The Greenhouse Birth Center ~ Where families are born, gently.

I found out I was pregnant in April, that new life was growing within me. After my first wonderful birth experience with Maximilian - the first baby ever born at the GBC - I was very enthusiastic about a second GBC birth. This pregnancy felt quite different than the first. In July, we discovered we had some unusual blood work, and additional testing showed that our little boy had Edward's Syndrome (trisomy 18).

My husband Mike and I were shocked and devastated. We had had such hopes for a long time with our son, but the future was very uncertain. We knew two things for sure, we would not terminate the pregnancy, and we would let nature take its course.

A hospital would only be able to provide comfort care that would not sustain his life long term. We knew that I would be the best comfort to my son, and that the GBC would be the best comfort to me. We consulted with the midwives, Kip and Clarice, at length, and concluded that as long as my health was not in jeopardy, we could continue to plan for a birth at the GBC. We were so relieved.

Over time, we coordinated care with other specialists, including a genetic counselor, pediatric cardiologist, and obstetrician. It was always wonderful after seeing strangers telling me very scary things in florescent-lit rooms to go to the day bed at the birth center exam room and get some real perspective from the midwives. They always relieved my fears and helped me see what needed to be done next.

As the weeks went on, our little Nathaniel got bigger in my belly. As I started to feel those little kicks, I was so glad to connect to our baby. I knew he was having a happy life in there. With every little kick, I would hear Nate say, "It's okay, Mommy". I knew it was so important to love him up every moment he was with us. A 3D ultrasound was absolutely priceless. There's a picture of his perfect little face! Smiling in the womb! Nate was having a happy life indeed. And such a little swimmer! The ultrasound techs had a hard time keeping up with him so that they could take pictures.

I felt things start to change, sharp pains in odd spots at sporadic times. I knew my amniotic fluid was expanding. Our little guy was having trouble keeping up with swallowing, so I was accumulating too much. Clarice agreed that my belly felt too squishy, and it was time for another ultrasound. My mucus plug broke in the middle of September, and I heard Nate tell me, "thank you Mommy, I love you, goodbye."

I continued to have thick discharge for a few weeks and a little bit of spotting.The ultrasound confirmed I did indeed have too much fluid. When I met with the obstetrician, she agreed to drain the fluid immediately. She also noted that she saw little benefit for us having a hospital birth considering Nate's condition. There was nothing that anyone could do to change Nate's condition long term. The therapeutic amniocentesis to drain the fluid was absolutely no fun. Jiggle, jiggle went the long, long needle. It was insane how much fluid came out. There was so much it was dripping down my belly. The best part was seeing Nate on the ultrasound during the procedure, as happy as he could be. He was dancing around and even kicking the needle! The procedure was painful, but my belly felt so much better afterwards being relieved of all that pressure.

That night, I listened to Bonnie Raitt's song, "anything you want, you got it. anything you need, you got it. anything at all, you got it, baby." The lyrics really rang true in my heart. The things we will do for our children. I woke up at 4:00 AM that night with really sharp back pain. I felt so much pressure; I knew something was about to give. Fortunately, I was on the toilet when whoosh, my water broke. It kept going and going. Even after the drainage, there was so much left. I knew the moment that it broke that our little Nate was leaving us.

We called Kip and headed out to the birth center. It was quite a challenge for my husband Mike to get me and our 2-year-old Max out the door. He was running around trying to pack, and I was yelling instructions from the toilet. We hadn't packed a bag yet because I was only 29 weeks along. Max woke up saying, "it's okay, Mommy." He was so confused as to why we were up in the middle of the night.

It was wonderful to walk into the dimly lit birth center with the music going in the background. I had my first contraction there leaning on the kitchen table with Kip rubbing my back. I said, "I love the birth center" with a big sigh. We were waiting for Grandma to arrive from Detroit to help out with Max. Mike was like a jackrabbit jumping back and forth between me in the green room and Max in the family room. I was like a jackrabbit between the bathroom and the bed. I just couldn't find a comfortable position and needed to keep moving. And the back labor! He's so tiny, how do I have back labor? It was pretty amazing that I had no real interest in getting in the tub. With Max's labor you never could have gotten me out of there!

