Devin and Ben welcomed their third baby girl, Austin Elizabeth, on November 15. Davin’s births were all very different. Her first was a c-section, the second was a VBAC (and she arrived at the hospital ready to push!), and this was a second VBAC! However, it wasn’t without its challenges. This time around, Devin’s placenta had a velamentous cord insertion which can leave the vessels more vulnerable. There is not a lot that can be done except possibly induce a little early to protect baby from an incident, albeit a rare one.

But Devin’s baby was also measuring smaller, and her growth had dropped to an alarming threshold, which had her providers recommending induction. Her baby remained steady in growth and even had a little growth spurt, but between the VCI and her baby falling low on the growth chart, an induction was the decision agreed upon. It was scheduled for 39 weeks, so not terribly early.

Devin was dilated 2 cm at the start of the process. She was no stranger to unmedicated birth, but this would be her first time with pitocin, so it would still be a new experience. They got situated that morning and once she was admitted, the plan discussed, and everything began, it was later in the morning. There was not much of an update since nothing much was happening initially. It took awhile for Devin’s body to respond with contractions and when it did, she was dilated 3 cm, so she went into the shower.

In fact, Ben’s first update came at 2:47 pm saying “the contractions were more intense, and he was helping to squeeze hips for help on the contractions.” When I asked how far apart and how long they were, he responded that they weren’t long and two minutes apart. It soon became clear that it was time for me to head in.

Devin didn’t know if it was quite time, but she was breathing through the contractions. The pitocin was at 12 mu and by the last text, Ben confirmed the contractions were close to 60 seconds and 2 minutes apart. I was dressed and packed so left the house shortly. I arrived 20 minutes later at 3:37 pm. And Devin had emerged from the shower a short time before I arrived. She had dilated from 3 cm to 8 cm in a very short time!

When I walked in, it was evident that Devin had turned a corner quickly. Her midwife was present, and she was struggling to stay on top of her contractions. She had asked for an epidural, but the simple fact of the matter was that she didn’t have time. Plus, it was not what she initially wanted. Ben pressed on her hips during contractions, and I took my place beside them to offer encouragement to Devin.

We kept her focused on one contraction at a time and she breathed through her contractions courageously. Her cervix was changing rapidly. She was already dilated 8 cm and it was only a matter of time before her body would lurch her into a push. In the meantime, she was wavering and not sure how much more stamina she had. She agreed to have her midwife break her water in the hopes that the last bit of cervix would melt away as baby came down. But it didn’t go quite like that.

Devin had a rim of cervix that remained through several contractions. Her midwife offered to push the cervix aside during a contraction to help Devin with dilation to complete and she was game. This is not a pleasant thing to go through, but Devin faced it head on and like a champ. And she was fully dilated as a result. Devin labored upright in the bed, pulling on the rebozo tied to the squat bar, and she soon felt the familiar sensations of a baby coming.

Devin pushed on her hands and knees over the CUB. She pushed quietly and with great strength and it didn’t take long at all for us to see her baby’s head. Austin Elizabeth was born at 4:26 pm with a full set of eye lashes! The midwife passed her through Devin’s legs and up into her arms. Devin hugged her close and cried with joy to know her littlest girl was safely born.

The placenta was a sight to see, and we took many pictures of the rare velamentous cord insertion. Austin snuggled with her mommy and soon got skin to skin with her daddy. She was small, weighing just 6 lb. 2 oz. but it wouldn’t be long before she got chunky on her mom’s milk.

Devin’s labor was such a joy. She welcomed her baby with glee and had a wonderfully flexible approach to the birth. And when induction became the plan, she rolled with that too. Pitocin is no joke, but Devin rode those rocky waves with such courage. I’m very proud of her as should she! And now she is a member of the 2VBAC club!

Elyse and Tony welcomed their second daughter, a second surprise gender, in their second homebirth on Saturday, October 14. Repeat clients are a wonderful opportunity for me to develop an even deeper relationship through multiple births. And Elyse and Tony were no different. The text of the pregnancy was the foray through which our second journey began, and I didn’t hear much from Elyse until we were coordinating our prenatal visit many months (and two seasons) later! The team would be the same – same midwife and same doula We were excited for the reunion that would occur when their newest little love entered the world.

Elyse welcomed her first baby a couple of weeks before her due date so when she approached her due date with this one she felt overdue. Thankfully, the text came through on October 14 at 7:15 am that Elyse’s water broke at 5:30 am! Her water broke at the start of her first labor so it was a conveniently obvious way to signal her baby was coming at some point that day. It was especially helpful considering they had a toddler to contend with and eventually have picked up so as not to be underfoot.

Elyse would update as things developed but she did feel crampy soon after her water broke. Three hours later by 10:30 am, she sent the text, “Ok things are getting a little spicy. Contractions are 3 mins apart.” She didn’t have to tell me anything more. I knew that meant it was time for me to head over.

When I arrived, Elyse was laboring on her hands and knees against the couch and her daughter was milling about while Tony took care of details, including getting their firstborn settled for a nap and reaching out to a friend to pick her up later. Elyse sipped on a smoothie between contractions. Then when a contraction rolled through she swayed on her hands and knees against the couch. In her unassuming way, Elyse greeted the intensifying cotractions with an, “Oh sheesh,” right before closing her eyes to focus.

Tony disappeared with big sister to try and settle her down for a nap but it wasn’t happening. Something about having a visitor with a large inflatable created enough of a distraction for her not to miss anything. Elyse went to the back to give it a try and managed success for a little while. Big sister was asleep by noon. Elyse continued to breathe through her contractions and add a heating pad to her lower back. She continued to coordinate momming details with Tony like making sure their daughter had food packed for when she was picked up by a friend. Tony had it all taken care of.

