I first met Sara and Phil in my Spinning Babies Parent class. Their first child was born by c-section because she was in the footling breech position, and they were very motivated to assemble tools to encourage their second baby to orient herself head down! After learning so much, they decided a doula would be a worthy investment as well. And I was blessed when they approached me, and I was able to take them as clients! That’s a little backstory which I think helps add depth to the way labor happened.

Sara’s providers were supportive of her desire for a VBAC as long as her cervix was showing signs of readiness and as long as she didn’t go too late in her pregnancy. A repeat c-section was scheduled for April 10, three days past her due date, in the event her cervix was not favorable for induction. Thankfully, everything lined up and Sara’s cervix made gradual changes in the weeks leading up, dilating to 2 cm at 38 weeks, and then to 3 cm the next week. Sara’s doctor removed the c-section from the schedule and changed it to an induction. This was a victory! Although Sara hoped not to need the induction at all.

Then a week before her induction date, Sara felt the first regular contractions that were different than the random scattered contractions of the previous weeks. She reached out by text to alert me to the fact that she was having some “cramping feelings a few times an hour.” They started overnight but were persisting into the morning, although mild and unpredictable. The plan was to minimize and ignore, while also hydrating, eating, resting and generally taking care of herself. If there were movements toward active labor I wanted her to let me know.

Sara went about her day as planned: she attended a routine chiropractor appointment, ate a light lunch, and sent me a text just past 1:00 pm that gave the news of more regular contractions. Sara clocked them at every 6-8 minutes and lasting 30-40 seconds. They were still mild, although constant at that interval for an hour, so she was back to the self-care and ignoring, minimizing, resting routine until they were 5 minutes apart and lasting longer than a minute.

Then suddenly, Sara’s labor took an active turn. An hour later, Phil (not Sara!) texted to tell me the contractions were every 2-3 minutes and lasting about 40 seconds. I reminded them to do the Spinning Babies Three Balances to make sure baby’s position was good, and to encourage the contractions to get even longer and stronger. 

By 3:30pm, after doing some Spinning Babies things, Sara’s contractions were lasting a minute and happening every 3 minutes! Sara was ready to go to the hospital. After planning to wait for an update after they arrived, I thought it best to meet them there. And I’m so glad I did!

I got to Sara’s room a few minutes after she did. And when I arrived, I was told she was 9 cm! Sara was laying on her back in the bed, looking awkward and uncomfortable as her nurse admitted her and checked on baby’s fetal heart rate. The monitor was part of Sara’s labor since she was hoping for a VBAC, but she wouldn’t need it long.

Sara had hoped to have a vaginal birth without pain medications but wasn’t sure if it would happen. It can also be suggested by providers to get an epidural just in case the birth ends up going to the OR for a repeat c-section as a way to make sure the mom is more prepped for that. Sara arrived at the hospital at the PERFECT time to avoid pain medications and to labor most of the time in the comfort of her own home with a beautiful ocean view.

She was clearly uncomfortable in that position and having a hard time staying calm with her intense contractions. I recommended she roll over to her hands and knees and reminded her to focus on deep breaths to center her. And once she turned over, her sister got busy doing the Spinning Babies jiggle to her pelvis which happened to be the most effective tool at home the last hour or two!

Sara’s midwife was in the room, perched at the foot of the bed. The room began to fill with people since birth was clearly imminent. At 4:40 pm Sara’s water broke with a splash off the side of the bed onto the floor, nearly missing my shoes! And with the next contraction she lurched in the unmistakable way that indicated it was time to push. And Sara pushed so well. She lay on her side to push and it was only a few contractions before we could see her baby’s head crowning. And at 4:57 pm, Maia June was born to the wonderment of everyone but especially her mom, dad and aunt. “It just went so fast!” was Phil’s mantra over and over as he stared at his newborn baby with a smile plastered across his face.

Sara’s sister was in town to help care for her first child, and just happened to be in the room for the birth. She continued her labor support that had begun at home, and watched in awe as her sister gave birth. She cried and gushed to Sara about how strong and amazing she was and then she was gone at 5:00 to go pick up big sister! Maia couldn’t have timed her entrance more perfectly.

