Camron and Bryce welcomed their second child, Eleanor Blake, on November 18, a baby sister for big brother, Theo. The birth of Ellie also happened to be the 1,000th birth for me so this was an extra special birth journey for that reason and because they were repeat clients!

Camron’s first birth began when her water broke at her prenatal appointment and proceeded to take about 29 hours, requiring some interventions for labor’s progress as well as antibiotics since her water was broken for so long. This time around, she developed preeclampsia, so an induction was the topic of conversation over a month out. Camron was no stranger to an induction since that was the path her first birth had taken. And she trusted her doctors’ recommendations for the safest outcome for her and her baby. In fact, she had some concerning symptoms that had her going to get monitored at the hospital. Thankfully she made it to her scheduled induction at 37 weeks.

Camron went into the hospital for cervical ripening after having to wait a few extra hours due to no available beds. She received Cytotec orally as well as in the suppository form. The following morning, they inserted a Cook Balloon and began low dose pitocin. Camron tried to rest through that first night and stay chill during the day until contractions picked up. The biggest challenge during an induction is not letting the same four walls drive you crazy! Bryce was a wonderful partner, keeping things light and loving her through every step.

I arrived around 2:30 pm as things were starting to pick up. Camron was still chatty and pleasant, doing some catching up between contractions. I tied the rebozo to the squat bar on the bed to give her an alternative position that was upright. The contractions were growing more consistent but still just every 4:30 minutes apart and on the shorter side.

By 4:25pm her doctor came in to assess and recommended breaking her water to move things forward. Camron was dilated 5 cm, 50% effaced, and her baby was at -3 station. Due to some concerns with tracing baby’s heart rate, they used internal monitors to get a more accurate read on things. Camron soon felt more pain in her lower back, so we used the heating pad.

Just thirty minutes later, around 5:00 pm, Camron was vocalizing with her contractions. We stepped up the positions using the CUB so she could remain upright. An hour later, Camron felt a lot of pressure like she might need to push her baby out. This brought her back to her first birth however, when she felt pushy, but it was too soon. She tightened up in response to the contraction for fear history might be repeating itself. And when her doctor did an exam, Camron was dilated to 6 cm, 80% effaced, and her baby was at -2. While she had made some change in the right direction, it was not time to push.

Camron labored out of bed in the hopes she might bring her baby down upon her cervix and open it. But she couldn’t help but feel the anxiety creep in about pushing too soon. She clenched in response and told us she thought an epidural might be a wise decision if things weren’t progressing. It had been over an hour, and this WAS her second baby, so perhaps it was time to push. However, a check confirmed she was still 6 cm, so Camron knew what she wanted to do. She requested an epidural in the hopes it would keep her from pushing too soon and possibly swelling her cervix.

By 8:00 pm they were finishing up the epidural, made a little more complicated due to a rod Camron had placed in her back. But she was comfortable soon after. Her baby’s heart rate took a surprising tumble around 8:30 pm with each contraction. We suspected this could mean big changes and when Camron’s doctor did a check, she confirmed just that! Camron was dilated 10 cm, 100% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station!

They turned down the pitocin to give baby a break. And then had Camron give a push. She was a very good pusher! It didn’t take long. Her doctor got suited up and then Camron really pushed, and she pushed Ellie into the world at 9:02 pm, exactly an hour after the epidural test dose went in! Looking back, Camron felt confident that getting the epidural when she did helped keep things moving forward so nicely.

Camron and Bryce took in their baby girl from head to toe, comparing her to big brother while also seeing how she was her own unique person. With her baby in her arms, Camron looked up at her husband who leaned down to kiss her forehead. Ellie got skin to skin with mom and then with dad, getting so much love in her first hour. Ellie weighed 6 lb. 8 oz. and measured 19.5 in. long. She was a little gal, but perfectly healthy.

The love overflowed to the next level when big brother Theo met little sis, and mom and dad watched it all. That moment comes very close to the moment of birth as one of the best. These sweet parents are gentle and kind, and I have no doubt their two children will benefit from their nature as they guide them in this life.

Christina and Stephanie are parents! And they are parents to a baby boy! I got to know them over the course of my 7-week childbirth class and Spinning Babies® parent class, investing a lot of time in preparing for their upcoming birth. Conversations with her providers prenatally had Christina and Steph aware that the likelihood of an induction was high. So, when the decision was made to be induced in the 40th week, they were comfortable with it.

