Laura and Axel welcomed their daughter, Leona Vivienne on August 13, 2021! This sweet baby was an answer to prayer during the COVID-19 pandemic. And Laura and Axel did not go unscathed by it. They both got the virus, Laura first, and there were so many prayers that she would not go into labor until she felt strong and well. But then Axel got COVID, requiring additional quarantine time.

But Leona did not want to wait any longer! Laura sent me a text “in labor” on August 12 right around 10:00 that morning. She was sick with COVID the 10 days leading up to the birth so she began her birth journey running on fumes. She wanted to rest during early labor for that reason, but it’s also a good idea for labor’s sake. She ate here and there and tried to keep hydrated with electrolyte drinks, but she was just so tired.

She suspected she might have a slow leak and when they realized it was tinted with some brown, her midwife asked her to come in and get checked. With contractions lasting a minute at the 4.5 minute interval, it seemed like things were picking up. Laura had labored at home for 18 hours at that point and was willing to give her natural birth a try, if her energy could keep up.

Turns out, her water was broken but there was no meconium. However, Laura was dilated 1 cm and her cervix needed a little kick start. A cervical ripener and some iv medication helped Laura to rest an relax. What’s more, her cervix dilated to 6 cm! Laura was still exhausted, and her contractions were extra challenging because of that and also because they were all in her back. So after careful consideration, she and Axel decided an epidural was the best next step to help with rest and relaxation. After all, there was still pushing!

Five hours later, Laura was fully dilated! She didn’t push long for a first-time mom, just 40 minutes, and sweet baby Leona was born at 2:20 pm! Love at first sight is an understatement, as these new parents drifted right into their roles seamlessly. Their strong faith in God also helped get them through not only COVID, but a challenging labor. Plus, Leona did end up testing positive for COVID and would end up needing some medical attention. So their early parenting time was definitely extra challenging.

But now, many months out, they are embracing parenthood and I have even caught Laura out wearng Leona like she’s been doing it for years. I’m so proud of this couple. Their birth had some additional challenges, but Lauara worked to keep her mindset positive by remembering what a blessing it was for her to bear a child. Motherhood is a precious gift, and one made more precious through adversity. And this couple definitely had some added challenges in the beginning. Thankfully, at the time of this writing, they have come into their own rhythm and are enjoying the new discoveries parenting a new baby brings. You both should be so proud of your journey.

Ellie and Sean are parents again! Jameson George Gordon Burke was born on June 26, 2021! Ellie had a strong desire to have a different birth experience than her first, one in which she did not let fear drive her decisions, and with minimal interventions. She selected a practice with midwives known for trusting women and the process of birth, and she felt heard. This was very important to her this time around and would help her to feel more confident following her intuition as well. This would be the first time Sean attended a birth since he had been deployed during the birth of their first child. So he was especially eager and excited.

Ellie’s last weeks were uneventful, which is a good thing. Her appointments went well, baby was positioned perfectly, and her blood pressure was beautiful. It was just a waiting game. She actually hoped to hold on until her mom arrived so she would have the necessary help at home. Thankfully, she did, which helped Ellie to feel less anxious. Leaving for the hospital can be especially stressful when there is childcare to coordinate!

Ellie’s due date came and went. She was 70% effaced but not yet dilated. Her baby remained in a perfect position though, locked and loaded. Whenever things unfolded he would be ready. And so would Ellie. 

Then on Saturday, June 26, around 2:00 pm, Ellie texted me about persistent menstrual-like cramps and shooting pelvic pain. She was in the middle of making donuts! Yes, donuts from scratch! I think Ellie was doing a bit of nesting.  She would try to hydrate, lay down, and get in a warm bath to see if this was the real deal. 

 A couple of hours later, Ellie checked in to say she was having loose stool and constant Braxton-Hicks contractions that were not coming and going. It was suspicious, and appeared like her body was getting itself organized into labor. And around 5:30 pm when Ellie texted, she had timed and discovered regular contractions coming 5-6 minutes apart. Over the next couple of hours (and after ordering Chipotle for dinner), Ellie could feel the contractions intensifying. She was drawn in to breathe and focus through each one and had called her midwife. Thirty minutes later, close to 8:30 they decided it was time to go to the hospital. The contractions were getting much more intense. 

We met up at the front door and proceeded up to the Family Maternity Center at Sentara Leigh Hospital. Just past 9:00 that night, her midwife did an initial exam to find Ellie was 5 cm and 100% effaced. We hung handwritten affirmations around the wall that Ellie had prepared herself. It was a touching way to make the space hers. Once her initial time on the monitor was completed, Ellie moved her labor to the shower. Meditations played; Sean remarked how they helped him to stay calm too. Ellie felt increased pressure in her bottom, and I reminded her to soften around her baby who was descending into that place. It was a struggle to be soft against such intensity, but Ellie recognized that, and she knew what she had to do.

