This birth story has some backstory which is an important part of the journey. Jessica and Dan welcomed their fourth child on December 1, 2022. This was our fourth (and final) birth journey together which made it a bittersweet one for sure. Jessica’s births were a journey of self-discovery that originated with an ob practice with doctors in Newport News, then shifted to a Midwifery Center run by midwives in Norfolk. Her births were all unmedicated and showcased Jessica’s ability to stay calm through the most intense contractions. So, she was confident in her ability to birth wherever she might be, as long as she felt supported. Given her history and the fact that she would have to drive through a tunnel to get to her birthplace, Jessica felt most comfortable with a provider on her side of the water. This was a sensible consideration but was a leap of faith on Jessica’s part since they were new providers to her. They had midwives though, and that was her primary draw.

But Jessica experienced some red flags as her due date drew near. Her midwife pushed for an induction at 37 weeks that didn’t feel right to her. She went so far as to go to the hospital for monitoring and labs and still had to sign a paper leaving against her provider’s recommendation. But Jessica had always birthed past her due date, and she wasn’t eager to sign up for an early induction for a questionable reason. Then a week or two later, as Thanksgiving drew near, her midwife recommended scheduling an induction to avoid birthing near the holiday since there would be less midwives available. Jessica had chosen this ob group specifically for their midwives so to be told she might not have access to one in her labor was the last straw.

She reached out to me desperate for alternatives, feeling trapped in her 40th week of pregnancy with unsupportive providers. I mentioned homebirth and Jessica was open to considering it if she could find a midwife who would take her. Thankfully, she did and felt an immediate weight lifted and a sense of peace at their initial meeting. Jessica was at ease and ready to welcome her baby whenever she might decide to come. It didn’t take long to feel safe and protected, and unconditionally supported, which was a very strong reminder to her of the importance of assembling a team that you trust. She would have a homebirth. And just 11 days later that’s what she did!

It was just over a week past her due date when Jessica felt the familiar waves of contractions. It was around 6:30 pm when she sent the first text to me, but she had been feeling contractions soon after doing the Miles Circuit as recommended by her midwife. She was wise to have the children and dog head to her parents’ house close-by for the night, knowing she would likely be giving birth. I didn’t hear from her for nearly four hours and then a call came in from Dan telling me Jessica was breathing through strong contractions and very focused. This is significant for Jessica and meant she was in active labor, so I was out the door and got to their house by 11:30. (The drive was a long one, given the tunnel, but I was grateful to have made it!)

Her midwife was not yet there and after watching Jessica through just a couple of contractions I knew it was time to call and fill the tub. Dan was on it, and he let the midwife know it was go-time and got to work filling the tub. In the meantime, I remained with Jessica. She breathed with a sigh through her contractions, clutching the headboard of her bed, and trembling through the peaks. She looked to be in transition or very nearly there. This was moving quickly!

She tried a bathroom trip and took several contractions to get there and back. Her contractions were lasting 90 seconds and 3 minutes apart, leaving her with a very short recovery. A cold cloth on her neck and a fan nearby gave slight relief, but her sweat revealed her strong work. Her midwife arrived with her assistant by 11:50 pm, just 20 minutes after me. Jessica stood beside the bed through some contractions and immediately felt pressure down low. Her midwife got her things set up and they paid a visit upstairs to Jessica in the bedroom to greet her and check on baby.

Jessica was in labor land, looking disoriented and tired in between her contractions. Around 12:15 am she asked me, “If they don’t check you how do they know you can get in the tub?” I smiled at her innocent question and reassured her that there were other ways to know. I reminded her that if she felt stinging and burning and that would be her baby’s head. Three minutes later, Jessica felt her baby’s head there.

She made her way slowly down the stairs to the birth tub as the second birth assistant arrived, and she sank down in the water. The tub was situated beside the Christmas tree and made for a lovely backdrop for birthing a baby on December 1. While in the tub, we made sure Jessica took sips of her electrolyte drink prepared by Dan, and we kept a cold cloth and fan nearby. It was little things we did, but the significance behind it all was that we believed in her and trusted her.

Jessica lay back in the tub, eyes closed, and breathed with each contraction. She was in tune with her body and literally breathed her baby down and out. Her midwives watched in wonder, as did we, as Jessica with hardly a sound, and ever so gradually, brought her baby lower. First there was the bulging sac which had always been broken in her previous births. Her patient midwife waited until it gave way naturally, allowing Jessica’s body to ease her baby into the world and prevent a tear.

The midwife summoned Dan close, so he was poised to catch their baby. And he leaned in with complete confidence, saying all of the right things to encourage and reassure Jessica that he saw more of their baby with every breath. And then the head came, so quietly and gently. And after three minutes, another push brought the baby into Dan’s hands at 1:12 am on 12-1-22! Dan and the midwife brought the baby up into Jessica’s waiting arms and she held her to her breast.

