Interview with McRae Brittingham, November 10, 2011

Interview Summary

Interview with McRae Brittingham - Virginia

McRae talks about growing up in a small town in Virginia. She shares stories about her family and how she ended up in Richmond. Her mother chose to have three natural births, using the Leboyer Method. McRae talks about her mother?s experiences influencing her own choices. McRae tells the story of how she was born. She also shares stories she heard about her sisters giving birth and how those influenced the choices she made.

She met her husband during college through mutual friends. They planned the pregnancy of their son around McRae?s home daycare work schedule. She was encouraged to think about natural childbirth by a family in her daycare. She recommended a doula that helped McRae find a new doula in training who could attend her birth for free. They took childbirth classes at a nearby hospital to prepare for the birth. She chose to use the method of Hypnobirthing because she was successfully hypnotized to quit smoking. She talks about gaining 65 pounds in pregnancy and how she felt more comfortable in her body, that it was okay to be fat.

McRae shares her experience of being Group B Strep Positive and having antibiotics in labor. She talks about feeling like there was a time limit on her labor. The attending OB became concerned about the baby. She also shares insights about healing from a third degree tear and the hurdles of breastfeeding in early postpartum.

At the time of this interview, McRae was preparing to attend postpartum doula training. She says she hopes to be able to share the highlights with her son and encourage him to know about natural childbirth.

Interview Keyword

Virginia

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