My friend Mary Ann arrived to help out, and Grandma too. I remember being on the bed thinking, "I don't feel like doing this anymore", and then looking at the clock realizing I'd only been there 2 hours. Obviously, I thought, I had a ways to go. Max's labor was slow and steady for 36 hours with the water breaking very late, so I was expecting a longer time. But Nate was getting here a whole lot faster than that. Now, I realize that I was in transition at this point. A while later, I felt like pushing. Looking at the clock, I again thought, nah, must be too soon. Wrong!
When Max finally left with Grandma I was able to let go, get vocal, have a good cry, and get to work again. All through the labor I had to remind myself, "open up. Surrender. Let go." My sister Rose called on the phone and I really wanted to talk to her, but those pesky contractions kept getting in the way.

Kip filled up the tub. I got off the bed and looked at the tub, then looked at the bathroom. Which way should I go? Maybe I should go to the bathroom one more time before I go to the tub. In the bathroom, sitting on the toilet, we called my sister back. "How did you come up with the name Nathaniel?" she asked. "Well...oh my goodness, somebody is coming out! Gotta go!" We called for the midwives to come quick. I didn't want Nate to fall in the toilet! They were able to move me to a birthing stool right next to the toilet. Nate was so little, only 1 pound 10 ounces, so it was very easy physically to push him out, even though he was doublewide, being born butt first.

He came out at 7:57 AM and Clarice said, "Here's the baby!" She put him on my lap. I knew the moment I saw him that he was gone. He was very purple and still snuggled in the inner sac. Mary Ann quickly baptized him by saying; "I baptize you in the name of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit". Since we were in the bathroom, it was convenient to use the water from the sink to complete the baptism. Then I looked at my little dead son and let out a primal howl for I don't know how long. It went on for ages. I felt like a mother bear on an Animal Planet show that had just lost her young. It just isn't right, I remember thinking. The midwives just let me do what I needed to do. When I was ready, Mike cut the cord. So much time had passed that it was already completely drained. Then, I delivered the placenta. The small space of the bathroom was really the perfect place for birth for his small size. I needed to be nestled in a cave-like atmosphere. He was so beautiful.

The midwives snuggled Mike, Nate and I into bed for our "babymoon". Mommy friend Jodi arrived to meet Nate and give me a chiropractic adjustment. Nate wouldn't need one. My sisters Rita and Sarah arrived from Chicago and were able to hold their nephew. I took a bath with Nate and got us all cleaned up. The "crunchy" mom's group was meeting that morning, which I facilitate. I was joking, "well, I better get dressed and go in the education room". It was such wonderful timing, because all my best mommy friends were there for the group, and were able to have time with Nate. We had "tub visits" from Heather, Jaime, Molly, and Renee. I got to spend the day with Nate and hold him. His spirit was very close by. Nate and I took a nap together, and then I knew when I woke up he’d be farther away. It was so hard to get up after the nap. I just didn't want that moment to end.

After the nap, Mike and I were ready for Grandma and Grandpa to come back with Max so he could meet his little brother. How precious to see things through Max's eyes. "Baby came out of Mommy's belly at the birth center. Baby Nate is sleeping. I got to hold baby Nate. Mommy's little baby. Peek-a-boo! Tickle, tickle". So much love. We have absolutely beautiful pictures of all of us taken by Kip and Mary Ann. So many cherished memories packed into one day. We clipped his beautiful black hair and made footprints. Then, the time came to say goodbye to Nate physically, though I know he is so close with us even now.

Clarice knitted a hat all day so that Nate would have one that fit him just right. She was so gentle with Nate when she weighed him and took his measurements. Kip, the other midwife, had bought a book about angels for Max. She scanned a picture of Nate and put it on one of the angels. So many loving acts throughout the day and so much personalized attention. We are so incredibly grateful that I had the peaceful space of the birth center to deliver Nathaniel. And I know the loving care of the birth center will continue for our family well after Nathaniel's birth and passing.


