Nebraska Birth Stories

Women love to tell their birth stories. And they love to hear and read the stories of others. This is just true fact. Learning about the experiences of others gives us a framework and a potential resource for contemplating our own experiences. These stories are also important because they can, as a collection, provide insight into the way that midwifery care is- and in some cases is not- being accessed in Nebraska. 

The stories presented on this site are the stories of Nebraska births attended by midwives in all settings, and those (intentionally) occurring at home without a midwife when hiring one to attend would have been preferred. 

These stories have been written and submitted by their leading characters, to whom the content and the copyright belongs. 

As NFOM appreciates submissions and respects the personal nature of the stories, contributors are free to revoke NFOM's usage of submitted stories and/or images at any time and for any reason by simply contacting NFOM and requesting that the content be removed from the site. 

If you are interested in sharing your story about a midwife-attended birth, or a home-birth that was unattended due to lack of access to a midwife in Nebraska this information is for you:

• Submissions should include all content you believe is relevant to your story. This includes the birthing process, the decision-making process, and the ease or difficulty you experienced in accessing midwifery care and/or insurance or other financial coverage for your desired option. Consider what makes your story unique, and what makes it universal, what you would do again, and what you would change.
• Stories of babies born with midwives in hospitals, homes, and birth centers are all welcome. Please make anonymous the names of any institutions or care providers. 
• Stories of babies born at home without a midwife when hiring one to attend would have been preferred are also welcome. Please provide details about the difficulty you experienced in finding a midwife that was close enough, or a good fit, or affordable (without the benefit of insurance coverage or other financial assistance). 
• There is no such thing as TMI (too much information).
• There is such a thing as TMW (too many words). All submissions are edited with the goal of ensuring both voice and coherence. Great writing and editing skills are welcome but not at all required. All edits are sent to contributors for approval. Nothing is published without that approval. 
• Stories have no expiration date. NFOM would love to publish the story of your baby's birth- or your own birth!
• Please feel free to include photos. If they are your photos please simply include a statement that you are the photographer and you allow NFOM to publish them on the site. If the images are professionally done, please obtain and share with NFOM a release from your photographer for use on the site. NFOM will happily post a photo credit, but does not include links. Images with large watermarks cannot be included. 
  
• To find out more about submitting your story, please contact NFOM. 

Birth Center Stories
Becky's Story  

Melissa's Story


Home Birth Stories
Amy's Story: Urban home birth 
April's Story: Urban home birth
April's Story 2: Urban home birth
Chanin's Story: Urban home birth 2001
Jennifer's Story: Urban HBAC
Kendra's Story: Rural home birth
Melany's Story: Urban home birth
Melissa's Story: Home birth of twins

Hospital Birth Stories
Amanda's Story: Urban hospital
Becky's Story: Urban hospital
Dorothy's Story: Urban hospital 
Sarah's Story: Urban hospital

---