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Jun 6, 2017 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Sept 15th, a day which will live in infamy (lol)

On September 15, 2016 my wife sent me a text message with this picture showing that she was pregnant. My first response was, "Who is the father?" jk. Let me just say that we were not trying. We certainly were not "NOT TRYING" either. We knew that we would take the same route that we have in the past, a home birth experience and here is our story... 

Meet Kellie
This is Kellie Moeller of HomeBirth Experience Inc. Kellie Moeller is the protégé of Pat Jones who is a mid-wifery legend in Texas and the rest of the country. Kellie has a earned reputation of being very passionate and professional with her practice. She informs all of her patients of the risk and rewards of a home birth. Kellie has birthed 2 of our previous kids. Our first home birth she was only present for 13 minutes before he jumped out. Our second home birth she was there for about an hour. Our third home birth... well more on that later. It's all the preparation that she gives that builds confidence in the event of her absence or an emergency. 


Meet the Squad(ron)

Leeanna, Ryan, Des, Devil Dan, Princess Dhara all have expectations of what to expect. At this point, we have no idea if we are having a boy, girl, or otherwise. Leeanna says she doesn't care what we have. Ryan says he doesn't care but secretly wants a girl. Des, says that he wants another sister. Devdan, says he wants another sister. Dhara says she wants another sister. I guess the truth is we were all hoping for another girl, so that we could even out the gender ratio in our household. We decided that we would wait until the birth to find out the baby's sex.

Preparation is Key

People always tell us how lucky we are to be able to have home births. Well Oprah Winfrey famously said, “I believe luck is preparation meeting opportunity. If you hadn’t been prepared when the opportunity came along, you wouldn’t have been lucky.” Now although Oprah's quote is more about prosperity, the principle of preparation is the same across the board. We have had amazing home birth experiences because of how we prepared. You may not always prepare for a pregnancy but you most certainly can prepare for the coming of a new soul in to your family. We attended a 5 week home birthing class and had a supply list as long as Noah's ark passenger list.

We also planned for every possible emergency scenario...

  1. Placenta Previa
  2. Preeclampsia
  3. Gestational Hypertension 
  4. Premature and Post Mature Labor
  5. Breached
  6. Chord around the neck
  7. Placenta Abruption
  8. Shoulder dystocia
  9. retained placenta
  10. Umbilical Prolapse
  11. ETC.

We created an emergency transport plan in the event that something goes incredibly wrong. Besides, hospitals are for emergencies only.

Waiting Game
I could write another paragraph on how life went on as usual and all the fun we had between conception to birth, but that would be redundant. Just go take a look at @XtrodinaryPilot steemit posts. I've only been on steemit for 4 months but you didn't miss much prior to me getting here. I shot guns, rode horses, hung out with my kids, chilled with my wife, played VR, and did nerdy outdoor stuff that just never made it to a post... I digress

Labor
I don't know the origin of the term labor in the birthing context. I do know that it is without a doubt some very hard work for those that choose to go through with it natural and holistically. If you've never been there to comfort someone you love through immense pain, you do not know what you are missing. Our first 2 home births were like an Olympic sprint. Labor to birth was 2 hours. This time we planned on pacing the labor to control the intensity of the pain. Sounds crazy I know. Labor started at around 11 pm on May 21, 2017. We had just gotten back from the pool and was trying to take it easy. She had a look on her face that let me know I shouldn't have a nightcap that evening. She did inform that our friend Maura would be coming over to photograph the labor and birth if she was free. I get waken up at about midnight that the midwife is on her way.
Remember I mentioned earlier that I would cover more on our midwife's role for our third home birth? Well here it is... At midnight a lady by the name of Melissa White knocks on my door. She is the replacement midwife because Kellie Moeller had a conference in Chicago at the time of our birth. Initially I am like, "Oh great, Brett Favre is stepping in for Mike Holmgren." $5 SBD to anyone who can explain this joke. 
An hour later, our doorbell rings again and it's Pam, a birthing assistant that was also sent by Kellie to assist in her absence. She is no stranger as she was present after our other two home births. These two ladies did an amazing job being there but also out of the way. They allowed my wife and I to embrace and experience the labor together. They assisted in ensuring that we were all comfortable. My 3 year old daughter wakes up about 45 minutes before the baby is born and the birthing assistant embraces her and comforts her while I am comforting my wife. I have to be completely honest. This is by far the best birthing experience I have ever had. I should probably stop while I am on top. 