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Nathaniel Norman's Birth Story written by his mother, Catherine I found out I was pregnant in April, that new life was growing within me. After my first wonderful birth experience with Maximilian - the first baby ever born at the GBC - I was very enthusiastic about a second GBC birth. This pregnancy felt quite different than the first. In July, we discovered we had some unusual blood work, and additional testing showed that our little boy had Edward's Syndrome (trisomy 18). My husband Mike and I were shocked and devastated. We had had such hopes for a long time with our son, but the future was very uncertain. We knew two things for sure, we would not terminate the pregnancy, and we would let nature take its course. A hospital would only be able to provide comfort care that would not sustain his life long term. We knew that I would be the best comfort to my son, and that the GBC would be the best comfort to me. We consulted with the midwives, Kip and Clarice, at length, and concluded that as long as my health was not in jeopardy, we could continue to plan for a birth at the GBC. We were so relieved. Over time, we coordinated care with other specialists, including a genetic counselor, pediatric cardiologist, and obstetrician. It was always wonderful after seeing strangers telling me very scary things in florescent-lit rooms to go to the day bed at the birth center exam room and get some real perspective from the midwives. They always relieved my fears and helped me see what needed to be done next. As the weeks went on, our little Nathaniel got bigger in my belly. As I started to feel those little kicks, I was so glad to connect to our baby. I knew he was having a happy life in there. With every little kick, I would hear Nate say, "It's okay, Mommy". I knew it was so important to love him up every moment he was with us. A 3D ultrasound was absolutely priceless. There's a picture of his perfect little face! Smiling in the womb! Nate was having a happy life indeed. And such a little swimmer! The ultrasound techs had a hard time keeping up with him so that they could take pictures. I felt things start to change, sharp pains in odd spots at sporadic times. I knew my amniotic fluid was expanding. Our little guy was having trouble keeping up with swallowing, so I was accumulating too much. Clarice agreed that my belly felt too squishy, and it was time for another ultrasound. My mucus plug broke in the middle of September, and I heard Nate tell me, "thank you Mommy, I love you, goodbye." I continued to have thick discharge for a few weeks and a little bit of spotting.The ultrasound confirmed I did indeed have too much fluid. When I met with the obstetrician, she agreed to drain the fluid immediately. She also noted that she saw little benefit for us having a hospital birth considering Nate's condition. There was nothing that anyone could do to change Nate's condition long term. The therapeutic amniocentesis to drain the fluid was absolutely no fun. Jiggle, jiggle went the long, long needle. It was insane how much fluid came out. There was so much it was dripping down my belly. The best part was seeing Nate on the ultrasound during the procedure, as happy as he could be. He was dancing around and even kicking the needle! The procedure was painful, but my belly felt so much better afterwards being relieved of all that pressure. That night, I listened to Bonnie Raitt's song, "anything you want, you got it. anything you need, you got it. anything at all, you got it, baby." The lyrics really rang true in my heart. The things we will do for our children. I woke up at 4:00 AM that night with really sharp back pain. I felt so much pressure; I knew something was about to give. Fortunately, I was on the toilet when whoosh, my water broke. It kept going and going. Even after the drainage, there was so much left. I knew the moment that it broke that our little Nate was leaving us. We called Kip and headed out to the birth center. It was quite a challenge for my husband Mike to get me and our 2-year-old Max out the door. He was running around trying to pack, and I was yelling instructions from the toilet. We hadn't packed a bag yet because I was only 29 weeks along. Max woke up saying, "it's okay, Mommy." He was so confused as to why we were up in the middle of the night. It was wonderful to walk into the dimly lit birth center with the music going in the background. I had my first contraction there leaning on the kitchen table with Kip rubbing my back. I said, "I love the birth center" with a big sigh. We were waiting for Grandma to arrive from Detroit to help out with Max. Mike was like a jackrabbit jumping back and forth between me in the green room and Max in the family room. I was like a jackrabbit between the bathroom and the bed. I just couldn't find a comfortable position