Sara soaked in the immediate skin to skin time with baby Maia and she was given the additional good news that she didn’t tear. Sara listened carefully when I reminded her to blow and not push hard at the end and she will reap the benefits of that control and patience with an easier recovery.

Maia June weighed 6 lb. 14 oz. and was 19.5 in. long at birth. Sara and Phil explained to me that Maia was given the middle name June because it was derived from Juno the Roman goddess and protector of childbirth and family. Looking back on how Maia’s birth unfolded, it seemed the perfect way to honor just how amazing everything was.

I am so proud of Sara. You might think it’s because she showed up 9 cm and had an unmedicated VBAC as she had hoped. And yes, I am proud of her for that. But I am even more proud of her for trusting her body but also for being open and flexible should her birth shift to an induction or even a repeat c-section. I am proud of how she felt her way through labor, ignoring the early parts and coping mightily at home when things took a short and intense turn to active. I am proud of her for staying focused after arriving to the hospital. As all the people swirled around her readying the room, she was trained on what my voice and her body were telling her. Sara emerged from this birth empowered and strong and that’s what I hope all of my clients get from their birth experiences.

Alisa and Mark came to me first as students in my 7-week Birth Essentials class, and then over time became my clients. Their pregnancy journey is an odyssey in and of itself. After many years of trying and of loss, they were expecting a baby! A fun fact about their baby is that s/he is a donor embryo and is half Indian and half Peruvian. The gender was a surprise but so would the appearance! Another fun fact, Alisa and Mark are full of so many, the embryo transfer happened in the middle of pyrotechnics training, so the pregnancy started with a bang, literally and figuratively!

Last baby belly picture!

Alisa and Mark were overjoyed and a little cautiously optimistic based on their history. But it was soon clear that the pregnancy and their baby was growing well and very healthy. Alisa embraced the pregnancy discomforts as blessings and by her account really didn’t have many complaints to speak of. She was thrilled to carry her baby to term, even when some risk factors loomed larger in conversation the closer her due date came.

Throne position was Alisa’s preferred position

There were a few risk factors, but the most compelling was Alisa’s blood pressure and how it had been creeping up. She had some good readings in the last weeks, but she also had some not-so-good ones. Considering all risk factors, and their journey to get to the end of a healthy pregnancy, they felt the best decision was to agree to induction. Alisa’s due date was February 3, and Alisa was admitted for induction on January 27.

Mark putting the flying pig socks on Alisa since “baby will be born when pigs fly”

Spirits were high and Alisa was very patient, as was Mark. The process can be grueling and so very gradual, especially for a first birth and with hardly any dilation. Cervical ripeners were carefully and wisely used to help coax Alisa’s cervix to a more ready place. Medication was given for her blood pressure, and they started with two rounds of Cytotec the first night. Then extended three more doses into the first full day. Alisa even got a break to eat real food which was nice. 

By 2:00 am the second night, Alisa was feeling the contractions more and unable to sleep. She didn’t sleep all that great the first night either, truth be told. So, she was starting her labor journey exhausted. Her discomfort was getting her somewhere though, because by 6:00 am she was dilated 3 cm. This was a great change from her previous check of 1.5 cm. Knowing she had a long road ahead of her, Alisa chose an epidural for the promise of rest. Her back was also giving her a lot of pain, probably as much from the bed as from the contractions. Soon after the epidural she was dilated 4 cm. It was encouraging to see the dilation increase so soon.

While the blood pressure medication kept Alisa’s blood pressure within normal parameters, after the epidural she experienced a low drop that had her feeling awful. Once they got her balanced out and could resume Pitocin, her contractions were steady at 4 minutes apart. Alisa did a great job of keeping herself calm when things went awry and stayed the course to meeting her baby. She was no stranger to slow and steady with the eye on the prize, as had been her journey to motherhood so far.

We shifted Alisa into a myriad of positions to encourage her to dilate further as well as to bring her baby deeper into her pelvis. The Pitocin was gradually raised, with a close eye on her blood pressure and her baby’s heart rate. It had dipped on occasion and had her providers wondering if her baby would have the stamina for the many hours of labor remaining. After spending the day shiting her position into side-lying, hands and knees, flying cowgirl, and more, Alisa was dilated 5 cm. It was an incremental change, but it was a change. We put her bed into a throne position in the hopes it would bring her baby down upon her cervix and open things further. Alisa really liked that position too since she had spent so much time laying down. How invigorating it was to be upright after so long!

