About:

 

 Hi there I am Melodie Aubinelliott, I am a lover of all things natural especially natural births ;)!  

My education:

 As a Doula, I accompany women in labor to help ensure a safe and satisfying birth experience. I have received my education for the Doula's role from , CBI Child Birth International, I have personally Delivered medication free and vaginally 3 beautiful girls.  One at a hospital, one at home and one at an amazing birthing center so I know first hand that it is possible to have a natural labor and delivery anywhere. I have apprenticed with Valley Natural Childbirth in Davis CA, and have taken many workshops  and certification training for natural laboring such as Bradley Method, Lamaze, Re-bozo,  hypnobirthing techniques, pre / post natal Kundalini Yoga, training in Lactation Education, as well as Childbirth Education and placenta encapsulation. We together form a beautiful plan for your desired labor and delivery journey.  As a certified herbalist I am knowledgeable with herbal remedies that may aid you in your creating adventure as well.   I draw on my knowledge and experience to provide emotional support, physical comfort and, as needed, communication with the medical staff to make sure that you have the information you need to make informed decisions as they arise in labor.  I am also a retired la Leche league Leader from the Davis La Leche League group!  So the after birth breastfeeding pointers are a specialty of mine.

So here are my labor stories:

  
For the birth of my first Daughter Bryten:

