Ashley and Luke are the proud parents of their first child, Benjamin Phillip, born on October 20, 2022. If pregnancy and birth are training grounds for parenthood, then Ashley and Luke are more than ready for any curve balls life may throw their way. When we first met, Ashley made it clear she had a strong desire for a birth free of interventions. She sought her care from a homebirth midwife because she felt so strongly about the birth she imagined for herself and her son.

Fast forward several months and Ashley was faced with the shocking realization that her little guy had settled into the breech position. She got to work doing all of the things—she and Luke took my Spinning Babies® Parent class and incorporated the daily activities and Three Balances into their regimen at home. But Benjamin was so solidly settled into the breech position he just would not budge. Ashley’s midwife knew what had to be done. Sadly, she made the recommendation that Ashley transfer her prenatal care to an ob-gyn group that could perform a safe delivery of her son. And unfortunately, in Hampton Roads that means a c-section.

Ashley only wanted the safest passage for her baby, but that wouldn’t come without a great cost to her. She mourned the change in the birth she had envisioned and began to pick up the pieces to construct the scheduled c-section birth that was laid out for her. She advocated for providers in the private sector but being that her husband was in the military, she was given only the option of the naval hospital. This only frustrated her further and required even more of the letting go that she had been doing. I was so proud of her for standing up for her beliefs and desires but also for being flexible in the midst of so many changes to her “plan”.

After some back and forth the c-section was scheduled for a day, but no specific time yet, leaving Ashley and Luke to know generally when to expect it. Ashley texted me the vague information around 2:30 pm on Thursday, October 20, knowing nothing but that the c-section would be the following day. So they continued to hold loosely to their expectations.

But two hours later at 4:35 pm their little guy flipped the script again! Ashley texted me to tell me that her water broke! While obviously a bit surprising, they realized right away the gift they had been given. Since her water had broken and her baby was breech, Ashley and Luke made the decision to go to the nearest hospital instead. It was their preferred hospital anyway, and since she was technically an obstetric emergency, it was highly likely they would admit her and take care of her.

They proceeded to the hospital around 5:00 pm, and while they waited in triage for a total of four hours, Ashley was admitted as a patient with the general expectation of a c-section sometime that night. And as if that wasn’t enough, within the hour of their time at the hospital, Ashley began to feel contractions that were uncomfortable. They grew quickly in intensity and had her using her comfort measures from the start. They were painful, making her vomit, and also had her ready to move forward with the c-section as soon as possible. An exam confirmed she was dilated 1.5 cm, so her labor had a lot more time to ramp up. She maintained her sense of humor through it all, realizing how crazy it all unfolded. And some Nubain helped her manage the contractions for a little while as she waited.

Finally, once the OR was ready for them and the surgical team was assembled, Ashley was wheeled back. Luke would join her once the spinal was in place. Once back there, they welcomed their son into the world at long last! Benjamin Phillip was born at 9:35 pm weighing 7 lb. 4.8 oz. and measuring 20.47 in. long. He was perfect, and the sight of him melted away all the potholes and crevices they had navigated on their journey to meet him. Ashley had a bad case of the shakes, so Luke held Benjamin in the OR and kept him close.

Once in their postpartum room, Benjamin had his first chance to latch, and while he tried several times, he preferred to nap on his mom. And could you blame him? He went through an ordeal just as much as his mother did. In the hours following, as Ashley processed the experience, she came to the realization that her son chose his birthday and she got some of the labor experience from her water breaking and some intense contractions to boot. And the icing on the cake was that she chose the hospital in which to give birth. Ashley was treated wonderfully and had an amazing experience. She felt cared for and heard as it should be. And she was less than 10 minutes from her home.

Ashley and Luke learned how to redirect and reevaluate, letting go of some things, and holding tight to others. They are thriving at home now as they continue to navigate parenthood and make choices that are the best for their baby. I am so proud of them. It’s tempting to emphasize the birth of a child when a woman gives birth, but there is also the birth of parents! And these two have hit the ground running in that department.

Brianna and Angel, first-time parents, welcomed their son, Kai Andrés, on June 24, 2022. Like many births, they encountered some unexcepted challenges that began at her 40-week prenatal appointment. Her son’s heart rate had concerning decels that had Brianna at the hospital for monitoring. It didn’t take long to realize her baby would fare better being born since they were not sure what was causing the decels. Thankfully, she was to her EDD so there was not too much time to have waited for labor.