 A popsicle at 10:00 that night game a little energy boost, and the midwife stopped in a short time later to find Ellie was working harder. Sean rubbed Ellie’s back to help her soften there. And he was so encouraging, telling her he believed in her and knew she could do it. Ellie kneeled on the floor through some contractions and then leaned onto the bed. And at 11:00 that night she confessed she didn’t know how long she could last. This was code for “I’m in transition!” We were excited, but we also knew our support and encouragement couldn’t waver at that critical point. I looked reassuringly at Sean and we stepped up our affirming language and reminded Ellie of her wishes for an unmedicated birth. She was very nearly there!

 Ellie labored on her hands and knees over the ball at 11:02 pm, a very effective position for traversing transition and moving into pushing. And sure enough, at 11:05 pm Ellie began involuntarily pushing and her water broke! It was an overwhelming sensation and Ellie needed some reminders to slow her breath and focus. She slowed and deepened her breaths which helped. She was fully dilated by 11:11 and pushing intentionally by 11:20. Sean held a leg when possible, and it was heartwarming to see his excitement. Ellie pushed in several positions, although she didn’t push long. At 11:45 pm she welcomed Jameson into the world! He would have been born even sooner but he had a hand by his face! He weighed in at 7 lb. 12 oz. and measured 20.5 in. long.

Ellie kissed her son’s nose and he settled down immediately. Isn’t it beautiful how babies just know their mothers? Reflecting on her birth, Ellie felt like she could do it because her mom was so strong, a lovely reminder of how important and inspirational mothers can be. And Jameson’s name was a family name after many Scottish George Gordon’s on Ellie’s dad’s side.

Start to finish, Ellie’s birth was a testament to the fact that every birth is different. She listened to her body and followed where it led, and she also surrounded herself with supportive people, and birth affirmations! It all came together for a beautiful experience, and I am so grateful to have been there. 

Courtney and Nathan are parents again! And in somewhat of a déjà vu, they welcomed a second son after a surprisingly long labor. Courtney was motivated and driven to welcome this baby in an unmedicated birth just as she had the first time. But the emotional challenge a second prodromal labor brings can be unexpected. Life was busy as it tends to be with a young child. But add in the sale and purchase of a home and the subsequent home improvement projects, and busy was escalated to a whole new level this time. Pile on top of that the unique challenges of giving birth in a pandemic, and you’ve got a totally new and different experience. But Courtney and Nathan were up for the challenge.

Courtney sensed that her son had shifted in utero, feeling as though he was somewhat sideways. I gave some suggestions of positions to encourage her baby to realign himself and the following night, April 12, she texted to say she had been contracting since 4:00 am overnight. They were inconsistent but persistent. She attempted rest for the second night, but with contractions that were escalating she found it difficult to sleep much with contractions ranging from 10-20 minutes apart all night. By the following morning, and after rounds of positions, Courtney was still contracting. They called the midwife and were heading in that morning for some answers. Courtney was 4 cm dilated and 100% effaced but she was not in active labor. Not technically. Her uterus was trying hard to be. Her baby had shifted downward from -3 to -1 station, a testament to all her hard work with positions. It was midday when they got admitted. 

The plan was to eat a meal and then see about getting contractions to be more consistent. After lunch, Courtney and Nathan walked two laps on the labor and delivery unit and then Courtney used a breast pump to bring on stronger contractions. And it worked! Courtney’s contractions were steady at 5-6 minutes apart by 3:30 pm and had her heading to the shower to the relaxation and pain maintenance it promised. Thirty minutes later, Courtney was out of the shower and dilated to 8 cm.

Courtney labored on hands and knees through transition and was still self-aware enough to comment to us how annoyed she was with the process and how anyone who told her second babies are easier was wrong! We positioned the peanut ball in front of her so she could “rest” between contractions. And her midwife told her to push when she felt she was ready and see what happened. A lunge was the next position in the hopes it would solidify that urge to push that Courtney was ready for. She felt pressure like she needed to have a bowel movement but the pushing part she wasn’t so sure about. She remembered it was a challenge her first birth. She lay upon her side for a bit and then we shifted the bed into a throne so she could see if gravity might move her into second stage.

And an hour later she was dilated 9 cm. She was ready for a change and that change was to break her water. Surely that last barrier cleared would bring her baby down for birth. Her water was broken at 5:12 pm and she returned to her hands and knees over the peanut ball, her preferred labor position. She lunged without hesitation, and then stood with her husband to lunge while she stood. She tried the bathroom again, where the familiarity of softening and letting go might yield her baby. And sure, enough when she returned to the bed at 5:52 her midwife had nursery called. Courtney was pushing! She pushed in lunges, and we could see a baby’s head shortly thereafter. And after 24 minutes of pushing, Courtney welcomed her second son, Ford Callum into the world! He was born at 6:19 pm on April 13, 2021, weighing 8 lb. 1.8 oz. and measuring 20.5 in. long.

Ford made his mom work hard right up to the end, when a suspected shoulder dystocia that wasn’t, elevated the tension for a minute. Ford cried immediately after her was born, adjusting to life with the strength and vigor his mom had displayed through the entire labor. He had a head of dark hair and a smear of vernix across his forehead, and once his daddy cut the cord, he lay against his mom’s chest as they both adjusted to being born. Ford was born as Courtney’s son, and Courtney was born as Ford’s mother.  Ford was breastfeeding at 20 minutes-old and Courtney’s phone was already blowing up with all the well-wishes.

