EP 83: Primal Birthing With Kimberly Nelli
Kimberly realized she knew nothing about pregnancy, childbirth, mothering and relationships when she became pregnant with her first born (2008). She considered herself a pretty educated woman during this time holding two degrees, one in communications and one in veterinary technology, she was running her own business in a gym, as a personal trainer and very informed about holistic lifestyle including: movement, sleep, food, water, stress, rest, thoughts, emotions, modern medicine…
She thought she was going to give birth with a doctor at the hospital like all the other women. Kimberly didn’t even know what a midwife was or the business of being born. Her partner at the time was encouraging her to explore natural birth outside of the hospital. Kimberly was unsure if this was safe and she had her mother’s and grandmother’s birth stories imprinted in her conscious and subconscious.
Kimberly’s mother gave birth to four live babies in which three were premature and two of the three passed away shortly after birth. She was the 4th and her mom was going to try for a vbac (vaginal birth after cesarean section). It ended up in an emergency c-section. Thus all four births were traumatic and scary for her mother and for her.
Because Kimberly was into holistic living, she was open to exploring birth centers and other options for childbirth besides the hospital. Little did she know that a birthing center was only a few miles away. Kimberly took a tour there and spoke to the midwives and that was it…she knew instantly that she wanted to birth there and she also enrolled into midwifery school at the same birth center.
What a blessing. During her first pregnancy, she had the opportunity to attend over 20 births. Birth became magical, beautiful, and mystical. Kimberly loved every birth and by the time she was 40 weeks, she was so excited to give birth and see how it feels!
At exactly 40 weeks Kimberly gave birth to her first born, in the warm water. It was the most empowering and difficult moment in her life. After she gave birth she looked back at her husband and said, we are not having seven of these and at the same time she was in deep bliss…the most present she’s have ever been.