I always wanted to have my babies in our own home with the comfortable surroundings of home and the calmness that staying home brings. No picking up and going somewhere uncomfortably unfamiliar in the middle of labor. We have four beautiful children who are 4, 3, 2 and a newborn. Our first two babies we had a nurse midwife assist with their births, but at the time we utilized another house since we were visiting family and their house was not ideal for a homebirth and was a decent distance from the nearest emergency services. Our third baby was born in a small town hospital in Sheridan Wyoming. He was a late-February baby and with my husband working as a Conductor for the railroad, neither of us felt confidant using a midwife located over the other side of the Big Horn Mountains in the worst part of a northern Wyoming winter. Our newest treasure was born in our home here near Gillette Wyoming on February 1, 2017.
We started prenatal care with a local obstetrician as
again we were going to have another February baby in Wyoming. We were able to transfer care to Luanne in early December as her schedule opened up and we were willing to risk having to go to the hospital in the event of bad weather or another birth preventing Luanne from attending the birth. We are grateful she took us so late in the pregnancy and enjoyed finally having a baby in the comfort of our own home.
Luanne came to our home for my 39 week prenatal
appointment and checked me and the baby. The weathermen had predicted a snowstorm over the next couple of days which could prevent the midwife from traveling the two hours of interstate to get to us in the event labor did commence. Both Luanne and I felt I might not make it until the weather cleared and that since she was here, today was the day to try to get things going. I hopped on the treadmill and within thirty minutes, contractions were coming fast and furiously.
Five hours of labor and our little Elli entered this world in the comfort of our own home while the older children slept in their beds. We feel so blessed to have the experience of giving birth at home surrounded by familiarity, comfort and family.
Thank you, Luanne, for your care and willingness to travel so far to attend our baby’s birth and for being such an encouragement to do what we felt was best for our family. You took such good of us before, during and after Elli’s birth. I would happily recommend you as a midwife to anyone in the area!