After Birth

Immediately after the birth, I went to the room across the hall and woke up my 2 sons so that they could come in and meet their new sister. They came in a bit disappointed that they weren't awake during the entire process. I assured them that they did not miss anything lol. I had to persuade my wife to keep her ass off of Facebook that day, so that we could stay home and enjoy our baby for 24 hours uninterrupted. We all got to bond with the baby one on one. Mommy gets to take an herbal bath with the newborn which seems to bring them both joy. We were able to do just that and didn't start announcing her birth until May 23. It all worked out so perfectly. The typical response to our birth announcement was,

What's her name?

To which we would reply,

We'll tell you when we get one.

It drives people nuts but we believe that you shouldn't name your baby until you get to know them. Imagine if you were named something tranquil and you turned out to be a monster. My 3 other kids were named by me, so I told me wife that when she was ready, to tell me what she named our new baby girl. Well, today she informed me that she had chosen the name

Deveah Amira Brown 

It's pronounced duh-vey-uh

I can tell you that I am falling in love all over again. I'm truly blessed, lucky, amazed, and any other positive terms to express my emotions. She is so damn beautiful, she may start her own Steemit profile lol

BONUS FOOTAGE
I also have to thank @mrwang for swinging by with Ethan the other day to meet Baby Deveah

FOLLOW

AND I WILL TAKE YOU PLACES
mostly in Texas LOL

Jun 3, 2017 |
Thank You,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Kellie!

There an no words to express our gratitude! You have been our teacher, medical adviser, doula, friend and comfort before, during and after the arrival of our most precious gift!

Love, The Hollands

Congratulations on 10 years!

We love you!

Stephanie, Joh, Sebastien 

Jun 1, 2017 |
Thank You,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Dear Kellie,

Once again we can't begin to thank you enough for the excellent prenatal, birth and post-partum care you provide. Diana's birth was certainly the most interesting! I always look forward to our appointments and I'm sad they have come to a close. I'm very much looking forward to having another baby with you (I hope we will!!).

Thank you again for the love and care you give. Our family is richer for it.

Love, Alicia

May 17, 2017 |
Thank You,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Kellie,

I am forever grateful for you. You helped me achieve the birth experience I was concerned and told were not possible or realistic. Birthing our sweet babies at home, in my own time and way is such a special gift. I am a stronger woman for it!

Thank you for following your calling. You are changing Lives!

God Bless,
Alane

Mar 30, 2017 |
Thank You,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Dear Kellie,

When I first contacted you last year around this time, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect or wether the home birth I was hoping for could actually happen. I was merely expecting someone with experience to support the process. I could not have anticipated the life altering journey towards self-trust and empowerment that this past year feels like has been about, nor the degree of support and presence I would receive in the form of warmth, empathy, council, and encouragement, as well as, of course, knowledge and expertise. I appreciated the holistic approach you have: how you not only attended to the physical aspects of my pregnancy but how you also considered, and always had an ear and wise word for, all the other things going on in my life at that time. Whatever the challenge, from tricky relationships to breastfeeding, you were there to get me through.

And today, several weeks after our last visit, holding my healthy, slightly hefty :) entirely breast-fed baby girl, I feel a combination of awe, pride, and success in what I achieved with your support. Through this experience I also see myself as more capable in general going forward with both my babies.

Thank you for a truly wonderful birth experience!

In Gratitude,

Mar 11, 2017 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Planning for a birth is inherently difficult. It’s the final stage of a series of steps biologically designed to send a strong message that you’re not driving the boat any more. As we’ve discussed in our previous posts, we decided early on to do a homebirth. Keep an eye out for a post on my (overwhelmingly positive) thoughts on homebirth in general…

Feb 11, 2017 |
Thank You,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Congratulations on 10 Years, Kellie!!!