Although Courtney’s labor was slow to start, once it was active, I was just three hours long. She was tired and over it by the time those strong and close contractions came, but she was a warrior all the way to the very last push. Nathan was her stronghold, always there believing in her. Thank goodness for a patient midwife who presented options and did not push, and for the opportunity to choose the path that felt right. You showed once again that women are resilient and strong and will stop at nothing to meet their babies. Congratulations again!

Megan and Gokhan welcomed their son, Aslan Yusuf, before the sunrise on April 2, 2021. When I first met Megan, I was struck by her youth. She was the same age as my oldest child and the reality really hit me. I jumped to conclusions based on this and was so humbled and enlightened as I got to know her. She was bubbly and eager, and extremely motivated to welcome her son in the unmedicated birth she envisioned. She was also a student in my in-depth childbirth class, further building upon the innate knowledge of her body. Megan’s cervix made some changes late in pregnancy, thinning and opening before the first labor contraction, so that by her 39-week appointment she was 3 cm and 80% effaced. Her midwife sent her home with the compliment of being the most ready for labor of the many 39-week moms she had seen that day. Still, Megan realized this had no bearing on when she would welcome her son, so she remained open to whatever may come.

And just a few hours later I got a text. Megan was having “cramps” every 6 minutes or so, painful enough to give her pause. Were these from her exam? Or maybe for some other reason? They couldn’t possibly be labor just like that, could they? And of course, we all know that yes, they can. Six hours later, just past midnight Megan reached out with an update. The contractions were 5 minutes apart and very long and painful. It was so quick! So I recommended she call her midwife to get the recommendation of whether it was a good time to head in. The midwife confirned it was, and we met up at the hospital a short time later.

Megan breathed very calmly through her surges and her midwife was pleased to say she was dilated 5-6 cm with a bulging amniotic sac. This was a good place to be, for it meant that the longest most painstaking part of labor was already done. The more intense phase was coming. Megan received some iv fluids to help stabilize her baby’s heart rate and we applied some heat to her lower back as she sat through it. After the midwife checked in and left, Megan asked me about her pain medication options. But she did so with a slight smile. This was Megan’s transition. I assured her that by asking the question we could see she was very soon going to meet her baby. She never spoke another word of it. And neither did we.

The shower was the next stop but it didn’t last long. Megan needed to take a stop on the toilet as she felt some strong rectal pressure. And sitting right there her water broke! She retuned to the bed for a quick cervical update and her midwife declared her to be 9 ½ cm dilated at 4:07 am. Megan reclined in the bed because that felt right to her. And she gracefully allowed her body’s transition contractions wash over her as she started to feel the urge to bear down at the peaks. A fan (HER fan that she directed us to) and a cold washcloth were about all she needed in that moment. And by 4:45 she was full-on pushing side-lying.

Megan rolled over to her hands and knees and pushed over the birth ball. Her midwife leaned in closely to tell her that her baby was in the OP position and would need a bit more oomph in each push to descend and rotate. And Megan delivered. Literally. Megan pushed in a lunge and we could see her son’s dark hair shortly after. The midwife reached for the delivery cart, parking it at the foot of the bed. Then she donned her paper suit and took a seat.

Megan’s pushes were instinctive and strong and effective. Her son come tumbling into the world (and even rotated into the OA position) at 5:56 am! Daddy cut the cord and a quick workup confirmed he was just fine in spite of meconium in the fluid. Megan pulled her son to her and locked into his face. Then she looked about the room at each one of us to express her glee. She had done it! Just like she knew she could. Like we all knew she could. Aslan weighed 8 lb. 3 oz. and measured 21 in. long. He was wide awake, basking in his mother’s smell and sound, peering into her face, the one he already knew.

Watching Megan embrace her labor, actually relish it, was a beautiful reminder of the gift of birthing. It is an act of courage, strength, letting go, and ultimately of love. Megan may be young, but she is already so wise. She trusts her body and believes in herself. And it is no accident those same qualities make a marvelous mother. She taught all of us some things that night. And we will be forever blessed by those lessons. No matter what is happening in the world, babies are born and mothers are strong.

Rachel and Bruce became parents on March 9, 2021 as they welcomed their daughter, Eliza Mae, in a most surprising and keep-you-on-your-toes-guessing-all-the-while sort of birth. They were educated and ready, having attended my in-depth childbirth classes. And Rachel was the oldest of 8 children so she had some insight into becoming a mother. But this would be her first go. And if we know anything about birth it is that we cannot ever know for sure how it will unfold.