As labor intensified, Elyse moved to a back room to ease the transition when their friend came to pick up their toddler who was still asleep herself. Her midwife called to check on things around 1:00, asking questions about what Elyse was feeling during contractions Rectal pressure was one of the questions to which Elyse didn’t really feel. But 10 minutes later she did feel rectal pressure through a particularly strong contraction so she called her midwife to head on over. She was only 5 minutes away, it turns out, so she was on her doorstep momentarily.

Elyse rested in bed and reached for Tony’s hand at the start of a strong one, and by the next contraction there was a knock on the door. Tony roused their toddler who was on her way to an adventure at a friend’s house. And like clockwork Elyse’s labor kicked up a notch. The midwife arrived a couple of minutes later and the contractions became strong enough to require counter pressure on her lower back.

Elyse’s legs shook and her contractions moved from 3-4 minutes apart to 3 minutes apart and lasting 90 seconds. Elyse labored over the cub and lunged to one side through a contraction and then to the other. This is a woman who is not afraid to do physical work. Every one in a while they would lean in a listen to baby on the doppler. The heart rate was always sure and steady.

By 2:00 Elyse was exhaling more audibly through the contractions. We could tell that she was working harder. Her baby was also tracking lower in her abdomen, another good sign of labor’s progress. There was no need to check a cervix. The signs were there. As labor picked up so did the rain outside, providing a wonderful backdrop of white noise for Elyse. She continued to lunge through contractions and asked Tony to push even harder on her back.

She moved to stand up at 2:30 and continued to ask Tony to push harder. We knew Elyse was getting close. She took a trip to the bathroom and saw more evidence of cervical change. And 10 minutes later her vocalizations became louder and lower through contractions. Her midwife and the assistant moved into the room quietly. Five minutes later, Elyse had a contraction that brought on the recognizable guttural sound of pushing. Her midwife asked, “Did you feel like you were pushing?” To which Elyse responded, “Yes.” Her midwife excited but calmly said, “Cool!”

Elyse was already on the bed with Tony, so she eased onto her side and gave a push at 2:54 pm. It didn’t take long, maybe 4 contractions before her baby was born at 3:07 pm. It was a remarkable sight to see her child born because the eyes were wide open as the baby emerged to the chest and then flopped out! It wasn’t until Elyse had her baby in her arms and took a look at the undercarriage that Tony and Elyse confirmed it was another girl! After plenty of bonding and skin to skin, Revel Monroe would be weighed and measured at 7 lb. 6 oz. and 20 in. long.

There was so much vernix! Elyse dabbed it on her face like war paint. As their baby cried out, Elyse said, “It’s ok. We’re nice.” We stepped out of the room so Elyse and Tony could bond with their newest one. And after about 1 ½ hours the newborn exam ensued. Elyse also finished her smoothie, and within 2 ½ hours, big sister was home to meet her sister.  Soon after that, we served up a bowl of soup and rice with chicken for Elyse to enjoy, thanks to Tony putting it on the stove a bit earlier. We all were able to get fed that evening. Oh, the comforts of homebirth.

Revel was contentedly nursing and napping, as Tony and Elyse rested and took in their little family. We cleaned up our things and left once they were settled. All in all, it was a beautiful way to spend a rainy Saturday afternoon. And how lovely that behind their front door they welcomed a miracle. The ordinary location of an extraordinary process like giving birth elevates the home in a way like nothing else, if you ask me.

Meredith and Brett welcomed their second baby on October 3! It was an incredible confluence of perfect timing that allowed for Brett to be at the birth. He was deployed for the majority of the pregnancy and due to return a couple of weeks before Meredith’s due date. It was cutting it close, but it seemed a realistic expectation. I got a text from Meredith that was an update from her appointment. She was frustrated she tested positive for GBS, but she was excited that Brett was flying home that evening. They were in the clear!

Then three hours later I got a text from Meredith that her water broke. “What time does Brett’s plane land??” I asked first thing. It mattered. At least it would matter if her birth unfolded as it did the first time – with everything moving along at a breakneck pace once her water broke. He was due to land in a few hours, so we crossed our fingers and Meredith crossed her legs and hoped for the timing to work out.

Since Meredith had tested positive for GBS she was headed to the hospital soon after her water broke so she could receive antibiotics as soon as possible. We also thought her labor might capitulate and wanted her to have as much time to get treated as possible. She settled in at the hospital without much labor happening and Brett landed and went home to hug his firstborn and MIL and pack a quick go bag and turned around back for the hospital. Brett was severely jetlagged. And since Meredith was not in labor yet he tried to catch some sleep on the hospital couch. After all, he had been up for 48 hours at that point. He came off deployment and fell right back into life, whether he was ready to or not.

Since Meredith arrived at the hospital the first time completely dilated, we hedged out bets and I got to the hospital on the early side. Probably too early looking back. But you just never know how things will go with birth. Meredith bemoaned the fact that she was supposed to greet Brett at the airport looking pretty in a nice dress and here she was in a hospital gown wearing a diaper as she dripped. Brett’s sense of humor (and Meredith’s) shone throughout this labor. It was entertaining and a joy to witness.

Since Meredith’s labor was poky to start, we did the Three Balances to help it out. Meredith had already done the Miles Circuit. Next, she did three cycles with the breast pump and walking the halls, 10 minutes each, in an effort to start up some contractions. It wasn’t doing much for her labor yet, so she did hip swirls on the ball and even consented to an enema to rile things up, to no avail.

Meredith did some standing lunges and another round of pumping and walking. But it wasn’t doing all that much for her labor. She was tired so she rested during the next course of antibiotics, and when her midwife returned, she was ready to try something else. Suspecting Meredith might have a high leak in her amniotic sac which didn’t really push her into labor, the midwife recommended breaking her water completely. At 4:00 am Meredith’s water was broken all the way. And Meredith was on the move walking again.