May you be blessed with more success and may you touch the lives of many more mommies and babies.

We think often of you and how wonderful our whole birth experience was because of your personalized, hands-on care. All the info you gave us to prepare and for your kindness and warmth.

Thank you!

Emily, Vincent, and Max

Sep 1, 2016 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

I honestly don't know what initially drew me to the idea of home birth but pretty soon after we found out we were pregnant with our first child I asked the only couple I knew who'd had a home birth if they would talk to us about their experience and possibly provide a reference since there were no home birth midwives in our area. We'd had a few appointments with a local OB and weren't impressed with the service or lack of patient education. It was as if there was a path that all patients took and that's what we were expected to do too. So when Kellie agreed to meet with us (despite our home being 90 miles away from her!) my husband and I jumped at the chance to learn more about our home birth options. The one question he had was "what do we do with our dogs"...haha! But our biggest concern was definitely the distance - she reassured us that it would be no problem and as the pregnancy progressed we completely trusted her.

Aug 30, 2016 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Hi Kellie!

I am doing great!! I LOVE being Wren's mommy!!! It is the best ever!!! I am so so thankful I get to be a mom and that Wren is our baby. I had high expectations of being a mom but they have been FAR surpassed!! Wren is sitting up now, just got her first two teeth and has just started to try solids (we skipped the rice cereal!)... really she is just tasting them for now... she still likes mama's milk best! Breastfeeding has continued to go SO WELL praise the Lord!! We both love it :)

How are you?! I saw on your fb page that you were able to go on your long trip after all?! That is so great! I hope you and your family are doing well!

I would be happy to write a review! We are so thankful for you!!

Callie

Review:

I am so thankful for Kellie!! It wasn't until my husband and I met with Kellie, that my husband, skeptical about home births, felt more comfortable with me having a home birth. I was able to get personalized, unhurried and attentive care with Kellie throughout my pregnancy (and afterwards).

Our birth did not go as I had dreamed of or had prepared for. I'm thankful that when things did not go as planned, and our baby was not on her way at 42 weeks, Kellie supported us by always being available and not pressuring us one way or the other but giving us the information and support to make an informed decision. For us, that meant that after 43 weeks and trying all the natural induction methods, we went to the hospital to be induced. Kellie met us at the hospital door and was by my side the entire time, encouraging me throughout labor and then after the delivery. She has a great relationship with her back-up doctor and that made the transition smooth.

I'll always remember the moment after the doctor told me I needed to have a c-section and my husband and I (with lots of tears) agreed, and Kellie said it was okay to mourn the birth you wanted to have but now you get to go and meet your baby.... that is exactly what I needed to hear in the moment.... instead of dwelling in disappointment at not getting to birth my baby naturally, I was so excited that I was about to meet my daughter. She helped me focus on what was important. We prepared for an intervention-free home birth, but even when our plans changed, Kellie was supportive through every decision.

Moreover, during postpartum care, Kellie continued to care for me gently as a whole person, physically and emotionally. During one home visit a week after giving birth to my baby, I was telling Kellie how well breastfeeding was going and with a huge smile and and hands in the air, she exclaimed "Yes!!" This portrays how deeply she cares and is with you.

We highly recommend Kellie!

Oct 25, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Clinical guidelines recommend that women should be guided by their own pushing urges during birth (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2014). However, directing women’s pushing behaviour has become a cultural norm within maternity care. Women are still told when to push, when not to push and how to push.
This article was published in The Practicing Midwife Journal in June 2015 along with ‘practice challenge’ questions for midwives (not included here).

Oct 20, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Dear Mama –

I actually hope you don’t remember my name. I was your midwife and I’ve always thought that, if I did my job well, then you would only remember how amazing YOU were when it was time to birth your baby

Birth is hard work and I hate how our culture presents it as a nice, tidy little inconvenience.

But you went against that cultural norm and chose to birth your baby with the help of a midwife, with all of the pain, bodily fluids, doubt, and triumph that come along with choosing that path.

Oct 2, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

While medical literature has pointed to potential health benefits of circumcision, including the prevention of urinary tract infections and some sexually transmitted infections, the benefits generally don't outweigh the risks, the society said.