Sometimes putting a date on the calendar helps kick the body into gear! This is not a proven fact but if you are a suspicious birth worker, it can ring true more than you’d think. Christina felt regular cramping four days prior to her induction date. She rested a lot that day and woke up the next morning with cramping that wasn’t constant or consistent, so she continued with her day once again, only to wake up the next morning with far more consistent cramps. With regular contractions 4.5 minutes apart, she and Steph decided to head to the hospital to get checked and see what was happening.

Walking about the triage room Christina thought her water might have broken. The preadmittance paperwork was started since it seemed she would be staying to have a baby. She was dilated 2 cm at 6:30 am but by 8:00 am she was dilated 3 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -1 station.

Christina’s early labor was manageable, and she giggled and chatted through a lot of it. By the time 12:00 rolled around, we incorporated positions to help Christina manage the pain and maintain progress. She labored over the CUB on her hands and knees, she slow danced with Steph, and sat upright in the bed pulling the rebozo through contractions.

She thought she might want a Lemon Head and quickly spat it out into Steph’s hand. Now, that’s love! ;) They had a wonderful playlist for labor that kept the feeling in the room loving and encouraging. One of their preferred doctors was on call which helped immensely. They didn’t have to defend their choices or explain their reasons. They were involved in conversations with their team the entire way. And the feeling of trust went a long way.

The hospital midwife kept stopping in to visit. We had a feeling she really wanted to be part of the birth and maybe even catch. After all, she had met them when they first arrived and if you know Christina and Steph you probably love them. They are just that way. During one of the visits from the midwife, Christina felt a pop and a drop and exclaimed, “My water!” It broke right then and there. It was just before 1:30 pm.

The next stop was the shower, but Christina didn’t like it as much as she thought. She was in and out in just 15 minutes. She returned to hands and knees over the CUB but the nausea overcame her. “I don’t want to be a pain, but can we put the bed back up in a seat?” Christina asked. She was not being a pain, by the way. And we quickly returned the bed to the throne position so she could feel more in control.

Wet cloths and sips of water and cranberry juice and sprite helped her as her body heated up with active labor. The first F-bomb was dropped at 2:30 and we watched as Christina tugged and twisted the rebozo through the peaks of her contractions. She had crossed a threshold for sure and wanted an exam before making the decision for an epidural.

At 3:00 pm, Christina was dilated 5 cm, and 90% effaced with baby still at -1 station. She thought it best to move forward with an epidural and was happy to have made it to 5 cm before getting it, knowing it would be less likely to slow down her labor.

She was comfortable soon after and we continued to change her position to continue her baby’s descent and her dilation. There came a point where we noticed her baby’s heart rate drop, so we rolled her to her left side. But as the variables persisted, we rolled her to her right, and then back to her left. They got the delivery meds and delivery cart set up suspecting that her baby was close to being born and the dips in the heart rate were more an indication of labor’s rapid progress.

And at 5:30 pm, just 2.5 hours after she was 5 cm, Christina was dilated to 9 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station! We had her labor down in the closed knees position, then with the peanut ball between her ankles for more of the same. Right before 7:00 pm Christina labored down until she felt the steady pressure in her bottom like she had to poop. And at 7:00 she was pushing.

Once again, the closed knees position was effective as Christina made big changes after pushing twice like that. There were big changes that had her baby’s head in view and a few more people heading to the room for delivery. At 7:50 pm Christina felt her baby’s head with her hand and just two contractions later she had her baby in her arms!

Steph made the gender announcement since they had waited to find out, and it was a thrill to discover they had a boy! Elliott Oliver was born at 7:56 pm and looked a lot like Christina from the start. Steph noted that he even looked like her when her furrowed his brow. He was met with such love and joy. The look of glee on his mothers’ faces upon meeting him was so moving.

There might have been a couple of extra people who came to welcome the baby since Christina and Steph quickly became patient favorites. It was a true celebration of love and life in that space, and I couldn’t be happier for this loving couple and their new addition. They were partners in the truest sense, and it warmed my heart to witness their coming together in birth.

Angelica and Dan welcomed their son, Otto James, on December 6, navigating the unknown of childbirth with love and courage. Dan texted me at 8:00 am on December 5 to share the exciting news that Angelica’s contractions began at 5:15 that morning. They were clocking at 7 minutes apart, so it was still early. The plan was to rest, hydrate, and eat as her body allowed, and to keep me posted for when things got active.

