Talia Sanon was referred to the certified nurse-midwives at BMC when she learned she was pregnant with her second child. She had never seen a midwife before, but she was immediately impressed by the team's warm, personalized approach. The midwives at BMC provide care throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. They offer personalized, respectful, and empowering care, centered on the needs, values, and goals of each individual. "I would never choose another type of provider for giving birth," Talia says. "It was honestly such an incredible experience from start to finish."
An Immediate Connection
Early in her prenatal care, Talia met midwife Onyema Onyekwu and felt an immediate connection. “From the moment I met Onyema, we totally vibed,” Talia says. “I looked forward to every appointment with her and was excited to see her and talk with her about the baby. I just felt really comfortable with her—she was so personable and kind.”
As Talia's due date approached, she hoped that Onyema would be in the clinic the day she went into labor. The midwives operate on a rotating schedule and whichever midwife is in the hospital that day delivers the babies for patients. Although Talia had seen some of the other midwives and liked them all, she felt a special bond with Onyema.
Preparing for Birth
At her 39-week visit with midwife Kathryn Hartshorne, Talia learned her baby would be coming sooner than she thought. “Kathryn told me I was already 5 centimeters dilated,” says Talia. “I couldn’t believe it, because I felt totally fine and was running around that day doing errands. I hadn’t felt any contractions. She also told me that it would either be her or Onyema who would be on duty to deliver my baby, and I was so excited to hear that.”
Later that evening, Talia still hadn't felt any contractions, so she decided to go to bed. "As soon as I closed my eyes, my contractions started coming on strong at two minutes apart," she says. "I called the clinic and told them I was on my way in, and I could hear Onyema in the background yelling 'That's my patient!' She sounded so excited. My heart felt so happy that she would be there for my birth."
When Talia arrived at the hospital a short while later, she was greeted by Onyema sprinting down the hallway to meet her. "She was so happy to see me. She took me in her arms and held me while she swayed back and forth," says Talia. "And from that point on, she took care of absolutely everything. She kept asking me how I felt and what I needed. I felt so taken care of and heard."
An Empowering Shower Birth
Talia wanted to get into a warm bath, but her contractions were getting stronger quickly, and the bathtub was taking a while to fill up. So instead, Onyema helped her get undressed and into the shower. "My mom was using the shower head on my back, and Onyema was checking on my progress and getting soaked," laughs Talia. "They were both right in the shower with me!"
Talia asked if she could stay standing in the shower to give birth, since she felt comfortable standing up and didn't think she could lie on her back. "Onyema told me I could have the baby in whatever position felt best to me. It was really empowering to give birth the way I wanted."
Although her labor was progressing, Talia's water hadn't broken. Onyema told her she would need to break it manually. "As soon as she did, the baby's head popped out right into Onyema's hands in the shower," Talia says. "It was unbelievable."
After the birth, Talia and her baby, Nazir, were transferred to the Postpartum Unit. "All the good vibes I felt from my experience with Onyema continued there," says Talia. "Everyone was super supportive. They let me rest and only woke me up when they absolutely needed to and both Onyema and Kathryn came to visit me and Nazir."
Talia says she loves sharing her story with others. "I would tell everyone to give birth at BMC. I absolutely loved the whole experience."