Rachel’s guess date of March 1 came and went and she tried to remain calm and patient. I didn’t hear from her really until she was 41 weeks and looking at an induction in a few days if labor did not happen first. She wanted any tips for starting things up and I reminded her that nothing would do it if her body wasn’t ready, and encouraged the relaxation benefit of massage and discouraged the pressure of the massage starting labor. Exercises to optimize her baby’s position were wise as was going for walks and spending time with Bruce in the final days. Labor would start if it was time and it wouldn’t if it wasn’t. And all of the trying to get it to start wouldn’t help and would actually possibly delay labor even further from all of the stress. Rachel took the advice with plans to wait.

But less than 24 hours later the text came to my phone. It was 6:55 am on March 9 and Rachel had been feeling contractions for 3-4 hours that were finally regular, just not consistent. They were mostly not too strong so I encouraged her to rest as long as possible and only do the minimum to get through them until her body required more. She had an appointment at 2:30 for an NST and ultrasound and wondered whether she should go in. Meanwhile, the plan was to do the Miles Circuit to help baby settle into position, and use comfort measures as needed. Several more hours of inconsistent and not too strong contractions, and a call to her midwife confirmed she was to report to her appointment. Turns out she was dilated 4 cm, 80-90% effaced, and her baby was in the OP position. The ob also swept her membranes in the hopes it would get her labor into a more productive pattern. Rachel returned home and her contractions quickly escalated.

Even with steady and strong contractions, Rachel attempted another round of the Miles Circuit in the hopes her baby would move from OP to OA. She had been contracting all day and was ready to meet her baby. But with contractions only 2 ½ minutes apart, lasting a minute, there was not a lot of rest time between and Rachel still wasn’t sure. I recommended she call the midwife again and possibly head back to the hospital. After an hour of contractions at that interval, they spoke with the midwife who said to head back in.

The car ride was awful, but it always is awful in labor. And since Rachel had been laboring so intently over the phone, her midwife arranged for them to go straight to a room bypassing triage. Rachel was seen to her room and climbed upon the bed for an exam. Her midwife did the exam and said, “Well you’ll be glad to know you are fully dilated.” Talk about a shock! It was about 7:15 pm and Rachel had been there a few hours earlier dilated just 4 cm! 

Her nurse worked on admitting her into the system and preparing the delivery cart and everything else that needs to happen beforehand, while Rachel worked through very intense contractions all while laying for the requisite initial monitoring. Her water broke 10 minutes later at 7:27 pm and she was pushing a few minutes after that. A few minutes later Bruce texted me back to confirm I should come to the hospital. I left quickly and was there in 10 minutes but it would prove to be just a smidge too late…

Rachel was a great pusher and moved her baby quickly down to birth. The heart rate dipped too low for comfort and there was talk of maybe having to take measures to encourage a more rapid birth. Rachel wanted none of that and so instead she pushed like never before and her baby was crowning in no time. She pushed with such strength and brought her daughter into the world at 8:10 pm! She was born strong and vigorous after that initial cry, and I walked in the room one minute later to find Rachel clutching her newborn baby girl and trying to catch her breath. She was happy and relieved, I could tell that even from behind her mask. (Yes, she wore her mask while pushing. Amazing.) Eliza weighed 7 lb. 15 oz. and measured a lanky 22.5 in. long.

It was remarkable how much her labor changed in so short a time, bringing Rachel from 4 cm to birthed in just under 3 hours. But make no mistake, shorter is not easier. Not in childbirth. Rachel was a champion at stepping up to the task as her contractions ratcheted higher. And we’ll never know how Eliza managed to rotate in the end after being persistently OP, (Rachel’s erratic and slow to progress labor had OP written all over them), but we suspect Rachel’s diligence with the Miles Circuit had something to do with it. Or maybe it was the membrane sweep that intensified the contractions right when Rachel (and Eliza) needed it most. Perhaps it was the feeling and listening to her body that helped Rachel welcome Eliza far more than the knowing and doing that had led her up to that point. All of the red raspberry tea, pineapple, eggplant, spicy food, dates, etc in the world won’t coax out a baby who simply isn’t ready. It was patience and diligence that made all the difference. Congratulations on the surprising and wonderful birth of Eliza Mae! You rode the waves of your labor like a pro.

I’m so pleased to announce the Rachel and Jason have welcomed their second daughter, Quinn Hawley. Rachel had a long and involved first birth and hoped things might be different the second time around. After all, every birth is unique and offers the same clean slate as a first birth. She did make some changes to her preparation, however. She enrolled in my refresher class, enlisted care with a chiropractor, and hired me as her doula. We were in communication off and on after appointments, and we had our prenatal visit and discussed logistics and Rachel’s birth preferences. It was a nice chance to reconnect and to meet Jason! (Thank you, Covid.) And after that, we were left to simply wait and see.

Rachel’s cervix made some gradual changes leading up to the birth. She was dilated 1 cm at 39-weeks and she felt pain in her hips as her body got ready. She incorporated the Miles Circuit into her routine in the hopes her baby would have the benefit of optimizing her position for birth. But ultimately it would be up to Rachel’s baby what she wanted to do. And on February 25, around 4:00 pm, Rachel texted to tell me she had felt the rhythmic cramp of contractions every 7 minutes for about 4 hours. They were mild enough to minimize and mostly ignore, but she did have to breathe and focus through them. By 8:00 that evening they were a little closer and a little stronger, so she labored in the shower for the second time to help her relax. 

