Birth without medication
Carolyn’s first pregnancy was unplanned, and like many first-time mothers, she went into 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 replied, “You know it hurts to have a baby,” but that didn’t change her mind. Carolyn hired a doula for support and gave birth at 37 weeks and 2 days.
Because she tested positive for GBS, she went to the hospital around 9 p.m. to start antibiotics. Labor progressed steadily until it stopped at 9cm around noon the next day. After agreeing to have her water broken, her baby was born within hours. The experience felt like a fairly standard hospital birth — just without the drugs. About two weeks after giving birth, Carolyn experienced some baby blues, but these faded and her overall recovery was uneventful.
Cesarean Delivery due to Rig Presentation
In 2019, Carolyn became pregnant with her second child. This time she felt confident and well prepared. Her pregnancy was simple and “boring,” as she described it, until about 30 weeks, when her baby was still a chump. Discussions began around possible delivery options and during an ultrasound, the cord was found 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 only receiving this kind of news. She tried everything to encourage her baby to turn: acupuncture, Spinning Babies exercises, moxibustion, chiropractic care — but nothing worked. On May 5, they welcomed their “Cinco de Mayo baby” via C-section.
Birth with a twin house
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 — but the result was a “dye thief,” an unusually dark test line that sent her to Google. She quickly learned that it could mean she’s further along than expected or that she’s carrying twins.
Twins ran in her family, but she never imagined it would happen to her. After multiple tests and a confirmatory 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 fully embraced it. Carolyn always knew she wanted a home birth and was grateful to find a CPM (Certified Professional Midwife) experienced with twins and sling births.
She received co-care with a local hospital for ultrasound and NST. Early on, doctors were monitoring her for a short cervix, but she stabilized. Twin A had a possible ciliated cord insertion and measured consistently smaller than twin B, although both continued to grow well. Carolyn chose not to find out the gender of the babies, while her husband found out during the autopsy and kept it a secret.
Labor started early on July 13, around 5 a.m. Carolyn woke up with cramps that felt different from the Braxton Hicks contractions she’d been having for weeks. She was quietly laboring alone in the den, shifting positions on the birthing ball, walking and getting on all fours. At 8:30 a.m., she told her husband she might be in labor. After taking a tincture and vomiting, she alerted her birth team.
The doula suggested she take a shower, which quickly intensified her contractions. By 9:30, she knew labor was real. Her doula arrived around 10:30, followed by the midwife and support team. She worked in the water and on land, feeling the strong fetal ejection reflex with each wave. At 12:06 p.m., Twin A — a girl — was born, followed 18 minutes later by Twin B, a boy. Both were healthy and alert, weighing 5lbs and 6lbs 2oz.
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 are raising two boys, ages 10 and 5, and 3-month-old twins — a boy and a girl. After years of mentoring and coaching others, Carolyn felt called to continue supporting people in a different way and recently began her journey as a birth and postpartum doula. Her track and field background taught her discipline, teamwork, and perseverance—qualities she now brings to motherhood and her work as a doula. As she enters this new season of her life, she learns to embrace slowing down, find peace in the chaos, and celebrate small moments of growth. Carolyn is passionate about creating balance, showing grace to self and others, and connecting with families navigating pregnancy and early parenthood. Connect with her on IG @_carolynjenks or Tiktok @_carolynjenks
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