It was a truly wondrous birth that left every person quietly in awe. And as I sat in those first minutes it occurred to me how very differently this birth might have unfolded had Jessica not taken the leap of faith and courage to switch her care providers! It was a beautiful and gentle birth by a woman who has a quiet strength about her that I have always admired.

There was no aggressive rubbing of their baby as she made subtle sounds and moved her body in a way that verified she was breathing. And she was pink from head to toe almost immediately. She transitioned in her own way with hardly any cries in the warmth and security of her mother’s arms; a far sweeter first moments in the world than those of a typical hospital-born baby. The placenta came a short while later and remained attached until it felt like the right time to cut it, yet another unique feature that is hard to come by outside of homebirth.

When Jessica felt up to it, she did the herculean task of getting out of the tub and walking back upstairs to her bedroom. Once settled, and confirmed she had NO TEARS (the first time ever!), she watched her baby’s newborn exam occur at her feet and saw as Dan did the honors of weighing her. She weighed 8 lb. 6 oz. and was 19 in. long. The name was still being debated but they would soon settle on Esme Joy. Interestingly, Esme means ‘to love’. Partnered with Joy as a middle name, it’s the perfect name for a baby born on the first day of December in the early part of advent, in which we celebrate with joy the coming of a Savior who came to the world to teach love. In true homebirth fashion, we assured Jessica had some nourishment and hydration, cleaned up any remnants of the birth, and then took our leave so she could settle in her own bed to sleep.

I can’t imagine a more perfect way for Jessica and Dan to have rounded out the births of their four children. I am so proud of Jessica for her courage in making a last-minute change in care. I am grateful for the midwife who could take her on so late. And I will forever be honored to have accompanied Jessica and Dan in all four of their births. I hope they share their story so others may know the importance of feeling safe and supported in birth, and trust the voice that speaks to their hearts is the same voice that has a right to be heard.

Katie and Philip met their sweet baby girl, Penelope Rose, on November 27, 2022, after a long labor journey. Katie had a strong preference for the midwifery model of care, and she believed in the process of birth and her body’s ability to do it, so she secured her care with homebirth midwives. Their home was ready, and they even decorated for Christmas early, just in case their baby came later in December. However, we were all pleasantly surprised when Katie felt her first labor contractions on November 26, with an estimated due date of December 5.

Katie’s initial contractions were very regular at 5-7 minutes apart around 4:30 am and by 7:30 had grown longer and stronger and even closer. It was soon clear that her baby had chosen to be born early. Katie alerted her midwives and me a couple of hours later and we all arrived shortly before 10:00 am. Her midwife assessed her and determined she might be dealing with an OP baby, so we went to work having Katie labor on her hands and knees over the CUB chair. A heating pad also eased some of the pain she felt in her back. She was curious about her progress and wondering what sort of labor journey she might expect. So her midwife did an exam the revealed it was still very early labor. Katie was dilated a fingertip and 30-40% effaced, with her baby at -1 station. It was time to rest. Her midwives left at 12:15 and I stepped out an hour later.

Katie rested at home as well as she could, and when things picked back up her midwives and I returned. Katie was struggling with nausea that had her throwing up, and her body was feeling very weary from laboring as long as she had. Her midwives made sure she tried to get some electrolytes down as well as food, but she was having a challenging time. With the strong suspicion that baby’s position was largely to do with her labor journey, her midwives discussed options. After talking through everything, Katie and Philip decided to transfer to the hospital to get some i.v. fluids and see about next steps. Katie’s midwives made the necessary phone calls and had the records all assembled for the transfer, and hugged Katie and Philip as they left. We promised to keep them in the loop along the way since they were emotionally invested as her initial providers.

Katie was patient and brave through three tries at finding a vein, but once the fluid was running, she exhaled a sigh of relief. Her body truly needed hydration and her uterus would likely respond well to it. A cervical exam showed that Katie was dilated 4 cm and 100% effaced at 8:45 pm. She had done good work at home! She was also pleased that there was an amazing midwife on call who received her and would be her provider during her birth.

Katie decided an epidural would be a good tool to help her get much needed rest for (and for Philip!) and perhaps aid in some pelvic relaxation to help baby do some rotation. She got about 7 hours of sleep overnight, with steady progress. We kept her changing positions, and she was dilated 4-5 cm at 11:30 pm, and 6 cm by 3 am. And by 7:50 am her water broke on its own and she was dilated 8 cm!

We used gravity to help by putting the bed in an upright throne position to bring baby down. It helped because by 9:25 Katie was dilated 9.5 cm with a rim on the right side. Baby was also lower at +1 station. We had helped her roll to her left side with the peanut ball between her ankles to open her pelvic outlet. And in 20 minutes she was fully dilated!

Katie began pushing at 9:55 am and she didn’t take long to figure it out. She pushed steady and strong and changed positions regularly, and at 11:44 am we could see her baby’s head and all that hair! And with progress every single push, Katie birthed her sweet girl at 12:03 pm on November 27, nearly 36 hours after her contractions began!