Things continued to intensify through the night until at 12:10 am her water broke. And the contractions jumped to 3 minutes apart just 20 minutes later. With the contractions very strong, Rachel and Jason left for the hospital shortly thereafter. Rachel had done some work at home because her cervix was dilated to 7 cm upon arrival. Things appeared to be moving right along and we thought there might be a baby before sunrise.

After her initial stint on the monitor, Rachel went straight to the shower to labor. She sounded through her contractions and we angled the shower to hit her back just so. The pressure intensified in her bottom too. Rachel called the shower a “miracle worker,” she found it so helpful. And she labored in there for over an hour. She had opened to 8/9 cm by shower’s end and her baby was at +1 station. Conditions seemed right for pushing sooner rather than later. Rachel used a squatting bar on the bed to squat into the contractions in the hopes her baby’s head might melt her cervix away. The playlist “Push!!” filled the room with rollicking tunes Rachel had selected for that purpose. And we applied counter pressure to her lower back through each contraction where she felt the most discomfort. 

Rachel used the rebozo to dangle through contractions as well, with the same goal of opening that cervix. And she lunged on her hands and knees through several contractions too. She was doing every single thing to get her baby out, but she was hitting a wall. It was time for some information and to possibly make a change. Her nurse confirmed that there was still cervix and also that her baby was trying to rotate! Rachel labored on her side and pushed a few times that way, but her cervix wasn’t budging. The midwife recommended some Pitocin to give more oomph and Rachel was willing to try. She had been up all night though, and the day was looming large in that moment. So Rachel decided it was a good time for an epidural. And thankfully, unlike her first birth, the CRNA administered it quickly and effectively, providing the relief and relaxation (and rest) that Rachel was counting on.

Two hours later at 9:20 there was the tiniest bit of cervix left. It was stretchy but would not yield to the midwife’s hand. So we rotated Rachel one way and another, incorporating the use of a peanut ball and stirrups to maintain an open pelvis. About two hours later, Rachel felt pressure in her bottom and an exam confirmed that her cervix was completely gone! And after laboring down another 40 minutes she began to push. It wouldn’t be easy, since her baby was determined to be in the OP position. Rachel was no stranger this since her first baby was in the same position and rotated at the very last moment. This baby appeared to be gearing up to do the same thing. But Rachel was game to push on her hands and knees which would prove to help rotation! Baby’s heart rate dipped, which isn’t uncommon during second stage. So an oxygen mask was placed over Rachel’s face to help give her little one a boost. Rachel continued to push in various positions—why stop moving at second stage, right? Her stamina and tenacity did not wane. It was there in full force all the way to the end of her marathon labor. All told, Rachel pushed for just over an hour and her baby was born at 1:18 pm on February 26, 2021 with the cord wrapped around her neck twice. (That would explain some heart rate dips that showed up late in labor.) Welcome to the world, Quinn! She weighed 7 lb. 12 oz. and was 21 in. long. 

Rachel cried at the sight of her daughter – relieved, exhausted, elated, and happy tears! She did it! And she did it without even tearing, which was another huge win for her in comparison to her first experience.  Quinn needed a little bit of stimulation to get that first robust cry and to transition, but she was back in her mom’s arms a few minutes later and was latched at the breast at less than 20 minutes old. And that gave her parents the chance to investigate how she looked like family. She looked like her sister, only different, and she had a hairy back like her great grandpa! 

Rachel’s labor is one that defied our preconceived expectations of second labors. And shame on us for trying to predict what a baby can do! For ultimately, we really have no clue how a birth will unfold. We only grasp at generalities that happen more often than not. When it comes to birth, the most important skill is to be flexible. Rachel exemplified this! She was an expert at dodging and weaving with her birth journey. She took her labor one contraction at a time and was able to labor through another birth experience that took about 24 hours. She is a rock star in my book and she also managed to maintain her sense of humor too. Once again, this is an important mothering skill so Rachel is well equipped with two essential skills. Congrats again on another surprising birth and a beautiful baby! 

If birth teaches us anything, it is that it is ever new. The journey of this couple to meet their second child, was definitely a new experience. Dustene and Jarrod met their son, Nezrah Oliver, on February 17, 2021 in a birth that was about as opposite from their first as it could be. They were students in my childbirth class several years ago in preparation for the birth of their first child. And that labor was a long one, in part due to it being Dustene’s first labor, but even more so because that first baby was positioned in a less than optimal way. It spanned over 24 hours and left her feeling exhausted and needing the rest an epidural could provide. Truth be told, she described it as traumatic, and she hoped for a less anxiety inducing experience this time. She approached her second birth with an open mind knowing sometimes plans change, but also with a hopeful heart in knowing each birth journey is unique. They enrolled in my refresher class to prepare for this journey, which I applauded them for. It can be more challenging to carve aside time to immerse your mind in the upcoming birth when you have a toddler to take care of. Life is busy! But they found the time to commit to reacquainting themselves with the birth process, but also to learn how a second labor is often so different than the first. 