Brianna and Angel settled in for the night, understanding that inductions can take a long time. Cervadil was the ripener of choice, and Brianna rested as well as she could in the hospital that night. Her water broke at 5:00 am, bringing irregular contractions that were soon intensifying. I joined them at the hospital soon after that since things seemed to have taken off like a shot.

Brianna threw up several times and was breathing through her contractions. Her nurse brought us all of the tools: the birthing chair, birth balls, and we had my cub birthing chair. Brianna felt a lot of pain in her back, so we made good use of my heating pad. It became her mainstay through her entire labor.

When the sun rose and the nurse shifts changed, Brianna was ready for what was ahead. By 7:45 her contractions were 5 minutes apart, requiring her complete focus, and even causing her to throw up again. Her nurse got the room ready, feeling like a baby was coming sooner rather than later. But a cervical check at 8:49 was a surprising 1-2 cm. Brianna’s cervix was 80% effaced which was a significant change, but the lack of dilation blew the wind out of her sails. Her contractions felt much harder than 1-2 cm! Brianna chose an epidural so she could rest and get a break. She wasn’t sure she wanted to endure many more hours of labor like that. She was comfortable shortly after 9:00.

We dimmed the lights to help with rest, placed a cotton ball with lavender essential oil near her face, and the warm heating pad to hug to her chest. She ran cold the entire time, and the heating pad not only relieved her back pain earlier on, but it also helped her to feel warm.

Brianna felt cramps on one side of her abdomen, so her epidural was not a complete relief for her pain. Then they discovered her baby preferred how she lay in the bed. His heart rate would have decels on one side so we would roll her to the other. It became a dance between progressing dilation with positions while making sure baby’s heart rate was stable. The heart rate would dip, and Brianna would get rolled one way and another and breathe oxygen through a mask. Eventually they struck a balance. But it was never 100% effective. Those decals would still come from time to time.

Her doctor came in to discuss the virtues of Pitocin to try to put Brianna’s mind at ease about it. She was concerned but she also needed her cervix to open, and stronger contractions would do the trick. They started it low, but her baby lodged his complaint with a decel so it was turned off.

Just before 2:00 pm Brianna was dilated 4 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -1 station. She was moving in the right direction, and we were encouraged. In two hours when her cervix was the same, Pitocin became the topic of discussion again. But Brianna was scared for her baby. She knew he was having decels and she knew Pitocin would bring stronger contractions and likely more decels.

She had a good talk with her doctor and explored her options and the risks and benefits of each. And after considering everything, Brianna decided she was most comfortable with a c-section to make sure her baby was ok. She had a strong desire to protect him from the possible consequences that Pitocin driven contractions might bring to his heart rate. It was not an easy decision, and it was not free of tears, but she felt better having made it.

With her doctor’s full support, they began to assemble the team and prep Brianna. She continued to feel pain on one side of her abdomen, and her baby’s heart rate continued to decel to such an extent that we had to roll and shift her into different positions to help bring it back up. And it only validated her decision to move forward with the c-section. Angel was solid support through labor. He loved Brianna through it, was her rock when things got difficult, and stood by her in her decision for a c-section.

It wasn’t an emergency so there was no rush. But once the team was ready, Brianna went back around 6:18 pm. Angel was summoned back and took his place beside Brianna to welcome their son into the world. Kai was born at 6:35 pm and we heard the lullaby play over the speakers a short time later. There was such relief knowing he was born safely! Kai weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and measured 20.6 in. long. There was no cord issue when the doctor went in, but it might have been his position or simply the contractions that he didn’t tolerate.

Brianna and Angel were relieved and in love and gushing over their little guy from the start. They adjusted nicely at home and this little family is savoring their time together. Brianna’s decision was not an easy one, and it is not one everyone would make. But I admire her for taking the more difficult road for her baby. Signing up for a c-section is signing up for a much more involved recovery, not to mention the possible risks with future pregnancies. But ensuring their baby was born safe and healthy was always the goal. And that’s exactly what happened!