Philip cried at the sight of his daughter and Katie held her close as she let the enormity of what she just did settle on her heart and mind. She was all smiles in those first few minutes, so joyful to have her baby in her arms! The midwife was singing Katie’s praises and pleased to tell her there were no tears. And she even got the opportunity to wait until after the placenta was out before Philip cut the umbilical cord. After their magic hour as a family of three, the nursery nurse returned and did Penelope’s measurements. She was perfect at 7 lb. 10 oz. and 20.25 in. long. The midwife paused at bedside before leaving to congratulate Katie on such a beautiful birth and embracing her as an adopted patient. Her homebirth midwives had also been cheering her on, sending messages of love and congratulations as the updates came. It was a loving village of support for this new family.

Katie’s birth was a beautiful example of how seamlessly a homebirth transfer can work as well as how a doula can be the link to bridge the gap from home to hospital. Making a change in location and providers can be a daunting and scary task, but it wasn’t like that. Katie and Philip were met with respect and kindness and were immediately embraced by the nurses and provider on call. Katie was well cared for and had nothing but wonderful things to say about her experience. Her homebirth providers were pleased with the cooperative relationship between them and the hospital staff, with the transfer of records and information really paving the way for solid continuity of care. It was an amazing example of teamwork making the dream work and Katie and Philip still beam as they talk about their birth. And as their doula, that makes my heart sing!

Photography Credit to Carpe Diem Photography: Website & Facebook

Shelby and Ryan, repeat clients of mine, welcomed their third child in a homebirth on November 19, 2022. I met Shelby when she was pregnant with her second child, longing for a different birth experience than her first. It wasn’t a bad experience, as she said, but she wanted choices and options. Her second birth was closer to what she desired, being an unmedicated birth. However, her membranes were swept without her express permission, leaving her feeling out of control in her birth.

Shelby’s birth journeys awakened a passion within her for supporting others in birth as a doula. And over the course of her third pregnancy, almost exactly, she worked hard and became certified as a birth doula. Her eyes had been opened to all of the options available in birth and she was eager to explore them all with her third birth. She selected a homebirth midwifery practice, and she was sure to incorporate all of the details about her birth she desired – a birth photographer, delayed cord clamping, cord burning, waiting to discover the gender at the birth, and more – knowing she would have full freedom in her own birth space at home.

But God had different plans for her! Much of it would align with Shelby’s imaginings, but the location did not. Ryan was offered a wonderful job opportunity in the final month of pregnancy which had them selling and buying a house and settling in temporarily with Shelby’s grandmother until their baby was born. Shelby did a lot to prepare her birthing space in a home that wasn’t technically her own. Ultimately, she did the mental and emotional work to prepare a space for her baby in her heart. With all of the moving parts she had been forced to let go of, she could control her readiness within herself. And when the time was right, Shelby was ready.

She had bouts of contractions in the final weeks that were exciting, irritating, and confusing all at once. Those third babies have reputations for being wild cards, and Shelby’s was no different. Her uterus was experienced with two previous births, and it contracted in rehearsal for the big day. Shelby became a master at minimizing the discomfort and trusting she would know when it was time to rally the birth team.

On November 19, around 4:20 pm she texted me to say she had bloody show. I went into detail about how that wasn’t important enough to report and to wait until she had escalating contractions. Of course, being a doula now, and having given birth twice, Shelby knew this. But she replied telling me she had been crampy and felt different that day. She was intentional about giving herself some alone time to prepare for the baby and to pamper herself as well. She did yoga, took a magnesium bath, and did some meditation. She even made arrangements for the kids to be in Richmond for the weekend so she could really hunker down and focus on having a baby if it was truly time.

And it was time. An hour later, Shelby texted to say she was contracting regularly at 7 minutes apart. She had already alerted her midwife and told Ryan to drive back down from Richmond. She felt quite sure it was the real deal but was still content to lay low. Her midwife was with another birthing client, and she didn’t want to interrupt that. (How sweet and thoughtful!)

But a couple of hours later it was clearly time to come. Shelby was having to focus and couldn’t chat anymore, and her husband felt uneasy without the birth team present. She rallied the team at 9:45 pm and I was there by 10:40 pm. And with all of her birth team present and accounted for, Shelby was able to let go and have her baby. She relaxed and smiled, and at one point grabbed her sister’s hand and cried a little at the awe of it all.

Shelby was calm but excited and breathing confidently through her contractions and laboring standing up. The midwife and her team trickled in soon after me and set up their things. She had her eye on the tub that was being prepared for her in the center of the room. It was filled with air, then the water was started around 11:15 or so. The temperature needed to be right, so that would be another detail. It’s not a fast process but it was a process we thought there would be plenty of time for based on how calmly Shelby was laboring. But we were wrong.

Shelby was very in tune with what she felt, and she would tell us. She felt more bulgy pressure at 11:17 pm and by 11:25 she leaned forward into Ryan and scolded him because he leaned on her, a totally active labor sort of thing to do. I pressed on her back, which initially felt good to Shelby. But soon it didn’t. She was quickly spiraling through active labor into transition, and we didn’t quite see the active labor.

