Brianna Mayes, Birth Services

04/05/2022

Cesarean Awareness Month 💗

Since it’s Cesarean Awareness Month let’s do some Fact vs. Myth!

1. MYTH. C-Sections make birth easier.
It’s a common misconception that choosing a C-section means avoiding the pain of labor and reducing your risk of related complications. If you have a C-section, you don’t feel pain during the procedure, but it is a major abdominal surgery that requires a recovery period.

2. FACT. Recovery from a cesarean takes time.
Once your baby is born, recovering from the procedure may be more difficult than recovering from vaginal birth. Women who have C-sections may spend 3-5 days in the hospital, while women who have routine vaginal deliveries can expect to go home within a day or two. After you go home, be prepared to spend several weeks recovering from C-section surgery.

3. MYTH. You can’t have skin-to-skin after C-section.
Skin-to-skin contact is an important practice for many new moms. It offers a bonding opportunity and health benefits for you and your baby. However, many women fear that they won’t be able to have skin-to-skin time following their C-section, because they’re hooked up to machines, wearing a hospital gown, or under anesthesia.

4. MYTH. You can’t deliver vaginally after a C-section
When you have a C-section, your doctor makes an incision in your abdomen and uterus. You’re stitched up after your baby is born, but it’s a common misconception that the procedure means you’ll never be able to have a vaginal birth if you get pregnant again later.

5. FACT. Many women are candidates for VBAC.
Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is the medical term to describe delivering a baby vaginally if you’ve had a C-section in the past. Whether you want to experience natural birth or you want to avoid complications related to multiple C-sections, talk to your Dr/Midwife about your options. Women who don’t have high-risk pregnancies and who are in generally good health are often candidates for VBAC. Some of the benefits of VBAC include a lower risk of complications during delivery and shorter recovery times.

08/04/2021

It’s National Breastfeeding Week 🤱🏻🤱🏻

If you’re looking for a fun breastfeeding shirt you can check out this site! The owner is so sweet and great to work with!

You can use code MAYES to save a little 💰

Shirts run True to size Shirt Care: To ensure your Shirt/ baby’s Onesie lasts, please follow these cleaning instructions: - Turn Shirt inside out. - Do not use bleach or fabric softener. - Tumble dry low. - Do not dry clean. - Do not iron. All orders are Final Sale due to each item being custom ma...

05/10/2021

I hope y’all all had a wonderful Mother’s Day. ❤️

05/03/2021

Good mornin y’all! I know it’s early but I’m already two days late and I’ll be driving today!

This is my cesarean birth story. 💕

“At 27 weeks and on we took my pregnancy by a day by day basis. I had went in for an ultrasound and Adalie’s heart rate was ranging between 327-357bpm. The group of doctors on my team said they haven’t seen such a severe case of SVT and Atrial flutter at such a young gestational age in over 10 years. I was immediately admitted into the hospital and knew then that there was a high chance of having to have a csection, which has always been one of my biggest fears. After being in the hospital for 3 weeks we finally found a medicine combination that stabilized her heart and I was able to make it to 40 weeks.
Now, I know about birth but I didn’t know anything about fetal heart conditions. They told me it was best to set an induction date at 40 weeks because the longer she cooked greatened the risk of her heart rate spiking up again. I was told if I didn’t go into labor on my own 5 days before the induction to stop the heart medications so it could get out of her system and her not have such a long NICU stay. I had a gut feeling that I shouldn’t have stopped the medicine and that if I did she wouldn’t be able to withstand the induction.. But again, I didn’t know anything about fetal heart conditions so I was very submissive with everything they suggested because I just wanted my sweet girl to be safe.
I ended up being right. I went in for the induction, they monitored her heart rate for an hour or so. It was staying in the 170s so they started the cervidil. After just two hours her heart rate started rising and staying between 185-190s. The nurses got mine and Adi’s team of drs all on a call and they decided they felt it’d be safest to have the cesarean. They were afraid since her baseline rate was already on the higher side the red flags of fetal distress wouldn’t be as obvious. I immediately started tearing up. I have a fear of surgeries in general, but to me a csection is the scariest because your baby is at stake as well, not just you. I got on the phone and told Cole and Evie that I love them and then they took me to the OR to get prepped.
This next part is very hard for me to share. As they were wheeling me down I had already began to have an anxiety attack. As I’m sitting on the table waiting to get the spinal tap/epidural the OR just seemed so bright and cold. I couldn’t believe that was the environment I was about to bring a sweet baby into. By the time Tyler was able to come in I was already tearing up thinking about what was happening and praying my baby stayed okay. Little did I know it was actually going to be ten times worse. Once my legs and torso went numb my mind started going crazy. They began. I felt pulling and tugging but I couldn’t see what they were doing to me and I had no control over my body. It made a panic attack set in due to PTSD of past abuse. I tried my best to not bust out into tears. I had to focus on my breathing. Tyler kept reassuring me that everything was going to be okay and that he was right there with me. About halfway through I started having flashbacks of the abuse. Adalie was finally born. They took her to the side to look her over and check her heart. I only got to see her for a split second before her and Tyler headed to the NICU. My nurse left the OR for a bit and that’s when the panic attack fully set in. After they were sure Adalie was okay, Tyler came back to check on me.
I didn’t get to see or hold Adi for about 2 hours after she was born. When I was able to finally see her I cried tears of joy that my baby girl was healthy. But, they were also tears of hate. I hated myself for what happened during her birth. I hated myself for those memories popping into my mind during what was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life. I’m still struggling with these feelings 5.5 months later. I’m taking it day by day and overcoming all of those emotions.

