Birth stories blog

What's the difference between an OBGYN, a midwife, and their respective pregnancy care, especially for natural birth?

"I am so grateful for Brookhaven and the care we received from them. I wouldn’t have been able to have the birth I wanted without them."

Our staple lactation cookie recipe for breastfeeding

"It was a blessing that we didn’t know she was breech, because had we known, the peaceful birth we were praying for would have been harder to achieve."

While we appreciate the work of midwives everyday, October 1-7 is National Midwifery Week.

"My husband Cheido and I had been trying to conceive for five and a half years."

"My wish is that every mother could have the beautiful experience that I did."

"I find myself wanting to be reminded of why I chose a natural birth…why I put myself through such an experience in the name of health."

"We came as two and left as three – our family was complete now that you were finally here."

"In Brandywine, WV, about 45 minutes away from Brookhaven, I told Chris that I felt like I had to push."

"ALL I WAS THINKING WAS 'SLOW DOWN!! THIS IS WAY TOO FAST!!' BUT BABY HAD DIFFERENT PLANS."

"We wanted to be active and involved in the decision-making process of how we brought our next child into the world, so we decided on Brookhaven."

"It was exactly the birth that I had been visualizing and praying for: fast and safe."

"Everything about this pregnancy was an incredible surprise!"

Brookhaven takes a staff retreat!

"I had experienced a hospital birth with my first child, complete with an epidural, overly long stay, and unnecessary interventions. During my second pregnancy, I decided to have an out-of-hospital birth."

"I still dreamed of having the home birth that I had planned with my first, but being in Lexington without a local hospital in case of emergency, was daunting, given my “advanced age” and all."

"But the truth is EVERY birth is an absolute miracle and beautiful in it’s own way, so here’s my story…."

"I felt truly blessed to have so many people helping, encouraging, and supporting me through what turned out to be one of the hardest moments in my life."

We knew after Noah’s birth that we would without a doubt choose Brookhaven for our next child! I could hardly wait to call and schedule my first appointment!

We strive to complete births at home or the birth center, but in order to maintain the safety of the mother and child hospital transfers may be necessary. In fact, we transfer approximately 10% of all of our patients at some point.

We are so happy that we have found Brookhaven for our two VBAC babies.

By the time 38 weeks rolled around, I was ready to welcome this impatient baby at any time.

If there is one thing I learned in my research of natural births, it is about the importance of finding your rhythm. Once I had that down, I was able to work through each contraction smoothly.

Typically when we share a recipe we share a single recipe, this month we thought it’d be nice to share ideas for multiple vegetables because we know gardens are exploding this time of year.

Up to the 40th week of our pregnancy, I had successfully distracted myself from the ever-looming question, “Is today the day?”

Thursday morning, June 8. I was having a relaxing morning bath, complete with a pint of NORA tea and flickering candle on the edge of the tub. And I was sobbing.

Sitting in the tub as I held Emmelyn for the first time was surreal.

This pregnancy was tough. Not tough in the way that I’ve heard from others – relatively all three of my pregnancies have been easy going, but definitely harder than the first two.

Nine years later, we discovered our daughter had been praying for a sibling earnestly; without our knowledge. She was blessed with an answer to her prayers when we announced that, unbelievably, I was pregnant.

I wailed that I was afraid that we were going to have a car baby. The snow was falling heavily and the driver in front of us was going ridiculously slowly (in our panicky opinions).

I’d like to tell you that I laughed my baby out. That I was calm and serene. But I’ll be honest.

Birth for me was just as much a culmination as it was a catalyst.

I could not have had a better labor and delivery. Thank you Brookhaven!

I didn’t tear and she was born only an hour and a half after we got there.