But Angelica’s labor was taking its time. Her contractions were still averaging 7 minutes apart 5 hours later. She found some relief in the bath, but with her contractions still hovering at the 5-minute mark I suggested she give the Miles Circuit a try. Then she did some stair walking and the contractions felt significantly stronger and were closer at 3 minutes apart. They decided it was time to head to the hospital and I met them there.

Angelica was dilated 6 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -1 station. Not bad for a day’s work! It was almost 7:00 pm though and she was looking at a long night. Just knowing she had progressed was a boost to her energy and mindset and Angelica was ready to stay the course for an unmedicated birth.

Dan was a great encourager, saying things like, “You’re so strong,” and “you’re so tough.” Angelica returned to the shower, with contractions coming regularly every 3.5 minutes. She threw up in there and felt more pressure which we took as a very good sign! Peppermint essential oil on a washcloth in the shower helped with the nausea and Angelica inhaled it. The pressure continued to increase and by 12:50 am, Angelica was ready to get out.

Angelica was curious about her dilation and a quick check revealed she was dilated 9 cm, with an anterior lip. We knew what to do and suggested Angelica labor on her hands and knees and incorporate some lunges. Classical guitar played on the speaker and a hot pack on her back helped with the pain and her mindset, and a fan and cold washcloth helped with the hard work of labor.

Angelica moved into the right runner’s position as shivers overtook her, then she stood up do to some lunges on both sides. By 3:00 she gave toilet sitting a try in the hopes it would bring her baby down low enough to stimulate the urge to push. We suspected there might be something holding her baby up and Angelica was not afraid to try “all of the things.” She sat with her knees in and ankles out to open her pelvic outlet. And some clary sage on a cotton ball helped her uterus resume a steady contraction pattern of 3 minutes.

At 4:15 am Angelica did some practice pushes but with her baby at +1 it was best that she labor down a bit longer to conserve her energy. She lay on her side with the peanut ball between her ankles on her left side. Her contractions had spaced out to 6 minutes apart by 5:00 am so after careful thought, Angelica decided a little Pitocin might help. She wouldn’t need much. Angelica resumed pushing with gusto at 6:30 am after her doctor told her she really needed to make some descent before other options might need to be considered. Angelica was going to do it on her own terms!

At 7:00 am she had her water broken and then pushed on her hands and knees. And when her doctor returned at 7:30 to check in she could see that Angelica’s baby was much lower than before. She got dressed and they broke down the bed and even turned off the Pitocin so baby could get some more recovery time between pushes.

And Angelica brought her baby into the world with a mighty push at 8:04 am! He hardly cried but was pink from head to toe almost instantly. Daddy helped get those Apgar’s checked off by rubbing his son’s foot, keeping the hard rubbing from the nurse at bay. And at 8:19 am their son found his voice and cried out steadily, clearly robust and strong.

Those first moments were sweet and tender between Angelica and Dan and their son, Otto. Dan felt the strong squeeze of his son around his finger and even got in the hospital bed beside Angelica to hold his family. After their magic hour the stats were made official. Otto weighed 6 lb. 15 oz. and was 19.29 in. long. He was a peanut, but it just goes to show how much position can impact the birth. He was clearly doing something in there with his hands or body to make the process extend out the way it did.

I am so proud of how Angelica and Dan worked as a team. His belief in her never faltered and together they brought their son into the world in the gentle natural birth they had envisioned. It was not easy or quick by any means. And there were moments that night where time seemed to stand still and the promise of a baby at the end of it seemed hard to believe. But they stuck it out, stayed positive, and taking it one contraction at a time, and using some strategic positions recommended by their team became parents in a beautiful and empowering way.

Melissa and Mike met their sweet baby girl, Aspen Glori, on October 8, in what can best be described an exercise in patience and letting go. Melissa and I hit it off right away and she was forthcoming to me on her strong desire for an unmedicated birth. With her due date a few days away, she hunkered down to wait. There was talk of an induction if she went much past it, but she hoped it wouldn’t come to that. But when she texted with contractions October 6 it seemed perhaps her baby would circumvent any need for induction. They had begun the previous night and never quite went away until the following afternoon around 3:00. Melissa learned the importance of resting and her contractions drifted off as she did.