Shelby moved easily through each contraction, following her instincts about which positions felt best. She didn’t ask for any advice from anyone but rather owned her space and her birth. She told us what she needed, and we gladly obliged. She went from standing to sitting on the birth ball and there she would remain until right before she birthed.

Her contractions were very close at 2 minutes apart, and her labor behavior changed rapidly from casual talking between and breathing with eyes closed during, to very focused deep vocalizing and short bursts of comment between. I rubbed her back and shoulders between her close and strong contractions to remind her to let them go. But there was hardly time before the next one came.

At 11:31 pm Shelby said, “These feel slightly transitiony.” She expressed the need for counter pressure, and I did it. She was nauseous and requested some peppermint essential oil and her midwife and I scrambled around for some. She even told Ryan where and how he could best hold her and support her. And he was a humble and willing partner for it all. I mentioned after the fact how Shelby was her own sports commentator for her labor. “They are back-to-back! Why are they coming so close? I have no breaks,” Shelby said. And I quietly reminded her that her baby would be born soon. The tub was still too hot, however, and she so wanted to get in. Her midwife leaned in and told Shelby to let her baby come if it was time, and not to hold him in waiting for the tub.

Shelby’s transition contractions, both of them, brought her to her feet. She told us she didn’t want to be on the ball anymore. Later she would tell us how it felt like it was in the way, obstructing the birth of her son. And then she reported to us that her water broke. Like a pit crew, someone helped bring her bottoms off and she stood and breathed through her contractions and felt his head. “Fire in the crotch,” Shelby exclaimed, making it clear to the room that her baby’s head was there.

Her midwife crouched behind her, and Shelby reached down to catch her baby herself. She brought him up to her chest and said, “What the actual heck?! Did that just happen?!” Bringing laughter from the room. William Lewis was born at 11:38 pm, not even 10 minutes after Shelby’s 2 difficult contractions. She stood there and looked at her baby, then up at Ryan and they shared a moment of pure euphoria and amazement. And she was soon escorted to the couch nearby to properly snuggle her baby, birth the placenta, and begin her immediate recovery.

Shelby and Ryan had not found out the baby’s gender, so the great pronouncement was made by Ryan that they had a son! It was a sweet moment of revelation for the two of them and was an immediate perfect addition to their matched set of girl and boy. The placenta was born at short time later, and when the time was right, the separation was made with a ceremonial cord burning, using a handcrafted wooden box built by Shelby’s dad. They were still considering names so we didn’t know it yet, but they would settle on William Lewis.

The scale displayed an impressive weight of 9 lb. 6 oz. for this chunky baby with the 9-lb. neck roll to prove it. He was Shelby’s largest baby but born the fastest without any tears. What a testament that is to the power of a birthing woman’s body when she is given the freedom to follow its lead! We helped Shelby get situated upstairs in the room in which she would do her long-term recovery. And we showered her with all the compliments so deserved for a calm and intuitive birth that had about a 10-minute span of no-longer-chatty-to-transition-and-baby!

The midwives got another labor call, that’s three in one night! So, they cleaned up and gathered their things to go. I left soon after and played Shelby’s journey over and over in my head. There was a point where she felt like the rug had been yanked out from under her when the homebirth, she had already prepared a space for would move to a completely different place that wasn’t her home. But instead, she found her peace within and from her God, and welcomed her baby boy in the manner she had always imagined—on her terms, with her chosen support people present, and surrounded by nothing but birthing freedom and respect, two things she never felt before in her births.

This was a transition to mothering three babies, but it was also a transition for Shelby in her doula journey as well. She will be such a gift to the women she serves in her personal journey about options and advocacy, but also in her personal experiences with letting go and following your baby’s lead. I am so proud of her and will forever be honored to have been chosen as her doula twice.

Oh boy! Or rather, oh girl! This birth journey was a surprising one! This was my second time serving Rachel and Bruce in birth, having welcomed their first baby in a close call (I got there right after baby did, and they had only been there a short while before that), we wanted to make extra certain everyone was assembled to usher their sweet Evangeline Marie into the world. Their first daughter was born in 2020 at a local hospital with all of the restrictions in place like masks and only one support person in addition to your doula. While their baby was in such a hurry Rachel hardly spent any time laboring in the hospital, she knew from that experience and the timing of the drive that she would like to welcome this baby into the world in her home.

We had our prental visit in their home, recently purchased, and looking pretty put together. Nothing like having a due date looming to get you nesting a new home in a rapid pace. Rachel had her bedroom set up and the main living areas. Her plan was to labor and birth in the tub in her bedroom with just her birth team, husband, and mother present. It would be a beautifully intimate experience and we were excited for it.