 I would have loved to have had a home birth, my husband on the other hand was scared senseless at the thought.   To sooth his fears I agreed to have our first daughter Bryten at a hospital.  I had read everything I possibly could about natural child birth.  I also took a few classes, Bradley method, and Lamaze included.  I have to admit that the minute I went into actual labor everything that I learned flew right out the window.  On top of my baby’s safety I have to say that I really wanted to be in control of my body, I had heard too many horror stories. And I am a crazy control freak.  Bryten was due around the 20th of May and a week early, Mothers day 2008, I started to feel contractions far more painful than the ones that I had the few days prior..  I had been dilated to 3 cm for about a week already, and I really thought it would be special to have Bryten on Mother’s day “How fitting right"?  After spending the day with my mom, my husband Donny and I were settling into bed at around 10 pm and I remember laying there feeling like something is going down...  I would have to say that it felt like really bad cramps.  Like really bad...  I told my husband and he started to time them.  My contractions were at around 7 minutes apart.  I decided to jump in the shower and see if the shower would lessen the pain...  My husband ran around finding the number to labor and delivery at UC Davis.  I don't know really how long I was in the shower but while he was calling into the doctor I lost my mucus plug and it kind of  freaked me out so I insisted that he time my contractions again.. My contractions had gone from 7 to about 5minutes apart in a half hour.  He told the person on the phone the info and she told him that we should just come on in.  We got all our stuff ready and I remember getting to UC Davis at around 11:00pm...  They checked me out and noticed that although my contractions were close together I still was only dilated to 3cm.  The nurse told us that they could not admit us until I was dilated to 5cm whatever that means...  The doctor told us to go walk around the hospital for an hour and come back and they will check me again.  I was a tad annoyed, I really just wanted to go back home but I said okay!!!  We walked to the cafeteria where my husband decided it was important to order and eat a cheese burger in front of me while I sat there watching and having contractions around every 5 minutes...  I truly feel that if I had not done yoga for so many years that I would have never been able to bare it.  But I kept breathing and to tell you the truth that is all you can do!!!!  We finally made our way back to the labor and delivery room where they checked me again and they said that I was at 5cm so they admitted me.  Everyone knew that I wanted to have a drug free labor but of course before I even got taken to my room they were asking if they could administer Pitocin.  I said no and to the room we went...  I was being hooked up to a belly band monitor and just started to ease into the room and the bright lights and the people...  My husband says that I pretty much for the next 2 hours had my face in a pillow and was on my side breathing...  There was no music, there were no candles, I did not want to be touched.  I just wanted to bury my head into the pillows and breath, silently....  At around 2 o'clock they came in to check on me and I still was not dilating much I was only to about 6cm.  The doctor then asked if he could break my water.  I said “no” of course and he actually had the audacity to say "well we admitted you around 12 and you have not had much progress so we need to get the ball rolling.”  In my mind I thought "you’ve got to be kidding me, you guys admitted me... You could have told me to go home and labor more because I am dilating slowly.  I didn't ask to be admitted this is baloney!!!”  I said “no” again politely and said how bout you give me another hour...  After he left I actually asked to get up and walk around.  At this point my contractions were around 3 minutes apart and I was hurting.  I walked around a tad and then asked to sit in the shower.  The nurses said no which infuriated me, so I kept walking...  An hour later the doctor came in and checked and I had dilated to 7.  This was good because he did not ask me to take anything or suggest that I allow him to break my water.  For the next 3 hours or so my husband said that I drank an unbelievable amount of cranberry juice and walked around the labor and delivery floor about a million times...  When they came in to check me again I had only dilated to 8cm, to which of course they responded “may we break your water”... And to that I responded “give me another hour.” ; )  Sure enough in that hour I was sitting on the bed fighting through a contraction and my water broke...  Naturally ;)  Now at this point time had left the equation.  I don't remember what time it was I just remember that my husband was now telling me when the contractions were coming and that was so helpful.... I was now1 minute apart with each contraction lasting a minute.  Having your husband telling you to get ready, and good job almost done is really helpful.   The nurse who had been my natural birth advocate had said would you like the anesthesiologist to come in so you can ask a couple questions.  I could not even talk at this point.  My husband Donny noticed that it was rather convenient that the anesthesiologist was standing in the doorway with his little cart of drugs.  He came in our room and said, without even checking me "I can give you an epidural right now".  My husband looked at me and said.  You don't need it Mel.  You can do this, you are a woman..  You can do this, birthing this little girl is what your body was made for.  I remember falling a little more in love with him at that moment.  My husband who is not a hippie, extremely far from one was on my team and acting as my biggest fan.  My mom was there at this point on the other side saying no way Mel you got this.  We said no and the nurse checked me again and I was still only dilated to 8cm on one side and 9 on the other.  Which looking back I think it was crazy that the Dr said he can give me an epidural when they are not supposed to administer them when you are that far along in dilation.  But whatever!!  .. I was not screaming yet, but breathing...  Breathing and meditating...  I kept saying "This is one day of my life, this will pass I can do this...  I am a woman this is what my body was made for.  The next part, serious chaos! My nurse checked me again and noticed that one side was fully dilated and the other was not.  I also now had the urge to push so bad I could just die. The feeling that came over my body was insane.  All your body wants to do is push.   That is such an interesting instinct.  And no one can really stop you, you almost lose control.  There was not a doctor in the room, just the nurse.  I remember the nurse saying well if I have to, I will catch her, not like I haven't done it before.  What I thought was crazy was for the  past 8 hours there was a doctor asking to give me drugs and now it was time to push and not one was to be found..  The pushing started and quickly 2 students and 1 OB finally ran into the room.  My father walked in at this point, gross!!  And walked right out and needed help from a few cleaning ladies to get down the hall to waiting room.  I actually started screaming at this point which the doctor kept telling me to stop which pissed me off.  I had been silent this whole time and this hurt like hell.  I pushed for 10 minutes and needed the doctor to shoe-horn the baby’s head out with her fingers because one side was less dilated.  This ended up contributing to my 2nd degree tear in the crotchelll region..  After it was all said and done Bryten was born 12 hours later at 11:00 am May 12th.  7lbs, 19.5 inches long beautiful and perfect...  When they started to stitch me up I remember looking at my mom and saying "Why does this hurt more than having the baby"?  My mom looked at the student doctor and said you guys gave her a topical pain killer right?  The girl looks up at my mom and said I thought she wanted no drugs...  My mom kind of screamed "before the baby was born!" Quickly the doctor walked over and gave me something and I pretty much wanted to die... All and all the experience was a good one, I look back and am happy that I was in control, and the minute I got to be by myself holding my daughter I forgot immediately about the pain.....  I would have liked the staff to stop bothering me about getting drugs, because it made me doubt myself a few times.  But at the end of the day I had a completely drug free natural birth with an amazing baby girl to show for it..

For my second child Daphne:

