"You'll never be able to deliver naturally," almost everyone said.
Breathe deeply: "Hee, Hee, Hooooh!"
"Hee Hee Hoooooooooh!"
Carolena alternatingly sipped at both Red Raspberry Leaf herbal tea and water, and chomped on ice chips, and felt remarkably strong for being in labor for more than six hours, and had not once cried out, lost her temper, or allowed even a single moan to emerge.  By 1:00 a.m. she required very strong counterpressure on her lower back, Douglas cramming his knuckles above her left buttock, midway between her hip and spine, while her mother employed a tennis ball in a thick sock above her right buttock.  Her contractions at this point were aggressively strong and while she gripped Douglas' arm with her left hand (leaving some pretty impressive dents) her right hand moved flowingly, just like a conductor leading the orchestra (it was like she was gathering all the pain together and sending it all packing, shooing it away from her body); where she came up with this air-orchestration, they have no idea, but what a great pain- management technique!  She is an amazing and remarkable woman, and no one ever guessed how courageous!
Lamaze or Bradley?
Helpful, Healthful, & Yummy!
This page was last updated on: February 15, 2009
Her mother did remind her several times that painkillers were still a
pretty good option, but Carolena held firm to her guns.  She intended
to give her baby the healthiest of all newborn gifts, a natural delivery.
Douglas had been
through both Bradley
and Lamaze methods
of natural childbirth,
and felt that for a first
child Lamaze was
best, as it provides a
very good pain-
management method
in breathing technique
but he used just about
everything he could
remember or imagine
to help Carolena.  By
midnight she was at
7-8cm, and everyone
thought the baby might
be arriving any time.
The Birth and Story of Baby Bronte