Rachel sent a text to me at 6:30 pm on October 29, right as I was leaving a birth at a local hospital, telling me she had been feeling contractions all day that seemed different than Braxton Hicks. They weren’t getting longer, stronger, or closer yet, but they reminded her of the contractions that began her previous labor. There was also some fluid that was leaking, so Rachel’s alarms were up. She alerted her midwife as well, who as luck would have it was also just getting home from a birth. So she and I planned to get some recovery rest in until Rachel said any different.

Just past 11:30 pm, Rachel texted that the past 4 to 5 contractions were picking up in intensity and lasting about a minute. I recommended she update me after an hour had passed unless they changed significantly before then. And 50 minutes later she texted that they contractions were coming every 3 minutes. This seemed a good time to hit the road, and I was on their doorstep by 12:50 am.

Bruce greeted me with a big grin, and I headed upstairs to Rachel. She was very calm and chatty, and I wondered if I might be there too soon. Her midwife was not yet there but had tasked us with letting her know when to come. This would be a tricky call to make but considering she had just been at a birth we wanted to let her rest if possible, too. (Our words, not hers.)

By 1:10 am I reached out to apply counter pressure to Rachel’s lower back through a contraction. She told us her back was bearing a lot of the contraction pain so I thought it might help. Bruce went down to the kitchen to brew some coffee and returned with two mugs and handed one to me as if I was visiting for coffee.

The pool was inflated, and Bruce had started filling it before I arrived but paused the filling to make sure the water was the right temperature once it was needed. He could add hot water when Rachel was closer to giving birth, for she certainly had a way to go based on her demeanor. Rachel breathed quietly through her contractions and chatted pleasantly between them. She even asked Bruce to bring up a snack basket for her to grab a bite to eat. Little dd we know she would have her baby in her arms about 45 minutes later.

The diffuser going, lights dim, and a labor playlist going, Rachel crawled onto the bed and labored on hands and knees there. As the time approached 2:00 am I heard Rachel exhale a quiet sigh through her contractions. It seemed prudent to time a few and see if it might be time to alert her midwife to head our way. After just 3-4 contractions, it was evident Rachel’s contractions were every 2 ½ to 3 minutes, and it was time to call her midwife. Her midwife had a 30-minute drive which didn’t seem a problem when we called. I also told Bruce to resume filling the tub so it would be ready when the midwife arrived. Rachel’s midwife said not to get in the tub until she arrived, and we wanted it ready to go.

Rachel wandered to the bathroom and when she wiped there was blood. She paused at the sink through a contraction before washing her hands. And she even posed with Bruce for one last belly photo. As Rachel returned to the bedroom she was hit with another contraction. She braced herself against the bed and said, “I feel it in my butt now,” and rolled her eyes with a nervous smile. It was 2:10 am. Rachel’s quiet sighs grew louder and longer, moving into moans. Rachel’s own mother sat on the bed beside her and reached out her hand to place it upon her daughter’s hand. This would be her first birth to attend outside of her own.

Rachel swayed beside the bed, and I could see her cheeks turning flush as her body heated up with labor. By 2:18 am she was visibly sweaty and told us of the pressure she felt. I put my fan beside her and angled it so it would catch her face with some wind. We also placed a wet washcloth on her neck. All the while I was texting her midwife updates, telling her “Things have taken a really active turn,” at 2:22 am. She still had about 15 minutes left before arriving, but it felt like it would still be enough time.

But two minutes later Rachel said she felt pushy, and then the next minute at 2:24 am her water broke. I tried to exude calm but at that moment I was pretty sure the midwife wouldn’t make it. I helped Rachel get her pants off, had Bruce put some chux pads on the bed, and suggested Rachel get on the bed in case she was about to deliver. I texted her midwife the update that her water had broken, and she was feeling pushy to which she recommended we put her on speaker phone.

We called the midwife and placed the phone right beside Rachel so she could hear her voice and get coached through the delivery, if needed. Her midwife said, “If you want to slow it down,” (I love that she said if you want to) go on your hands and knees with your head lower than your butt. We already had her in that position and had recommended blowing when she felt pushy to hold things off. Rachel blew the candles out and rested her head upon the bed with her bottom in the air. And she managed to wait for her midwife’s arrival.

Still on speaker phone, we heard her unload the car and instruct the birth assistant which bags to grab, and then they ran up the stairs to us. The midwife greeted Rachel and went right to business. “If you want a water birth, get on in there! Let’s do this!” and Rachel wasted no time getting herself in the warm water. She sank down onto her knees and leaned over the edge of the tub facing her husband. And with the very next contraction she pushed, and her midwife could feel the baby’s head. Another contraction came and Rachel brought her baby into the world. Rachel pushed for just 3 minutes and Evangeline Marie was born at 2:39 am just 3 minutes after her midwife set foot in the room.

Rachel and Bruce cried joyfully at the arrival of their second daughter, and grandma was teary too. The midwife called out for the necessary items, and they were handed to her by the birth assistant. Baby was covered with a towel and the midwife listened to her heart and breath sounds and nodded with a smile that all was perfect. Rachel lingered in the water with her baby and the placenta was born when Rachel was ready to release it. Once the placenta was out, the cord was clamped and cut. Bruce got some skin-to-skin time as we helped Rachel up out of the tub into bed.