and needed to keep moving. And the back labor! He's so tiny, how do I have back labor? It was pretty amazing that I had no real interest in getting in the tub. With Max's labor you never could have gotten me out of there! My friend Mary Ann arrived to help out, and Grandma too. I remember being on the bed thinking, "I don't feel like doing this anymore", and then looking at the clock realizing I'd only been there 2 hours. Obviously, I thought, I had a ways to go. Max's labor was slow and steady for 36 hours with the water breaking very late, so I was expecting a longer time. But Nate was getting here a whole lot faster than that. Now, I realize that I was in transition at this point. A while later, I felt like pushing. Looking at the clock, I again thought, nah, must be too soon. Wrong! When Max finally left with Grandma I was able to let go, get vocal, have a good cry, and get to work again. All through the labor I had to remind myself, "open up. Surrender. Let go." My sister Rose called on the phone and I really wanted to talk to her, but those pesky contractions kept getting in the way. Kip filled up the tub. I got off the bed and looked at the tub, then looked at the bathroom. Which way should I go? Maybe I should go to the bathroom one more time before I go to the tub. In the bathroom, sitting on the toilet, we called my sister back. "How did you come up with the name Nathaniel?" she asked. "Well...oh my goodness, somebody is coming out! Gotta go!" We called for the midwives to come quick. I didn't want Nate to fall in the toilet! They were able to move me to a birthing stool right next to the toilet. Nate was so little, only 1 pound 10 ounces, so it was very easy physically to push him out, even though he was doublewide, being born butt first. He came out at 7:57 AM and Clarice said, "Here's the baby!" She put him on my lap. I knew the moment I saw him that he was gone. He was very purple and still snuggled in the inner sac. Mary Ann quickly baptized him by saying; "I baptize you in the name of the father, and the son, and the holy spirit". Since we were in the bathroom, it was convenient to use the water from the sink to complete the baptism. Then I looked at my little dead son and let out a primal howl for I don't know how long. It went on for ages. I felt like a mother bear on an Animal Planet show that had just lost her young. It just isn't right, I remember thinking. The midwives just let me do what I needed to do. When I was ready, Mike cut the cord. So much time had passed that it was already completely drained. Then, I delivered the placenta. The small space of the bathroom was really the perfect place for birth for his small size. I needed to be nestled in a cave-like atmosphere. He was so beautiful. The midwives snuggled Mike, Nate and I into bed for our "babymoon". Mommy friend Jodi arrived to meet Nate and give me a chiropractic adjustment. Nate wouldn't need one. My sisters Rita and Sarah arrived from Chicago and were able to hold their nephew. I took a bath with Nate and got us all cleaned up. The "crunchy" mom's group was meeting that morning, which I facilitate. I was joking, "well, I better get dressed and go in the education room". It was such wonderful timing, because all my best mommy friends were there for the group, and were able to have time with Nate. We had "tub visits" from Heather, Jaime, Molly, and Renee. I got to spend the day with Nate and hold him. His spirit was very close by. Nate and I took a nap together, and then I knew when I woke up he’d be farther away. It was so hard to get up after the nap. I just didn't want that moment to end. After the nap, Mike and I were ready for Grandma and Grandpa to come back with Max so he could meet his little brother. How precious to see things through Max's eyes. "Baby came out of Mommy's belly at the birth center. Baby Nate is sleeping. I got to hold baby Nate. Mommy's little baby. Peek-a-boo! Tickle, tickle". So much love. We have absolutely beautiful pictures of all of us taken by Kip and Mary Ann. So many cherished memories packed into one day. We clipped his beautiful black hair and made footprints. Then, the time came to say goodbye to Nate physically, though I know he is so close with us even now. Clarice knitted a hat all day so that Nate would have one that fit him just right. She was so gentle with Nate when she weighed him and took his measurements. Kip, the other midwife, had bought a book about angels for Max. She scanned a picture of Nate and put it on one of the angels. So many loving acts throughout the day and so much personalized attention. We are so incredibly grateful that I had the peaceful space of the birth center to deliver Nathaniel. And I know the loving care of the birth center will continue for our family well after Nathaniel's birth and passing.
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