Subsequent labor and births can be very redemptive in reclaiming one’s power or control that was lost the first time around. The body has muscle memory and typically* (there are exceptions, of course) the birthing process is shorter overall and thus there is less need for interventions from the care provider. The mind is also more prepared to cope with the intensity and experience of giving birth. However, it’s still important to work with a care provider and birthing team whose philosophy and skill sets are aligned with your needs — physically and emotionally. Ally talks about finding her wonderful midwife, Beth, who allowed Ally to birth her way. Tune into #milktrails podcast to hear latest episode!
I've been doing my reading, working towards my doula certification, but also having some really good conversations with my partner about trying to conceive sometime in the next year or two. It's so hard being patient and responsible and getting all our ducks in a row! But my ideal pregnancy and HBAC will be SO worth the wait!!
Ally is a mother of two and shares her experience of having an HBAC – Home Birth After Cesarean. In the US, more and more birthing folks with a prior cesarean are seeking out home birth in response to a denial of hospital-based care for a VBAC (aka vaginal birth after cesarean), to avoid having an unnecessary cesarean and lastly to avoid repeating a previously traumatic experience in the hospital. In Ally’s case it was for all of these reasons. She discusses her first birthing experience, the postpartum grief and healing that took place and the courage to do it again in a way that felt true to her motherly and bodily instincts.
There are options! Don't let medical professionals scare or bully you into procedures that you don't want or need. I often attend the VBACs that practices say are impossible. I have attended a homebirth after a previous classical incision. I've also attended VBA2C (hospital) and VBA3C (homebirth). I want you to have hope, primarily. And if you want a doula, I'm one of the most experienced in Charlotte. #CharlotteDoula #Charlotte #doula #BlackOwnedClt #clt #CharlotteNC #clienttestimonial #testimonial #birthwithoutfear #vbacwithoutfear #vbac #homebirth #hbac (at Charlotte, North Carolina)
Hello, HurtsFamily! 20th of December is here and therefore it’s my turn for the HBAC! So this year I prepared a little word search crossword for you. The words can be horizontal, vertical or diagonal (but not backwards!). There’s no password hidden (I thought of it too late, sorry), but under the cut you can find a list of questions that will help you to find the right words to search! So it’s also an opportunity to check your knowledge (I guess, because some questions are obvious, some are lame...). Good luck :)
One half of Hurts and the piano guy.
The violin and saxophone player that used to perform with Hurts.
A movie Theo was an extra in.
A nickname that embodies Theo’s inborn clumsiness, assigned to him by Adam.
A backing singer seen to still actively work with Hurts.
An object Theo requested as a part of his record deal.
The god of desire and a title of one of Hurts’ songs.
Queen of burlesque once affiliated with Theo.
A mysterious nurse that impressed Theo.
The name of Hurts’ second album.
Name of the ship shipping Theo and Adam to the land of love.
An adorable rodent and also somehow one of Theo’s many nicknames on Tumblr.
The name of Hurts’ first album.
A song that involves a choir made of Hurts fans.
A pop princess Hurts wrote a love letter to.
The youngest of Hurts stage musicians.
A song in video to which Theo showed off his dancing skills.
Hurts’ hometown.
An item that kept getting broken at every concert.
A football club Theo supports
A job Adam used to have that required him to wake up VERY early.
An event not explicable by natural or scientific laws and a name of a song from Hurts’ second album.
A cat-loving drummer.
A flightless bird Theo once felt connection to.
The bandmember behind the keys.
An artist Theo and Adam bonded over.
A feline predator Theo once compared Adam to.
Theo’s hometown.
Name of Adam’s doggy.
A flower thrown by Theo during concerts.
A city in Greater Manchester where Hurts played their first concert in a church.
A river known from Wonderful Life.
Day of the week especially celebrated by Hurts.
The name of Hurts’ third album.
Name of the protagonist from Wonderful Life.
Part of wardrobe characteristic for Adam.
The frontman of Hurts.
An object Adam requested as a part of his deal.
An italian town mentioned in two of Hurts songs.
A video to that song inspired a successful Instagram action that was recognized by Hurts.
Hello Hurtsfamily!
I got some pictures from earlier this year which haven’t found their way to Tumblr yet - until now. So here they are, as my contribution to the HBAC 2016. Have a lovely day x
(P.S. Sorry for no presentable photos of Adam.)
'Congratulations, General.' Theo Ren muttered sarcastically as he accompanied the other man on the bridge. 'You've successfully trained your troops to become traitors.'
'I find your lack of faith disturbing, Ren.' Lael Hux growled. He refused to let the force user intimidate him.
'Not only were your men incapable of capturing a droid, no, AD-2411 decided to join the droid and escape instead!' The force user accused, anger present in his voice that made officers around them quiver.
'My men are exceptionally trained,' Lael huffed indignantly. 'Unlike you, they follow orders.'
There was truth in the General's words. Theo Ren lived outside the military ranks, only listening to the Supreme leader's orders. But he was keen to make his own choices, choosing to kidnap the scavenger girl who had seen the map instead of chasing down the silver droid with the map. It would have worked, if the girl wouldn't had shown signs of being Force sensitive and actually been able to resist his powers.