Mark’s careful attention to Alisa shone over the course of the labor. He was always there with empathy and love, and Alisa’s willing task master. For example, at Alisa’s request, and after much digging in bags, he placed Alisa’s flying pig socks on her feet, “since baby will be born when pigs fly.” Their sense of humor was refreshing and a big part of what kept them sane and patient throughout the process.

But by 6:00 pm, their baby’s heart rate had dipped again, several times, bringing their doctor in to assess. Alisa was dilated the same, 5 cm, and he strongly recommended a c-section. They were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Alisa needed more powerful contractions to dilate her cervix, but her baby was not responding well to the increased Pitocin. And keeping things as they were would not produce labor. Alisa and Mark advocated for more time. They wanted to be sure they were doing the right thing. And their doctor stepped away so they could process the situation.

But after seven contractions on her left side, Alisa and Mark’s baby’s heart rate dipped through every single one. Alisa’s doctor returned and said with sincerity that he strongly recommended a c-section. He was growing worried for their baby. At this point, Alisa and Mark were prepared to move forward, but Alisa just needed some quiet to process it. The Pitocin was turned off and after a short while, they mobilized to the OR.

Alisa and Mark welcomed their precious baby, a girl!, Fyfe Greta, at 8:55 pm on January 29. The doctor had music playing during the birth and Fyfe was born to Faith Hill singing “Wild One”. She came into the world with her own theme song! Fyfe weighed 7 lb. 14 oz. and had so much dark hair, just as we suspected, considering her genes. She had the cutest fuzz on her shoulders and back, and her eyelashes were incredibly long, gracing the tops of her cheeks when she closed her eyes.

After an induction process that spanned more than 70 hours, I wish I could say that the worst was over at that point. But I can’t. Alisa continued to have struggles with the immediate postpartum recovery. She hardly slept the first night and had waves of nausea that interfered with eating. Her blood pressure was not quite where it needed to be postpartum either, and required additional medical attention when it was all said and done.

However, at our postpartum visit, I was greeted by Alisa and Mark knee-deep in newborn care. They were grateful to be home, and working their way through the struggles of milk supply and making sure their baby was growing well. I could already see that Fyfe was chunking up so they were well on their way. The journey to meet their baby did not resemble the one they had expected, but the end result was always what they had dreamed of. Alisa and Mark have their healthy baby and a bright future full of promise as they watch her grow and become who she is meant to be in this world. With their loving guidance, I have no doubt she’ll have every opportunity to do just that!

Mark and Alisa are avid Lego hobbyists so of course they created a Lego family complete with Fyfe!

Haley and her husband, Spencer, were overjoyed to be expecting a baby in the winter. But they were disappointed to know that Spencer would be deployed during much of the pregnancy and the birth. Haley and I go to the same gym and were brought together by one of the coaches there. I am so thankful for her doula matchmaking help because Haley was such a joy to serve.

In the last month or so of the pregnancy, after everything had been proceeding normally, Haley got the shocking news that her baby was in the breech position. This can be very disheartening since in our birth community it means the baby would be born by c-section. I mentioned some things Haley might try to encourage her baby to turn, however, she had already accepted the situation and trusted that her baby knew best what position to be in. Plus, she trusted the recommendation of her doctors and appreciated the benefits of securing support for the day of the birth. Thankfully, Haley’s parents do not live far from her home so she rested in the confidence that they would be available to help in the early weeks and months, as she waited for Spencer’s return.

Haley and her mom arrived at the hospital bright and early, and I joined them a short time later. Haley’s time waiting in triage wasn’t smooth sailing. It took three different tries to get the iv established and the more she thought about the c-section approaching, the more anxious she felt inside. Her nurse was perfectly paired for her since her husband is on the same ship as Haley’s husband. She reassured her and represented a connection to Spencer, in a way.