Her body was still slow to come around to labor. She rested in bed with Brett and at 7:45 am (after a long night), she was dilated just 2 cm with no labor. We did the Three Balances again and she rested on her hands and knees over the CUB, but it was becoming clear that it would soon be time to start pitocin. Meredith had already relinquished her expectations about this birth being anything like her first. And that included accepting pitocin as a tool. They started it at the lowest level and raised it incrementally.

By 11:00 am the pitocin was at 10 mu. Meredith moved into the shower to labor. She emerged and with Brett’s help did some abdominal lifts and tucks to help her baby get positioned better. By 12:45 pm while on her hands and knees on the bed, Meredith felt more pressure in her butt which was an encouraging sign that her baby had moved. She lay on her side with the peanut ball between her legs and we watched the tremors of active labor take hold. The contractions were painful, and we used a heating pad to help ease the discomfort.

At 1:50 pm her baby was noticeably lower, and she was dilated 4-5cm/100% effaced. We turned on some birth affirmations which garnered some giggles at first, but the mood quickly turned more serious as Meredith descended into active labor. In fact, her body had taken hold so well, they turned down the pitocin a bit to spread out the contractions.

Meredith breathed through intensifying contractions and labored in a variety of positions. We applied counter pressure on her back and a wet cloth on her forehead. She sat upon the edge of the bed and then slow danced with Brett thorugh some contractions. And by 3:20 pm, just 1 ½ hours later she was dilated 8-9 cm!

Meredith returned to her hands and knees, a position she felt intuitively, and 15 minutes later she was pushing involuntarily. I tied the rebozo to the head of the bed so she could grab hold through contractions as she pushed. Then Meredith rolled to her back to try pushing that way. This baby was taking a lot more work to come out, so it became necessary to change positions. Meredith was so patient even though she was working way harder than anyone expected. And after pushing with her knees closed and then open again, her baby was crowning. And at 4:38 pm Kyla Christine was born!

It was soon obvious why it took so much work to bring Kyla down: her cord was wrapped twice around her neck! Kyla suffered no ill effects and her heart rate only dipped once or twice. And she came out and gave a big cry that pinked her up right away. It was an emotional moment, and a huge sigh of relief was heard all around. Kyla weighed 7 lb. 5 oz. and was 19.5 in. long. Big brother was able to meet little sister in the hospital and before discharge Kyla had actually gained weight! Suffice it to say, they were off to a fantastic start as a family of four.

Meredith’s journey to meet her second baby was not at all how she expected. She completely flipped the script with the timing. She arrived at the hospital fully dilated the first time and took nearly 24 hours in the hospital to welcome her second. But honestly, is it ever? She was grateful for small mercies though like the timing that allowed Brett to get home for the birth, and plenty of time to receive antibiotics to treat for GBS. She might have been okay with it not taking all night and into the following day, but she could also look back and see just how strong and patient she was. I am so proud of this couple and their positive attitude and love for each other through it all.

Shereen and Saxton are parents! They welcomed their son, Loren James, on October 1. They attended my childbirth class and had strong intentions of a birth without pain medications and minimal interventions. But as her due date came and went the thought of an induction did occur to her. The hope was to avoid it but she also knew there would be a deadline of 41w5d with her providers. Thankfully, her baby was on board with spontaneous labor because her body started having regular contractions towards the end of her 40th week.

Shereen’s labor began at 7:00 am on Friday, September 29. The contractions weren’t too strong or long, but they were definitely on her radar. They weren’t in touch with me just yet either. Then Saxton sent an update just before 2:00 am on September 30 that Shereen’s contractions were coming every 8-10 minutes. She continued to labor through the night and by just before 9:00 am the contractions were ranging from 4-8 minutes apart but rather inconsistent. She was not yet in active labor and so the prescription was to rest, hydrate, and eat as she was able to.

By 2:00 that afternoon the contractions were getting stronger but spaced farther apart. I gave some positional suggestions for Shereen to try in case her baby needed to tweak his position and after doing them they saw a marked change in the labor. After having regular long and closer contractions for a decent amount of time, it felt like the right point to head to the hospital. That text came at 6:00 pm. They were headed in! The contractions were regular at 5 minutes apart and Shereen had just projectile vomited – a good sign! She had been feeling contractions for nearly 36 hours at that point.

Good work had been accomplished though because Shereen was dilated 5 cm, 80% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station. She and Saxton credit the positions I suggested to them as what changed the tide of the labor. They got to the hospital at a really good time. Shereen clenched her comb through contractions and the Office played in the background on the TV in the room. Contractions were lasting 1 to 1 ½ minutes at that point and coming steadily at 3-4 minutes apart. With every contraction, Saxton pressed a Theragun against Shereen’s lower back. She couldn’t imagine laboring without that tool as things became more intense.

Shereen was feeling tired, so we used some peppermint to give her some more energy. She leaned over the CUB around 8:30 that night and we placed a cold cloth on her forehead to ward off nausea. The peppermint oil helped with that too. Her contractions soon moved to 2-3 minutes apart.

To change her position and bring her more upright, Shereen tried sitting on the birth ball at the end of the bed. She burped which was a sign of good labor. She also shared with us around 10:00 pm that she felt like the baby was in her vagina. She was feeling so much pressure, we figured her water was probably trying to break or she may have felt a bulging bag.

At 10:13 pm Shereen asked us if we were just waiting for the water to break. I told her sometimes it doesn’t break until the end, so she was waiting for her body to tell her it’s time to push. She looked up at me and said she thought it was getting close to that. And her nurse agreed as she placed the doppler way lower on her belly to get the baby’s heartrate. It wouldn’t be long.

At 10:45 pm Shereen thought her water might have broken. There was a mucus blob but a quick check confirmed it wasn’t yet her water. Her midwife stopped in about 5 minutes later to check on Shereen and to be present. And at 11:13 pm Shereen told us, “I want to push now.” She asked for an exam with the hope of good news, and she was dilated 9.5 cm with a bulging bag, as we suspected! It was 11:22 pm at the time of the exam and by 11:30 Shereen was giving little pushes as her body led her.

