Hi, I’m Lindsay DuBois, and I’m the parent of two birth center babies—one born in January 2023, just one year after the birth center opened, and the other this past February, on the night of the snowstorm.
Years ago, I worked as a doula in New York City, so I’ve attended a lot of births and supported people through all kinds of experiences. But today I want to share what it was like to go through birth myself—and how the care I received from the birth center made all the difference.
My first birth was long and hard. I went to 42 weeks, and after a castor oil smoothie, labor started—slowly. After a full day and night of labor, I stalled at 8 cm and needed to transfer to the hospital for Pitocin. I eventually gave birth to a big, beautiful baby, but I also had a serious tear.
The recovery was rough. I couldn’t sit because of the pain or stand because of the pressure. I spent weeks nursing side-lying in bed. But the incredible midwives from the birth center came to our home multiple times—checking in on my body, our baby, and how we were doing as a new family. That support made all the difference. I often think about how different those weeks would’ve been with standard hospital-based care. Instead, we were home, healing, and bonding.
When I got pregnant again, I was nervous. I even considered a planned C-section to avoid another tear. But talking to AlexAnn helped so much. She validated my fears but also encouraged me to trust my body—and trust that second births are often different.
So I stuck with my plan. I wanted an unmedicated birth. After supporting so many others as a doula, I wanted to feel it all—the pushing, the flow of hormones, the body’s wisdom.
I gave birth during February’s snowstorm, again thanks to my old friend, castor oil. I arrived at the birth center, got in the shower, and started pushing. I pushed for about an hour in the tub—swaying, moving, finding my rhythm—and brought my 10½-pound baby into the world, in the water.
The care I received was exactly what I needed. Calm, quiet, confident. Zoe didn’t need to say much or touch me—she just held space so I could do what I needed to do.
We were away from home for exactly 12 hours—gone while my toddler slept, and back minutes before she woke up to meet her new sibling.
My baby is three months now and it’s been a very joyful time. I’m grateful that I can continue to get healthcare with the birth center midwives not just for my postpartum healing but also on-going healthcare between and after pregnancies. Birth is more than just one day. It’s the preparation, the recovery, the care that stretches well beyond birth that makes this kind of care special. It’s the unhurried visits with your midwife, with time to answer questions. It’s the small birth team who knows you, and the sense that you matter.