We went a totally different direction.  I had loved the idea of having a home birth and having the freedom to be in my own space.  So when we found out we were pregnant with Daphne we stayed with our OBGYN because if something was to happen and I would have to get transferred I did not want to burn any bridges.  But I also hired a midwife.  The ladies at Born at Home.  I got prenatal care from them and my OBGYN.  I am such a control freak that I wanted to know I had all my bases covered.  At 2 weeks late, with my ob wanting to induce I said give me another week... After 42 weeks your placenta starts to go rotten, not actually rotten but just not as fresh...  The OBGYN said okay and scheduled me for the following week to be induced.  I was 4 cm dilated.  The minute I got home from my 42 week appointment where they checked the baby’s heart rate I started having contractions.  It was around 5pm and I couldn't tell if they were real or Braxton hicks.  I took a nap and by 8pm I woke up in labor!!!  I called my nurse-midwife and said it started. She said to me well you sound like you are pretty early in the game because you can actually talk to me. She said call me back in an hour or 2...  I took a long hot shower, and when I got out called my midwife Claudia to tell her that my contractions were 4 minutes apart..  She took her time getting to our house.   Claudia arrived at around 10:30pm.   I labored in my living room on the couch listening to a mixed yoga playlist with candles burning with my mom and my husband holding my hand.  When Claudia got to my house I asked if I could get into the tub and she said that she didn't want to slow down the labor so she put me in a silly position on the couch and that is where I labored the remainder of the time.  All I did was breath....  This time instead of being silent I let out moans while I took my breaths and it helped out...  My daughter Bryten was already sleeping in her room, but I didn't care if I woke her.  I actually wanted her to be with me for my labor.  But she slept the whole time.  I actually moved down to the ground and was on all 4's with my head buried in my husband’s lap on the couch breathing...  My water broke and that is when my midwife and husband jumped up to fill the birthing pool... They were scrambling like crazy, my husband a little annoyed that it was not already full, he said to my midwife why didn't you let me fill it, why didn't you let her get in it earlier..  Claudia responded that she did not think that my labor was that far along because I had been handling it so well.  She said that I was still asking for things and talking and joking and nowhere as intense as I should have been to be so close to pushing..  She was apologizing when I screamed “K Guys!”  I don't care about the birthing tub, I am pushing.......  They all ran in and Claudia said wait, I said nope and started pushing..  Claudia positioned herself behind me and I was down to business.  Lucky for me again I only pushed for about 10 minutes and I heard “reach down and catch her Mel”...  I was as out of it as I could get and holding myself up against the couch on all 4's so my husband put out his hands and caught our Daughter Daphne...  Nov 18th at 1:10 am she was a 9 LB and 19.5 inch butterball!! She was not overcooked, but for sure DONE!!!  She started crying right away she got placed on my chest and stayed on my chest for the next hour nursing and looking at me... It was everything I wanted my birthing experience to be.  About 20 minutes after she was born my dad got to our house.  My father and mother as well as husband got to cooing and loving on our new precious lover girl!!    My placenta was delivered right after Daphne, literally minutes later and I labored it with Daphne on my chest undisturbed.  I was able to get up a little later, have a shower, and get into my bed...  I ate a little something and slept with my perfect little butter bean right next to me.  My second labor was 5 hours completely different from the first 12 hour labor, which is extremely common with your second child.  I did tear a tad but it was so little that she didn't even put in a stitch.  Although the aftershock contractions are worse with your second, I was so surprised that I literally could get up and not feel terrible pain the next day... Here is what you should know about home births and midwives!!!

For my third daughter

The Birth of Miss Orli Bloom

A little back history first, this pregnancy has been completely different than the other two.  From the beginning it was rough, I had morning sickness the first trimester actually loosing about 10lbs.  I then got diagnosed with factor 5 Leiden.  I had to go on a blood thinner for factor 5 blood clot disorder (hereditary my mother and grandmother have it).  I was on a weight watch for my bad circulation in my legs which is a beautiful factor 5 blood disorder gift (being factious), also was stuck with the knowledge in my head that people on these types of blood thinners could have possible preterm labor, so until my little one was 36 weeks I literally had a sense of worry and panic in my heart.  I had to up my daily injection of blood thinner (which I actually can't stand) from once a day to 2 times daily at 36 weeks the med made me feel nauseous.  We had some personal setbacks in our household (everyone goes through them but I didn't need the malarkey right now ya dig).  On top of the idea that the blood thinner I had to go on post natal could effect my breast milk the first 6 weeks.  I mean when it comes down to it, it was an awful pregnancy.  The only exciting part was when she would move around , I would hear her heartbeat, and the dreams of meeting my little one.  I was trying so hard to stay positive, and some days it worked but for the most part I was kinda a crier.  Cried more in the last 9 months then I have my whole life and that means a lot because I am movie crier.  So enough of the sob story, people have way more troubles in their pregnancies than I had, no pity party just a quick explanation of how this pregnancy was so different.  And now on to the fun stuff.