She returned to her hands and knees over the CUB, and we watched as she birthed the sac! Or at least the bulging bag before baby’s head. Saxton continued to apply the Theragun to Shereen’s lower back, her most valuable comfort measure for sure. She chose to stay out of the shower since she knew she wouldn’t have access to the Theragun in there!

She returned to her hands and knees over the CUB, and we watched as she birthed the sac! Or at least the bulging bag before baby’s head. Saxton continued to apply the Theragun to Shereen’s lower back, her most valuable comfort measure for sure. She chose to stay out of the shower since she knew she wouldn’t have access to the Theragun in there!

After pushing on hands and knees, Shereen rotated to push on her side. She rested between contractions and then gave it her all with strong pushes during them. And at 12:17 am she reached down to feel her baby’s head with her hand. It’s always such an exciting sight to watch a mother’s face light up at the first touch!

Soon her baby’s head was visible and that forebag continued to sit right outside her vagina. Shereen pushed consistently with each contraction and her baby’s head crowned gradually. It is difficult sensation to feel the ring of fire grow and last through many contractions, but Shereen was strong. It almost looked like she might need some help, but her body stretched, and her baby was born at 12:49 pm! The cord was around the neck but did not cause any concern in her labor.

Loren James cried right away and had so much dark hair! He even had dark eyebrows and lashes. He didn’t take too long to latch but he was equally interested in his fingers. After all, that’s what he had to suck on in utero. He weighed 8 lb. 7 oz. and was 22 in. long. Saxton enveloped his family with love, looking into the eyes of her newborn son with wonder. Loren was wide-eyed taking in the faces of his mother and father, transfixed on his parents.

Shereen rested in those first moments, holding Loren against her chest, taking in what she had just accomplished. It was long and arduous, but she minimized her early labor and arrived at the hospital at the perfect time. All told, she was only there 6 hours before her baby was born.

Labor is always a mystery, but that mystery looms greater with the first baby. Shereen and Saxton filled in the gaps of the unknowns with a strong partnership, and balance between rest and work. The (Theragun didn’t hurt either.) I’m so proud of them and will be forever grateful to have been part of their team.

Chelsea and Chris welcomed baby #3 on August 6. I had been hired by them twice before, so they felt as much like friends as clients to me. Chelsea was forthcoming at our prenatal visit about aspects of her second birth that she would prefer not to repeat. Granted it was during COVID which brought added challenges. Her first two babies also had meconium so that altered some of her postpartum experience with them and involved some separation from one as he received extra attention in the nursery.

While there’s no way to control whether there would be meconium, we were hopeful that this birth would be different since every birth truly is. Chelsea and Chris expected to welcome this baby around Chelsea’s due date since that was the pattern she had established with her first two. With that assumption, plus the hectic homelife raising two young children late in pregnancy, they didn’t do a whole lot of packing ahead of time. And the joke was on them! Because I got a call from Chelsea around 11:00 pm on August 5 telling me her water just broke. And her due date was still two weeks away! There was no meconium though which was a very good start!

Chelsea spoke with the doctor on call, and they decided it was best to mobilize and head to the hospital sooner rather than later. After all, her second labor was just two hours long after her water broke. They were on their way just before midnight with no notable contractions yet. Chris also noticed they only had 18 miles left on the gas tank! Oops! And just 15 minutes later Chelsea texted she had felt 3 contractions that were 6 minutes apart and getting stronger with each one. I gathered my things and was on my way soon after.

I joined them in their triage room and Chelsea was 3 cm dilated. Her 6 minutes apart contractions spaced out after sitting on the triage bed for the NST. I had a suspicion she would need to get put in her proper room before she could let go and labor. It took a while, but by 1:45 am she was shown to her LDR room.

We walked the hallways for 20 minutes and returned to the room where Chelsea did hip swirls on the ball. She expressed that she felt a lot of discomfort in her butt to which Chris said that meant this kid would be a pain in the ass! It got a chuckle. We talked through how fortuitous it was that Chris’ parents happened to be in town for a visit so they could leave the children in their care to go to the hospital.

By 2:35 am the contractions were steady at 4 minutes apart, lasting a minute or longer. Chelsea’s body was moving into active labor and requiring her focus. With Chelsea the signs are subtle. A furrowed brow, closed eyes were signs she was working harder. The contractions were more in the front which was a good sign baby’s position was fine.

And just 20 minutes later, by 2:55 we could hear Chelsea’s breathing as she stepped up her work. She leaned into Chris for support as he rubbed her back and gave a kiss after the contraction. She stood beside the bed and leaned into the CUB through some contractions and then labored on her hands and knees over it by 3:05. Chelsea did lunges and felt her baby moving down a short time later. We heard her breath quiver some as she exhaled at the peaks of the contractions, another subtle sign to us that Chelsea was progressing. Nausea hit her so she moved out of the bed to labor standing.

Judging from her efforts, it felt like a good time to recommend laboring in the shower. Chelsea considered renting a tub but since her second labor was so quick, she thought she’d skip it. This was right around when she told us she wished she had the tub. I reminded her that the shower was another good option for hydrotherapy. So she gave it a try. With votives and citrus fresh and lemon essential oil blends on a washcloth, the shower became a labor sanctuary that woke up her senses and maybe even helped her feel a little less tired.

The contractions were 2 minutes apart now, and Chelsea felt her baby ‘right in her butt,’ point with her hand to show us where. Her nurse began setting up the delivery table and Chelsea made her way out of the shower. We switched out cold cloths on her neck and Chris and I rubbed her back lightly. Chris kissed Chelsea on her shoulders as she labored their baby earthside.

