|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||||
 |
|
|||||||||
 |
Client Testimonial:
"I met Meredith while pregnant with my first son in early 2001. She
was working as a staff member and midwife-in-training for the wonderful
midwife I chose to guide me through the home birth.
As it turned out, Meredith was at my side every step of the way. She was truly instrumental in helping me through every stage of my pregnancy, delivery and follow-up care – none of which came without some challenging difficulties. Our son Noah was born at home, in a birthing tub, on his due date, after only 6 hours of labor!
My husband and I fell in love with Meredith – both as person and midwife. We both treasured her calm, confident, serene, gentle and precise nature. She was extremely patient and reassuring and was always asking to hear our concerns and fears. There was never a moment I did not feel safe, relaxed and protected in her hands. I even found myself always looking forward to my next visits with her.
So when I became pregnant again, there was no question about our choice for midwife: Meredith! We hired Meredith and set our sights on yet another home water-birth. By the end of this 2nd birth adventure – also not without its challenges during pregnancy – my second son was born without complication, at home, in the water, after 5 hours of labor!
I am so in awe and deeply grateful about the two peaceful and harmonious homebirths I experienced with Meredith. During both labors and deliveries, Meredith was so supportive and encouraging, yet she allowed me to stand in my own power and follow my natural instincts. I was totally free, safe, powerful and uninhibited, yet guided.
Meredith is amazingly gentle, caring, nurturing, knowledgeable and competent. She coached me so well through my delivery that I didn't even tear – even birthing a 9 and ½ pound boy! Immediately after my second delivery, Meredith granted our wish to have private and quiet bonding time with our newborn. We enjoyed a glorious 1st hour of his life.
It is my heartfelt wish that all women, fathers and babies would experience such a natural, empowering, safe and loving homebirth. Meredith is an extraordinary midwife and I highly recommend her."
- Jutta Hecht
Age 37, mother of two, both born at home, in the water!
(A Father’s Perspective)
Comments on Voodoo, Midwifery and Labor
When my wife, Penelope, first told me of her desire for a home birth with a midwife I was shocked and felt a small stab of fear. I have been a big fan of technology and the idea of not having every possible mechanism, medicine, and modern voodoo at hand for the birth of my child was unsettling. I was dead-set against the whole thing but I kept that to myself until I could find a way to distract her from this nonsense.
Very soon after her pronouncement Penny surprised me with a “child birth class” that we were to attend for some number of weeks. The midwife would be a part of it. I knew that this was going to be my chance to put the nix on the whole thing.
I had pictured the midwife as a short, heavy, scraggly, old peasant woman who sweated over a large black cauldron boiling herbs and lizard feet. Instead Meredith BenZion presented exactly the opposite. Unsettling as this was it gave me some unexpected confidence (in her), which was soon to be justified.
As I progressed through these classes I came to realize that Meredith not only firmly believes in what she is doing but she is well versed has the ability to answer questions in a way that built my desire for a home birth. As time went by I began to believe that home (water) birth was the only way to go. Between Meredith’s thorough education and my wife’s desires I became a convert.
On the morning of the birth Meredith showed up and took control of the event and all went well. She respected our particular wishes and everything went smoothly. She stayed long enough afterwards to make sure everything was taken care of before leaving. Her follow up visits and calls were timely, educational and reassuring.
I have come to appreciate the quiet and control offered by a home birth. It is unlikely that this would be possible in a hospital situation. I firmly believe that the calmness of the midwife along with her poise and personal attention
contributed to a short and relatively uneventful labor. Though I could see that the contractions were extremely painful, I also saw that the knowledge that there were no drugs available, combined with the presence of the midwife, allowed Penny to confront the pain for what it was and get through it. She wanted a drug free birth and a home birth helped to assure it. (I have heard of too many times that a woman gives in to the drugs just because she could.) My wife’s joke that the contractions were “a piece of cake” only confirmed that the home birth brings out the best in a woman.
I went from an opponent of home births / midwives to a firm believer and supporter. Your child deserves the safest and calmest birthday possible and I believe that Meredith can provide that.
Thank you Meredith! You are a professional and I am proud to know you.
All the best,
Leo Hamel
San Diego
August 14, 2005
