Born with the Sun: The Birth of Laroux

Gretchen and Jake are the kind of people you want to be around, they’re the ones who take life as it comes and embrace the moment for what it is. They’re a fun, energetic couple whose traits balance each other naturally. Upon learning about their pregnancy Gretchen and Jake were overjoyed, Gretchen has always seen herself as a mom!

When we met there was an instant click. We gushed over the power and beauty that comes with the pregnant body and the overall process of creating new life, we talked about what they were envisioning for their own labor, how they were feeling about becoming parents. From very early on Gretchen and Jake took their pregnancy seriously and decided that a home birth was the route they wanted to take, they started building their birth team almost right away. After starting prenatal care with their Midwife- Erin O’Day of Mama Moon Midwifery, they also started working with their doula- Erin Megenity of Bridge Birth Services.

One way that Gretchen prepared herself for getting through laboring and birthing at home was by seeking out home birthing content on social media and finding communities of other home birthing families. This brought on a mix of feelings depending on the topic, she spent lots of time talking with her midwife about “what if” scenarios to ease any anxieties she was having. One of the major perks of midwifery care is having the opportunity to have longer, more in depth prenatal appointments. You have more time available to have conversations surrounding any concerns you may have. Gretchen eventually deleted her social media to reduce her stress levels, she did continue watching home birth videos on YouTube.

Toward the end of Gretchen’s pregnancy her midwife grew curious about the size of the baby. Erin sensed that Gretchen’s baby was a bit bigger than expected. She ordered an ultrasound for a better size estimate and blood-work to check for Gestational Diabetes. Gretchen didn’t have GD, but she was growing a larger baby and that’s okay!

On the day Gretchen turned 40 weeks she went into the ER because of sudden back pain, she thought it could be kidney related or something. It turns out started experiencing contractions but they weren’t very regular or consistent yet. Jake and Gretchen went home and called their midwife, she checked in but thought the contractions would fizzle out with some rest and nourishment.

By early evening their doula came over to check in on Gretchen and Jake since her contractions continued to be off and on. While Erin was there she suggested they try some exercises that may encourage labor to get into a more consistent rhythm. After a few rounds and some rest, Gretchen’s water broke and her labor started to pick up. 

Shortly after that the rest of Gretchen’s birth team arrived and she was deep into the rushes of labor. Jake was right by Gretchen’s side giving hip squeezes during contractions and offering words of support in between them. Everybody helped prepare the apartment in anticipation of birth. She eventually got into the birth pool in hopes of finding some comfort in the water. It helped for a little while but not as much as she was anticipating, she had spent time envisioning a water birth but found herself more comfortable in her room. 

With Jake and her doula by her side, Gretchen was able to vocalize her way through every contraction with a deep moan. They were there to offer hip squeezes and counter pressure at every contraction which seemed to really help. Jake was there, holding her hand and talking her through every step. He offered her the consistency that she needed, his calm voice kept her focused and feeling like she could get through the intensity of labor. 

As Gretchen started to feel the urges to push she listened to her body and let this stage slow down. It was difficult, at several points she questioned how long she would continue at this pace but her midwife continued to monitor both baby and Gretchen and saw progress with every set of pushes. Switching positions seemed to help and she was extremely motivated once she was able to feel her baby’s head with her hand. It was only a few short pushes later that Gretchen was reaching down to pull her daughter up to her chest!

Laroux was born at home, in her parent’s bed at 7:40am on August 2nd, 2020. As expected, Laroux was a bigger baby, she weighed in at 9lbs 8oz and was 22in long at birth. She latched on and continued to nurse well from the very beginning.

Looking back Gretchen says that this was the hardest thing she’s ever done but it was also the most empowering, she has no regrets when it comes to her birthing choices. Jake and Gretchen have transitioned into their roles as parents pretty seamlessly. Jake was able to take a month off work and is grateful for the time he’s been able to spend bonding with his baby. Gretchen says she loves being a mom and she feels like she’s found her purpose. Neither of them can take their eyes off their beautiful baby.