Holistic Family of the Month: Unassisted Homebirth

[Olùkọ́ Ọbádélé]

Holistic Family of the Month

Iya Raet interviews Baiyina Balqis.

http://www.afrikanparenting.com/holi...lyofmonth.html .




After two previous Caesarean sections what inspired you to have an unassisted homebirth? Where there many people against it?

I hadn’t thought of unassisted home birth before. Midwifes are great. I received prenatal care from a midwife during my pregnancy. I was first told by my midwife that I would be able to have a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean), but soon after her hospital changed there VBAC regulations and I would have had to be delivered by the OB and be hooked up to all kinds of stuff while laboring. She told me to shop around for another midwife who could deliver me and I did- but I was turned away again and again. Finally, a large midwife practice said they would take me but I would have to agree to their terms including IV’s monitors and so forth but after she went to get approval for my VBAC from the hospital physicians, she was told no. There were regulations prohibiting a VBAC after two C-sections.


I finally found traditional lay midwifes who would assist me, however, I could not afford to pay the fee of 3,000 dollars and although they would have liked to accept insurance, most insurance companies would not cover their type of care. After being turned away by so many, with the encouragement of my mate, I began looking into unassisted homebirth, or freebirth as I like to call it. A friend of mine living in St. Croix was interested in unassisted home birth, and she sent me books and I soon began researching. Reading other people’s experiences gave me confidence. I would suggest people educate themselves and read. It took me a while to come to a decision. I had already had two C-sections. I was used to them. They were not too bad and I didn’t have hard recoveries. Within the next week after both C-Sections I felt good, and was able to leave the house. There is not too much that could keep me locked inside, I am just that kind of person I need to be out and about.

My first son Zesru was born via C- section because of fetal distress due to a prolapsed cord. I had planned to have a totally natural birth and the only reason I had an OB instead of a midwife was because there were no midwives in Savannah at the time. Once I was in labor and at the hospital the nurse on duty repeatedly told me that I could not handle the pain and needed an epidural. She also kept reiterating this to my mother. I eventually gave in and received a narcotic. The narcotic completely knocked me out. Eventually, my water was artificially broke by the physician. In some cases when the water is broken artificially, and the cord is in the wrong place it can result in a prolapsed cord. At the time I was 8 – 10 centimeters. I was then strapped down to the table and given anesthesia. When I woke up, the baby was not around. In a panicked voice I demanded to know where my baby was. My mate left the room. When he came back he told me everything was fine, and the baby was in the nursery. I expected him to stay with the baby. When I did see my baby he had already had the vitamin K shot, as well as ointment in his eyes. I hadn’t planned on getting these procedures done.

My second son Abdju Ra was also born via C- Section. It was a planned C-section so I never went in labor. Abdju was simply cut out of me. Abdju Ra had breathing and digestive issues. I believe his breathing problems were related to the C-section. At the time I had a cyst. So I had two operations at once, a C-section and the total removal of both my left ovary and fallopian tube. So I was in a lot of pain. I had both morphine and Percocet . When I woke up my son was in the NICU being fed formula and sugar water. I was in much pain. I could not move and could barely talk. When I was able to get around in the wheel chair I was by his side the whole time. We were both traumatized. Morphine and Percocet were in my milk, Abdju – Ra was sleeping 23 hours a day. I had to wake him to nurse him. Once he was able to leave the nursery we were always together. To this day Abdju-Ra is always by my side. He stills sleeps in my bed. I believe the way in which he was born affected him spiritually, physically, and mentally.