Four hours later she texted she thought her water might have broken. You’d think it would be obvious like in the movies, but it often isn’t! Melissa waited a few hours and on the recommendation of her provider, she went in to the hospital that night to get checked in labor and delivery to see if her water had broken. It was inconclusive whether her water had broken, but the there was enough of a concern regarding the color of the fluid to warrant induction. Melissa didn’t want to go that route, but she decided to stay at the hospital where they could monitor her baby.  She was dilated just 1 cm so they had plans to eventually ripen her cervix but thought it best to let her rest as well as she could overnight. (So kind of them!)

When they checked her the next morning, October 7, Melissa was still dilated 1 cm, however she had thinned from 40% to 100%. The plan was to start with oral Cytotec. Melissa’s contractions were still sporadic so they would need to get more organized to make cervical change. It didn’t take but two doses of Cytotec for Melissa’s contractions to get consistent and strong. They were 2-4 minutes apart by 2:00 pm and she was wondering if she might need some pain management help.

It felt like the right time to head in so I was there just before 3:00. Melissa was sitting in the rocking chair breathing through contractions. She had significant back pain, so she moved to her hands and knees over the cub birthing chair and Mike began applying counter pressure there. By 4:09 pm Melissa was dilated 2-3 cm. The next move was to labor in the shower, but she wasn’t in there more than 20 minutes before wanting to try something else.

Melissa used the rebozo tied over the door to dangle squat through some contractions in the hope it would bring her baby girl down lower in her pelvis and further dilate her cervix. But the pain was becoming overwhelming and an hour later Melissa decided it was a good time for an epidural. The CRNA had the epidural completed by 6:15 that night. Melissa rested but continued to move into various positions with our support using the peanut ball. She was dilated 4 cm, 100% effaced, and baby was at -2 station by around 7:45 pm.

The consensus was made to begin Pitocin. And after discussing it with her doctor, Melissa was feeling much better about it. It is administered gradually and only to the level her body required for consistent contractions that produced cervical change. Melissa was grateful for the doctors who were on call for the duration of her labor because she felt heard and like she had a say in her care. That is so very important.

We used the peanut and stirrups in various ways and had Melissa in a myriad of positions. But 5hours later she was still 4 cm with some anterior swelling. She also felt some back pain, which was surprising. An IUPC helped measure the strength of the contractions to make sure the appropriate level of Pitocin was used, and by 1:00 am everyone was trying their best to sleep.

Every once in a while, we would change Melissa’s position, including the flying cowgirl which can often be a game changer when baby’s position is less than optimal. And after all this time, it was certainly the case that baby was being creative in her positioning.

Baby had some decels in her heart rate that were concerning around 3:30 am, but a change in position helped that. And by 4:10 the contractions were more regular and as a result, by 4:30 Melissa was dilated to 6 cm! This was exciting news but with her baby still at -2 station her doctor was still concerned. Melissa anointed herself with essential oils to provide emotional support as she navigated the uncertain turn of her labor. It had been a long night and the possibility of a c-section had been mentioned.

After more creative positioning with Melissa (to help her baby’s positioning NOT be so creative!), Melissa was still dilated 6 cm 2 hours later. There was a decision to make and here is where the provider makes all the difference. Melissa knew she loved and trusted the doctor who had overseen her care and knew the incoming doctor might not be on the same page. With signs pointing toward a c-section, she chose not to delay it to the point of the next shift and rather decided to consent to it under the watch of the same doctor. She promised to stay past her shift to see it through, for which Melissa was most grateful.

Melissa mourned the change in plans, and even expressed frustration at the situation. But she was at peace ultimately with how things came together and with the team she had effectively chosen to welcome her baby into the world. Aspen Glori was born without complications by c-section at 10:06 am, surrounded by her mom’s chosen team. However, she was solidly OT and a solid baby weighing 8 lb. 9 oz. It appeared she was born the way she needed to! She was also a lanky 21.25 in long. Where Melissa put that baby in her small frame I’ll never know.

Aspen was skin-to-skin in the OR and had her first latch at barely an hour old. In the hours following, talking through things with Melissa, it was clear she had a mindful birth. She processed her feelings every step of the way, made decisions that she felt were right and that her provider supported and respected. And I can happily say at our postpartum visit she and baby Aspen are absolutely thriving. I am so proud of Melissa owning and embracing her baby’s birth the way she did.

