Hurricane Felix was heading straight toward us. You wouldn’t have known such a storm was on its way when you awoke on August 15, 1995.  The weather seemed perfect.  By mid-morning, it was getting a bit breezy, but not bad at all.  I called my midwife to ask her what we should do.  You see, she lived about an hour from me, the road between us contained the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel (that would surely close down as the winds grew stronger), AND the next day was my “due date”! She said we could come over to her side of the water and weather the storm in a hotel room so she would be able to get to me if I went into labor, or I could just stay home and hope I don’t go into labor in the middle of the storm.  My husband Todd and I talked and prayed and decided the chances of my delivering on my due date were so slim that we’d chance it at home.  My son Eric and I walked to my parents’ house 2 miles away and enjoyed hanging out with my mom all day.  Todd met us there for dinner and, afterwards, we drove home, tucked Eric into bed, and tried to go to sleep ourselves.  The winds were getting pretty strong by midnight and I couldn’t fall asleep.  I tossed and turned and just couldn’t get comfortable. And then it hit me. I was having contractions!  Todd called our midwife to let her know.  Amazingly, the bridge/tunnel was still open and she made it through, leaving her assistant on the other side of the water just in case someone over there went into labor, too.  At 6:20 a.m. on her “due date”, as the wind and waves of hurricane Felix pounded the shore of Virginia Beach, Joy was water-born peacefully in the comfort and safety of our home.  It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life.  That was the birth that made me fall in love with home birth.

As a home birth midwife, every time I sit with a woman delivering her baby, I remember my own first home birth and thank God that I am privileged enough to serve other families as they have the same peaceful, safe experience.

It makes me very sad to think that there are places in the world—even here in the United States—that lack midwives.  I have friends who have had to temporarily relocate to another state so they could birth at home with a midwife because there were no experienced home birth midwives in their area.  And, as you may remember, I traveled to Africa earlier this year to serve an expectant family because there were no safe birth options in their city.  It should not be that way!

The world needs more midwives, and we are doing our part at Charis Childbirth to equip birth professionals to serve wherever there is a need. Our students are truly some of the most amazing women I have ever met in my life and I am over-the-top proud of the many ways they bless their communities all over the globe.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for praying for these women and their families.  YOU are making a difference through your prayers!

Blessings,
Kristin Schuchmann, CPM, LM
Executive Director, Charis Childbirth, Inc.

Kristin holding newborn Joy 18 years ago
 

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Contact Us Charis Childbirth P.O. Box 6900 North Port, FL 34290 www.charischildbirth.org  Kristin Schuchmann ~ Executive  Director Cell (941)441-6410 http://happyhealthyliving.wordpress.com/ Susan Oshel ~ Director of Midwifery Studies Look us up