At 41 weeks I decided to have my membranes swept, this is huge for me because I am a worry wart and don't like any Medical interventions.  But I was excited to have gotten to my due date but I didn't want to go too long over because again another thing to be worried about (the blood thinner I was on makes it likely for the placenta to go bad before your due date).  Meaning me worrying like a crazy person.  My husband had started his new job and was scheduled to go on a business trip the following week so I wanted to try to get the ball rolling since him not being at the birth was out of the question and I was worried that she might be like my 2nd and go over 42 weeks.  Monday night at 7:00pm my midwife concluded.  And by 3:30 am Tuesday I was having pain.  I actually thought it was constipation for a very long time.  I just tried to sleep through it.  At around 6:30 am my mom had gotten to my house, the girls woke up and I still felt like although I maybe in labor it also still felt like constipation somewhat and I didn't want it to be a false labor again (which I had felt like 3 times in the last 3 weeks).  Little did I know (which I should've because Daphne my second was the same way) that although I felt like I was not even in active labor I indeed was.  We decided to go to the hospital and in the car I actually feel like I started to transition, didn't have time to even call my doula because in the car I was actually unable to catch my breath.  When we arrived I had to get blood work done (damn you factor 5 blood) and be monitored.  I.E. On my back.  Thank god it was like 20 minutes.  While having that done I asked for them to fill the tub.  They did and we went for a walk around birthing center until water was ready.  Now things get a little blurry but the cliff notes are I jumped in and out of the tub a few times and then finally jumped back in and started pushing.  Had no idea I was actually pushing, this labor was so quick I couldn't catch my breath.  I couldn't get into my hypnobirthing, I literally could only focus on my sweet daughter Daphne stroking my face and trying to catch my breath.  Finally I asked my midwife to check me and she said, you can feel what's happening more than I would be able to so I reached down and low and damn behold, the babies head was already out.  I had no idea I had been pushing the whole time.  I do remember kind of squealing in delight and said something along the lines of (oh my goodness, yay.....) and crying and then baring down to push her the rest of the way out.  And what I've been told because again this birth was so rapid I could not gauge anything time wise I was only in the tub pushing for like 6 minutes.  The midwife had time to walk in and said who is catching this baby?  My husband of course caught her and Orli Bloom was here.  And although everything was so fast and almost panicky for me she came out extremely peaceful, calming the whole room and literally shining her light.


This actual labor and delivery was 2 1/2 hours.  Daphne was 5hrs Bryten was 12hrs.  For me they have gotten shorter each time, but that is certainly not the case for everyone.  And although I was not able to reach the zen place I was able to with Daphne.  I still was comfortable enough.  I think that the panicky feeling was this annoying doubt that I or my baby was not going to be okay due to the whole factor 5 thing.  Which is annoying that I couldn't shake it, but that's life. And at the end of the day I got what I wanted, yet another natural childbirth and this time I actually made it into the tub lol...  Barely...  Orli was my first water birth baby.  Once she got here she put the peace in my heart I've lacked the last 9 months.  I rarely talk spirituality in my posts but I have to say she reassured me that I am a blessed beyond belief person.  She renewed my love of having faith, as well as giving it up to faith.  I won't be able to control anything in this life, and although sometimes I feel a hair unlucky.  I will never again see it as that I will see it as life, and what is supposed to happen.  To martial problems, financial problems, health problems, friends walking away, family problems, whatever the case...  Stuff will happen, I can't control it, I have to just give it up to the sky and know that if what I do is the right things the right things are bound to come back to me.  All these less than perfect moments I've learned from.  And I'm grateful for this less than charmed life, because it is blessed instead.  All my children have felt like a new day to me, a renewal of life.  But I think because Orli is our last she will always have a special place, she has taught me that I have to let anxiety in my heart go.  I am still going to be a mindful parent.  I.E. Use logical parenting tactics to raise healthy happy children, but I can't control the universe.  And that's okay.  I have to stop the worrying, I think I went from a silly heart free spirit to an over analyzing worry wart after becoming a mother.  I think with each girl they have taken a little of my spunk and spark away which I'm glad to give to them and I'm okay with that, being boring is where I like to be.  But I don't want to be a boring neurotic person (not so cute lol).  I think I have found the calm for that.  Merci Orli Bloom.  Her name means "giver of light" or "the light" in Hebrew and she is certainly delivering that.

I am a healthy gal so I think that my yoga practice and faith in my body is what got me along so well for both natural births. I think that if you are someone that is healthy, and has a great respect and knowledge of your body a natural birth is extremely rewarding.  Being able to remember the day, the act, and love is such a blessing that I think all woman should try to experience if that is what you desire!  And I would love to help to make that possible with you!