Camron and Bryce welcomed their son, Theodore Scout, on May 12, 2022. Labor is always surprising, I suppose, but the start of this labor was a blindside. During Camron’s routine prenatal appointment her water broke during an exam, and just like that, her plans for the next couple of days were decided. She called me with the news, and I could hear the shock in her voice. She was also excited though, and eager to meet her baby who had lingered a few beyond her due date already. So, all in all it wasn’t the worst thing to have happened.

After going home to gather the necessaries, grab a bite to eat, and tearfully kiss their dogs goodbye, Camron got settled in the hospital where the plan was outlined. Her cervix seemed ripe enough to warrant starting with Pitocin, so they began around 1:30 that afternoon and raised it gradually over time. After several hours, Camron’s contractions were 1 ½ to 3 minutes apart, ranging from 45-90 seconds long. They weren’t too painful yet, but Camron said they were changing rapidly.

And just 90 minutes later, Camron was having a much more difficult time breathing through them. Bryce sent out the signal flare text, saying, “I think it’s time for the big guns (you).” This made me laugh but made it more than clear it was time to head in! I arrived 30 minutes later at 7:30 pm. Camron was laboring on the birth ball with Bryce sitting very near. I noticed his hand was on her leg during the contraction, and I soon realized he was touching her in some way through virtually every single contraction. They were lasting a full minute and coming as close as 2 minutes, leaving Camron with about the same amount of time in a break as during a contraction. This is a challenging pattern to sustain and required very intense focus from Camron.

We had her nurse grab a wireless monitor so Camron could labor in the shower. Being on Pitocin required that she remain on the monitor for the duration of her labor. Bryce put his hand on Camron’s lower back and said sweet things like, “You’re pretty.” I just loved that and knew his small gestures would be the big things that carried Camron through her long labor.

Just before 9:00 pm, Camron draped her body over the CUB for some time on hands and knees. The Pitocin was up to 10 mu by then, and her contractions were steadily chugging along. A warm pack on her lower back helped with the pain she felt there, and after a bit of time passed, she lay down on her side with the peanut ball between her legs. She breathed deeply through contractions and Bryce continued his affirmations, saying, “You’re so beautiful.”

Camron felt nauseous as her labor intensified so we used some peppermint oil. “They are getting so much worse,” she exclaimed, just past 10:00 pm, making the night ahead feel even longer than it already was. Just before 11:00, her doctor stopped in for a check and confirmed Camron was dilated 3-4 cm, 100% effaced, and her baby was at -2 station. She also confirmed there was a fore bag in front of baby’s head. With Camron’s agreement, she broke the fore bag as a way to capitulate the progress of labor.

Camron moved her labor right to the shower after that and she took advantage of 40 minutes of dulled pain, as she relaxed her body and sank into each contraction. She emerged from the shower doubting her ability to go much longer and requested a cervical check soon after. By 12:30 am, Camron was dilated 6 cm, 100% effaced, and her baby had moved down t -1 to 0 station! She had done a lot over the course of that hour, and after considering her options, she decided to continue laboring without pain medications.

Camron labored sitting with her legs in a butterfly pose, then she stood and swayed in Bryce’s arms. She used a footstool to lunge through contractions that didn’t feel as if they were giving her any breaks at all. We reminded her to focus on the breaks, no matter how short they seemed, and Bryce said, “Work on the reset, best friend.) it was so sweet how they called each other best friend and bestie! Just before 2:00 am, Camron felt a lot more pressure, so she returned to her hands and knees over the CUB.

Camron labored standing up again and felt a lot of pressure like she might need to push. By 3:35 am it felt better when she pushed with the peaks of her contractions, so we wondered if perhaps it was time. She continued to labor down like that until 3:50, at which point her nurse did an exam and shocked us all when she said, “You are the same.” The strategy changed after that, from following your body to not pushing at all costs. The doctor did an exam a short while later and felt that Camron’s cervix had begun to swell. It was imperative she didn’t push at that point, and it was soon clear to Camron that the only way she wouldn’t push would be to numb the sensation with an epidural. It was a wise decision and within 30 minutes, Camron was comfortable, and even more importantly, she wasn’t pushing.

Camron rested while she could, and we changed her position from time to time, in the hopes her baby’s head would be a bit less forceful against her cervix, and she would continue to dilate to complete. The nurses changed shift with the new day, welcoming the team that would be assembled for the birthday party. Pitocin was reinstated gradually, and they balanced it with baby’s response. There were some decels in the heart rate, but nothing to extreme to change the plan.

