was born with mom completely unmedicated and without any complications. We were blessed to have our daughter Jordan at home. The home birth required an even better application of the Bradley technique. Cheryl labored and delivered for only 4 ½ hours, attended by a medical doctor only in the last ½ hour when she was pushing. He was completely hands off and was a strong advocate of the Bradley method.

Our children were born without drugs, alert and full of life. In both deliveries, Cheryl was up and feeling great within a couple of hours. We immediately invited friends and family over to our house within hours of our daughter’s birth and the next day, we were all able to attend church and showed her off. We give our Lord God, Julie Parache, and the Bradley Method all the thanks and credit.

contractions came, nearly 15 minutes after my water had broken, my husband and I knew what we had to do – it was almost reflexive. We took out the watch and began timing the contractions. And it was so clear and natural to us, how to time the contractions, all because we had really rehearsed them during the classes, and we felt confident and empowered. So from the first contraction until the time that I was ready to push, my contractions were continuously coming every 5 minutes or less. And for nearly 12 hours of labor- and about 144 contractions- my husband and I worked through various relaxation techniques as well as positions in order to have the birthing come as quickly as possible. And we did this primarily on our own – with a nurse occasionally checking in on us and the midwife stopping in 3 times before my husband went to get her because we knew it was time to push.

I honestly feel that from the time my water broke at 2:45 am to the time Jaciara was born (2:52 pm), my husband and I felt a sense of control and stability, and a sense of awareness of what was taking place, even though this was our first time. We are thankful to Julie and grateful for all those who developed the Bradley® Method class because the information that we absorbed through the course instilled a belief and confidence in ourselves, and in our choice for having a natural birth.

completely confident in my body’s ability to perform and I surrendered to the process, trusting in its design to do what it was supposed to do. As my labor began, I was ecstatic and excited, laboring slowly for most of the afternoon until it started to get more intense towards evening. Even then, I felt so ready. I welcomed each contraction and put into practice all the relaxation and breathing I had learned from my Bradley classes. I was fully prepared, I had the tools and support I needed, and there was nothing that could interfere. Now that I had taken Bradley classes, I was confident and determined, like a marathon runner getting ready for a big race and knowing that she will surely win!

My labor started with my bag of waters breaking around 1:30 p.m. on a Sunday afternoon. That morning I felt a bit more tired and crabby than usual, but didn’t think anything of it. When my water broke, I was excited….I was going to have a baby! My husband and I went home and began preparing our apartment. He assembled the birthing pool and then prepared our planned lunch to get me through my labor….chicken gumbo, packed with protein and carbohydrates. We spent the early hours of my labor taking black and white photos of my belly and discussing the excitement that lie ahead. Every now and then I would have a minor contraction but nothing serious. At 3:30 pm the nurses came and checked me. I was 2 cm and 70% effaced. Around 6 p.m. I had been having contractions about every 30 minutes or so, with them being one minute long. By 9 p.m., however, I was starting to have more intense contractions and could no longer hold a conversation through them. Around 9:40 pm, Julie arrived and began talking me through my contractions. My husband stood by offering a cool rag for my forehead and apple juice ice chips to munch on. They both began preparing the water for the pool, but had made it about 30 degrees too hot so they had to try to cool it off with stockpots of cold water. At this point my contractions are about 3 minutes apart. My labor nurse showed up around 10:30 pm sometime and checked me. I was 3 cm and 70% effaced. I began to verbalize my intense feelings…”It’s getting harder. I don’t know how much longer I can do this.”

Around 12 a.m. I went into the birthing pool. The warmth and buoyancy of the water brought a lot of relief. A few minutes later I began to feel some pressure with the contractions. By 1 a.m. I was 100% effaced and 4 or 5 cm. I was feeling pressure on my rectum. At 2 a.m. I was feeling pressure with each contraction and was in a lot of pain. I spent some time in the pool and then back in the bed. Within 30 minutes I was beginning to have hot and cold sensations. It seems like I was going through transition and I even vomited once. Around 3 a.m. I was checked and was 6 or 7 cm and +1 station.
Around 4 a.m. I was very close to full on pushing and having very strong contractions. I was 9 cm now, so I went back into the pool to complete and push. I started pushing slightly to ease the pressure. At one point during my pushing phase, the labor nurse detected that I had a cervical lip, so she corrected it during one of my contractions. After that, things began to progress much better.

At 5:50 a.m. I was “complete” and was fully pushing. The baby’s head began to crown and I felt my baby’s head with my hand. “That’s my baby!” I cried. I was so excited. I had really gotten a second wind now. At 6:59 a.m., my daughter, Sierra Rose, was born weighing 7 lbs. 11oz., 21 inches long. At 7:15 a.m. the placenta was delivered.
I had succeeded in having a beautiful natural birth with no interventions or medications and I have Bradley to thank for it!

early in the morning. I went crazy cleaning, scrubbing my house and cleaning my car inside and out.

I was scheduled to have my last appointment with my OBGYN at 3pm that day. At 3:30pm the doctor examined me. She informed me that I was not having Braxton-Hicks but real labor contractions; I was 3 centimeters dilated, and 80% effaced. She said, “Well, I will see you later on this week at the hospital, take it easy, go home and rest.” I was so excited! On the way back home my mild contractions intensified. I made it back home, called my husband and decided to speed up the process by lying on my side. After an hour of lying I began to walk around the house and as I walked, I squatted during every contraction. With every squat I held the wall, breathed, relaxed, and visualized the baby coming down the birth canal. My husband Kent came home, and after 2 hours at home, we got in the car and headed for the hospital.

At the hospital, every 5 to 7 steps I squatted and contracted. When I arrived at the birthing room, I was 8 centimeters dilated and 100% effaced. My doctor was called. Two minutes later my Bradley instructor arrived. We all practiced relaxation and I gave soft pushes in between contractions for relief. Five minutes later the doctor came in, examined me and informed me the baby is visible in the birth canal and in his bag. She went out to get dressed, while I continued to give soft pushes. Upon her return she called loudly to the nurse to bring in the supplies and lights. The baby was about to crown and the bag was still intact. Within five seconds, on its own, the bag broke and some fluid came out. Because the baby was in the bag and cushioned in fluid I didn’t feel him coming down the birth canal. All I was feeling were the contractions.

Next I felt the ring of fire (crowning). I pushed hard but slow, not wanting to tear, and out came his head. I remember everyone telling me to look, but I was afraid of leaving the baby in that position, not even for a second. I pushed hard but slow again, and the baby’s shoulders came out. One last push and out came Elijah at 9:53pm! A gush of fluid followed him and baptized baby and everyone on the birthing bed from the knees down! Elijah was born with three pushes, at 6 pounds, 13 ounces and 18 inches long. We waited for the umbilical cord to stop pulsating for Daddy to cut the cord. The placenta was delivered 5 minutes later with the help of my doctor. We had a fast, completely natural birthday with no stitches, no episiotomy, no medications, no drugs, and no premature breaking of the bag! Baby Elijah latched on with no problems and began to nurse. We went home with new baby within 24 hours. Our second baby was basically the same. The only difference was the bag breaking on its own naturally before baby traveled though the birth canal. For this reason I made it a point to push softly so I wouldn’t tear. I could feel the baby’s head, shoulders, and body as he traveled down the birth canal. It took more pushes but Josiah was born 30 to 35 minutes, at 10:48pm. Josiah was 7 pounds, 6 ounces, and 20.5 inches long. Another completely natural birth! Baby Josiah also latched on and nursed on his own with no problems! My husband and coach, Kent, was such a big part of both births, that I don’t see how I could have done it without him. Thank you again Bradley!!