The midwife and birth assistant stayed nearby watching over mom and baby to make sure they were transitioning well. And they were. It was quiet and gentle, and the environment in which Evangeline would spend her life. She snuggled with her mom in the bed and in a short while she was ready to latch for a feed. Then we stepped out into a nearby room to allow the new family some privacy before the newborn exam. Eventually we would learn that Evangeline weighed 8 lb. 2 oz. and was 21 ½ in. long. We also learned that Rachel had no tears, setting the stage for an easier healing process.

We lingered awhile and then went our separate ways to leave this sweet family to begin the road of recovery and life with two little girls. There was nowhere to go but sleep. And Rachel’s mom was ready to take care of big sister when she woke up, which would probably be in just an hour or so. It was a beautifully orchestrated family birth, all except for calling the midwife a bit late in the game. In my defense, Rachel’s transition was about 2 contractions, and her active labor was about 30 minutes. Those are some short stages in anybody’s book. All told it was perfectly timed though, for everyone arrived when Rachel needed them.

One might look at how things unfolded and think we came together too late and almost missed it. But you might also see that Rachel’s labor unfolded as her team arrived and she held off on birthing her baby until the final members of the birth team had arrived. The mind and heart have a strong pull on labor, even stronger than the body. Either way, it happened just as it was meant to. It’s amazing to look back on this birth and see how miraculously it all came together as calmly as Rachel labored for most of it. Truly.

All photos credited to Erika Casanova, except the mirror photo taken by myself.

Ashley and Darius welcomed their third baby, in a homebirth, on August 5. This was our second birth journey together. And after welcoming her son in a hospital birth center with midwives, Ashley desired to welcome their third baby at home. They also made the decision not to find out the gender ahead of time, something completely different for them.

This third baby stayed true to the wide-held understanding that third babies are the wild cards. Ashley had contractions that came on strong and regular and had her wondering if it was labor. But then it wasn’t. She grew used to this pattern, but it became exhausting and frustrating. On Thursday, August 4 at 4:23 am, she texted that she was pretty sure it was the real deal. Her sweet baby would not be born until the following day, but at that time she was working through strong contractions at a steady pattern of 4-5 minutes apart. Her midwife recommended she rest and hydrate and see what came of the contractions, and I said the same.

The contractions continued into the morning, but they had spaced out to 6-9 minutes. I recommended she do the Miles Circuit to help baby get into a better position, if necessary, which she did. Ashley tried to rest but she also went curb walking. She was a woman on a mission to get her baby out. Later that night around 11:15 pm, she texted that the contractions had gotten closer and stronger at 5-6 minutes. She felt a lot of pain in her back and mentioned that her midwife suspected her baby was OP (occiput posterior/sunnyside up). She would have her work cut out for her on this one.

Just past 4:00 am on Friday, Ashley checked in again. Her midwife sent a backup to look in on Ashley and assess things. The contractions were still at the 5-6 minutes apart pattern and not letting up. After the midwife left with the determination that Ashley was in early labor but things would pick up once baby’s position was better, Ashley reached out to let me know. I gathered my things to head over since the midwife had recommended so.

When I arrived, I could tell that Ashley was tired. She was sitting backwards over a chair and trying to rest between contractions. Her midwife arrived an hour or so later and got settled in. An exam was done, and Ashley was dilated 5 cm, 75% effaced, and her baby was at -2 station. So we got busy working on baby’s position. I did sifting with the rebozo. I shook the apple tree to loosen her pelvis and perineum, and then I did some belly sifting to encourage baby to make the necessary adjustments. And when the time came to listen to baby’s heart rate, the midwife’s assistant’s eyes grew large when she noticed the baby was midline instead of to the side. Something had shifted!

Ashley continued to do the work. She walked wide legged up the stairs and then did some rebozo dangle-squats. Her contractions moved to the 3-minute range, and I recommended she labor in the shower for a bit. Peace and Calming oil blend on a washcloth helped to fill the space and help her settle her mind and spend some alone time. She had loving family in the home with her in full support—her mom, two sisters, her daughter, and her husband of course. But sometimes quiet and solitude are critical for labor’s progress.

After the shower, Ashley lay down. It was 1:30 pm. And she rested for about 45 minutes in this way, breathing through her contractions. A bathroom trip got her up and she spent some time in the bathroom on the toilet listening to birth tracks she had been practicing with. Her labor sounded like it was pickup up, and her midwives made the move to ready the tub. Ashley felt like things were progressing but going slowly. She asked her midwife to break her water because she remembered how it sped things up in her previous birth. Her midwife checked and would do it if the conditions were favorable. Ashley was dilated 7-8 cm! Her baby was still at -2 station. Her water was broken at 4:50 pm, and after a pep talk from her midwife, Ashley returned to labor on the toilet. She did standing lunges with the rebozo overhead next, and then returned to the shower around 6:00 pm. It was a short shower, and she found her way back downstairs to the tub. Ashley thought she was beginning to feel pushy in the tub, but the sensation never grew to overwhelming. She stood with Darius and then I recommended she return to the bathroom to labor on the toilet in the hopes she would feel the urge to push naturally there.