Camron’s body shook as labor charged ahead and her nurses set up the delivery table in anticipation by 10:20 that morning. The new doctor on call stopped by and assured Camron that all was well, especially since she was just in active labor that morning, they would continue moving forward with delivery. She had technically been ruptured for 24 hours, but it was a relief to know there was no deadline to Camron’s labor.

And just 90 minutes later, by 12:40, all that remained of Camron’s cervix was an anterior lip! We were all ecstatic at the news especially since she had waited so long to hear it! Eight hours earlier she was swollen down to 4 cm again. A combination of Pitocin and some key positions (exaggerated runners and knees in and toes out with the peanut ball), Camron was fully dilated at +1 by 2:00 pm. She gave a practice push at 2:05 and pushed so well she continued. Her doctor came 30 minutes later, and in just under one hour of pushing, Theodore Scout was born at 2:59 pm! Theo weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and measured 20.5 in. long.

It was clear why he had some decels…Theo’s cord was twice wrapped around his neck. Camron heeded the guidance of her doctor and pushed gradually at the end, resulting in an intact perineum which would greatly improve her postpartum experience. Theo cried well right away, and after the cord slowed it pulse, Bryce cut it. There were tears of joy and so much joy and relief rolled together in Theo’s birth. Considering the labor became an accidental surprise, Camron and Bryce were a committed and strong partnership through it all. And with that as the foundation, it helps you weather pretty much anything.

Rebecca and Luke welcomed their son, on May 9, and learned just how resilient they are! I met them earlier in the pregnancy, and they hired me as their doula in addition to enrolling in both my 7-week Birth Essentials class, and my Spinning Babies® Parent class. They did all they could to prepare for their son’s arrival. And it’s a good thing they did too, because their little boy had his own idea about how he wanted things to go, and Rebecca and Luke trusted that.

I got a text from Rebecca on May 6 saying “we’ve just left the doctor and we have some news. They need to schedule me for a c-section on Monday.” Their baby was measuring small, and he was breech. This was the first they had known he was breech and it was Rebecca’s 37th week. (For those who might wonder, an external cephalic version was not recommended by her doctor since baby was already small. They did not want to elevate risk.) The change in plans left me, and I’m sure Rebecca and Luke, gob smacked and a bit stunned. So many questions! But first, we needed to have our prenatal visit. It was already scheduled for that day, so we shuffled it a bit to accommodate the sudden need for last minute pre-op bloodwork and COVID testing.

Luke sheepishly admitted they didn’t really pay close attention to the part in class where we talked about c-sections, and it appeared they didn’t read that part of the workbook either. So we went over their options, the procedure, what to expect, and answered any questions they had. By the end of our meeting, I could see that Rebecca and Luke were breathing easier and feeling a bit more comfortable with the new path their birth had taken. Their baby’s well-being was paramount and knowing what to expect helped them to adjust their thinking for how things would go. I would see them Monday morning, shortly after they arrived for check-in.

The caveat to a scheduled birth was the ability to take care of details including arranging for family to arrive in time to help. So, by Monday morning, Rebecca and Luke were as ready as they would ever be to welcome their son. I admired their openness and flexibility, knowing letting go of so much had to have been a challenge. They were already showing great attributes as parents!

We passed the time as Rebecca waited, and I learned that James would be the first grandbaby on Luke’s side and the second on Rebecca’s. They were able to enjoy a nice big dinner the night before and a snack right before the midnight deadline to fast. There were some nerves, but in general a sense of excitement on soon meeting their baby boy.

The doctor came in to confirm baby was still in the breech presentation, and he was. He was measuring smaller than 1% on Friday so he was definitely a little guy. As the minutes passed that last half hour before the c-section, the anesthesiologist came in to talk to the expectant parents, as did the CRNA. Final surgical prep details were accomplished, including giving Luke his paper suit, and then it was time for Rebecca to walk back to the OR. Luke waited a bit longer before he was called back.

I was not in the OR, but this is how Rebecca described it to me:

Oh boy, so the OR time was difficult for me up until Luke came in the room. Everyone was amazing and so nice, but I was so nervous and terrified that I cried the entire time until he was born. Then it was great! Luke talked to me the whole time and let me know everything that happened with James. He cried almost immediately which was a great sign. We were so nervous about how big James would be, and he ended up being over 5 pounds which was a huge relief. I don’t think they held him above the curtain, so the first time I saw him was from a photo that Luke took. Luke took several good photos to show me what was going on when I couldn’t see. James did have to go to their little NICU right after he was born, so Luke stayed with James while I went to my recovery room. James was born on May 9, at 2:17 pm weighing 5 lb. 2 oz. and measuring 18 in.

