Denica Kriel Testimonial

When we got moved to Tiffanie, I was so nervous (I don’t like change once I’m comfortable) my husband said to just see how it goes and if I’m not comfortable with her we ask for someone else. After our first appointment with Tiffanie, I felt relaxed and comfortable, I trusted her instantly and we got to know each other a little better.

On October 20th I woke up with discomfort at 4:30 a.m. I thought it was just Braxton Hicks but when they didn’t go away during the day I had a feeling I was in early labor but was not sure. Later that day we had our 39-week appointment and I told Tiffanie my baby is coming before the weekend I just have a feeling.

Early labor was very uncomfortable I tried to sleep in between the contractions. I told my husband about my discomfort, and he said, “we’re going to Tiffanie later in the day I must ask her if everything I’m feeling is normal.” He went to work, later that night we went to Outback Steakhouse and the contractions got more intense I couldn’t eat I had to wait for it to pass, my husband started to get nervous and started timing it we didn’t really know what was going on we thought it was still just Braxton Hicks. We got home and my husband started setting up everything. On October 21st I woke up with so much pain at 1:30 a.m. I went to the living room and walked through my contractions in between I watched Riverdale’s new season. My husband woke up at 6:00 a.m. wondering why I’m walking up and down. When he saw me, he knew it was time. We went to Walmart to get a couple of things we didn’t have; it was horrible having contractions in the car (you can’t move your body to help with pain).

We sent Tiffanie a text telling her what had been going on and sent her my contraction times. We had a good laugh when we got back from Walmart as my husband was setting up the drinking hose to fill up the birth pool the hose broke and there was water everywhere. He was in so much shock he just looked at me and we both started laughing. For an early lunch we had Alfredo from the night before, I ended up throwing it up then I had crackers and Philadelphia cheese and water. As the contractions got stronger, I threw up all my food (I don’t like throwing up) so I didn’t eat again and therefore I ran out of energy very quickly. I got into the birth pool so the warm water could help ease some of the pain it was amazing. The positions I used to work through my labor was leaning forward onto the couch and moving my hips side to side, then Kyla told me to lay on my side and lean a little bit forward while my husband puts pressure on my lower back every time, I had a contraction and that helped so much!

My birth team was Tiffanie, Kyla, and student Allie. I met Allie at one of our appointments, I met Kyla while in labor, I had a cervical check with Kyla. She was patient with me and asked me to let her know when I was ready for her to do the check. The first time she checked I was four and a half cm dilated. The second time she checked I only had a cervix lip that was in the way so her and Tiffanie helped me push past it.

My physical side effects of labor were very bad lower back pain, throwing up, hot flashes and I pooped while pushing. I was very shaky after birth, and while I had contractions, I needed to see my husband, if I couldn’t see or feel him, I felt like I couldn’t do it. My support person was my husband and all he kept telling me is that “he’s here with me”, “you can do this”, “you are getting closer and closer to meeting our baby boy”.

I was on the toilet thinking I need to take a poop and then I heard a loud popping sound and there was blood. I screamed for my husband he came running into the wall and door and I told him “I think my water just broke”. So, he called Tiffanie. My contractions after my water broke got so intense, I could not move, my husband had to put his fist on my lower back and push as hard as he could.

After my water broke, I couldn’t help but push my body even though Tiffanie and husband told me not to I couldn’t help it, I was pushing for one hour and 16 minutes then baby was here. I had no energy at all, all I could think of was to try and stay awake and listen to Tiffanie. I was so out of it until Tiffanie told me to feel his head while waiting for the next urge to push, when I felt my baby’s head, I was so awake and could not wait to meet him it was amazing to see my baby come out so quickly. I could not believe what my eyes were seeing that my baby is finally in my arms, he cried a little bit and then just looked around. It was the best feeling in the whole world, my husband was so shocked when he saw our baby face-to-face.

I had a feeling my baby was going to look like my husband, and he does. My baby was covered in vernix and had a cone shaped head. Delivering the placenta was easy, I only felt a little burn and it was over. As soon as I saw the placenta, I wanted to feel it I have no idea why I wanted to feel it, but I did, my husband cut our baby’s umbilical cord.

We choose our baby’s name when we found out he was a boy. My husband and myself put each 3 names in a hat then we each pulled a name after that we did rock-paper-scissors to choose the final name.

Caleb- I heard it when I was at a church service and since then I wanted my sons name to be Caleb. After my baby was born, I was full of energy, I couldn’t stop looking at my son, I couldn’t believe I had just pushed him out. I was so excited that he is finally earth side. I had two first degree tares (no stitches). As soon as my son was delivered, they gave him to me I held him until my placenta was delivered and the cord was cut. Then they handed him to my husband while I was getting into bed, skin-to-skin was very sticky with the vernix, but I loved it so much. I felt so connected to him, when they handed my son back to me Tiffanie helped me to latch baby and he latched straight away, it felt weird at first but then I got used to it.

After getting baby to latch we called our families, and they were all so happy and couldn’t believe he’s finally here. Our first visitor was our friend Millette, and she could not stop staring at him. What impressed me the most about my husband is how “hands on” he was, he was there the whole time and got me everything I needed, he hated seeing me in pain, but he did everything he could to help me get through it, he was amazing!

I’m very thankful for Tiffanie and the team, can’t thank them enough for bringing my first child into the world.