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Unmedicated Hospital Birth
Carolyn’s first pregnancy was unplanned, and like many first-time moms, she entered it with limited knowledge about birth. However, she knew her mother had three unmedicated births and felt determined to try the same. When she shared her plan with her provider, he responded with, “You know it hurts to have a baby,” but that didn’t change her mind. Carolyn hired a doula for support and went into labor at 37 weeks and 2 days.
Because she was GBS positive, she went to the hospital around 9 p.m. to begin antibiotics. Labor progressed steadily until she stalled at 9 centimeters around noon the next day. After agreeing to have her water broken, her baby was born within a couple of hours. The experience felt like a fairly routine hospital birth — just unmedicated. About two weeks postpartum, Carolyn experienced some baby blues, but they faded, and her recovery overall was smooth.
Cesarean Birth Due to Breech Presentation
In 2019, Carolyn became pregnant with her second child. This time, she felt confident and well-prepared. Her pregnancy was uncomplicated and “boring,” as she described it, until about 30 weeks when her baby was still breech. Discussions began around possible delivery options, and during one ultrasound, the cord was noted to be around the baby’s neck.
This was during the early months of COVID-19, so Carolyn’s husband could no longer attend her appointments — a difficult change after receiving that kind of news alone. She tried everything to encourage her baby to turn: acupuncture, Spinning Babies exercises, moxibustion, chiropractic care — but nothing worked. On May 5th, they welcomed their “Cinco de Mayo baby” via cesarean section.
Twin Home Birth
Carolyn and her husband had planned to wait at least a year before expanding their family again, but life had other plans. While practicing natural family planning, she was surprised to find herself pregnant after only a few cycles. When a friend suggested she take a pregnancy test, Carolyn didn’t expect it to be positive — yet the result was a “dye stealer,” an unusually dark test line that sent her to Google. She quickly learned it could mean being further along than expected or carrying twins.
Twins ran in her family, but she never imagined it would happen to her. After multiple tests and a confirming ultrasound, she saw two sacs on the screen. It took time for her and her husband to process the news, but once they did, they embraced it fully. Carolyn always knew she wanted a home birth, and she was grateful to find a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) experienced with twins and breech deliveries.
She received co-care with a local hospital for ultrasounds and NSTs. Early on, doctors monitored her for a short cervix, but it stabilized. Twin A had a possible velamentous cord insertion and consistently measured smaller than Twin B, though both continued to grow well. Carolyn chose not to find out the babies’ sexes, while her husband learned during the anatomy scan and kept the secret.
Labor began early on July 13th around 5 a.m. Carolyn woke to cramps that felt different from the Braxton Hicks contractions she’d had for weeks. She labored quietly alone in the den, moving through positions on the birth ball, walking, and resting on all fours. By 8:30 a.m., she told her husband she might be in labor. After taking a tincture and promptly throwing up, she notified her birth team.
Her doula suggested she get in the shower, which quickly intensified her contractions. By 9:30, she knew labor was real. Her doula arrived around 10:30, followed soon after by her midwife and support team. She labored in water and on land, feeling the powerful fetal ejection reflex with each wave. At 12:06 p.m., Twin A was born — a girl — followed 18 minutes later by Twin B, a boy. Both were healthy and alert, weighing 5 lbs and 6 lbs 2 oz.
Carolyn describes her twin birth as empowering and peaceful — the culmination of trust, preparation, and faith in her body’s ability to do exactly what it was designed to do.
Carolyn Jenkins Bio
Carolyn Jenkins is a wife, mom of four, and former college athlete and coach who recently became a stay-at-home mom. She and her husband live in St. Louis, Missouri, where they’re raising two boys, ages 10 and 5, and 3-month-old twins — a boy and a girl. After years of coaching and mentoring others, Carolyn felt called to continue supporting people in a different way and recently began her journey as a birth and postpartum doula. Her background in athletics taught her discipline, teamwork, and perseverance — qualities she now brings into motherhood and her doula work. Stepping into this new season of life, she’s learning to embrace slowing down, finding peace in the chaos, and celebrating small moments of growth. Carolyn is passionate about creating balance, showing grace to herself and others, and connecting with families walking through pregnancy and early parenthood. Connect with her on IG @_carolynjenks or on Tiktok @_carolynjenks
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