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     Approximately eleven years ago our first daughter was born. She was a breech baby and when my wife Hagit's water broke we rushed to the hospital and within 30 minutes were in the operating room where the doctors performed a Caesarian Section
(C-section). This occurred two weeks before the due date and after nine months of birthing classes were my wife and I learned breathing techniques and the like. We felt cheated out of the traditional birthing experience, and of course the pain and discomfort not to mention the long healing process for my wife. In addition, for the first month my wife could not get up easily from the bed due to abdominal pain and the stitches as well as our having been instructed by the doctors for her not to get up quickly when lying down. This meant for the first month I had to get up every night and could not share the duties with my wife.
     Once again my wife became pregnant with a girl. This time during the eight month it became apparent that the baby was under weight and not developing at the expected rate and my wife was hospitalized for two weeks undergoing baby monitors several times each day. The staff finally determined that the baby was not developing and ordered a C-section. Our second baby girl was born prematurely and had to be kept in an incubator for a month. In addition to recovering from her second C-section we were visiting the premature ward several times a day for a month.
       The purpose of this background of our first two birthing experiences is important to illustrate the dramatic contrast of our most recent birth and how different it was. Approaching my wife's 34th week of her pregnancy, our doctor at Laniado Hospital Dr. Mamet during one of our routine checkups gave my wife the option to either have a C-section or attempt to have a natural birth and that we would have to make a decision within two weeks time. We were completely surprised since we had always been told that once you have had two C-sections all future births would be C-sections as well. Dr. Mamet explained that we could opt for the natural birth under the condition that we have a private doctor and with his recommendation and authorization we contacted Dr. Illan Halevi. It is important to note that recent studies have shown that there was an over 80% success rate for vaginal birth after a Cesarean. Finding a care provider who is supportive and being educated are still the keys to preventing an unnecessary cesarean, even if it is a repeat cesarean.
     The next day we had scheduled an appointment with Dr. Halevi at his private clinic at "Jahara Dula" Treatment Center in Kadema which is located in Central Israel right off Highway 4 near Netanya. Once we arrived at Dr. Halevi's clinic we were immediately impressed by his good natured and caring approach, extensive knowledge and professionalism as well as his attention to details. Without our even committing to his services he spent a close to two hours with us explaining the process, possible risks, ect… His office and clinic is located adjacent to his home in a serene and peaceful environment. His clinic included a state of the art ultrasound system and all the trimmings. He then gave us a tour of the recently built natural birthing center which includes a place for natural water birth, a large-sized heated pool used for hydrotherapy and relaxation (which they offered my wife some treatments in the pool but at that point she was not ready for this, and in retrospect is sorry she did not utilize this), as well as other facilities. He then explained that he works with Tali and Nelly the "Dulot" who are involved in the whole birthing process and are trained to use various holistic techniques including massage, breath work, acupuncture as well as homeopathy and are enlisted to be part of the actual birth itself as well as up until the birth takes place. We whole heartedly agreed to recruit this wonderful team and were very excited for what lay ahead.
     Dr. Halevi gave us instructions to call at any hour if there are any problems or if we are in need of consulting. The following week on Sunday evening December 21st my wife's water broke and we immediately called Dr. Halevi. He instructed us to come to his clinic where he would conduct an examination. After our examination 45 minutes later, he suggested that there is no need to rush to the hospital just yet, and arranged to meet us at Laniado Hospital the next morning to have a baby monitor done. The next day my wife had not yet begun to have any contractions and we went to the hospital. Dr. Halevi conducted the examine, where he found everything to be fine, prescribed a standard antibiotic to prevent infection and sent us home. My wife after the last birth having spent two weeks hospitalized readily welcomed the opportunity to go home and sleep in her own bed. That night we scheduled naturalistic treatments for my wife with Tally and Nelly at the "Jahara Dula" Treatment Center where they conducted a therapeutic session of massaging, aromatherapy and discussed techniques for relaxation and what to expect regarding the birth and performed acupuncture to help induce contractions. We repeated this process the following day each time Dr. Halevi making himself available to us and giving us the maximum care. During the monitoring on Tuesday morning, the monitor showed a slight change in the heart rate of the fetus at which point the on-call hospital staff wanted to perform an immediate C-section. Since Dr. Halevi was present he prevented the unnecessary surgery explaining that when the change occurred my wife had simply shifted her position from lying on her side to laying on her back hence the change in heart rate. He insisted that another monitoring session be conducted two hours later just to be sure. In the end he was again proven correct. After the monitor Tali came to give my wife a therapeutic massage with almond oil to help induce the contractions. Tuesday evening we went again to Dr. Halevi's clinic and treatment center in Kadima where Tali and Nelly did acupuncture again to help induce contractions and offered moral support. We were so relaxed during this period due to our feeling the incredible consideration and care that we received from Dr. Halevi and the Dulot. Again Wednesday morning we met at the hospital for more monitoring and Dr. Halevi decided to have Hagit spend the night at the hospital to monitor her more closely. If it would have been up to the other doctor she would have already have had a C-section and would have been hospitalized the whole week. This way we had Hagit at home with us for three additional nights which made all the difference. That night Nelly came to give my wife more acupuncture to induce the contractions. Again Thursday morning Dr. Halevi conducted more monitoring of the fetus, and continued to deflect the recommendations of the other on-staff physicians to conduct a C-section. It is important to note that each time Dr. Halevi  conducted the monitoring he also performed an internal exam which is know to also speed up the birthing process and induce contractions.  
     Thursday December 25th, 2008 around five in the evening the Dulot (Tali and Nelly) came again to give my wife more therapeutic treatments. They decided that tonight was the night and called Dr. Halevi, who had strategically switched his on-call duties from the next night to Thursday night with another on-staff physician in order to be at hand the whole night already having anticipated that Thursday night would be the time of the birth. Immediately I received a call from my wife that the birthing processes had begun. I no sooner managed to get to the hospital, only to find my wife in a dimly candlelit private room in a naturalistic setting which I did not even know existed in the hospital laying on the bed smiling and hold our third baby daughter, surrounded by Dr. Halevi, Talia and Nelly. Apparently since my wife had been gradually becoming closer to giving birth the last few days, when it was time things went very smoothly and quickly all the while the Dulot were messaging and holding my wife while Dr. Halevi closely monitored her progress. My wife was so calm and happy and we were given the opportunity to spend two hours with the baby. That night my wife was so excited and emotionally charged from this wonderful experience that she could not fall asleep. Dr. Halevi continued to check up on my wife during the night and each day following the birth continued to call to check on the baby's progress and health. This entire process and Dr. Halevi's care as well as the Dulots' for me and especially for my wife were a corrective experience for us. We have such an admiration for and are so impressed by the care, consideration, attention and efforts of Dr. Halevi and his team of Dulot. Their treatment was of the highest of standards above and beyond the call of duty, and beyond all our expectations. We had never dreamed all this to have been possible but thanks to Dr. Halevi, Tali and Nelly this dream became a reality and my wife finally was granted the opportunity to have a natural birth as it should be. I only hope that more people become aware of this rare and special team of practitioners and allow themselves the opportunity for the most wonderful birthing experience while received the highest standard of medical care and treatment.
     
At this point we would like to thank G-D that gave us the opportunity to conceive and to have a natural birth of a healthy child, our third and precious daughter Noa.

"Let him acknowledge to G-D his kindness and to the children of men His wonders." Psalms 107 Verse 8

Craig A. Goodman, Ph.D.
Psychologist and Neurobiologist

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