If you had told me I would willingly choose to have an unmedicated home birth while I was pregnant with my first child, I probably would have laughed in your face. I very much hate pain. From the get go, I was determined to have that epidural. But God had other plans for me.

My first Pregnancy really wasn't that bad. While I didn't gain a ton of weight, I was very nauseous for the first 12-18 weeks, but that was my biggest complaint. I felt like I had a good Dr, although he was kind of impossible to get a hold of. If I had any questions he often wouldn't call me back for 2 or 3 days. But I was just following what I knew of the system.

I went into labor at 38 weeks and labored for  9 hours with my first child. 8 of those without an epidural. Between the anesthesiologist being too busy elsewhere and my bloodwork getting lost, I wasn't medicated until it was about time to push.

I felt like the whole hospital staff was sitting in that room just looking at me, waiting for my daughter to be born. I was laboring on my back and had to have an episiotomy with baby suctioned out. When the meds wore off I could tell she had gotten pretty stuck on my tailbone which bruised and took weeks to heal. My recovery after all of that wasn't ideal. But my daughter was beautiful and weighed 6 lbs 6 oz.

In the months that followed, I knew I wanted something different for my next birth. My introverted self didn't want to labor in a room full of staring strangers again. Or on my back because of the tailbone issue. And I definitely didn't want another episiotomy.

I came across Donna's name on facebook. Somebody I knew was using her as a midwife and singing her praises. I never thought I would ever choose to go the midwife way, but I found myself looking into Donna's program more and more. I bought her book Powerfully Pregnant and started reading reviews, and I really liked everything I saw. I was sure she could help me with my labor and delivery goals.

When I found out I was pregnant with my second child, I knew I wanted Donna as my midwife and I emailed her that very day. If I hadn't spent most of my first labor without an epidural, I never would have considered a midwife and home birth as an option I would willingly take. That experience taught me I was stronger than I thought I was, and that God had known this better than me. I was completely at peace with this decision, so I knew it was the right one.

I was used to dieting due to previous health issues, so I knew I could do Donna's diet, but I still struggled in the beginning. Bread is my weakness and was the absolute hardest to give up, but I did it. I'm so glad that I did because I could tell this baby was going to be bigger. My Dr previously had told me I shouldn't give birth to a baby much larger than my first due to the issues we had getting her out. That itself increased my motivation to keep to the diet.

Donna helped me with my nausea and low blood pressure issues. I was doing my best to keep up with the supplements and prenatal tea, and I believe it all paid off in the end.

My absolute favorite part about having a midwife was knowing if I had any questions or concerns, she was immediately there to talk to and help in any way. Donna loves her girls and wants them to feel good and healthy. She is so knowledgeable and taught me so much about pregnancy and my own body. I was especially grateful for her as I got closer to my due date.

Around 38 weeks I started having crazy braxton hix that would come frequently and last for 5+ minutes. I also had multiple occasions where I felt like I would start to labor, just for everything to stall out and stop. I was getting frustrated and exhausted mentally and physically. Donna was there for me through all of it. She believed my body was trying to right itself after the trauma it went through with my first birth.

I was so ready for that baby to come out. I sat at about 90% effaced and dilated to a 5 for nearly 3 weeks. Baby was in a perfect position, but labor just wouldn't start despite everything.

When I was 40W+4 I was a wreck. I asked my dear husband and my Dad to give me a Priesthood blessing. I needed extra strength from my Heavenly Father. I spent that entire night in prayer, thanking God for every contraction and asking Him to allow my body to further progress into labor.

By 8 am the next morning my prayers had been answered. I was fairly certain I had finally started labor, but was trying not to get my hopes up because I knew it could stall out again. Donna told me to have a protein packed breakfast and that she would see me at 11 am for our appointment.

When she showed up I was on the birthing stool and felt like I was in transition. My contractions were not near as painful as they had been with my first child. The no sugar and relaxation techniques I had researched were all paying off.

Donna made a few calls for the rest of the team to come, but I lived far enough away, they didn't make it in time. My amazing husband got to be the attendant that day.

I was dilated to a 9 when she checked me at noon after my daughter had finally gone to her grandma's. Donna broke my water and as they moved me off the bed and back to the stool, my body immediately started pushing. I spent the next hour pushing. It was longer than I wanted, but I was reminded that my body didn't get to do it naturally the first time since my daughter was pulled rather than pushed out. I am also relatively small, any faster and there would have been tearing. (My old episiotomy scar tore the tiniest bit, but I didn't discover that until a few days later.) My body was doing exactly what it needed to do.

I started to feel the baby's head crown and I told Donna I didn't think she was going to fit. The very next contraction her head popped out on the first push and her body followed on the second. I heard Donna call out to my husband to catch, which he did and it was an awesome experience for him. Baby was a bit tangled up in a very long cord, but was healthy and beautiful.

I labored for 6 hours and baby girl was 7 lbs even. We were well looked after and cared for. Donna didn't leave until she could look my husband in the eye and have him tell her he believed everyone was good and safe and he was comfortable with her going. She continued to stay in constant communication and visited us in the following days to do checks and make sure all was well.

My favorite part was getting to be home right where I wanted to be, comfortable and safe. This experience allowed me to take control of how I wanted things to be from the beginning, and Donna was instrumental in all of it. My recovery was much easier and my experience was amazing. My whole outlook on pregnancy and birth changed drastically. I've definitely been converted to having home births over hospital births …. as long as Donna is my midwife!