I will talk about my healing another day for y’all!

04/26/2021

Part Two of Ginny’s story!

“I wanted another baby the second my son was born... so I got pregnant when he was 2 months old.

My new doctor in Kansas did lecture me on letting my body recover properly. So it's my second pregnancy and I know what to expect. I'm carrying higher, craving different things, no heartburn etc and I find out it's a GIRL!
I had plans for this birth. I knew I was getting another c section. I just knew but I wanted to atleast see if I could have a VBAC. My daughter decided to be like her brother and be breached so my doctor told me no VBAC if she doesnt turn. Welp when obviously didnt..
After weeks of extreme nesting, it was time to go in for my second cesarean. I went in at 8 am and was taken back at 10am. I was terrified of the spinal tap. I remembered what it felt like the last time. I cried so hard that the nurses held my hands and prayed with me. My anesthesiologist had came in to talk to me earlier that morning so when she spoke I recognized her voice. She asked me what was wrong and I told her my fears. While I was talking she was giving me the shot and I didnt even know. I didn't even feel it!! I was so relieved.
I was laid down and the procedure had begun. I was cracking jokes, everybody was laugjing, it was a positive atmosphere. Then my daughter was pulled out and she didn't cry immediately. It took her a second because she had fluid in her lungs. But then she cried and I cried ofcourse. I now had a healthy 7lb 9oz. Baby girl! They laid her on my chest and I tried to hold her but my arms were so tired I couldn't. They sewed me up and I went in to start the recovery process.
I know the pain was gonna suck so I was prepared. But guess what! I didnt feel any pain AT ALL. None. Not even a little bit. They prescribed me pain meds but I never took anything. Not even tylenol when I got home. I was instructed to not carry anything heavier than my daughter, but I snuck in a chance to pick my son up and hug him.
My first c section was painful and scary but my second was a breeze and beautiful. I think for me it came down to my medical team and their communication. My team in kansas talked to me about every little thing to help me calm down and be at ease. The vibes in the delivery room were bright and positive. The after care and breast feeding advice and help was amazing.
My son is now 5 and my daughter 4 and looking back at their births, I'm happy that they came out healthy. I'm happy I was able to experience what I did and overcome some fear.”

04/26/2021

This is Part One of Ginny’s story! Thank you so much for sharing ❤️

“I've had 2 c sections, the first in Oklahoma and the second in kansas. After my first I was terrified of my second and my anxiety went through the roof causing me to need therapy in the months leading up to my second c section. Turns out, my second section was a breeze.
My son was born october 14th by a planned csection. I chose cesarean because my doctor had told me my son was breached and hed need to try to turn him and itd be painful and theres a 20% chance my son would pass away. That 20% was enough for me to schedule a c section right then and there.
We arrived at the hospital at 6am and I was taken back at 7:45. They prepped me and gave me the spinal tap which hurt because the anesthesiologist couldn't find the proper place on my spine for it. Once they got it I had an easy c section. My son was born and I heard him cry within seconds. Healthy baby boy weighing 7lbs 3oz. I was done with the c section and back in my room with my beautiful boy. Now all I had to get through was recovery. It hurt, I won't lie it did hurt but I had alot of help. After 2 full weeks I was pain free! I could bend again lol “