It wasn’t much longer before she felt like she needed to push. Ashley wouldn’t make it into the tub as she envisioned. Her baby was ready and that walk looked so far. At 8:55 pm and her midwife confirmed she was dilated 9.5 cm. She offered to push the lip aside and Ashley was all for it if it would help. It was a concerted effort but after a few contractions it worked. She dug deep for strength she had in reserve, and she pushed her baby out while pulling tug of war with my rebozo. Ashley had to work! But after 30 minutes of hard pushing, and days of contractions, Ashley brought her baby into the world at 9:32 pm on August 5! And perhaps the best moment of all was when she looked down to see it was another girl! And her oldest daughter cried happy tears to know she had a baby sister. The look of surprise and elation was beautiful and erased away any trace of worry and exhaustion that had graced it prior.

Zen Valentina settled in beside her mother and latched like a pro. Her placenta was shy in coming but finally made its debut to much relief, very much like Zen had. Ashley was surrounded by family who welcomed their newest love. It was a beautiful scene—all of the tears, smiles, and adoration of this newest little life. Zen had a head full of dark hair and was simply beautiful. She weighed in at 7 lb. 8.5 oz. and measured 20 in. long. And as I watched her snuggled skin to skin with her mom I got to thinking. There is just something about a brand-new life taking in their surroundings with awe at just 12 inches’ distance, to remind us of what’s truly important. Love and life. Support and encouragement. Trust and yielding. Community. Power and strength. Patience. Thank you, little one, for these lessons for us all.

Elyse and Tony, and furry big brother, Cash, welcomed Arbor Leo into the world on April 30, 2022, a day or two shy of the due date. Elyse knew early on that she desired a homebirth and she sought out the midwife with whom she felt most comfortable. She and Tony are easy going types, so I didn’t hear a lot from her over the pregnancy. They attended my Birth Essentials 7-week class and prepared for what to expect that way. But when we met up for our prenatal visit, it was a very casual meeting. It felt more like friends hanging out. When we parted, we were excited for when we would come together to usher in their sweet new person whose gender was yet to be revealed.

She texted me on April 29 just before 4:00 pm to tell me her water broke. Of course, the likelihood of it being the start of labor is less than 10% but it happened! And it was a continuous drip so no mistaking it. She was crampy from the start, and we were all excited that her body responded with contractions almost immediately. By 8:30 that night, just 4 hours in, her contractions were getting stronger and lasting 40 seconds, and coming every 2:45.

Her midwife recommended she do the Miles Circuit, a mighty fine suggestion. And a couple of hours later once it was completed, Elyse texted that her surges had migrated to a minute long and coming 4:45 apart. They were stronger too, bringing the strongest pressure in her lower back and bottom.

An hour later, after taking some time in the shower, her contractions were lasting over a minute and steady at 5 minutes apart. Her plan was to rest a bit, but an hour later she texted to say she couldn’t rest with the intensity. She wasn’t quite ready for me to come. Elyse was allowing Tony to sleep as she breathed through her surges and waited for them to reach the next level. Her midwife was confident in waiting to hear from me after checking in on things before coming. It was nice to know she had that trust in us. Elyse’s plan was to wait an hour and reach out.

Another hour passed, and things had kicked up another notch and she was ready for me to come. The time was about 2:00 am and I was there by 2:20. Tony led me to Elyse who was laboring in the baby’s room with her dog by her side. This would be the image throughout labor. Elyse breathing through contractions and Cash the Dog nearby. She breathed calmly through a surge, leaning over the ottoman for the rocker. And when the contraction faded, Elyse sat back up, opened her eyes, and greeted me with a smile.

It is always an honor to be invited into someone’s intimate birthing space. But when the birthing space is the home, there is even more intimacy. Fewer people come and go, and it is truly their space. I felt welcome and part of the birth family right away. There was no need to introduce myself or educate on my role. It was very easy and natural—an extension of how our time together always goes.

I sat with Elyse for another 20 minutes. But with contractions coming at a steady 3 minutes apart, I thought it a good time to summon her midwife. They called their midwife at 2:45, right before Elyse entered the shower to labor. The shower didn’t last long. She came out to use the bathroom and decide to labor on land. Tony started the yoga playlist and Elyse returned to the bathroom. Sitting on the toilet felt good to her, and I knew it would only progress things even more. We could hear her sigh through each surge, something that had changed even in the hour since I arrived.

