MÈRE Stories: Ashley Worley
Birth Stories:
While it’s so vulnerable, I’ve had some requests about my birth story and, for me, positive birth stories were helpful to read and watch to help me know how to speak and dream and what is actually possible.
God took my dream and then upgraded it making it better than I could have asked or imagine. It’s simply my story, but I pray it brings you encouragement and peace if you’re a Mama or have a miracle on the way. To God be ALL the glory!!!
FIRST SON
I woke up from a nap to a cramp at 7 p.m. on 5/5. It felt like menstrual cramp. The intensity picked up at an interval of 20 minutes, and I had 3 of those. I tried to rest but couldn’t, so I got up and went to pee. When I wiped it was blood tinged (bloody show) and stayed that way with the rhythmic cramps for the hour. I told may husband it felt like something may be happening and decided to hop in the tub to see if anything changed with the rhythm of the waves, which were intensifying slightly. I shaved my legs, and my husband suggested I call our midwife on call just to let her know about the pattern and blood that was slight but continued. (I’d walked through thrombocytopenia this pregnancy and prayed to avoid a hospital—only option based on my labs, which had just come back for the green light for me to deliver at the birth center the day before.)
We called my sister who I wanted to be at the birth and who lives 4 hours away just to let her know what was going on too. I told both my sister and midwife I was doing fine at home working though my pressure waves and would track them, coming in at 3-1-1. She was great with that plan, asked me to rest if I could and call her in the morning.
I moved from the tub to the shower as the waves picked up and started to increase. I had my husband start timing contractions and asked if he’d packed. I got out of the shower and was going to try to rest in the best, did side lying with a pillow between my knees. This was probably about 9:30. Things REALLY intensified here as the contractions began to layer on top of each other. I squeezed his hand/arm and tried to breathe through them. My water broke with a pop and a gush here. I was nauseous and had chills. I thought I was in transition but didn’t think it would be this quick. I got back into the shower and my husband called the midwife who heard me working hard through a tough wave (everything was in my back) and said she would meet us at the birth center at 11. I worked through a few more waves while my husband packed our car then slowly made my way to the car, stopping a long the way to let a tough wave pass through breathing and more noise that I anticipated I’d make.
We got in the car and made the 15-ish minute drive to the birth center. On the way I felt like I needed to bear down through each wave but tried to breathe through it; however, my body could help it. It felt stretching in my vagina and thought it may be me dilating (first time Mom here!). We got to the birth center at 11:10. My midwife met us at the car with a wheelchair. I worked through one more contraction leaning on the wheelchair and told her I felt his head. She asked if I could get in the wheelchair to get up to the tub, but I couldn’t.
One more contraction, and I had to push, feeling his head in my pants. We stripped my pants in the parking lot. His head was out. One more wave, and his shoulders came out, and our son was here and born at 11:19 p.m. in the birth center parking lot on 5/5. My husband got to catch him. My placenta delivered quickly after (glad I had Depends on!).
I took off my shirt and bra and they let me hold him skin to skin as we rolled up to the birth center suite to get settled. There was lots of prayer out loud and worship, and I’m just so grateful for every bit of this birth story! I had no tears to stitch and just got to enjoy my son for 2 hours before they did any exams on him. I did lose a lot of blood and got Pitocin and Methergine, which slowed it down. My midwife did a few fundal massages to help get clots out. My placenta was sent for encapsulation. We snuggled and enjoyed our time as a family. My sister arrive at 1:15 a.m. and we all went home around 3:30 a.m.
Our son was 8 lbs 10 oz and 21.5 inches long—absolute perfection!
SECOND SON
I drank midwives brew at 2pm 40w5d to see if he and my body were ready to start to get things moving as to not go past 42 weeks so I could deliver at CBP. We had the best day. I felt great! Lots of family time and an engagement party I’d assumed wouldn’t attend because of his brother’s 39w2d arrival, but I got to go!
We left that party around 8:30 and as we were getting closer to home my cramps started wrapping around from the front to the back. Not trying to get my hopes up, I just breathed easily through them and washed my face, tucked in my 2 year old, and noticed them getting more intense and closer. I went to the restroom and noticed a tiny bit a bloody show, which is when things started to pick up in my labor last time. I let my husband know and then lost my mucus plug. The contractions were catching my attention now, and I was shaking like chills (which clued me into transition, but I was in disbelief!). So I called my husband into start timing them. Within 1 or 2 they were 2 minutes apart and lasting for a minute. I was in the toilet the entire time up until now. I felt good there.
Since they were so close and given my precipitous labor last time, we decided to call my neighbor who was coming to watch the monitor while my sister was on the way. Our plan was to go ahead and go to CBP, even though it was only 9:45 or so.
Since I’d been on the toilet for about 30 minutes, I decided after my next wave, I’d head to the shower. However, the next wave brought an irresistible need to push. My breathing into my pelvic floor to elongate and lengthen immediately turned to gutteral sounds.
My husband, who stepped out to pack the car came in immediately. I told him I had to push, and he calmly reassured me it was ok and to lean into it. With two pushes our son arrived at 10:06. I quickly jumped off the toilet so my husband could catch him.
My placenta delivered within a couple minutes. We called our midwife who sent a teammate who lived close by to help isn’t home. She went above and beyond to get me clean and stable. Our neighbor arrived shortly after, and we went to the birth center to relax and recover a little longer. We were back home and in our bed by 2:30 a.m.
If you had to summarize your journey in motherhood with all its challenges, how would you describe it now? How have you found a way to reclaim your strength or identity? What have you learned?Having unmedicated births has been something that has become defining moments for me.
I love them. I love working with my babies and my Creator to do something so powerful and beautiful.
It sums up motherhood to me in being so selfless and vulnerable while needing a village for support. A trusted village who you can rely on and who respects boundaries.
What advice or words of encouragement would you give another mom walking through a similar chapter? I'd say if you want an unmedicated birth, do it.
Prepare. Don't go in blind. Get support from your partner, a doula, a birth team.
You are capable. I had a list of birth prep I did daily like I was preparing for running a marathon.
How has your journey changed you, both in ways you expected and in ways you never could have imagined?I could have never imagined I'd love my boys with this kind of indescribable love and my husband even more than I ever did.
The way we've been entrusted to raise these warriors is such a gift.
It's taught me to be more of who I was created to be and drawn me closer than ever to God and how He loves me.
It's humbling, and I do my best daily yet constantly rely on Him for strength and guidance.
I never expected it would change me for the better forever. I am stronger and more confident because of being a Mom.
It's given me more power & a voice yet a beautiful gentleness too.
— Ashley Worley
INTERESTED IN SHARING A STORY ON THE MÈRE JOURNAL?