04/24/2021

This is Amber’s story! Thank you for sharing❤️

“My daughter was born on August 15 2018 at 38+4 weeks via c section. Luckily my c section was planned but due to severe kidney stones. That doesn’t mean the procedure wasn’t scary. It was a totally weird feeling to go to the hospital and know in just a few hours, I would be holding my baby.
The procedure itself was easy....well until the spinal block made it feel like I couldn’t breathe so I had a full blown panic attack on the table. They didn’t tell me about the shakes; the uncontrolled shaking where you can’t stop and don’t know what’s going on. Luckily I got to have skin to skin with her right away and hold her in my arms back to the room.
After my c section, I wasn’t able to enjoy the first few hours. I was in and out of consciousness from the pain meds and every time I tried to sit up, enormous pain.
The recovery was honestly easy and I thought I was able to recover quicker than most of my friends who had a vaginal birth. But boy I was wrong.
It has been almost 3 years since I had my daughter, these three years we have been trying to conceive again and been unsuccessful.
There have been some studies that show that there is a chance of infertility after c-section. If I would have known the pain that my c section would cause me, I would have fought my absolute hardest to avoid this unnecessary procedure.”

04/23/2021

This is Part Two of Emily Diamond Bussey’s story!
Again, thank you for being willing to share. ❤️

“After my daughter was born my husband and I had decided we didn’t want any more kids but obviously that didn’t work out 😂. I got pregnant with my son when Olivia was 9 months old. I knew right away I wanted to try for a VBAC. I called several drs trying to find one that would let me try. The dr I found was super nice and supportive during the whole pregnancy and I felt so confident I would have a successful VBAC.
During my pregnancy I was closely watched for any signs I was getting preeclampsia again and I made it all the way to 35 and a half weeks when I was officially diagnosed with mild preeclampsia. My dr put me on bed rest and scheduled me to be induced at 37 weeks and 1day. I was disappointed that I had to be induced so early but I couldn’t risk pushing my body any further to try to make it to 40 weeks and turning my mild preeclampsia into another emergency.
So, off I went to be induced. It started out fine, I was confident and feeling good. But, my body was not ready to be in labor and despite being on pitocin, having the folly bulb done and having my water broke I stopped dilating at a 6. My son was also not happy with the induction medicine; his heart rate kept dropping on and off. I kept having to rearrange the way I was laying and they would have to turn off my medicine for an hour or so to give him a break. It was so frustrating and kind of scary. At one point in the middle of the night 3 nurses rushed in because of his heart, I thought for sure they were going to make me have the c section right then but we didn’t.
After 36 hours of nothing good happening I decided it was time to give up and have a repeat c section. I was so mad and disappointed; I sobbed like a baby. I felt like I wasted so much time for nothing and put my son through all his ups and downs for nothing. I felt like my body betrayed me again by having preeclampsia. I felt like if I hadn’t have had to be induced so early I would have been able to be successful in the VBAC. I tried to tell myself that the only thing that mattered was he was safe and healthy but I was just mad and honestly angry.
Benjamin was born after a much more normal c section, he cried right away and I was so happy to finally meet him!
I’m still disappointed in how my second c section happened. I hate that I wasn’t able to do the VBAC. I hate that I got sick again. I hate that I had to recover again from a c section and couldn’t go right back to my normal life. I feel like my scar is even more noticeable now, it’s raised up in places and hurts sometimes. I think it’s ugly and it reminds me of how sad I was during the c section. When I start beating myself up about it I take a moment to look at my son and appreciate all that my body did for me in creating such a sweet happy baby. That even though his birth didn’t go as planned, he was born healthy and with no complications. I’m grateful we made it all the way to 37 weeks and that he didn’t have to stay in the NICU like his sister. I can’t look at my scar and see a warrior like so many of the posts people share about c section moms. I don’t feel like a warrior and half the time I don’t feel like I “gave birth” my baby was just taken out of me. But I’m working on it, I’m finding peace with it and every month it gets better and better.”

