Birth Story: Gulbrandsen Family

Birth story submitted by the Gulbrandsen family

"It has been a very tough year, but it has also been the best year of my life. My baby Bean came into this world at Overlake’s Childbirth Center!

"I am a new mom and everything is new to me, but with the professional care from Overlake, the journey of delivering was easy and amazingly comfortable.

"I was four days past my due date and, after an evening walk, I thought my water had finally broke. I had zero experience and had no idea if this was normal or not. We decided to call Overlake, and the staff were so nice, they asked us a series of questions and shared some advice to monitor at home. They also gave us the option to come into the hospital.

"About 30 minutes later, more water came. We hurried to the Childbirth Center and were admitted. It was about 11 at night, during the Labor Day holiday. Regardless of the time, the doctors and nurses thoroughly prepped me and walked through the birth process, step by step. I wanted to deliver naturally, but a few hours went by and I was having a hard time handling the pain of contractions. I decided to receive an epidural to relieve pain and it worked great. Unfortunately, my cervix did not dilate fast enough. I was given Pitocin to induce labor, and everything went well until I reached 7.5 cm. I was bleeding a bit more than expected and, suddenly, my baby’s heart rate dropped. It was a scary moment for my husband and me. But the doctors and nurses immediately tried different things to bring the heart rate back. My doctor suggested a C-section. My instinct was to trust their judgement and, an hour later, I had my beautiful baby boy. He cried loud and clear to say, “Hello” to the world around him.

"My birth was emotional and scary at times, but it was a beautiful process. All of the staff at Overlake were so nice and professional. Their smiles and kind words encouraged me so much. Postpartum, they continued to check on me and my baby, to make sure everything was okay. They taught me how to nurse him, understand and respond to his needs, and set me up for success in recovery.

"I cannot say enough how much I appreciate the staff and their caring souls."

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