Rikki and Nathan became parents when they welcomed their baby girl, Roxie Wren, on January 12. 2022. When I first met Rikki, she had many questions for me. She understood the value of good support for many reasons, but the education component was a huge one! We had our prenatal visit at which point I met Nathan for the first time. And about halfway through our time together, Rikki blurted out, “Aren’t you so happy we have her, Nathan?” It was sweet, but I hoped that in time, Rikki would realize that she would be the one to do the work of birth and she already had everything she needed within.

Soon after our meeting, Rikki’s body started gearing up with contractions that were surprisingly painful. The first round came overnight on January 9, and then settled down enough for a little bit of sleep, only to return the following night. Rikki and Nathan wondered if it was baby time, but things chilled out again. The third night her contractions were regular at 8 minutes apart. So, by the morning, with consistent but erratic contractions, she went to the hospital and was dilated 1-2 cm. They waited an hour and checked her again and were happy to report she was dilated 3-4 cm already. This was happening! Rikki assured me things weren’t too serious yet and not to hurry to the hospital. But she would tell me if things changed. Currently her contractions were ranging from 4-9 minutes apart.

But a few minutes later she texted that they were steadily every 5 minutes so we decided to play it safe I should head in. Rikki was handing her contractions well, staying loose from head to toe and breathing deeply. But she knew things would continue to escalate and she was open to getting an epidural. Being up most of the past three nights wasn’t helping anything either and the promise of sleep once she was comfortable was very tempting. Another contraction wave came and went, and Rikki was ready for relief. The CRNA came shortly after that and Rikki was comfortable by 2:00 pm.

The contractions spaced out after the epidural, a common occurrence, so Pitocin was incorporated to make them stronger and closer. In the meantime, her baby’s heart rate dipped so they checked to make sure she hadn’t surprised everyone by making rapid cervical change. She was “over 4 cm, but not quite 5 cm” and she also had a bulging bag. So, we focused our efforts on helping Rikki into various positions to continue labor’s progress while also enabling her to rest.

It took some time to get the Pitocin titrated to the level that would produce consistent contractions but eventually it did. Whether it was the positions, the Pitocin, or (most likely) both, at 10:15 pm Rikki was fully dilated! Her baby was still rather high at 0 station, so it wasn’t quite time to push. We used that time to use gravity-enhancing positions and to give Rikki some sugar (aka a popsicle). There was also the ever-present oxygen mask that had been incorporated during the initial decel. But she didn’t seem to mind it.

There were some late decels that Rikki’s nurse noticed, and she also developed some back pain, likely due to baby moving lower in her pelvis. Nathan rubbed Rikki’s back to help her relax and we rolled her to the other side to hopefully ease the pain. She grew warm so we turned a fan on nearby. Her nurse lowered the Pitocin to give baby a break too, since everything seemed to be a bit more intense for her too.

By 12:05 am, Rikki felt pressure down low. Her contractions were also getting more painful, despite the epidural, requiring her to breathe deeply through them. We helped Rikki roll to her hands and knees in the hope that position would move her to pushing with baby’s head low enough. Rikki swayed her hips as Nathan rubbed her back, and she maintained this position for 25 minutes. But at 12:40 her baby’s head was still at 0 station without molding, so there was still laboring down to do. 

Rikki continued to breathe courageously and calmly through her contractions as they grew, and at 1:30 am her nurse had her give a push to see if her baby would move down. She gave a good effort through several contractions on her side, but her baby was showing some signs that it was just a lot. Her doctor came in and explained her concerns about baby’s heart rate dips, the tachycardia that had developed, even after the Pitocin had been turned off. She recommended a vacuum assisted delivery, if Rikki was on board. After getting a clear understanding of what it entailed, Rikki agreed to move forward and at 2:00 am she gave her best push as her doctor assisted by vacuum. And her baby was born just two minutes later at 2:02 am on January 12, 2022! With all the 1’s and 2’s we thought Rikki and Nathan should play the lottery!

