Emilio Yen was born after a beautiful labor.  In spite of the need for induction, Elizabeth and Karl kept true to the birth experience they hoped for, complete with a squatting delivery!

Our pregnancy with Emilio had been medically challenging. However, we were hopeful for a natural childbirth and Rebecca’s help and support was instrumental in making it happen. She helped us develop a realistic birth plan which I shared with my OB well ahead of the delivery. Eventually, I developed protein in the urine and other signs of kidney insufficiency which triggered an induction of labor at 39 weeks. Rebecca arrived at the hospital the first night of the induction and helped us settle in and make the birth room more homey. The medical staff knew I wanted to have a natural childbirth and also worked with us to facilitate the process. The next morning my contractions were augmented with pitocin. Thankfully, the medication was started up slowly and Rebecca helped me clearly communicate with the nursing staff how strongly I felt the contractions so that the increases in dose were small and tolerable. I primarily used breathing techniques and vocalizations to get through the contractions. Rebecca knew when to recommend a walk or a change in position to help move the labor along or to give me some rest to recover some strength. In the end, my body took over and I was able to come off the pitocin after 6 hours. Five hours later, I gave birth to Emilio after just 15 minutes of pushing.
We are incredibly grateful to Rebecca for her guidance in preparation for and during Emilio’s birth. Her support continued when we returned home. Rebecca visited us at home when Emilio was four days old and provided suggestions for breastfeeding positions, and reassured us that we were doing a good job. Emilio is now 3 months old and thriving. Thank you Rebecca!