My third son Mu Netri’s birth was totally different. Mu Netri was born at home with no midwife present, just the family. It was so peaceful. My two older boys were present for part of the labor. I spent a lot of time on my birth ball during early labor, the ball was very comfortable, it relaxed my hip area while aligning my spine. I was in an ideal position. My water broke on the ball in huge gush around 1:00 am. We waited a while before blowing up the birth pool. I had a bathroom in my room and it was very easy to run a hose to the pool in my room. At around 3:00 am I got in the pool. I read that sometimes getting into the water to early can slow down labor but I felt that I was ready. Once it seemed like labor was taking too long I remembered a birth story where the mother got out of the pool and the baby came right out so I decided to try it. But I could not tolerate the pain outside of the water and, literally, jumped back in the pool. My mate and I were not sure how many centimeters I was, however, I knew my body would tell me when it was time to push. I pushed once in an all- fours position in the water. At 7:30 am Mu Netri was born. Mu Netri’s birth was so different from my previous experiences, it was truly the most beautiful experience ever had. He is an exceptionally happy baby. He smiled the first day he was born and has been smiling ever since.



Were all of your children breastfed?

Zesru was breastfed until two years of age. He was still breastfeeding when I was pregnant with Abdju-Ra. He weaned himself before he was born. Abdju – Ra was weaned at a 2 years of age.. Mu Netri is 18 months and still breastfeeding at night like a newborn. It does not seem like he will be stopping any time soon.









After the birth, would you say that you are more confident in your feminine power as a creatress? Was a new found strength discovered?
Definitely, I felt that I had never given birth. I felt left out. When other women would talk about their birth experiences I could not identify. After my vaginal birth I found more common ground. Birth brings women together. It is a rite of passage. I love having babies. I would definitely have an unassisted homebirth again. It was beautiful to have only family there. No one told me what I could or could not do. When I think about it, I smile, Mu Netri dangling in the water. The feeling of a baby coming out was so powerful. Life was just flowing out of my body. And watching a baby grow from breast milk is just amazing.



Books recommending by Baiyina Balqis
Unassisted Homebirth: An Act of Love by Lynn M. Griesemer .
Pleasurable Husband/Wife Childbirth: The Real Consummation of Married Love by Marilyn A. Moran

Choosing Waterbirth: Reclaiming the Sacred Power of Birth by Lakshmi Bertram
Birth Your Way by Sheila Kitzinger
Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin
Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskins
Yoga for Pregnancy by Francoise Barbira Freedman
Safe Alternatives in Childbirth by David Stewart PHD and Lee Stewart, AAHCC
Gentle Birth Choices by Barbara Harper, RN

Baiyina Balqis is co-owner of Solar Re, a jewelry company. Her partner Zendra Shareef is also a mother and homebirth and holistic parenting supporter. Their jewelry can be purchased at the Maternal Wellness Center in Philadelphia, PA. Baiyina Balqis can be contacted at bbrown3@sas.upenn.edu.

[Kala]

Much appreciation, AK for providing alternative info for Afrikan people… especially expecting and future mothers, on methods of child birth.

It is very much an ancient practice to deliver by oneself…. This is a real testiment to the idea that the mother knows her own body, and allows her to realize her own internal force and intuition.

The use of our instinctual knowledge during labor has been lost. Most women do not trust themselves through labor and are used to doctors, nurses, and machines telling them what they should be doing and feeling. Labor is very much a spiritual experience- highly emotional in that the emotions of the mother can affect the outcome of the birth.

This unassisted birth story is a powerful testiment to the working of our ancient and traditional ways, reminding us that we have the power to heal and labor on our own!

Though I know I do need to do more research on this topic of unassisted home birth, to my knowledge, most who have done it were second or third time labors… they had an assisted birth first before trying an unassisted one.


Once again, the only young brother representing on women's health that I know!! Much appreciation for your reseerach!

Uhuru!


Here's more info I found on this topic:

WEBSITES:
http://www.unassistedhomebirth.com

http://www.empoweredchildbirth.com/

http://www.unassistedhomebirth.com/

http://www.freebirth.com/



BOOKS
Unassisted Homebirth: An Act of Love - by Lynn Griesemer

Unassisted Childbirth - by Laura Shanley

Spiritual Midwifery, by Ina May Gaskin

Emergency Childbirth, by Gregory C. White

Wise Woman Herbal for the Childbearing Year, by Susun Weed

The Power of Pleasurable Childbirth, by Laurie Morgan