Dustene’s body was gearing up. She felt contractions and her baby dropped in a noticeable way. She felt the stretch of her round ligaments and everything was already so different than her first. Her body was contracting quite often the day or two leading up to labor. Her baby was low which might have been part of it, but she was busy mothering an active toddler as well. Plus, her uterus was gearing up for it had done this labor thing before! 

Then in the evening of February 17, 4 days before her due date, Dustene’s water broke. At least there was some confirmation of a tangible labor event! She called her midwives to let them know and then planned to feel her way through labor at home a bit. But her body had different plans. And so did her baby. Almost immediately, Dustene was breathing through strong and close contractions. They started closer than 3 minutes apart and grew quickly to a minute long. With grandparents at home to watch big sister, they were free to leave when they were ready. And an hour after her water broke, Dustene and Jarrod were on the way to the hospital.

I met them there and could tell that Dustene was much changed. She had the demeanor of a woman deep in labor, even though it hadn’t yet been 90 minutes since her water broke. She rode a wheelchair since the prospect of the walk was too much. And in hindsight she might have given birth on the way up! Her midwife was waiting for her in the labor and delivery unity, and we were all escorted straight to a room. Dustene got upon the bed immediately for a quick exam and to get a listen to her baby’s heart beat. And her midwife confirmed that she was indeed fully dilated! There was no time for the shower, no time to labor about the room. There was hardly time to listen to the baby and certainly no time to sign consents.

 Instead, Dustene rolled over to her hands and knees where she felt most comfortable and strong and she immediately began to follow her body’s instinct to push. It didn’t take long before her baby’s head was visible. Baby’s head was born and Dustene opened her right leg into a lunge to allow her baby’s shoulders to come. He was a big boy! And Nezrah Oliver was born at 9:10 pm, scarcely 15 minutes after his mom set foot in the room. He was passed through his mom’s legs into her arms. She was in shock at first. How incredible that he was already in her arms! And then she and her husband looked down upon the child that had hurried into their lives after such a wait. And they rejoiced and laughed over the sheer exhilaration of it all. 

Dustene lay back upon the bed and held Nezrah against her chest as it all sank in. He was crying out to show everyone he was breathing well. And we could see by his chunky body that he was a substantial weight. Turns out he weighed 9 lbs. and was 21 in. long! Jarrod cut the cord and the placenta came soon after. And it was shaped like a heart! Nezrah had a head full of hair and he was born alert, taking in the faces and sounds around him. He was latched to the breast that first hour and Dustene and Jarrod marveled over the stark difference between the birth of their son and the birth of their daughter.

I smiled to watch them piece it all together and was so glad to be able to say that I told them so. I hoped and prayed that Dustene would learn the ultimate lesson of birth that every single birth journey is different. And with that comes the opportunity to write a new story and create an association with birth as short and a pleasant surprise, rather than long and traumatic—a completely different sort of surprise. I was honored to see them through this second birth full circle, after journeying with them twice as their educator. Nothing compares to holding the space of a birthing woman. And I will forever be grateful you are a woman who invited me into that space!

Shelby and Ryan welcomed their second child, Jeffery Clay, on February 4, 2021. (Fun fact: He was the third birth I attended on that exact day. It was a record-breaking doula day for me!) After giving birth the first time, Shelby realized what she valued in her birth experience and what she would want to do differently. Shelby prepared her mindset by reading many books that reinforced her goal for an unmedicated childbirth, and she took the advice of her labor and delivery nurse friend, and set up an interview with a doula. (I was the lucky doula she met.) And we soon began our client/doula partnership.

Shelby sent me a text just before 8:00 pm on February 4. She knew I had been up the previous night at a birth and then attended another one right after, so she held off texting me until she was pretty certain she was in labor. The first text came through at 7:51 pm explaining some signs she had been seeing and feeling. She developed contractions low in her groin that incorporated her entire uterus. And she was trying to decipher if they were labor contractions or perhaps her uterine response to a membrane sweep that had occurred at her appointment earlier that day. Then two minutes later she texted to say that she was 99% sure her water JUST broke. She called and spoke with her midwife and with contractions already coming 5 minutes apart and getting stronger, they left for the hospital within the hour. We decided to meet there and go in on the “early” side (so we thought), to allow Shelby time and space to settle in and labor.

We arrived at virtually the same time and were able to walk in together, all three of us. Shelby was triaged and breathed and swayed with Ryan through intensifying contractions. She declined an exam since she was dilated 4 cm at her appointment the previous day and her water had broken. Shelby also sang through her contractions until she was no longer able to, which was around 10:30. Over the course of an hour in triage where she got an iv setup for antibiotics, spent some time on the monitor, answered all of the admission questions, and also breathed through contractions, and finally got an exam by her midwife, Shelby was dilated 7 cm! 