At 4:18 am her doctor appeared and recommended a cervical exam. Chelsea was game for it and we learned she was dilated a surprising 6 cm, 80% effaced, with baby at -1. To be honest, we thought she would have been farther along. But the trajectory of labor cannot be contained in Friedman’s Curve, although so many try. Chelsea wandered to the bathroom and returned sounding different. It was 4:26 am and she dropped the f-bomb. She moaned with her contractions and requested no more counter pressure.

She lay upon her side in the bed at 4:40 am and told us she was feeling pushy with each contraction. Her doctor wanted to confirm whether it was “time” to push about 10 minutes later, but since Chelsea’s cervix was 7 cm, it was best to wait. Her baby was at 0 station, and she was effaced to 905, but Chelsea continued to feel a lot of pressure. She lingered on her side for another contraction or two and then returned to her hands and knees at 4:56. “I feel my energy coming back,” and so she resumed an upright position to get it done. Chris later said he knew his wife meant business once she said that. And he was not wrong.

I mentioned that doing lunges might help her baby’s head melt her cervix away and make the urge to push grow even more. She did not hesitate and did a lunge right then and there. It was 5:01 and she felt pushier. She did a lunge on the right with the next contraction and felt an even stronger pushing urge.

Her doctor had been lingering in the room since the previous exam, knowing Chelsea was progressing rapidly. The pushing sounds had her pulling the cart to the end of the bed and then dressing into her paper suit. Then the craziest thing happened, as Chelsea followed her body’s lead she pushed, and we heard a small gurgle. The sheet was covering Chelsea’s back side, so I lifted it up and saw her baby’s face! It was the only full-on pushing contraction and with the next push her baby was out! Their baby arrived at 5:08 am and Chelsea made the announcement that it was another boy! Chris was crying and expressing such love through his tears. Chelsea had gone from 7 cm to baby in 15 minutes.

We helped her get back down to her back upon the bed and the placenta was out in a few minutes, all while Chelsea had William Joseph in her arms from the beginning and for the entirety of that first hour. The placenta was born, and her doctor said those words that make every newly postpartum mom sing: no tears!

Chelsea drank some coconut water and ate some peanut butter for her first postpartum snack but there would soon be much better options in store. After that first hour, William had his first exam. He weighed 6 lb. 14 oz. and was 20 in. long. But he was back in his mother’s arms in no time.

Chelsea and Chris admit that this was the least prepared they had ever been for a birth. But it just goes to show they really didn’t need much. The birth was beautiful, and their children embraced their new brother without reservation. Eleanor is now a big sister twice over as a kindergartener, and Daniel quickly grew out of baby status at 21 months, to welcome his baby brother, in his words, “Baby Wheel.”

It was a joy to accompany this family in their surprisingly early birth. It tied so much together for them and for me as well. It doesn’t matter the dilation, and babies are going to come when they are ready. And this particular baby had something to say from the start!

Kelsey and Brett welcomed their daughter, Ivy Grace, on August 2, which was a very popular birthing day for babies! (I had 3 clients give birth that day!) Kelsey had a strong desire for an unmedicated birth, so she chose an obgyn practice with midwives and even secured the rental of a birth tub. They had a bit of a commute to the hospital so that was an unpredictable element on top of the unpredictable nature of birth in general.

She first reached out to me on Tuesday at 1:30 pm with contractions coming 10 minutes apart. They were mild at that point but consistent so she would update me with any changes. Many hours passed and by 9:15 pm they had died down. I was a bit relieved to hear it since I had another client with an induction the next day. The need for backup was real.

But at 5:43 am, right as I was waking up to prepare to join my client with the scheduled c-section, Kelsey texted they were on their way to the hospital! Her contractions woke her at 3:00 am and were coming every 5 minutes. They got stopped at the tunnel on their way but ended up arriving just before 6:30 and got into a triage room. And after an exam was confirmed 5.5 cm dilated, 90% effaced, with baby at -2 station. She would be admitted to have a baby!

Twenty minutes later her water broke right as I was parking at the hospital. I was upstairs a short time later. Kelsey was calm for someone in labor. She was talkative and as a contraction washed over her, she focused on her breathing. Brett was a constant source of distraction with his funny comments. They were very helpful in the early part at least. But as things intensified the side chatter would naturally subside.

Kelsey was eventually brought to the room in which she would give birth. Soon after she got settled the tub arrived and was getting set up. We all, including her midwife, anticipated she would give birth by lunchtime, so we prepped the space and took our places in support around Kelsey and Brett.

Kelsey got into the tub at 9:15 am and we had Christian piano music playing over the speaker by 9:30 am. She stayed in the water about 45 minutes before wanting to get back out. Kelsey returned to the bed where we held a warm rice sock upon her back. She chomped ice and moved through waves of nausea. She labored there for a while, moaning with her contractions, and moving as she felt she needed to. By 10:52 that morning she told us they were getting way stronger. And at 11:00 am an exam confirmed she was dilated 8 cm and baby was at 0 station. She was moving right along!

She decided to give the shower a try this time and stayed in there for about 35 minutes. It was a good place to find privacy and to listen to her body. And we hoped the seclusion and relaxation would encourage the last bit of cervix to melt away.

By 11:40 am she returned to the bed, this time laying over the CUB on her hands and knees. She didn’t much care for it so she adjusted her position, so she lay upon her side. We were able to apply the warm rice sock to her back again which helped ease the pain she felt there. At noon we heard the f-word which was a good sign! “How much longer?” Kelsey asked. We couldn’t really say but we told her we felt baby would be coming very soon.

Her midwife recommends she try pushing to see how that felt. There was a forebag remaining and perhaps it might break on its own. Brett’s jokes were definitely shut down by Kelsey at this point as she debated over whether to have her water broken. We put a cold cloth on her head and neck and could feel her body heating up with her labor.

Kelsey was in a tough spot with the task of pushing looming large in front of her and just wanting her baby out. She shed some tears as she processed where she was and what still remained of her labor. Brett took her hand and told her it was okay. I whispered to her, “Your body is there. Your baby is there. You just need to get your mind there.”

