S02E02 Danielle: Finding a Way to Family- Two Births, One Birth Center to Hospital Transfer, One Birth Centre Water Birth

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Danielle's resources are below this description

What happens when your carefully planned birth center delivery takes an unexpected turn? Danielle's journey from New York to Switzerland, and from birth house to hospital and back again, offers powerful lessons in resilience, informed decision-making, and finding peace when birth plans change.

Moving to Switzerland while pregnant after a long-distance relationship with her Swiss husband, Danielle set her sights on delivering at Delphy's birth house in Zurich. The birth center represented the perfect middle ground between her dream of a home birth and her husband's preference for a hospital. But when her water broke and labor stalled, midwives suspected her baby wasn't in an ideal position, leading to a transfer to Triemli Hospital.

There, Danielle discovered her daughter was in the challenging "stargazer" position—head down but face up. Despite medical recommendations for a cesarean, she advocated to continue with a vaginal birth a little longer. After a marathon labor spanning multiple days, she delivered her daughter, though the experience left her feeling both triumphant and somewhat defeated that her birth center plan hadn't materialized.

For her second pregnancy, Danielle returned to Delphy's with confidence gained from her first experience. This time, she enjoyed a peaceful water birth followed by four blissful days of postpartum care at the birth center—something she missed with her first delivery. She describes this postpartum period as "like a retreat" with dedicated midwives, chef-prepared meals, and precious time to bond with her newborn while her husband cared for their toddler.

Throughout both experiences, Danielle learned valuable lessons about standing her ground, being informed about all possibilities, and prioritizing postpartum recovery. Her story highlights how the Swiss maternity system offers integrated options where families can access both medical intervention when needed and gentle, supportive care throughout the childbearing year.

Have you considered a birth center for your delivery or postpartum stay? Even if you plan a hospital birth, Swiss birth houses welcome families for recovery afterward—a lesser-known option that's fully covered by insurance and offers exceptional support during those precious first days.

Danielle's resources:

Instagram: @littlelambsleepconsulting

Facebook: Little Lamb Sleep Consulting

Website: www.littlelambsleep.com

Email: [e-mail]

Delphy's birth centre (in Zurich) website: https://www.delphys.ch/

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