'Supreme leader, she is powerful but untrained. I can train her, make her one of us.' Ren had suggested with haste as he had summoned his master after the failed interrogation.
Unbeknownst to the two force users, Emily had taken the opportunity to try what she had thought to be magical myths. Embracing her newly discovered powers, she overmanned her guard.
Adam panicked. He knew what he had to do to save Emily, but something felt off. Witnessing Theo brutally kill a man, made Adam's insides hurt.
The bombs went off and Adam ran as fast as he could, followed by Emily and a pissed off wookie.
Theo Ren's sword glowed red and dangerous against the white snow as he made his way towards the scavenger and the traitor.
'I wasn't finished with you!' Theo roared, baring his teeth as his other hand rested on his bleeding side, the dark Force user wounded by the wookie.
Adam had to stop Theo's rage. Emily did not deserve this. Not knowing what else to do, he ignited the lightsaber. 'Theo, you're not like this.'
'You don't know me!' Theo shouted, his whole body aching as the wound kept bleeding and hurt as he inhaled. But he cared little about the pain.
'Yes I do. We've known each other for years, stop fighting me!' Adam ducked as Theo swung his red saber. 'We're best friends.'
Theo chuckled through the pain mockingly. 'Is that what you really think? You are a traitor; your sorry excuse of a life means nothing to me!' Their sabers clashed together, Theo using his opportunity to hit Adam in the face with his elbow.
'Theo David Hutchcraft, you idiotic excuse of a singer!' Adam had the upper hand, being stronger. A stray spark from Theo's excuse of a lightsaber hit Theo in the side of his eye. 'Don't make me hurt you.'
Theo groaned, ducking away as he covered his eye with his gloved hand. 'I will shut you up for saying that name!' Newly fueled anger ran through the man, and Theo charged recklessly, his only purpose to kill.
Adam was pushed into a tree by an invisible hand. 'Theo, you're not like this! Wake up!'
'How could you know?' Theo growled as he closed the distance between them and raised his saber.
'You barely know how to dance, fighting with a 'saber should be impossible. You're a singer, not a sith lord.' Adam leaned back against the trunk of a tree, his clothes soaked by snow.
'Quiet!' Theo roared as he struck Adam with his lightsaber. However, while he was supposed to finish Adam once and for all, he only ended up hitting the man's shoulder, unable to kill him.
'Theo, please. It's me, Adam. We've been best friends for years, I'm begging you,' Adam held his shoulder, face twisted in pain. 'This is all a bad dream...'
'You talk nonsense-' Theo said, more to try to convince himself than letting Adam know what he thought. The saber flickered as Theo threw it away, the shaft hitting a tree audibly. 'I'm Theo Ren-' He growled as he stumbled over to Adam, pressing him down into the snow with his hand around Adam's throat. 'The darkness is my only friend!'
'You're Theo Hutchcraft and have more friends than you can count!' Adam struggled to get the words out. 'You don't have to do this.'
'Liar!' Theo wanted to squeeze the life out of the man; he would be perfectly capable. But he couldn't make himself do it as his hand would not obey.
'Theo, please don't...' Adam stopped fighting. He knew Theo could not kill his best friend.
Theo felt a new kind of pain grow in him, a pain that did not radiate from the wound in his side but rather accompanied it.
'I can't-' He muttered, letting his head fall down as the sturggle within him grew. 'Help me-'
'It's alright, Theo. This is just a bad dream,' Adam swore as he felt the smell of burnt flesh oozing from his shoulder.
Theo looked at the other man with wide eyes, first as if he'd have no idea what Adam was talking about.
He felt his body jerk as he opened his eyes, seeing the same man lie next to him in the dark. Adam too moved, drawing in a sharp breath before he opened his eyes.
Adam's heart was beating hard enough to feel like it was threatening to tear itself out of his chest. 'Hell...'
'Bad dream?' Theo murmured as the other man sat up, Theo doing the same as he removed a some strands of hair out of his face.
Adam felt like he hadn't slept a wink even if his phone showed he had slept at least six hours. Theo's and his traditional pre-Christmas party had turned into a movie marathon as they had watched all seven films in a row. 'That's to put it mildly. Please don't turn into Kylo Ren.'
'I just did.' Theo joked, not thinking much of it as he yawned. He remembered the first time he saw nightmares after seeing a movie as a kid. His mother had warned him not to watch the Halloween movies late in the evening by himself. The new Star Wars movie hadn’t been too bad, yet it had somehow creeped into his dreams too.
'You tried to kill me, definitely not a good dream.' Adam was still waking up and trying to shake the bad feeling off. 'Did you sleep alright?'
'Huh, funny-' Theo was about to explain how the same was about to happen in his dream, but he was distracted by the need to continue sleeping as his eyes refused to stay open after the momentary confusion. 'Let's go back to sleep.' He whispered as he lied down with Adam, placing his head on the other man's bare chest. 'I promise I won't try to kill you again.' He joked tiredly.