Kelsey sat upright in bed to try giving a push and then returned to the bathroom and then the shower. It was 12:40 pm and we could hear her vocalize more in the shower. We could also hear that she was growing weary. So, we gave her a cherry popsicle for some quick energy before she exited the shower resolved to have her water broken and get her baby out.

At 1:11 pm her water was broken completely, and clear fluid flowed. Kelsey felt different almost right away and expressed her concern about whether she could do it or not. She grew hot so we turned on the fan and freshened a cool cloth. She pushed with some contractions as Brett and I held her legs, but the nausea returned. She chomped ice chips and lay on her side to push, resting her leg in the stirrup. But she told us she didn’t think her baby was moving. She had pushed for 5 hours with her previous and that memory was hard to ignore as she struggled through the task of pushing this baby out. She told us it felt like last time to which we reassured her it was a different baby and a different birth.

Around 2:00 pm she was draped over the birth ball. Then she dangled from the rebozo over the door to encourage her baby to come down. Then she pushed seme reclined in the bed. Her midwife checked for progress and realized there was still a cervical lip in front. Kelsey pushed in a variety of positions to try and encourage baby’s head to move the lip aside, but it wasn’t moving. An attempt was made to push the lip aside manually, but it wasn’t moving. So, Kelsey returned to the tub and then the shower to relax and breathe her baby further down.

After some hydrotherapy her midwife returned and to everyone’s relief but most of all Kelsey’s, the lip was gone! Kelsey had spent 3 hours in passive descent, breathing her baby down and laboring in positions to help her baby move the cervical lip aside. She was completely dilated by 4:16 pm and that’s when she was able to really push! Kelsey pushed on her hands and knees and even tried pushing with her knees together to open her pelvic outlet. And her next position was reclined pushing and that would be where she met her baby! Kelsey had to push with great effort at the end as it was clear her baby was on the larger side. But she did it and Ivy Grace was born at 5:20 pm! She weighed 8 lb. 13 oz., surpassing her sister’s birth weight by 1.5 lbs! She was 21 in. long.

In the end it was all worth it, but Kelsey had to work much harder than any of us expected. She had to push through obstacles in her mind and it took a lot of stamina and belief in herself to see her unmedicated birth through. But she did it! And we were all so in awe and proud of her for it!

Welcome to the world, Maxson David Delano, born in the final minutes of June 2! This is my second time to serve as Jerica’s doula, so I was familiar with her understated way of laboring. But this was her third baby, and they have a reputation of being unpredictable. And this birth was a scheduled induction for postdates which also adds an extra layer of uncertainty on top of the already unpredictable nature of spontaneous labor.

It was a very busy day for birth but the staff worked diligently to get Jerica settled into a room as soon as one was available. She was dilated 2 cm, 60% effaced, and baby was -2. Jerica’s veins were a tricky stick, so getting an iv established required more than one try by more than one nurse, but eventually it was successfully established by an anesthesiologist. Working as a team they made it happen.

And over 6 hours after arrival, Jerica received her first dose of Cytotec. And then she waited. Jerica requested the breast pump to use in the hopes it would get things going as she waited for the next dose of Cytotec. Four hours later came the second dose, just past 6:00 pm. Jerica had some mild contractions that were close and short, but she could talk through them and knew they weren’t to the level of significant cervical change yet.  She sent David home to help settle the kids for bed.

By 9:00 pm, Jerica’s contractions were super close but still not very strong. She felt some pain in her lower back as well and considered walking around. I gave her some suggestions to ease the back pain and wondered if baby’s position was the cause. But within 30 minutes Jerica felt a shift in intensity that had me feel I should head to the hospital. She was worried I was coming too soon and preferred I want until she got checked so I waited.

At 10:20 pm she was checked and confirmed dilated 4 cm, still 60% effaced, and baby was still at -2 station. But even though the numbers didn’t seem like significant change had occurred, Jerica continued to feel pain in her back and thought they were getting more intense. She suspected it would be time to come soon so we felt it best I just head in. I left at 10:45 pm and arrived around 11:15.

Jerica was moaning through contractions that were close together. Of course, they had been close for hours, but had very recently turned the corner to active. She was standing by the bed, braced against it as she breathed through contractions. Her labor had taken hold in the 30 minutes since our call. She breathed and focused through each contraction and found the breaks shorter than the actual contractions.

Jerica felt like she had to use the bathroom, so she took a pit stop with David by her side. (Yes, I know this could mean a baby is coming but not even Jerica thought that was the case.) So, I went about setting up votives around the room to enhance the ambiance and didn’t hear her when she told David she was pushing, and then dismissed herself with “that’s can’t be right.” Jerica made her way out of the bathroom and back to the bed to lay on her side awhile. She requested David play her Hypnobabies scripts on the speaker, so he set that up as well. Then as she lay there, she said she felt her baby was coming but she wasn’t ready. Her nurse was casually setting up the delivery cart unaware that Jerica felt her baby coming, so we alerted her that Jerica felt the baby.

The nurse called for the doctor who was not in the building, so they had the hospitalist OB come in for delivery. Jerica was startled that she was actually pushing already, and she felt very overwhelmed. “I’m not ready,” became her mantra. And I met it with, “But your baby is ready. It’s okay to be overwhelmed by what you are feeling. It went so quickly!” The doctor came rushing in and got the deets from Jerica’s nurse. She hurriedly dressed in her paper suit and pulled the delivery cart up to the bed.

