I was kind of just, you know, feeling out the contractions. They weren't they weren't super strong yet. I bounced on the ball. My midwife came in and chatted with us for a while, just like, you know, we I think we would we just talked about like my last birth and just chatted uh in between contractions, and that was that was nice. And then let's see, I think the by that point it was like maybe two, and then at some point the contractions started, they were getting like a lot more intense, and the birth ball wasn't comfortable anymore. And the nurse asked if I wanted to use the birth tub, and I don't know why, but for some reason I hesitated and I was like, I don't know, I don't know if I want to commit to the birth tub right now. But then I was like, wait, no, I I really want the birth tub. I didn't get to use one for my first because everything was like way too fast, and we didn't have time to fill it or set it up or anything. So I really, really wanted that for this one. The the midwives did say like it wasn't, I I wasn't gonna give birth in the tub just because of the shoulder dystocia risk. But I I definitely wanted to labor in the tub for a while, so they filled it up and I got in and it it was amazing. Like, I I wish everyone got to use one because it's it's so nice, especially for those kind of like middle level control, like but they're like, you know, you're feeling it. It's so good for that chunk of time. It's kind of like floated around a little, and it it was so soothing and nice. I was just able to chill in there for a while.
Angela: 22:01
Yeah, that weightlessness.
Molly: 22:02
Yeah, it feels so good. It was it was just like you know, the relief of swimming in the ocean when I was super pregnant, it just it felt great and it really helped my back, and it was just amazing. And then once the contractions got like really intense, the the tub wasn't like comfortable anymore. There there hit a point where I was like, I can't get in the right positions anymore, I'm ready to get out. And so at that point, I I got out and went over to the bed, and it was it was like the same with my first. Once things got really intense, I was just like on my hands and knees in bed, and that was just what felt right. And I did the same thing this time. The hospital bed was actually kind of awesome for it because it goes at that angle, so I could be more on my elbows instead of having to like take the weight on my wrist, so that was kind of cool too. I liked that, and yeah, so I got on my hands and knees, getting more and more intense. I do remember at certain points being like a little bothered that it was daylight, being like, it's it's so bright, like I wish I was in the dark, and I I I almost asked to like shut the curtains, but then I I kind of just forgot, I guess. I was I just kept powering through. Like hard to communicate in that headspace, right? For sure. It's it's like and it was the same with my first. I didn't want to talk to anyone, I just was like really in my own head. My first birth was so like it felt like a different world. I I would say that was probably like one of the bigger differences between home and hospital. In the hospital, I I I did feel more like aware. And I almost think it it was a little more like like I felt the contractions more. I felt a little less kind of in like labor land. I don't really know if it's because it was like the hospital versus my house or if it was partially just because it was like daytime and I was like more awake. It was like the middle of the day. So I don't know, it was it was a it was slightly different. I I felt more aware of every contraction, I could kind of like feel it a little more strongly. In some ways, that was almost like helpful because I I feel like I could move into positions, I could like kind of feel what position I needed, maybe a little better. That could have also just been from like, you know, it was my second time giving birth. I was like a little more experienced, and but yeah, so I I I could feel things like more strongly. I felt a little more aware, but I still really didn't want to talk to anyone. Um I wasn't like responding, you know, super well, but luckily there didn't need to be that much communication. Yeah, and I the the stronger things got, I just like vocalized more and more. That was one of my worries about birthing in the hospital was that I I would feel self-conscious and like wouldn't be able to like you know vocalize the way I needed to or do what I needed to do, but luckily everything was so I just forgot everyone was there pretty much. I didn't care. Awesome. So that was good. I've heard people talk about their experiences where like, you know, a nurse tells them to like be quiet or like not scream or something. That's like that's so wrong to me. Like you need to, you really need to make the sounds you need to make. And luckily, um, like my nurses were amazing and were just like, you're incredible, like you're doing a great job. They didn't, you know, they didn't chastise me at all for yelling and making noise. So that was great. And yeah, everything was going well, contractions were back to back, and I I was handling it pretty well. And then the midwife came in I I think after not too long after I got out of the birthtub because things were moving quickly. So she was there uh rooting for me and keeping an eye on things. And then when I started I started crowning the baby was crowning. And for me, that's all that's the most like painful part, like the ring of fire, as they call it. That is that is an apt name, but I really wanted to go slow and I didn't want to rush because I I really, really wanted to do my best to you know not tear. So even though it was like so, so painful, I was taking really big pauses, I was trying to push with contractions. As she was coming out, she did have shoulder dystocia too. Uh, but it wasn't as bad um as the first time. It was, it was, I think it was resolved in like a minute or a minute and a half, and it didn't require any major interventions. All I had to do was put my left leg up in a lunge, and that that was enough to unstick her shoulder. And then after that, I think it was like one big push and she was out, and I was just so excited that she was out, that like you know, nothing crazy had to happen to get her there.
