Sarah, describe your proudest moment in the fullest detail possible?

My proudest moment was when I gave birth to my first child; you see she was breech. She turned 6 weeks before her due date and didn’t budge afterwards. I really wanted a natural, vaginal birth. I had secured a midwife and doula, in addition to reading 7-8 birthing and pregnancy books cover to cover.

At first, I wasn’t concerned. I had read many ways to get a baby to turn. There was chiropractic adjustment, acupuncture, guided meditations, exercises that were basically standing on your head and worst-case scenario you could go to a doctor who would do a procedure to physically turn the baby. This was my first lesson being a parent. Children make their own decisions despite your plans or best efforts. She didn’t turn and none of the methods worked and I did them all.

I had read a birthing story in Ina May’s guide to childbirth. This woman had a natural, vaginal breech birth and I thought if this woman can do it, so can I. The doctor, who was unable to physically turn her, told me that it was very unlikely I’d be able to. He continued with all the reasons why it wouldn’t happen, there were only 4 doctors in the entire hospital that knew how to deliver a breech birth (so they had to be working when I was in labour), the baby’s heartbeat and position had to be perfect... He then added that because it was my first child, I was unlikely to even make it to the pushing if all those other factors lined up.

When they wheeled me out of the OR with my daughter whom I had just given birth to, the doctor who discouraged me was walking into the hospital for his shift. He saw me and said, “Natural, Vaginal, Breech Birth?" I said confidently and beaming with pride and love, YES!