I was waiting for Rebecca when she returned from the OR and was able to be with her in that first hour or so as she recovered from surgery. Since James was so small, he had trouble regulating his temperature and would end up being sent to the NICU on May 11 and remained there until Saturday, when Rebecca and Luke were finally able to take him home, a little past Rebecca’s discharge date.

This sweet couple were so accepting of the change in plans. They trusted the providers they had chosen and were stronger in the midst of such surprising developments because they had each other. When it comes down to it, a united front can be a huge asset as parents, which is yet another example of what wonderful parents Rebecca and Luke already are. I was so honored to serve this sweet couple. And at the time of this writing James is growing and growing!

Brittany and Alfredo welcomed their son, Leo Matthew, on September 25, 2021! They enrolled in my childbirth class and soon realized that a doula would be a good addition to their birth team. Brittany knew she wanted to make use of an epidural, but she also appreciated the importance of using comfort measures before that point. 

A couple of days after her due date, at her prenatal appointment, she had a membrane sweep to see if it might spur on labor. She was already 3 cm dilated and her provider thought it would likely work. She felt cramps shortly afterwards and the escalated in intensity through the day. By the evening, she had a surprising amount of bloody show that concerned her. She called on it, and the nurse advised her to head to the hospital to get checked out. Thankfully, the bleeding wasn’t bad enough to be worrisome and Brittany remained 3 cm dilated and 70% effaced. So she went home to wait for labor.

The next night just past 10:00, Brittany thought her water had broken. She called on it and was instructed to head to the hospital by her provider. The leaking continued, and when she was assessed in triage, she was dilated 4-5 cm. This was exciting because it meant she would stay and have a baby!

Soon after she was settled into her room she requested an epidural, and by 1:00 she was feeling relief. The goal was to rest, but her baby’s heart rate dipped, which can happen. So after adjusting Brittany’s position, her blood pressure and the baby’s heart rate were stable again. And by 2:15 am she was sleeping. 

Shortly after 3:00, when the catheter was placed, Brittany’s nurse checked and discovered she was 6 cm dilated. Things seemed to be moving right along. We rolled her to the right side, and then to the left, and continued to inform the positions based on what we knew was happening with her cervix. It was also a balance between decels in baby’s heart rate, rotating to the opposite side when that happened. We also suspected the decels might be indicating rapid cervical change and head compression for Baby Leo. There was one period in which his heart rate dropped enough to bring extra nurses in the room and soon after that, Brittany was 9 cm dilated! She had moved from 6 to 9 cm in just 2 ½ hours!

Since her baby’s heart rate still dipped, they thought it wise to start pushing and see if the cervical lip could be moved aside. The lip persisted though, so the plan was to labor down. We used the bed to help bring baby down upon the cervix. It makes a nice throne and uses gravity well in that position. Brittany felt nauseous so we gave her a cold cloth and some peppermint to help. Things were definitely changing, and her body was gearing up to push a baby out.

Her doctor came in about 15 minutes later and confirmed at 9:00 pm that Brittany was fully dilated and her baby was at +1 station. She encouraged Brittany to give pushing a try to see if she might move her baby and she moved him so well that we soon saw his head! Within 30 minutes they broke down the bed and 20 minutes later, Leo Matthew was born with a loud cry at 9:57 am! 

Leo cried out in his very first second born and he came out looking like his Papa, Brittany snuggled her boy and giggled over his hairy shoulders remarking that he was a werewolf. She also reveled in how good he smelled, nature’s cocktail of bonding babies and mothers.

Leo was latched at the end of his first hour and when he was done there, he got some skin to skin with his daddy too. He weighed 8 lb. 14 oz. and measured 21.5 in. long. He was a big boy, but aced all his initial assessments, including his blood sugar. There’s nothing like colostrum! 

This couple was such a joy to serve. Alfredo was eager to be the best labor support and father he could. I loved seeing his excitement in the process and his love for his son from the start. And Brittany is so sweet natured I know she’ll be a gentle mother to her son. Thank you for allowing me to share such an intimate space with you as you grew your family to 3!