• View ecochildsplay’s profile on Facebook
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Twitter
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Instagram
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Pinterest
  • View Jennifer Lance’s profile on LinkedIn
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on YouTube
  • View ecochildsplay’s profile on Google+

Eco Child's Play

Live a greener, healthier life!

  • Environment
  • Pregnancy
  • Food & Recipes
  • Health News
  • Parenting
  • Green Toys
  • Beauty & Beauty Products
  • Green Home & Cleaning
  • Contact

VBAC? How About On the Interstate?!

Annmarie Schulte and her husband Matthew had planned on a natural birth for their fourth daughter. They had also planned the perfect name for the babe. What they didn’t plan on was Annmarie reaching down and delivering the baby while stuck in rush hour traffic on the I-43 near Milwaukee.

Annmarie shouted to Matthew at 7:48 a.m. after she felt her baby crowning,

She’s here!

As we all know ad nauseam, OBs generally warn against a vaginal birth after C-section, or VBAC.  And in this case, it would be a VBA3C; all 3 of the Schultes’ daughters were born by cesarean. This time, to ensure they’d get the natural birth they wanted, the couple worked with two doulas, a midwife, and a physician throughout the pregnancy.

And whoa boy. They got a natural birth; an unassisted natural birth.

[social_buttons]

The Schultes were told that a VBAC could be dangerous. OBs generally warn that the uterus could rupture. (However, there is recent evidence that a second C-section is actually worse for baby.)

The couple was told this time to wait until necessary to leave for the hospital. With all 3 older daughters, they were at the hospital, failed to progress, and along came the C-section. yada yada yada. She’s not doing it on our time schedule. Let’s get this over with. You know the drill.

At 1 a.m. Monday, Annemarie woke her husband. Labor was progressing. By 3:30, when contractions were 2 minutes apart, they called the doulas. At 7, she was fully dilated and kicked out of the house to meet the midwife at the hospital.

They didn’t quite make it.

Cecilia, the I-43 baby, completely freaked out her father. Born quietly, she settled in to sleep right after birth. But something didn’t seem quite right to Matthew. According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,

He looked at the baby and felt the deepest sense of terror he has ever known. He let out a primal scream. He pulled over into the distress lane at the Plainfield Curve on I-94/43. The doulas (Wendy Kogler and LaNette McQuitty)pulled over after him.

He ran from the car, still screaming. Words finally came. He frantically waved and yelled for the doulas to come out of their cars.

Kogler called 911. McQuitty checked on the infant. The baby turned a bit purple.

McQuitty gave her a breath and rubbed her back. The newborn turned pink again, letting out a tiny mewl.

Everyone cried. Annmarie wrapped her daughter in a towel and held the 7-pound, 4.8-ounce baby to her chest.

When the paramedics arrived, everyone was well. They gave her a clean bill of health, and Matthew even got to cut her umbilical cord.

And that name they had planned on? They kept their daughter’s name Cecilia;  Cecilia Freeway Schulte.

Annmarie sounds pretty empowered by her experience,

Each one of my kids is an amazing blessing, but this baby, I delivered – not only vaginally but on my own, With the help of my husband and the doulas, I did it. I feel awesome.

Image and story: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Follow me on Twitter.

  • Twitter
  • Email
  • Pinterest
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • More
  • WhatsApp
  • Tumblr
  • Reddit
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe!

« Birth Matters: 3 Winning Videos on Evidence-Based Maternity Care
Matchbox's "Young Warriors": Creepy Ad Campaign »

Comments

  1. Cate Nelson says

    July 29, 2009 at 9:51 am

    I knew you’d like this story!
    I love that HE screamed while she knew baby was okay. Altogether, trusting instincts. So amazing.

    Reply
  2. 2Shaye ♪♫ says

    July 29, 2009 at 9:30 am

    Wow! Tears. Amazing. Bravo. Now you KNOW I’m impressed when I can only type one-worded responses, right?

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Content

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter


About Eco Child’s Play

Our ethos is to provide news, information, and opinions on natural, green parenting to help your family live a greener, healthier life! Additionally, we offer personal consulting services to help you achieve your green living goals.

Jennifer is a vegetarian, yoga teacher, gardener, hiker, teacher, and mother that has been living off-the-grid for over 20 years.

Contact Eco Child’s Play

unstructured play

Children Have a Right to Unstructured Play

Gluten free banana bread recipe

Gluten-Free Banana Bread Recipe

More from the archives!

Hank D and the Bee: Gray Hair = Green Mind

Free Range Parenting Now Legal in Utah

Day 25 CA Wildfires: The Legacy of Logging and Fire Suppression (Don’t blame the environmentalists)

Springtime: Where I Crush the Souls Of Girl Scouts

NASA: 1880-2010 Climate Change in 26 seconds

Insufficient Sleep & Decreased Quality of Life: No Teen Screen Time Before Bed!

The Potential Problem with Modern Parenting

Information

  • About & Contact
  • Archive
  • Blog
  • Consulting Services
  • Disclaimer, Disclosure, & Sponsored Posts
  • Privacy Policy
logo
Food Advertising by

Attention Wizards and Witches: Flying Cauldron Butterscotch Beer (non-alcoholic)

Hank D and the Bee: The End of Brussel Sprouts?

The Gender Divide in Toys has Grown

Plastic Surgery Billboards Touting Mommy Makeovers

Happy Winter Solstice

Popular Categories

  • Breastfeeding
  • Health News
  • Natural Childbirth
  • Parenting
  • Education
  • Product Review
  • Green Toys

Get our posts via email

Please stay in touch!

You might also like to read…

Little Philanthropists: Hosting a Charitable Birthday Party

What Are Your Tips For Safe & Healthy Grilling?

Recipes for Kids: Organic Vegan Mexican Hot Chocolate

teething

Everything You Need to Know About Teething

Facebook bans photo of painted mother-to-be

Facebook bans painted mother-to-be by artist Matt Huntley

Copyright © 2019 · Divine theme by Restored 316

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkNoPrivacy policy
Revoke cookies