An ultrasound that morning by Haley’s doctor confirmed that her baby boy was decidedly breech and had not budged. The anesthesiologist came in as did the CRNA, to introduce themselves and explain the spinal process and to answer any questions. The surgical assistant came in as well. But right around the time everyone had stopped by, the thought of the c-section became very real, and Haley had to process some nervous emotions. She steadied her breathing and tried to focus on the fact that she would be meeting her baby very soon, and she was able to calm herself to the point of being ready.

Haley walked back to the OR, flanked by members of her medical team, as her mom sat ready for when they called her in a short time later. Haley recounted her baby’s birth as a very emotional moment. There were tears from both Haley and her mom as they heard Hayden’ Brooks’ first cry! Haley was more happy than sad, but she wished her husband, Spencer, could have been there to experience that moment too. There was also a funny moment when her doctor was pulling him out, “There’s a butt, and there’s poop!” Hayden’s plumbing was working right from the start, and he was very much breech!

Haley recognized some family resemblances in Hayden’s grumpy face, and he had a decent amount of hair too, And he looked very much like his daddy. He was absolutely perfect and weighed in at 8 lb. 4 oz. and was 20.5 in. long.

Hayden was latched for the first time when he was ready, and he is still nursing well, over a month later. Now the countdown has turned from baby’s arrival to counting down to when daddy comes home! Haley and Hayden are very excited for that day! In the meantime, I am so proud of Haley for trusting her gut and her doctor and listening to her body in the early postpartum weeks to insure she heals well and being a downright awesome new mom while her husband is away! She is amazing!

Another sweet soul has arrived! Presenting Rowen Laine, born to her proud parents, Arielle and Randy. Arielle had already given birth vaginally and then by c-section, so she was no stranger to birth and how unpredictable it can be. She hoped to avoid another c-section though, so she added a doula to her birth team, knowing the support would be important. Arielle, did a wonderful job advocating for as much time to wait before a potential repeat c-section. There was only so much time her providers were comfortable waiting, and she wanted to go into labor on her own.

It didn’t end up being an issue, thankfully, because Arielle’s first labor contractions happened just a day or two before her 38-week appointment. She had been extra busy that day, so she wondered if it might just be her uterus talking after being on her feet so much and probably not hydrating as she should. Arielle got into the bathtub and stepped up her hydration, but her contractions soon moved to the 5 minutes apart interval and grew much more painful. Mystery solved. This was labor.

She moved to the shower for additional pain management and soon felt it was time to head to the hospital. Her labor seemed to be ramping up quickly and her other two daughters would be waking up soon. Once Randy’s mom arrived to watch the girls, Arielle and Randy left for the hospital. They made their way to Sentara Leigh and arrived at 6:45 am, right as the morning rush hour was taking hold. The contractions were already coming every 3-5 minutes and the car ride was very unpleasant. Good thing they left when they did.

 Arielle was reassured to learn she was dilated 6-7 cm! This was great news and it was also the perfect time to get an epidural. She was struggling with relaxing into the pain and felt the rest would do her good since she would still need to push her baby out.

Two hours later, the midwife came to do a check and Arielle was still dilated to 7 cm, although stretchable to 8. Her cervix was thin and easily opened so we were hopeful she would be pushing soon. In the meantime, we made sure she was in a variety of positions to encourage her baby’s head upon the fading cervix.

Another two hours passed, and Arielle’s cervix was still at 8 cm. Her midwife recommended Pitocin and Arielle was comfortable with that. Perhaps the extra oomph would help those last two centimeters disappear. Arielle continued moving all over the place, including laboring on her hands and knees. Her baby got the advantage of many positions in the hopes the combination would be just the thing to move Arielle to pushing.

After two more hours and no further cervical dilation, an IUPC was placed to make sure the contractions were strong enough to make change. We also did a side-lying release the really helped to relax Arielle. By just past 3:30 that afternoon, a cervical exam revealed that Arielle’s cervix remained at 8 cm, although her baby had descended from -1 for so many hours to 0 station. There was some cervical swelling in the front, so we tried Trandelenberg to get baby’s head off the cervix to reposition. We had tried every position we could think of by then and were hoping for some progress.

However, it was not to be. Arielle’s doctor came in and when she did an exam she could feel the same cervical swelling. She also mentioned that she noticed the baby’s heart rate was trending upward and was tachycardic, and there were several noted decelerations that may indicate her baby was losing steam. The kind doctor looked Arielle in the eyes and expressed her recommendation that a repeat c-section be the mode of birth for her baby. And Arielle did not hesitate to get on board with that. 