She lay on her side, and we supported her upper leg. The doctor watched as Jerica’s amniotic sac was born. She offered to break it but Jerica preferred she didn’t. With the next contraction, the sac was laying upon the bed like a water balloon cinched at the base. And it gently released fluid on its own. “I can’t do it,” Jerica insisted, right as she WAS doing it. We could see Jerica’s baby crowning in that moment and the doctor had David come to the end of the bed to help do the delivery! Jerica continued to tell us she wasn’t ready, but she pushed as if she most definitely was! The doctor patiently waited as Jerica pushed instinctively, following her body’s urges as she was ready. And once her baby’s head and shoulder was born, the doctor gestured for David to move in closer. The final push brought their baby into David’s hands, who was then instructed to place the baby onto Jerica’s belly. He was a bit shocked himself, so he paused for a moment of wonder before passing their newborn baby to his wife.

Maxon weighed in at 8 lb. 13 oz., the heaviest of his brothers, and measured 21 in. long. As Jerica processed the birth in that first hour or so, she told us she was scared and not ready. And she didn’t think she would make it for a long labor. So, her baby ended up coming the way she needed him to! David confessed that he felt like he might pass out right before the bag of waters was born, but he managed to stay upright. And Jerica tried to piece together when she was in transition. It must have happened on that bed and probably just lasted a couple of minutes!

It just goes to show that cervical dilation has no bearing on labor duration ever, but especially after the first baby. And Jerica’s intuition was far more compelling than any exam she received that day. I am so proud of her for advocating for what she needed in the waiting hours, and in the 90 minutes of active labor. She birthed with composure and grace just as I remembered from the birth of her second. And like before, she didn’t even look like she had given birth. Needless to say, Jerica is quite remarkable in more ways than one!

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.

DeAnn and Tyler welcomed their second son on March 25. DeAnn was no stranger to an induced labor since her first baby came that way. However, she had hoped to avoid induction this time with the plan to labor at home as long as possible. She gave birth the first time without pain medications but hoped to have a gentler journey to welcome this baby. One in which she followed her body’s own cues as labor began.

DeAnn’s body was moving in the right direction and had been for weeks. She was dilated 2-3 cm at 39 weeks, but there she remained at 40 weeks. And then she went beyond her due date and the stress of childcare overcame her. She worried that her mother who was staying with her to help would have to leave before her baby came. The stress of going into labor without her there brought a lot of anxiety and had DeAnn trying all of the self-induction methods she could find. But none of them were working. I recommended she stop trying to put herself into labor and rather relax and be patient. She told me she would give it a try. And she made arrangements for her mother-in-law to come help after her mom left if it came to that.

Eventually, an induction was scheduled for 1 ½ weeks after her due date. DeAnn still hoped not to need it but she had also made peace with another induction. Her baby waited and she found herself checking into the hospital to get admitted for the induction process. She was dilated 4 cm so that meant she wouldn’t need ripening, which was a good thing. They began the process by breaking her water. Baby’s heart rate dipped so they held off in pitocin which worked out for the best since DeAnn had hoped to avoid it anyway. Instead, they used a breast pump to bring on contractions.

Within an hour or two, DeAnn was feeling contractions she had to breathe through. At 10:10 pm she told me she was able to cope with them just fine. But by 11:00 pm her contractions were already ranging between 3-5 minutes apart. It was time for me to head in since it made no sense to wait and see in this case!

DeAnn rolled over the ball on the bed to labor on her hands and knees for a bit but she returned to sitting on the ball. She leaned forward against the bed during contractions, breathing deeply through each peak and returned to us in the space between them. She was able to chat just fine during the breaks but was clearly drawn into the work of labor when the contractions came.

DeAnn was soon vocalizing through each contraction and told us she felt things were getting harder. (Yes! We could tell!) Her contractions went from 3-5 minutes apart to a steady pattern of every 2 ½ minutes in a very short time. And it was evident from her demeanor that her labor had taking a sharp turn to active.

She had a strong desire for hydrotherapy, so we prepared the shower for her with votives and lavender aromatherapy on a wet washcloth hung in the shower. She had an aromatherapy pillow she brought from home and smelled the lavender in it through each contraction by the bed, so this was an attempt to keep the lavender nearby. And DeAnn responded well to it. She entered the shower at 12:23 am on March 25.

Two minutes later DeAnn told us she felt a lot of pressure. She wasn’t sure if she was pushy yet, and the next contraction she breathed through without that pressure. So we waited a bit longer.

DeAnne asked me if there were breaks in transition and I told her there were, but she might not notice them as much. There were always as many breaks as contractions. She sat upon the bench in the shower and felt pushy pressure there. DeAnn was acting more and more pushy so she got out of the shower to return to the bed and hopefully push out a baby.

Her doctor met her there and it was clear her baby was right there and ready! People came in to set up the delivery table and they did it just in time because DeAnn was pushing a short time later. She didn’t push long at all. If anything, she had to work to slow it all down at the end.

Hunter Robert was born at 12:55 am on March 25 in a whirlwind! There was shock, elation, surprise, and relief, and joy all rolled up into one big emotion! DeAnn held her son as Tyler stroked her hair out of her face. Then she cried as the emotions washed over her.  It was a beautiful first meeting.

DeAnn did not have any tears, which is a credit to her controlled pushing, even though this baby was coming fast. He wasn’t small either, weighing 8 lb. 14 oz. and measuring 21 in. long. She was settled in her bed saying goodbye to her doctor within 10 minutes of the arrival of her son. They snuggled and she unrolled him in front of her to get a good long look at all of him. And then she brought him to her breast for his first feed. His brother had some issues but from the first moment this little guy seemed to have the hang of it!

It was an honor for me to stand and serve DeAnn and Tyler in the birth of their second son. And I’m thrilled that although an induction, DeAnn had alternatives available to her that worked and helped her to avoid pitocin. Flexibility and communication make for a wonderful start to an induction or any birth, for that matter.

Nikki and Will brought their sweet son, Link Mark Matthew into the world at home on January 12, 2023, which also happened to be his due date! Nikki had given birth a couple of times previously, so her body was familiar with the heaviness of a full womb and the contractions that can come and go. She reached out to me with rhythmic contractions, but they faded away. Her body was gearing up and she was not disheartened but encouraged to know her birthing time was drawing near.