Baby Roxie was born sunny side up, as suspected. It helped give an explanation to Rikki’s erratic contractions for three nights as well as her back pain. It was all forgotten though, as her focus was 100% on her baby in her arms. Rikki spoke to Roxie about how excited she was to meet her. She also introduced her to her daddy who makes pizza, likes photography and is a skateboarder. And Rikki also made a point of letting Roxie know she really values her sleep if she didn’t mind helping preserve that. She was soon on a Facetime call with loved ones, expanding the circle of those who had been anxiously awaiting her arrival. She weighed a petite 5 lb. 12 oz. but was working on her first feed by 2:40 am.

This couple was so sweet in their excitement and expectation over becoming parents and finally meeting their baby girl. And to watch them journey together through a challenging labor was heartwarming and a good indication of their loving partnership. They were clearly more equipped for the twists and turns because they had each other to rely on.

Photo credit for the last two pictures in the gallery above goes to Roxie’s daddy who is also a gifted photographer. You can find him on Instagram: @nathaninstagrams

Loren and Colsen welcomed their sweet girl, Isla Marie, on January 9, 2022. This labor was a confusing and deceptive one for sure, sending Loren to the hospital numerous times before she was admitted in active labor. The first time, on December 6, Loren thought her water had broken. She sent me a text that there was some fluid on the bed and her mucus plug in the toilet. They went to triage at the hospital to get the fluid tested. It was a long and slow process. One nurse said she was 2 cm dilated, so that was encouraging. Eventually they got the results that one test confirmed negative for amniotic fluid and the other had a small amount, but not enough to warrant admitting Loren. They checked her cervix again and said she was not dilated at all. This whole process took 4 hours, but ultimately Loren and Colsen were able to return home. Going home is a good thing, especially if you prefer to avoid interventions, which Loren did. But it can be a hard pill to swallow (no pun intended). Loren continued to have contractions all that day and through the night. 

The next morning, January 7, just before 8:00 am, Loren texted to let me know she thought it might be time to return to the hospital. She hadn’t slept a lot, just from 10:00 to 3:00 waking up every so often from strong contractions. She was feeling nauseous, shaky, and getting vocal with her contractions. Since she had been up all night with contractions, she was feeling pretty exhausted too. This time, upon arrival to the hospital, she was dilated 4.5 cm. I met them there this time too, since it seemed to be the real deal and time! Being that she was exhausted though, they gave her the option of iv meds for some rest. Loren took them and after resting at the hospital, her contractions chilled out, so she was sent home again. And she managed to nap most of the day.

The next day, January 8, Loren and Colsen got better sleep, but Loren continued to have regular contractions. By 4:00 am once Colsen was awake, he logged a few contractions on the app and saw they were coming every 3-5 minutes. Other than having contractions, her demeanor was still that of early labor. She ate and worked through contractions, but a couple of strong ones that afternoon had them back to the hospital. It was around 2:00 pm. But while the contractions seemed closer and stronger, Loren’s cervix had not changed from the previous day. And an hour later, after still no change, they were sent home again. 

Back at home Loren was miserable. Benadryl didn’t help and she wondered if she was having really bad gas pains. Loren’s discomfort had grown so intensely they returned to the hospital a fourth time around 11:00 that night. And fourth’s time’s a charm because Loren was dilated 6-7 cm! At last! She was in active labor, and she would be admitted! This was exciting and I joined them at the hospital.

Loren had a wonderful nurse who was getting the wireless monitor ready. We made good use of the peanut ball to open her pelvis and allow for rest, in addition to sitting in the throne position on the bed. Loren got some bites of popsicle for a sugar boost, but she didn’t much feel like eating. By 1:25 pm she got in the shower for some labor, but the shower head wasn’t working properly so she quickly got back out. PSA: Check to make sure the shower works right when you get in a room!!

She returned to side-lying on the bed with the peanut between her legs, trying to rest between contractions. We even heard her breathing deepen in sleep briefly, but it didn’t last long since there was always another contraction. 

Loren’s doctor came in to visit and they decided breaking her water was a good strategy to keep things moving forward. Her contractions were spaced and had lessened in intensity. At 2:26 am her water was broken, and Loren’s cervix was 7 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -2 station. They would recheck in 2-3 hours unless things changed. Loren requested the nitrous oxide for some relief and tried using it during contractions with mild relief. She was in serious labor though with the unpleasant side-effect of vomiting. 