04/23/2021

This is Part One of Emily Diamond Bussey’s story. 💕 Thank you for being willing to share!

“I have had two c-sections. My first one was with my daughter in May of 2019 and my second was with my son in November of 2020. My first c section is easier to talk about and I have more peace with how it all played out. My repeat c section came after a failed attempt at a VBAC and I’m still so disappointed with how it went.
My daughter was born at 31 weeks and 4 days. I had gotten severe preeclampsia and was rushed to the hospital with dangerously high blood pressure. My body was not happy with being pregnant anymore and it was trying to take both me and my baby out.
I went in on a Saturday morning and the plan was to have me deliver via c section Sunday afternoon. They wanted me to have several steroid shots before delivery to help my baby’s lungs. Sunday morning the sonogram tech came into my room to check on the baby, he looked and looked and looked some more and he was so quiet and concentrated I knew something wasn’t right. He wouldn’t tell me anything and said I had to wait for my dr. He and the dr went outside and talked for a few minutes then the dr came in and looked at the sono with the tech. My placenta was starting to separate from my uterus wall and we needed to deliver now. So off I was rushed to the OR.
They got me prepped and laid me down on the table, my husband still hadn’t been brought in, they check baby’s heart rate and it had tanked! The dr said the baby has to come out right now, they basically rubbed some iodine on me and were getting ready to cut. I start freaking out asking for my husband, thankfully he was rushed in just in time cause I swear the time between when the dr started cutting to baby being out was a minute and a half. One of the nurses said it was the fastest c sections she had seen! It took a few seconds for Olivia to cry and when I finally heard her little cries I started crying.
I was so happy she was alive! She stayed in the NICU for exactly one month and other than being little for her age, she’s a happy, healthy almost two year old. I will forever be grateful for my dr and the hospital, it was such a good experience for what it was.”

04/23/2021

Is there anyone willing to share their c-section story/journey? How you felt before, during, after?

Let’s help mamas know they’re not alone.

I will be sharing my story publicly for the first time with you the last day of April. 💕

04/16/2021

Since it’s Cesarean Awareness Month let’s do some Fact vs. Myth!

1. MYTH. C-Sections make birth easier.
It’s a common misconception that choosing a C-section means avoiding the pain of labor and reducing your risk of related complications. If you have a C-section, you don’t feel pain during the procedure, but it is a major abdominal surgery that requires a recovery period.

2. FACT. Recovery from a cesarean takes time.
Once your baby is born, recovering from the procedure may be more difficult than recovering from vaginal birth. Women who have C-sections may spend 3-5 days in the hospital, while women who have routine vaginal deliveries can expect to go home within a day or two. After you go home, be prepared to spend several weeks recovering from C-section surgery.

3. MYTH. You can’t have skin-to-skin after C-section.
Skin-to-skin contact is an important practice for many new moms. It offers a bonding opportunity and health benefits for you and your baby. However, many women fear that they won’t be able to have skin-to-skin time following their C-section, because they’re hooked up to machines, wearing a hospital gown, or under anesthesia.

4. MYTH. You can’t deliver vaginally after a C-section
When you have a C-section, your doctor makes an incision in your abdomen and uterus. You’re stitched up after your baby is born, but it’s a common misconception that the procedure means you’ll never be able to have a vaginal birth if you get pregnant again later.

5. FACT. Many women are candidates for VBAC.
Vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) is the medical term to describe delivering a baby vaginally if you’ve had a C-section in the past. Whether you want to experience natural birth or you want to avoid complications related to multiple C-sections, talk to your Dr/Midwife about your options. Women who don’t have high-risk pregnancies and who are in generally good health are often candidates for VBAC. Some of the benefits of VBAC include a lower risk of complications during delivery and shorter recovery times.

03/24/2021

Tell me what y’all wanna see on the page! ❤️

Hey y’all! 🤩
I’m getting ready to do more weekly series!

What are y’all wanting series on?! Let me know in the comments! So far, I’ve done breastfeeding and inductions!

Also a sweet picture of my girl showing how excited she is that it’s finally Spring and we’ve been having nicer weather ☀️