Angela: 27:32
So, with your leg up like that, did you catch her?
Molly: 27:35
No, I was still on my hands and knees. The midwife caught her, and then I turned over and they put her right on my chest. She actually had a very short cord, so she didn't reach very far, which was also really different. My first had a like a very long cord, like like extra long. Um, hers was very short. She didn't reach very far. She was on me for a few minutes. I think they weren't super happy with like her her color or like her breathing wasn't like perfect. So they did cut it a little faster than I would have wanted to. I really think that you know, like delayed cord clamping is ideal, but I was okay with that. I don't I don't think I got to cut it this. Maybe I did cut, I can't even remember. I cut my son's cord, which was awesome. I loved that. I can't I think I did cut hers, but I can't quite remember, honestly. It was kind of a you know, a hectic moment. So they took her over to like the warming table to check her out, and she was fine. I think her her color looked a little off because she had like bruising on her face, but she was totally okay. And they brought her back, and then they were checking me out, and I only had like a very small first degree tear, needed like four stitches, so that was just that made me so happy. I was elated, and yeah, after that, oh, I I got the stitches just fine, and after that, we just got to rest, and I got to hold her, you know, all night, and she actually slept quite well in the bassinet the first night, uh, which is you know always hit or miss. But yeah, it was it was great, it was really everything I wanted. I really just wanted you know, a peaceful and straightforward birth, I guess. I really didn't want to tear. I I really wanted her to come out just fine, and I I got all of that. And I got to use the birth tub. So all around it was uh it felt very successful and just so good. I was so happy.
Angela: 30:00
Yeah, that's incredible. What an amazing story. I have a question though. When you say that she had a little bit of a shoulder dystocia also, what was her like emergence like?
Molly: 30:10
Um, I think they I think she just kind of I think her head was out and the her body wasn't progressing after like a f maybe like a couple contractions. So at that point, my midwife, she kind of just like tapped on my left leg and was like, put this leg up, move this leg up, and kind of helped me move it up. And once I was in the lunge, I think that it like pretty much instantly got her shoulder to to move. And then I I think it was like one more push after that, like one more contraction, one more push, and her body was was out. So they they didn't she didn't intervene like very quickly. She kinda I think she was waiting to see if it would resolve, and then she helped me move my leg and that that resolved it.
Angela: 31:01
Yeah, that's amazing.
Molly: 31:03
Yeah, it was it was a really great experience, and I was I was just so happy that things you know turned out turned out well and the the distotia wasn't super serious, it was pretty easily resolved. So that was my biggest hope. Wow. So and then how did your placenta come out? Oh, um yeah, that that came out pretty quickly and easily. I remember the the first time I was like it was it's such an a weird feeling, you know, after birthing like a baby and then the just birthing the placenta is it's a very weird experience, but it was fine. And I got to check it out. It looked cool. It looked um it was it was definitely different from the first time though. So I thought that was cool. It's like you know, a unique organ each time, each birth. It's it's very cool. And that was you know, I I like checking them out. I I know some people are probably grossed out by it, but I I think it's really cool because you you know you build it from scratch along with your baby.
Angela: 32:08
So yes, placentas are so cool. So, how was your first few days in the hospital? Like, how long did you stay there for? And yeah, how's your postpartum been?