Loren returned to laying on her side just past 3:00 am, breathing in the nitrous during contractions. She then labored in the rocking chair for a bit breathing the nitrous, and then sat upon the cub chair for some contractions, again with nitrous. Every time she moved, there were cords to untangle in order to get the nitrous to her. But it gave a little bit of a relief and distraction for 30 minutes. We directed the fan to hit her best after each move. And Colsen placed a heating pack on Loren during contractions as she leaned forward. It was a team effort of support, while Loren did the work.

By 3:50 am, Loren verbalized her doubt in continuing. She couldn’t get comfortable, and she just couldn’t see the forest for the trees (or couldn’t see the birth for the contractions). We tied the rebozo in a knot and hung it over the top of the door so Loren could dangle squat through some contractions. It was 4:00 and I was hoping she’d have some great cervical change from that. At 4:17 she was 8 cm, with more cervix on the right side. So, she lay back upon the bed on her side in the hopes her baby might help dilate her cervix on that side. Then she stood back up and lunged with Colsen, placing her foot upon a stool, and leaning to the side through each contraction. Next, she moved to her hands and knees to labor over the cub chair. Loren did all of the things! And she was rewarded for it because at 4:55 an exam confirmed she was completely dilated! She did a “practice push” and moved her baby well, prompting the nurse to predict that she wouldn’t push long.

Loren began pushing officially at 5:15 am and she pushed in a variety of positions, as you might guess. She pushed with the squat bar, then she pushed on her left side. Next, she pushed semi-reclined. At 5:46 am we could see a baby’s head just inside! And Colsen took a seat to try to compose himself, saying, “I’m just trying not to cry.”  Less than 10 minutes later they called the doctor to the room. And Loren pushed while holding her legs above her belly and brought her baby very quickly to crowning at 6:22 am. She continued to push well and sweet Isla Marie was born at 6:29 am on January 9, 2022!

Colsen cried to see his baby girl, and Loren brought Isla close. She was born on a special day, sharing Loren’s grandmother’s birthday, Isla’s great grandmother. Colsen cut the cord when the time came, and Isla was latched by 7:15 and didn’t come off for 12 minutes. It was an excellent start for breastfeeding, coasting on the incredible surge of oxytocin that comes at the time of birth. She was beautiful and made into a diva with the souped up big-bowed hospital hat for baby girls. Isla weighed 7 lb. 14.6 oz. and measured 21.26 in. long. That’s about as perfect as it gets.

I am so incredibly proud of Loren and of Colsen too. Loren’s labor was very stop and start and there was some discussion of a possible malposition that impacted her labor’s beginnings. But she charged on through the sensations she felt, resting as well as she could and conserving energy for when labor became active. And once it did, she continued her dance through labor, keeping Colsen close, staying positive (as much as possible through transition), and ultimately trusting that her body could do what it was created to do. And it did! It was exhausting, messy, deliriously hazy, but also empowering, uplifting, and beautiful.

Photo credit: Lex Leigh Photography

Brittany and Mike welcomed their sweet lass, Selah Brielle, on December 26, 2021, ending my year of births beautifully. Brittany is not a woman who has an easy time of pregnancy. She had hyperemesis for both pregnancies and it didn’t let up. In her final week, even up to the day before labor, she was still getting sick. Still, Brittany maintained a positive attitude and was very motivated to have an unmedicated birth this time. She had a long an involved induction with the birth of her son that began with her water breaking at 36 weeks, and developed into a birth that included Cytotec, Pitocin, and an epidural. The outcome was excellent, and Brittany was so happy with the journey. But she was also curious about the possibility of labor starting on its own this time and what that experience might be like.

Brittany and Mike took my Spinning Babies® Parent Class to learn all they could about helping make pregnancy more comfortable and easing labor. The goal was for a shorter labor this time and a spontaneous one at that! In the last month, Brittany measured a few weeks larger which had her providers hinting to a possible induction if things continued in that direction. Brittany hoped to avoid an induction and chose to stay the course with confidence unless or until there was reason to do otherwise.

A few days before Brittany would go into labor, she felt a lot of cramps that wrapped around her abdomen. But they weren’t rhythmic and felt more like a digestive upset with other symptoms. She also had some hot and cold flashes but found that taking her prescription for hyperemesis helped. But two days later, Christmas Day, Brittany texted to tell me she was having trouble keeping anything down. She called her OB who recommended going to the hospital to get fluids at the very least and see what was going on. She was having contractions, but they didn’t seem regular. Fluids helped and her body settled down enough to warrant a return home if or until her pains developed into labor.