Sep 4, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Do you ever stop to wonder what is in those seemingly harmless vaccines that doctors routinely shoot up your children with within their first years of life? Have you ever stopped to wonder what that clear liquid contains or how it could possibly contribute to your child’s future health problems? Do you ever wonder why the government is making it increasingly mandatory for your children to get vaccinated? Now is the time to get informed about the truth behind these vaccinations.

Sep 4, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

When Charlotte, fourth in line to the British throne, was born last spring, she dropped into the waiting arms of a midwife. Americans may find it surprising the royal family entrusted the little princess to anyone short of the best medical doctor in the realm. Charlotte’s subjects, however, barely batted an eye. After all, midwives attend most births in England.

British women are generally referred to a midwife as soon as they’re pregnant. In the United States, midwives only attend about 9 percent of births . . . . .

Sep 1, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Donald J. Trump

Look what happened to the autism rate from 1983-2008 since one-time massive shots were given to children. This chart was given to me by a parent of two autistic children. I may not be a doctor but I have lots of common sense. Read my previous statements on autism…

Aug 21, 2015 |
Did You Know,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Kellie Moeller is a midwife who independently manages women’s health care services relating to pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, family planning, and routine gynecological needs. CNMs independently manage women’s health care services relating to pregnancy, childbirth, the postpartum period, family planning, and routine gynecological needs. They may also provide normal newborn care and primary health care for women. They consult, collaborate, or refer to other health professionals for patient care issues outside of their area of competency.

Aug 20, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Electronic fetal monitoring—which also includes external monitoring, in which an ultrasound transducer is placed on the mother's stomach—is supposed to prevent deaths by alerting the doctor to complications that would require an emergency Cesarean or vacuum extraction. Which sounds logical enough: The more you monitor the baby, the more likely you are to catch problems instantly. But study after study has proven that EFM is not logical at all, as it provides no benefit to most patients and creates more problems than it catches.

Aug 20, 2015 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

A nuchal cord (cord around the neck) is one of many things that mothers-to-be fear about childbirth. The thought of their precious baby being ‘strangled’ by their umbilical cord can cause so much worry. Luckily, unborn babies get nutrients and oxygen via the umbilical cord, not by breathing it in through their nose and mouth, which may eliminate some fear right there. They don’t need their neck to breathe.

Oct 14, 2013 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

The following is ACNM's preliminary statement in response to the recent study, Apgar score of 0 at 5 minutes and neonatal seizures or serious neurologic dysfunction in relation to birth setting to be published in the October American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology (AJOG).

Sep 30, 2013 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Baby Sharon's birth story starts, unofficially, in the middle of the night on Wednesday, September 7, 2011. Baby Sharon weighed in at 7 pounds, 8 ounces and 19 inches long. She was bright eyed and so alert just taking in all of her surroundings. She had her little fists right up by her jawline and I could imagine that was her favorite position while I was pregnant with her.

Jul 17, 2013 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

My sister and my husband were kneeling in front of me. I had each by an arm, and they coached me through the contractions and encouraged me during the breaks. Kellie was on her way, and I remember my sister talking on the phone with her a few times.

Jun 22, 2013 |
Did You Know,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

Alternative hospital birth story from Ina May Gaskin who almost single-handedly inspired the rebirth of midwifery in the United States.

Oct 26, 2012 |
Need to Know,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

For centuries all babies were born at home. Beginning in the early 1900's birth moved from the home to the hospital. Women became ignorant of the birth process since they did not witness the birth themselves because they were usually put to sleep. Today women have many choices. Birth can take place in the hospital in a delivery room or a birthing room or birth can take place in an out-of-hospital birthing center or at home.

Oct 22, 2011 |
Home Birth Stories,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

With Craig's hands in mine and him cheering me on with each push Quin was born in the water at 10:01 and placed in my arms. I was on top of the world. I accomplished my goal! After I held Quin for a while I was helped out of birth tub and into bed.

Feb 23, 2011 |
In The News,  |
Kellie Moeller, CNM

This material has been further expanded as Undisturbed Birth Mother Nature's hormonal blueprint for safety, ease and ecstasy.

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