She texted me on January 11 with the report that she had been feeling contractions all day and generally just yucky and suspected labor might be afoot. Steady communication was critical as I was leaving the house to teach my childbirth class a short time later. And within the hour, as I sat down in front of the couples to begin the class, a text came through that the midwives were on the way and recommended I do the same. The turnaround was quick and I was on their doorstep a short time later.

Nikki was calm and pleasant, laboring gently through her contractions in the birthing nest she had built in their bedroom. The midwives were setting up their things and the children came up to pay a visit while labor was still simmering. Will had a bubbly excitement, flitting here and there to take care of details as needed or requested by the midwives or Nikki. But he mostly kept his post right beside or in front of Nikki, making it clear he was her solid support and was there for her every step of the way.

Around 8:00 that night, labor seemed to pick up slightly. Nikki was laboring on her hands and knees and swaying her hips with the contractions. She was worried she might have called us too soon and didn’t want everyone waiting around a long time, but we reassured her it was our job and we could step out if that became prudent. We made sure Nikki had some food in her since she hadn’t eaten much all day. A plate of apple slices, dates, and Cheezits came up from the kitchen, along with some homemade bone broth. Little did we know, those morsels of food would be a critical part of her energy stores for later. And Will thought he might as well put in a grocery order too since they would soon be homebound for a bit with the newest little one.

A wave of nausea hit Nikki, but peppermint essential oil helped. She felt her baby’s hands or something moving down low and wished her baby would move them so he could make his way deeper in her pelvis and right on out. By 9:50 that night, Nikki moved her labor to the shower, and it was under the flow of the warm water that we heard her first sighs through the peaks. Her midwives made their way upstairs since there had been a change in intensity, and they were quietly present. They asked if Nikki might want the tub, but she was content with the shower. Nikki labored in there nearly an hour, taking advantage of the roomy shower to move in a variety of positions.

Will helped the kids to bed around that time, then returned to his post beside his beloved. He spoke encouragement into Nikki’s ear, praising her and telling her he loved her. Contractions were punctuated with sweet kisses on her shoulders and back. Nikki grew warmer so she took off her robe and we setup a fan. It was nearly 11:00 pm by then and the midwives gathered their supplies for delivery. Music was playing in the background, setting the stage for the birth space, and the waves of nausea continued. Will rubbed Nikki’s back and we did counter pressure off and on during contractions too.

Just past midnight, Nikki’s contractions spaced to 5-7 minutes apart, so she lay down to rest on her bed for a while. The midwives retreated downstairs and came up periodically to check on baby’s heart tones. After a couple of hours, Nikki expressed interest in the tub so her midwives began setting it up. Nikki sucked a honey stick and then descended in the warm water around 3:12 am. Her legs were tired, and she appreciated the buoyancy the tub provided. Nikki labored on her hands and knees and moved as she was able to, even lunging from side to side.

Then at 4:20, because she was curious and hopeful for information, she decided to have her cervix checked. She was dilated 4 cm, 70% effaced, and baby was at -1 station. Her midwife confirmed that baby’s position was less than optimal with his head tilted to the left, chin untucked, and lots of posterior space. It was time to incorporate some Spinning Babies. Her midwife and I came up with a plan and Nikki was all in. She would do 3 forward leaning inversions, then take a Benadryl for some therapeutic rest, and lay in right-side runners with the peanut ball between her legs. Her midwives would go home to get some rest with the promise to return as soon as things changed.

I stayed with Nikki, quietly observing, and listening for changes, while also catching a bit of rest myself. She was resting by 5:00 am but towards the end of that hour, her contractions picked back up. She said, “ouch,” with each one, until I recommended, she say the more positive “open” or “out.” She breathed slowly through each surge and continued to lay on her right until the intensity required a change. Her water broke at 6:15 am at which point we updated her midwives.

Soon after that, the contractions really ramped up, sending Nikki on all fours to better cope through them. They were suddenly long and close at almost 2 minutes long and 2 minutes apart! I called her midwives who were on their way back right away, and Will tried to add water to the tub since it had cooled.

By 6:50 am, Nikki made a pushy sound, and we knew her baby was coming very soon! Her midwives were just 3 minutes away at that point, so Nikki blew through each contraction as her baby moved lower and lower. Both midwives arrived right as Nikki made the first big pushing sounds, and they took their places in support of Nikki. She pushed instinctively for about 15 minutes with the steady feedback and support of her birth team. By 7:14 am her midwife could see baby’s head and by 7:18 baby was crowning. And at 7:22 am, their little man was born to the gleeful tears of his parents!

Link had somehow twisted his arm around his neck and over his shoulder as if he was patting his own back. Maybe he was! So, his journey out was a convoluted one for sure! After working through some fluid, he gave a lusty cry and the placenta followed in time. Nikki had absolutely no tears which was quite a feat given Link’s positioning!

He was latched by 7:54 am and Nikki and Will stared enraptured by the person they created. “You’re so fuzzy and beautiful,” she said. And Will took Link’s first selfie and sent it to big sister. The sweet words of love shared with this baby boy were so precious.

“I’m looking forward to our life together.”

“Your mom worked so hard to have you. She brought you into the world safe and with love, with so much love.”

“I love you so much, so much, so much.”

It was hard not to shed tears at the overflowing love.

Link weighed a hefty 8 lb. 15 oz. and measured 21 in. long. This only made Nikki’s feat more impressive. Women’s bodies are engineered in an amazing way! And even when our babies give us positional challenges, it’s good to know there are ways for mom to move her body to encourage her baby to do the same. When I think of this birth, I can’t help but think of love. It was woven throughout the entire thing, from the way the room was decorated and prepared, to the tender way the midwives cared for Nikki and her baby, and the sweet words and kisses exchanged between Will and Nikki. I am grateful and humbled to have been invited and trusted to bear witness to their beautiful birth journey.