Brittany minimized her contractions and tried to play it cool and not get drawn in too quickly. Surely this would take some time. After all, her first labor was 26 hours long! Brittany ate cinnamon rolls and pulled pork from Christmas Day since she wasn’t able to keep down light foods in early labor. But her early labor didn’t last long. Brittany’s body quickly moved from erratic contractions to consistent and strong ones. In the first two hours they moved from 5 minutes apart consistently, then quickly moved to 4 minutes apart, to 3 minutes, and to 2 minutes in a short amount of time. She had two very difficult contractions in bed, then as she made her way downstairs to go to the hospital she had two more intense ones. Brittany even had a contraction on the porch before getting to the car. They left the house at 2:40 pm and Brittany endured a very difficult and uncomfortable car ride. Thankfully it was a short one, although she might argue that it didn’t feel very short at the time. Mike had the car parked in the hospital lot by 2:53 pm.

When Brittany arrived on the unit it was clear she was about to give birth. She had a lot of back pain and her contractions were coming back-to-back. She was led quickly to a labor and delivery room, bypassing triage altogether (thank goodness!), and an exam confirmed she was already completely dilated! I walked in around this time, arriving right behind them toting my birth ball and cub birthing chair. A nurse glanced up at me when I entered, saying, “You won’t be needing all of that.” And she was right! Brittany was already in position in the bed, stirrups, and all, surrounded by several hospital staff with her doctor suited up at the foot of the bed to catch. I quickly put all the “stuff” down and went right to Brittany’s side. She was on the threshold between full dilation and pushing, and the next contractions sent her headlong into second stage.

Brittany only pushed for two contractions and brought her baby girl into the world at 3:08 pm on December 26, just 15 minutes after they parked in the hospital lot! Brittany and Mike were so sweet in those first moments. They looked at each other in disbelief as Brittany held their sweet baby and were stunned as they smiled and giggled in disbelief. The placenta came by 3:12 and to punctuate the exhilaration of the experience, her doctor confirmed there were no tears! 

Brittany and Mike tried to wrap their heads around all that had transpired that day. So much had! In the end, Brittany had labored and birthed her baby in the unmedicated labor she was hoping for. And as soon as her baby was born her hyperemesis was cured! That was a big motivating factor right behind healthy mom and baby. Brittny and Mike had the opportunity to share one last Christmas with their son as an only child, and were blessed with the best Christmas gift the next day, Selah Brielle. She weighed 7 lb. 6 oz. and was 19 in. long. She had a crooked nose like her big brother, and she had so much vernix it covered her ear and made it stick to itself. It was also a nice coincidence that Selah was born on St. Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day), which happened to be the same day her Aunt Margaret passed away. Surely she was looking down on her and smiling. 

Every birth is a new experience. And every baby has their own journey to enter the world. But it’s nice when birth comes through us so quickly that it leaves us exhilarated and empowered. I was thrilled for this couple and their birth and the promise it fulfilled that every birth is different, and an opportunity for a totally new story. What an exciting story they have to tell Selah Brielle when she’s old enough to understand.

Cassandra and Joe welcomed twin baby boys, Parker Matthew and Grayson Robert, on December 9, 2021! And Cassie did it in the unmedicated birth she had hoped for. But it didn’t come easy and wasn’t a sure thing. They already had two boys at home, so they were experts at taking care of babies and young children but throwing two in the mix on top of the two, would be an adventure. They are no strangers to changes, with Joe a submariner in the navy and moving the family when new assignments arise. But this assignment was like nothing they had experienced.

Cassie knew that to have a vaginal twin birth, her babies would need to settle into the head down position, well at least Baby A needed to. But at 24 weeks Baby A was in the breech position and Baby B was transverse. Cassie got busy with chiropractor appointments and did many positional things to encourage Baby A to rotate to head down. Thankfully, at her 28-week appointment, both babies were indeed head down! Now they just needed to stay that way.

