Ep 22: Birth Photographer Kendra Miller is Inspired to Have a Homebirth After Attending One

Thank You, Sponsors!  Hatched at Home-Midwife Carrie LaChapelle: www.hatchedathome.com https://www.facebook.com/MidwifeCarrieLachapelleLMCPM/ 864-907-6363   Dreckman Family Chiropractic http://www.familychiropracticinsimpsonvillesc.com/ 864-757-9901   Show Notes: Kendra is a mom of 4: a 6 year old, 4 year old, 2 year old, and 1 month old Before becoming a mother, she was a vet tech. After the birth of her first child, Kendra entered the world of birth photography and has not looked back! She and her husband, who were high school sweethearts, have always seen eye to eye on birth: He has supported her in all of her birthing decisions. At the age of 19, Kendra’s doctors informed her that she would likely never become pregnant; she had chronic lyme disease, as well as what they thought was PCOS. Shortly after marriage, Kendra had a miscarriage. Although very disappointed, in a way they felt positive that she even conceived at all. After speaking with several doctors, they decided to begin trying to get pregnant (they hadn’t been, previously).  After a year, Kendra became pregnant with her daughter. She had what she refers to as a very “by the book” pregnancy and birth with her first daughter. Kendra says she didn’t think to research much.  She was told that she had borderline gestational diabetes, and her OB wanted to induce her at 39 weeks for fear that the baby would be “too big.” At about 3 cm, the nurse told Kendra that she looked uncomfortable, so she’d send the anesthesiologist her way. Kendra was nervous about the epidural, and now recognizes that she ended up having a panic attack due to the lack of feeling in her legs. Her daughter came out at just over 6 pounds, so NOT TOO BIG!, but she was a healthy girl, so Kendra and her husband did not think much of the experience. After the birth, Kendra said to her mom, “Gosh, I wish there could have been someone here like a wedding photographer to take pictures of the birth.” The nurse then told Kendra that that’s actually something people do! It was through her clients that she began realizing that she could have her next baby differently. “I started researching and realizing how I wanted to do it different if we had another baby” A month after her realization, she was pregnant with her second child! At 37 weeks, her OB told her they needed to go ahead and have her little boy- there were complications with the placenta. Kendra did receive Pitocin for an induction, but did not use any pain medication for his birth. She says it was the most exhilarating thing she’d ever done.  “It was the most exhilarating thing I’ve ever done.” She hired a doula for her second birth. Kendra says, “My husband was my number 1 support.  I wanted the doula for him to be able to support me.” Her doula was amazing at helping them weigh each choice that came up. “With birth, you really have to know your choices… and what you want for your birth.” Kendra thought she was done having children, but then became pregnant with her third! She switched care providers this time in hopes of not being induced.  She was able to get exactly what she wanted, and had a completely natural childbirth at the hospital.  Baby weight in at 5 pounds and some change.  Compared to the Pitocin contractions, Kendra couldn’t believe how well she was able to cope with the unmedicated contractions. She compares the difference, saying that with Pitocin she felt like she was out of control, but with no Pitocin, she knew a contraction was coming and felt she could ride the wave.  Kendra’s third baby was over 9 pounds! Once again, after their 3rd baby, Kendra and her husband decided they were done having children….. Then…. She photographed her first homebirth! “Then I photographed my first homebirth, and I was just amazed.” Kendra said she had never felt more safe for a mother than at the homebirth, and she has what she refers to as a “duh moment,” where she thought, “This is how it is supposed to be… in the comfort of your o