Beth’s Magnolia Birth Story

By Magnolia Birth House Client, Beth Rhodes

When I got pregnant in the fall of 2019, I began my prenatal care at an OB’s office. As my pregnancy went along, I did some reading and started looking at different birthing options. I had the mindset that during pregnancy, I was not sick, so I didn’t want to give birth at a place like a hospital where sick people go to get well. I wanted a place that nurtures life and allows moms to make decisions that they really believe in. That was important — to be in a place that would provide that type of support.

I Googled birth centers in Miami, and Magnolia was near to where I was. The pandemic had just started, so I talked with them on the phone, and they sent pictures. At my first appointment around 32 weeks, I met with DellaReece. I found out in May 2020 that my insurance would cover birth center care and delivery, which was incredible.

The prenatal care at Magnolia was worlds different than the OB’s office, especially in Miami. I had some bad experiences with OBs and doctors in general. At the OB’s office where I had been receiving my care, I don’t think they even knew my name. They were just checking boxes. At Magnolia, they answered my questions, and I felt supported along the way.

Toward the end of my pregnancy, I tested positive for group B strep. The Magnolia team presented me with the information and gave me the option to do antibiotics during labor or not. An important difference in my care was that they offered me the chance to make a decision. I opted not to, and I’m happy with that decision.

Laboring at Home

My due date was July 18, 2020. As that day passed, I felt great and was not anxious. I took an online childbirth class through The Gathering Place, so I felt prepared. I also read a lot of books. One of my favorites was Nurture, which was a gift from Magnolia. I referenced it throughout my pregnancy and during postpartum, too.

There was a lot of waiting, but I woke up on July 27 feeling different. I enjoyed the day and tried to relax. I had been doing a lot of walking throughout that week, and my husband, David, and I went on a walk that day, too. Toward the end of the day, I made gumbo. As I was standing at the stove stirring, I started feeling flutters. I wasn’t sure if I was in labor, but by the end of dinner, I knew they were definitely contractions.

My doula came over, and I texted Jamarah to let her know I was having contractions. I moved around the house, and was in and out of the shower. I made a lot of noise, but I was comfortable being at home. We were timing the contractions, and by 10 p.m., they were getting closer together. I was keeping Jamarah up to date, but the contractions got to the point where I couldn’t time them anymore. At about 1 a.m., we decided it was time to go to the birth center.

Arriving at the Birth Center and Meeting My Baby

When we arrived at Magnolia, Jamarah checked me and told me I was nine centimeters dilated. My labor slowed down a little bit when we got there. I had previously been moving a lot at home, and it took me a while to find a position that worked at the birth center. I tried squatting and sitting, but those didn’t feel right. Toward the end of my labor, I was lying on the bed.

My cervix wasn’t quite fully dilated, but Jamarah was able to move the remaining part of my cervix over. That’s when things moved along again. I started pushing while on my back, but I didn’t really know how to push. That last part took a while — I had to figure it out. I said, “I quit. I’m done. I don’t want to do this anymore.”

At that point, I was so grateful that my husband was there. I remember him saying, “Go deep. Pull all that strength from deep within you.” I gave one last final push, and my daughter was born at 5:49 a.m. July 28, 2020. She weighed 8 pounds, 2 ounces and measured 21 inches long.

Jamarah immediately placed the baby on my chest, and I was amazed and relieved. She looked huge. I couldn’t believe she was inside of me. For 41 and a half weeks, I had kept her safe and taken care of her, and now I had to let go of fear. She was OK.

I nursed her and delivered the placenta. For a moment, Jamarah was worried about the baby’s breathing, so they gave her oxygen. They did it to be extra cautious; I was never worried. Everything felt normal and good. I had some tearing, which took a while to stitch. After resting on the bed for a while, I got cleaned up.

Recovering After Birth and Reflecting on My Experience at Magnolia

After the birth at Magnolia, we were home by lunchtime. It was amazing to be at home during that time. We had not named our daughter yet, waiting to spend those first few days getting to know her in the comfortable cocoon of our own home. After a couple of days, we gave her Woods, a name full of meaning after much reflection.

The postpartum care with Magnolia was amazing and informative. During my visits, they answered all of my questions and made me feel comforted and supported. I continued nursing Woods, but it was hard to learn. I had some trouble with latching later in the week after she was born, and I ended up with mastitis twice, once with a fever. Jamarah helped me through this tough experience and put me in touch with a lactation consultant.

I loved the holistic midwifery care at Magnolia. I was not worried at any point during pregnancy or birth. Because midwives play an important role in our society, they should be celebrated as bearers of life. They support women in their most vulnerable and also their strongest position. The care before birth is so important — the testing and checking to see if there’s going to be a complication before it even happens. They’re aware of everything that’s going on.

I really benefited from the relationships with Magnolia, and I know they’ll always have my back. I value freedom of choice, and I know that each baby, each mom is different. Pregnancy and childbirth and, so far, child raising are about relationship. Magnolia really celebrated that.

Inspired by Beth’s birth story and expecting? We’d love to chat with you! Please click below to book a free consultation with us.