Cassie’s providers recommended induction by 38 weeks if labor had not started on its own. She had hoped to go into labor on her own, but at the very least advocated for the latest induction date which landed her nearly to 39 weeks. She reported to the hospital prepared for the waiting game that is standard for inductions. Cassie called the unit on the scheduled day for ripening, December 8, but they didn’t have a room ready. So she waited an hour, and then got the call to go in an hour after that. 

Since her cervix was dilated 2 cm, her doctor decided to move right to induction with Pitocin rather than ripening. Cassie tried to get comfortable being strapped to so many things, but it was hard to get her head wrapped around everything wrapped around her belly. She knew the plan would be to rest as much as possible before labor began, but she had difficulty with that seeing as she was connected to so much. She struggled to rest that night, with little happening, including sleep.

By 7:00 the next morning, December 9, Cassie texted she was having contractions every 3-5 minutes, but she was resting through them, and was able to get some sleep that night. The doctor came in about 30 minutes later and broke the water for Baby A in the hopes it would be just the thing to get labor going. Joe reported that Cassie got a break and was able to take a shower. She was breathing and talking through the contractions and also working on a puzzle, so things hadn’t really ramped up yet. On occasion she would have a stronger one, but by and large they were mild.

Early that afternoon, just past 1:00, Cassie was still waiting for action, doing her puzzle, pacing around the room, sitting on a birth ball. They had started the Pitocin again and her contractions were getting stronger, but not so much that she couldn’t focus. A couple of hours later, an exam revealed that Baby A’s amniotic sac was not completed ruptured, so the doctor broke it completely. Cassie was dilated 4 cm and 80% effaced so the hope was that she would soon move to active labor.

Since her doctor had strongly recommended that she get an epidural just in case there was a need for a c-section, Cassie chose to have it placed without medicine flowing in it. This was a first for the staff, but they were able to accommodate her wishes, reassuring her providers there was epidural access, while giving her the freedom she desired for labor. The epidural was placed without any medication in it by 4:45 pm. And by 6:00 her contractions were strong enough that she had to focus and was struggling to talk through them. It was time! And with contractions 2-3 minutes apart, it was active labor. Remember that time: 6:00 pm was when Cassie’s active labor began.

At 6:26 pm, Cassie was battling nausea and laboring leaning against the bed. She felt pain in her lower back and counter pressure really helped. Her nurse was trying to keep both babies on the monitor as Cassie moved where her labor sent her. She stood and swayed, she leaned onto the bed, and ultimately ended up on her hands and knees on the bed. And at 6:30 she was dilated 6-7 cm. 

It wouldn’t be long now. Her nurse called for the OR team just in case they needed to move to a c-section, but Cassie would push her babies out in the OR as per hospital policy. She leaned over the cub chair on the bed and then she lunged her foot to the side at my recommendation. It hurt a lot and was difficult to do, but she did it. Cassie hit a wall and wondered if she had it in her. I reminded her she had hit the same wall previously with her other two boys and she climbed right over it. She knew it was true.

At 6:45, after seeing Cassie move and sound like it was time to push, her nurse felt just a lip of cervix. That’s when things got a bit crazy. A team came in the room to roll her bed into the OR for pushing. Joe was dressed in the paper bunny suit, and I waited behind in the empty labor and delivery room for their return. I could hear Cassie pushing from across the hall since the OR was very nearby. And after some time, I heard a baby cry! Parker Matthew was born at 7:12 pm on December 9, 2021!

I waited to hear clues of more pushing, but instead I heard voices in the hall. It was Cassie! They wheeled her back into the labor and delivery room to push out Baby B! There was a midwife in the OR who advocated to get her back to her room with her doula and for that we will always be so very grateful. Baby Parker was wheeled in as well, and lay content in the bassinet a few feet away from his mom who was gearing up to push out another baby.

Her cervix had reduced to 7 cm so there was a second round of laboring to do. Can you even imagine? Cassie gathered her strength from deep inside and she labored through those three centimeters again. She moaned and growled like a warrior until she felt the familiar sensation of needing to push. It was a high mountain to climb but she knew she had no other option but to do it. Her doctor encouraged her, her nurse encouraged, Joe encouraged her, I encouraged her. We all knew she could do it. And just in time, her on-call doctor, who was previously unavailable, was able to step in and relieve the doctor who was present for the birth of Baby A.