Once the decision was made, the Pitocin was turned off, shifting from strengthening contractions to helping Arielle be more comfortable and her baby less stressed. They added a bolus to her epidural and soon were ready to move to the OR for the birth. Arielle and Randy were eager to meet their little lady who was giving them such a run for their money.

Rowen Laine was born at 5:54 pm on November 1, 2021. She weighed 7 lb. 7 oz. and measured 20 in. long. She was in her mom’s arms soon after delivery and managed to nurse 30 minutes on each side in her first hour or two. It was an excellent start, and to see the look of serenity on Arielle’s face at the end of her birth journey, was confirmation that she had made it through! Randy and Arielle were infinitely flexible, with a sense of humor that carried them over the surprisingly long hours of the labor. I will always be so honored to have been invited into their birthing space. 

Alexa and Frank met their little lady, Nova Wren, on October 21, 2021. They were students in my 7-week childbirth class and learned a lot about labor and birth, and about the ways birth might deviate from the straight and narrow path. It was no surprise that their little lady was, well little. Nova was suspected small for gestational age. So as Alexa rounded out the final month of pregnancy, and after NSTs and ultrasounds kept a closer eye on baby and her growth was still below the curve, an induction was scheduled in her 40th week. Alexa was glad to delay the induction as long as possible since her initial hope was to have a birth without interventions. But she also wanted her baby to be born safe and healthy and was willing to compromise the ideals she had for her birth. 

Alexa had one last appointment the day before the induction. She was dilated 2 cm and her doctor did a membrane sweep hoping it would either start things or help to further ripen her cervix so they might break her water to induce. Alexa and Frank had a realistic expectation of the long duration of a typical induction, especially with a first baby, so when a room was ready, they went to the hospital and settled in for a long stay.

Her doctor came in and broke her water at 9:15 am. They started Pitocin within the hour. Alex felt her first contraction at 10:25 am and figured things might take a bit. But they surprisingly didn’t. Two hours later at 12:30 pm, Alexa was dilated to 5 cm and 100% effaced. Alexa got teary as it settled in that she was actually having a baby. Apparently, there wouldn’t be the long, gradual wait everyone had prepared her for.

She requested an epidural knowing things would continue to escalate. She felt pain in her lower abdomen even after it was placed so we tried to position her in ways to minimize it. It didn’t take long before she felt pressure in her bottom with contractions and we told her that would normal and to be expected. It was a good sign of continued progress too. We encouraged Frank to go grab something to eat since he wouldn’t have an opportunity later.

Alexa labored on her side with the peanut ball between her legs and in thirty minutes she was feeling so much pressure they did another exam. And we were all thrilled to learn that Alexa was fully dilated, and her baby was at +2 station! Frank had recently left so we texted and called Frank to tell him to come back up because it was baby time. He arrived a few minutes later a bit winded. Frank told us he threw $20 at the cashier and told her to keep it as he breezed on by, chicken tenders in hand.

The delivery table was getting set up at 1:35 pm and in ten minutes Alexa was pushing! Five minutes later they broke down the bed, and then at 2:00 they called in nursery for delivery. And Nova Wren was born at 2:02 pm! (And her placenta was born 6 minutes later, completing the birth in very efficient fashion!)

Frank and Alexa cried at the sight of their baby girl and were simply in awe of how everything transpired. The doctor was likewise shocked and leaned in to congratulate Alexa and comment on how perfect her baby was. And she didn’t look nearly as small as everyone expected. She wasn’t huge, but weighed in at a respectable 5 lb. 14 oz. And she was 19 in. long.

As you might guess, Nova was latched with little trouble by 3:00 pm. Despite her rapid entrance, she seemed to adjust to being born just fine, scoring Apgars of 8/9. She was healthy and strong, just a little petite. It was beautiful how this induction unfolded. Alexa rode the waves of her contractions and the tides of her birth with courage and confidence. She trusted her body and she also trusted her birth team. And she was in the middle of every decision made. She was empowered by the experience. What a great start to parenthood, don’t you think?

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!