Her labor had definitely taken off like a shot and she felt her son’s head deep in her pelvis with each contraction. There wouldn’t be time to use the shower like we had discussed. Instead Shelby was staying in the moment coping with one strong contraction at a time. After laying in the bed for the monitoring, she took a trip to the bathroom, and then we moved the bed into the shape of a throne for a more upright labor position. Shelby leaned forward with each contraction and felt immense pressure down low. We put cold wet washcloths on her forehead and neck as her body heated up with the work of labor. 

Shelby moved to her hands and knees upon the throne bed and that’s where her baby really moved down. Ryan used a rebozo to lift Shelby’s belly, providing some relief from the intense pressure. And something about that position and where Shelby was in her labor made for a perfect combination to send her headlong through transition. She vocalized with her contractions and with no time to even fetch the squat bar she requested, Shelby crawled higher in the bed and labored sitting in a semi-squat on the bed through her contractions. She breathed in some peppermint essential oil to stave of the waves of nausea rode in on transition. And in no time it was clear that she was about to have a baby and her midwife needed to get dispatched quickly.

Shelby was involuntarily pushing and it didn’t take long. She cried out her power as she brought her baby down, and she even reached down to feel his head for herself. That only motivated her to push again and when she did his head was crowning. Shelby paused and blew out air as her baby crowned and it would be the reason she didn’t tear too. She pushed as her midwife encouraged her, and after his head was out the rest of his body came into the world. Jeffery Clay was born at 11:29 pm in the unmedicated birth his mom had been hoping for and prepared for. Her face was the picture of such joy! She cried and then she was elated, exclaiming, “I can’t believe I did it!” So much emotion was felt by both Shelby and Ryan as they took in the details of their son. They even noticed that he had a flattened nose like his big sister did, the result of a baby whose face is squished up against the uterine wall for a long time. Clay weighed 8 lb. 2.6 oz. and measured 20 ½ in. long. But they wouldn’t know those details until after the magic hour was over.

Clay was latched to his mom’s breast not long after birth, and Shelby coasted on the euphoria of the oxytocin as she tried to remember the timeline of her labor. It’s a difficult thing to do in the midst of that hormonal haze whose purpose is to dull the details and heighten awareness for bonding, so we helped. All told, Shelby was in active labor a total of maybe 4 hours. It’s really quite remarkable and encouraging how different each labor can be. And sometimes when it goes the way this one did, it has mom already thinking of her next birth! I was so proud of Shelby and honored to be there to stand beside her as she realized her strength. I knew she could do it!

Ashley and Wade welcomed their second beautiful baby girl, Jolene Renee on February 4, 2021. This birth was so different from the first, and believe it or not, was a bit more challenging for a few reasons. The biggest difference was the fact that the COVID-19 pandemic was in full swing. Initially, we weren’t even sure whether I would be providing doula services virtually or in-person. Thankfully, by the time Ashley was nearing full-term, doulas had been reinstated at her hospital as part of the birth team, not a visitor. This provided great relief to all of us. We had our prenatal visit, as is customary, and Ashley and Wade explained their rock-solid plan for big sister’s care during the birth. Grandma would be on an extended visit with them as the due date approached. Believe me, this alone helps to alleviate a huge potential stressor, and would allow Ashley to let go more easily for labor.

Still, she had weekly membrane sweeps at the end since that seemed to work for her first labor. But this baby was different and those sweeps didn’t get things going as soon as expected. In fact, Ashley remained pregnant a bit longer than her first pregnancy, making gradual movements toward labor in those final weeks. She was 1 cm dilated at 30 weeks, then 2 cm dilated on her due date. Ashley felt minor contractions that started at 2:00 am on her due date. They were erratic but persistent. By 5:20 that evening Ashley knew the contractions were regular but they were far apart at 20 minutes. So continued to ignore them and went along with her regular evening routine.

And just past 1:00 am everything had changed. Ashley’s contractions were not yet a minute long but they were very strong, requiring her full attention. They continued to intensify to just 2 minutes apart. And while they were still short, their intensity was enough to have Wade and Ashley head to the hospital. After her initial triage, she was confirmed 4 cm dilated. And while this was not as much as she had hoped, her first birth experience was a lesson in “ignore the numbers” since she zoomed from 4 cm to baby in a very short time.

 Some i.v. fluids came on board to help baby’s heart rate stabilize and it appeared to work. Wade did belly lifts to relieve Ashley of lower abdominal pressure as her baby worked to find her place in the pelvis. Something was a bit off in baby’s position since Ashley’s labor had been so protracted and erratic. So we encouraged Ashley into some positions that might help. Labor picked up quickly after arriving at the hospital, and Ashley was quickly drawn deeply into focus and listening to her body and intuition. And by 4:45 am she was dilated 5-6 cm, 70% effaced, and her baby’s head was still high at -2 station. 

And not thirty minutes later, Ashley’s body began to shake—a normal sign of the hard work and muscle fatigue that come with labor, but also a sign of transition. She thought her baby was coming soon and wanted an exam an hour after her previous one. She learned she was 6 cm and 90% effaced and it was not what she was hoping to hear. But Ashley forged ahead. And you know what she did? She lunged. She didn’t like it but she did it anyway! We thought it might encourage her sweet baby to rotate too.