And Cassie pushed with such strength and stamina! She wasn’t excited to do it and she voiced her discontent to her doctor but quickly apologized. Of course her doctor did not mind and responded with even more encouragement for Cassie. And she quickly brought her baby’s head in sight and after a little more pushing, Baby B, otherwise known as Grayson Robert, was born at 8:38 pm! Grayson weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. and Parker weighed 5 lb. 6.8 oz. That’s a lot of baby!

Photo Credit: Heidi Calma Photography

Cassie sobbed as she held Grayson. Her body was spent, and she had literally given it all she had. Joe expressed his love and admiration for her. We were all so proud of her. Her doctor helped with the rest of the delivery and clean up. Cassie snuggled with Grayson while Parker slept, and she soon brought him to the breast.

Photo Credit: Heidi Calma Photography

As time passed the nurse came in to do some newborn checkups, which gave Cassie the chance to have Parker in her arms for a bit. As she recounted the details and we praised her for all her hard work, she realized even though her boys were twins, they had different births. They ended up born in two separate rooms with two different doctors, for starters! And the finer details of the births had their own uniqueness too. Her labor went fast and furious once it got going, taking her from active labor to Baby A in just 1 hour 15 minutes, and Baby B born about 1 hour 30 minutes after that. That’s active labor and pushing out two babies in just under 3 hours!

Cassie was a trailblazer that day. She followed through with her hope of vaginal births for both boys, and she did so without any pain medication. Her doctors don’t see unmedicated births of singletons very often, but they rarely see twins born in that way. Birth teaches us a lot as mothers and as birth workers. I hope this birth taught Cassie that she is strong and capable, and her body is wonderfully and amazingly equipped to grow her babies and to birth them. Recently, we had our postpartum visit and Cassie shared with me that she feels proud of what her body was able to do. I’m so glad for that! We were proud of her, but it’s even more important that SHE is proud. I was honored to be there in service as she worked so hard. Mothers are powerful creatures!

Caitlin and Jordan welcomed their first child, a boy, on April 4! Oliver Eric came barreling into the world in a very surprising fashion! Caitlin went to her routine prenatal appointment just a couple of days past her due date. She had an ultrasound that revealed low fetal movement, and an NST that was not excellent. So they agreed with her provider that induction was the safest option for baby’s well-being. Caitlin went straight to L&D to begin the induction process, but not until her sweet nurse handed her a sandwich and snacks, because, you know, inductions are usually LONG. And Caitlin was dilated 1 cm with her first baby. This was going to be a long and involved process. Right?

Wrong!

This is where Oliver decided to throw everyone for a loop. It’s a perfect example of where making assumptions gets us…nothing. They began the induction with pitocin around 7:00 pm. Caitlin knew to rest and not get drawn into her contractions too soon. But her uterus responded very well with the pitocin and before long she was thrown into full-blown active labor. She was feeling overwhelmed and panicked as her body moved at warp speed. After just 2 hours of pitocin, at 9:00 pm she was dilated to 4 cm. Caitlin was in great discomfort and her baby was having decelerations that were concerning. She preferred not to have her water broken to speed things up, so after laboring for awhile, she opted for an epidural to help with the pain and aid in relaxation. Caitlin’s contractions were extremely intense, making it hard for her to relax and breathe deeply. Plus her blood pressure was very high and the epidural would help with that too. And after all, it could still be hours, right? But that’s where everyone was wrong! Shortly after the epidural was placed, Caitlin was dilated 9.5 cm! (No wonder she was in great discomfort!) There wasn’t even time for a nap. Oliver was born at 12:41 am on April 4 after just 3 pushing contractions! And lo and behold, he had a true knot in his cord, which might have accounted for the decels during labor. He is a lucky boy indeed.

Oliver’s parents were overwhelmed and in love all at the same time. From start to finish, Caitlin had her son in her arms less than 6 hours after they hung the pitocin. That’s an unbelievable timeline and just goes to show that you just never know. I am so proud of this couple for rolling with the punches and making the decisions that felt the best for them and for their baby. A few months have passed since, but they continue to learn and grow together as they parents their sweet Oliver. Congratulations on becoming parents and thank you for allowing me to accompany you on your journey and to share that amazing journey here.