Molly: 32:20
Yeah, so I I gave birth to her at I think it was 434. So my labor was about six hours from water breaking to to birth. And I was like, nice, that's a good time because then I can probably leave tomorrow. Because I really didn't want to stay there very long, but you have to stay at least 24 hours for the newborn tests. So I let them know, like, you know, if I could leave, like, you know, after the newborn tests, as long as everything's good, like I would love to do that. And they were they were totally fine with that. Oh, she was she was eight and a half pounds, like eight pounds, eight ounces exactly. And I guess the there's like a cutoff, I think they said it was like eight pounds six ounces, where if they're bigger than that, they do like the blood sugar checks, which my son had also, which you know are a little annoying, but it's it is what it is, and they were all fine, so she was all good there. So I stayed the night, and the next day my son came to visit at the hospital in like the afternoon, and that was super cute. I was so happy to see him. And of course, he he was did not care about the baby, he just wanted to play with the buttons on the bed, so he had a great time. My room, yeah, right. And my room had a view of like the train track, and you could also see planes, so he was he was just having a great time. Trains, planes, cars, bed buttons, you know, the works. So it was it was great to see him, but then I really wanted to get home after he left. I was like, okay, I want to go home. So they did the newborn tests, everything was totally fine. They sent us home. They did have us come in the next day. I think they wanted to check like her bilirubin levels again, and those were fine. So yeah, the first the first night I well, yeah. So with my with my son, I started co-sleeping or like bed sharing with him after like a month. I probably would have done it sooner, but I was just a little uncomfortable with his arm not being healed yet. So I I kind of waited with her. I started like the second night we were home. I was just like, I I don't know any other way to do this. And you know, my bed's already on the floor. It's set up, so I was I was comfortable with that. So, you know, once we figured out our sleeping situation, uh my son and my husband are now sharing a bed. Me and the baby are sharing a bed, so everyone's everyone's co-sleeping, and so it's it's in that sense, it's been great. I think sleep was probably the hardest part of my first postpartum, except for maybe the physical recovery. That was also pretty difficult. But this time sleep has been going, you know, really well. She's she's doing great with breastfeeding. And it's it was it was easier than I thought, you know, having her and my son at the same time, like taking care of them together. It's it's been, I guess, both harder and easier than I thought. I think the hardest part is just my feelings, kind of just feeling like I can't give both of them what they need at all times. That's been a bit of an adjustment. But my son's been so patient and he's really sweet with her. He's a bit of a tornado, so the real concern is like when he's just you know running around like crazy and he doesn't, he can't always, you know, be super aware of you know his limbs. But like his his purposeful interactions with her are so sweet and he's very gentle. So that's all been amazing, and it's just been so sweet to watch him become a big brother. And I'm I'm just so excited to see their relationship develop over time.
Angela: 36:25
Yeah, oh my gosh, it's so fun to watch them grow and like watch their relationship grow over time. It's just it's it's so fun.
Molly: 36:34
Yeah, it's it's this, it's so sweet.
Angela: 36:37
Now, at this point in your journey, if you were to give advice to someone who's expecting or even new parents, what is one of the biggest things that you would want to share?
Molly: 36:49
Honestly, I'll go back to to pelvic floor therapy. If you can do it, if you have access to it, it's awesome. Both prenatally and postpartum. It's been so helpful to me. So that's that's one big thing. Do you care to share who you went with? Yeah, I went to root to rise there in Sacco and Scarborough. I worked with Dr. McKenzie, and she's great. Uh, I'm still seeing her now for some postpartum visits. And I I really I think she really helped. She really helped me have the birth I wanted to have with the advice she she gave. I really do credit her to, you know, helping me figure out some optimal positions and just preparing as much as I could. Um, obviously there's no guarantees, but I I do think it really helped. So I'm a I'm a huge advocate of pelvic floor therapy.
Angela: 37:50
Yes, absolutely. Prenataly and postpartum, it's definitely can be helpful. For sure.
Molly: 37:56
And, you know, everyone says this, but to just like really cherish those little newborn days as hard as they are. I think with my first, I would have just rolled my eyes at anyone who was like, just cherish these moments. I was like, it's so hard. Like, what do you mean? Like it's just so hard. And I I do get it now because you know, I'm I'm not sure if this is my last baby. It might be, it might not be. We'll see. But I this time around, just because I'm not sure, I'm just trying so hard to just even the hard moments to just really take it in. And, you know, because they're there's it's such a short time that they're so little, and all of a sudden you blink and they're two and a half, and like sprinting around the yard, and like they don't want your hugs anymore. They're just like, I'm gonna go explore, and that's awesome too. But just enjoy those snuggles while they last. And um, I'm just soaking it all in right now. So that would be my advice is just cherish it as much as you can. It's gonna be really hard too, but even the hard moments have have beauty to them.
Angela: 39:10
Yes, absolutely. I love that and could not agree more with that. It's so like it goes by so fast, and like you're so right, like the days are long, but the years are short. So take it all over. For sure. Yeah, well, thank you so much, Molly, for taking the time to chat with me again and come on and share your second birth story.
Molly: 39:34
Thank you so much for having me. I love doing this, I love listening to birth stories, and I'm so happy I've gotten to tell mine.
Angela: 39:42
Before you go, I just want to remind you, I have a ton of resources for pregnancy and birth. If you're pregnant, whether you're a first-time mom or if this is your fifth baby, I want you to check out the show notes because I have some free trainings and free downloads that you can sign up for, as well as the link to access My Labor of Love, a comprehensive, self-paced online childbirth education course. I created this course specifically for moms who don't want to be told what to do, regardless of where you're birthing or who you're birthing with. And I'd honestly love to teach you everything that I know so that you can prepare for an autonomous birth experience and prepare to step into your role as the leader of your birth journey. So, click to the show notes, check out all of those links, and if you ever have any questions, feel free to DM me at my main birth over on Instagram.