But she had hit her wall and was ready for a change. Ashley asked her midwife to break her water. Yes, her midwife ended up coming on duty right as Ashley entered transition! She had her water broken at 7:00 am and her cervix opened rapidly from 8 cm to 9 cm. And with the very next contraction after that, Ashley was pushing! She pushed with such strength that she brought her baby down lightning fast. We watched as Jolene rotated one way and then the other, and got herself situated out of the OP position at the very last second! She came barreling into the midwife’s hands at 7:11 am on February 4, 2021! And she weighed 8 lb. and measured 20 in. long.

Ashley welcomed her second daughter like her first, in a birth free of pain medications. But so much of it was different! Her baby’s position likely delayed the onset of her labor and when it did, it made it take even longer. Then when the conditions were right, her body moved quickly to bring Jolene into the world, just as a veteran pelvis is known to do. Ashley hit a wall or two, and looking back she is still amazed she was able to do it, considering the added challenges she had this time. But we always knew she could. And in her wavering moments, Wade was her champion, speaking encouragement and strength to her without fail. And always having her back, literally and metaphorically. 

 Welcome to the world, Jolene Renee! May you always celebrate your birthday with a free Slurpee from 7-Eleven! And be sure your mom gets one too, why don’t ya. She certainly deserves it!!

Avery and Davey welcomed their first child, a son, on December 17, 2020. This labor was quite the story and just goes to show that anything goes, even for a first-timer. Avery’s cervix laid some groundwork ahead of time, dilating to 2 cm by her 37-week appointment. While this can be exciting to some, Avery appreciated that it would not predict anything except that she had 2 less centimeters to dilate. And so she remained at 2 cm for the next couple of weeks, but continued effacing to 75-80% by the last week. 

Then a few days later, on her due date, Avery reached out to tell me she was having consistent contractions. It was 2:29 am at the time of the text, which was a clue that it must be something! She first felt the pain around 4:00 that afternoon but figured it was just gas. She ate dinner, took a bath, and went to bed at 8:00. But she was awakened around 10:30 that night by more consistent waves of pain that were oscillating 5-6 minutes apart, albeit short at 30 seconds. She wasn’t feeling pain radiating from her back at all like she had assumed she would, and the pain was focused low in her uterus and not as strong as she expected. I reminded her to hydrate and rest, saying all of the doula things typical to a first-time mom in early labor. And she reached out about 45 minutes later to tell me the contractions were getting closer but staying short, and certainly not strong enough to require her to stop and focus. We left it at that and she would update as things developed.

Around 6:45 am, over three hours later, Avery could tell that the contractions were definitely stronger and longer, lasting 55-60 seconds, and coming every 6 minutes. Rest was still a prudent plan so she would try to continue that. Then just before 11:00 am, the contractions were no longer tolerable in bed. But when she stood up they jumped close to 2-3 minutes apart and short again. What was going on? The inconsistent nature of her contractions hinted to her baby’s position being a bit off. So we thought the Miles Circuit was in order. Avery began the regimen and Davey texted to ask about when they should leave for the hospital around 11:30. That was another good sign things were progressing—Davey was the one texting, AND that he was beginning to think of the logistics for the drive to the hospital. An hour later, with contractions at the 5-1-1 range (thanks to the Miles Circuit), that quickly jumped to the 3-1-1 interval, it was time to head in. We would meet at the hospital.

And somehow in the process of decoding contractions, resting, taking a shower, and doing the Miles Circuit, Avery arrived at the hospital dilated 9 cm!! Oh my word! Clearly, Avery had mastered the art of laboring at home. The room was swirling with activity as you probably know—they were getting the delivery table setup and turning on the baby warmer, and taking their places. But Avery did a great job laboring beside the bed as she felt led, knowing her body would soon tell her when it was time to push her baby out. She tuned into what she was feeling and did not let the flurry of activity distract her. Then her water broke as if in answer, and she was thrown headlong into pushing after that.

As you might have guessed, Avery pushed well and was not afraid of the hard work it required. And after just about an hour of pushing, her sweet baby boy, David Thomas (the third!) was born at 3:12 pm on his due date! Avery grabbed for him between her legs and brought him instinctively to her chest. He was embraced with such love and elation, we all couldn’t help but revel in it as we watched this new mother so self-assured and grateful for the gift of birthing.

Little Davey weighed 6 lb. 13 oz. and measured 21 ½ in. long. He was perfect and adorable and he latched eagerly and fed for 25 minutes at his first go. For a little guy, he was healthy and strong, and had a fair amount of hair, and lots of rich vernix coating his skin. He was at home in his mother’s arms. And why shouldn’t he be? It’s nature’s proven method of keeping babies warm and secure.

Instinct was the name of the game in this birth and it translated to something quite beautiful all around. While COVID restrictions have affected some aspects of modern hospital birthing, births like this are such an important reminder of what is true and real and permanent. Women are strong. Babies know how to be born. And birth is natural. Welcome to the world and welcome to parenthood!