She sat upon the CUB after that, mimicking her position. And her midwife arrived a few minutes later. Cash lay down on his new dog bed, placed beside her parents’ bed just in time for the birth and new baby. Elyse asked us what was next and what we were looking for. We simply said there would be more. More contractions, more intensity, more progress. Her midwife asked if she would like a cervical check and Elyse was curious. And her exam was a nice 5 cm. She had already done the hardest most gradual part of her labor. Her midwife said, “Elyse, that is very good!” And she began to unpack her things and get settled in the space.

Elyse asked her midwife how she thought she was coping, and her midwife said she was coping perfectly. A blood pressure check came out perfect too. Elyse felt more butt pressure as her midwife listened to baby. Elyse gently swayed through her contractions, rolling her neck and shoulders, with her hand anchored in Tony’s.

By 4:15 we could see she was working up some sweat with her contractions, so we placed a cold washcloth on her neck. Elyse grabbed her dog’s soft ear through some of the contractions, a sweet comfort measure that would not have been an option in the hospital.

As it neared 4:30, Elyse leaned forward over the CUB, feeling a lot of the discomfort in her back. She breathed deeper with her surges, so I did some counter pressure on her back. “That was intense,” escaped Elyse’s mouth as the surge drifted away. She was in active labor now. I recommended another stint in the shower and this time Elyse labored there for 30 minutes. She returned to her hands and knees position over the CUB upon the bed, and her deeper inhales and exhales told us she had progressed.

Meanwhile, the midwife and her assistant were taking care of birthing details, including filling the tub. Elyse grew hot so she took off her top. We could hear that she was feeling more pressure at the tops of her contractions so the next place she labored was the tub. She was in the water by 6:42 am and we heard some pushy sounds by 7:15 am. She paused after a surge to ask if she was getting close. And her midwife and I responded with affirmations like “It sounds like it,” and “yes!”

Right after peeking and realizing “It’s a girl!”

Elyse cried out through a contraction and her midwife asked how it was different. She felt more pressure in the front—a very good thing after the back pain—and she confessed as she reached down, “I want it to be right there.” But it wasn’t. Not yet.

Elyse asked us just before 8:00 am if she was doing anything and I assured her that she was, and that the first baby is building the birth path and takes more time. Her midwife did a cervix check then and could only feel a lip of cervix. So, she offered to push it aside as Elyse pushed. The lip at the top stayed so Elyse breathed and panted through her contractions for a bit longer.

Her midwife gave arnica and we had Elyse do lunges as she blew raspberries through the contractions. Thirty minutes later the lip was still there, so more arnica was administered. Elyse labored on her hands and knees with her bottom in the air to keep baby from applying extra pressure to her cervix that might encourage pushing too soon. And 20 minutes later, the cervix was gone. Elyse could push!

She pushed on her side, with Tony and I holding a leg for support. She then pushed on the other side. And she rotated back and forth with each contraction a bit. Her midwife felt some tightness, so she reminded Elyse not to clench and hold her baby with her strong pelvic floor. Baby’s heart rate was steady the whole time. And as Elyse pushed, she got a kiss from Tony from time to time too. That’s great for oxytocin!

Elyse ended up on her hands and knees to push and this was where her baby was born. Right there on her bed, with her partner and dog by her side, Elyse became a mother. Her baby came out with her hand by her head and the cord around her arm. Arbor was born at 10:33 am, 19 hours on the dot after Elyse’s water broke at 3:33 pm. And Tony proclaimed after getting a visual that Arbor was a girl!

Cord burning ritual done by parents and midwives

Elyse and Tony were so in awe. Elyse mentioned it was all such a trip and felt like a dream. She brought her baby to her breast where she latched at 10:59, not even 30 minutes old.

Elyse birthed Arbor over an intact perineum, due largely to her control during pushing. It also didn’t hurt that there was no counting or forcing a longer push than what Elyse felt she wanted. The placenta, birthed a few minutes after Arbor, sat in a bowl beside her until they were ready to separate it. And they did so with a slow and gradual cord burning. As Elyse snuggled Arbor beside her, Tony and the midwife heated it with the candle flame and waited about 7 minutes as it sputtered and eventually separated. It was a beautiful reminder of the significance of the placenta and the work it did to sustain Arbor’s life through the pregnancy. It deserved all the time we gave it.

Arbor weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and measured 20 in. long. She was an average size in babies which is perfect. I gathered some food from the kitchen so the new parents could get some nourishment. And the midwife even made sure Cash got some food too. It looked and felt like an ordinary Saturday morning once all our things were gathered.

It was a lovely birth spent in Elyse and Tony’s home. We were a true team, following Elyse’s lead and trusting her body and her feelings. It was a joy to serve them and to have the bonus opportunity to finally attend a birth with this midwife whom I’ve known for years. It felt comfortable. All of it. So lovely.

First family selfie, Day 2

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Gabriella, Michael and I go way back! At least it feels like it. We met when they were pregnant with their first baby. They took my childbirth class, and I was their doula. And here we are just six years and four babies later. They spent some time in Colorado and welcomed their third child there, but the US Navy returned them to Hampton Roads. After two hospital births, then a birth center birth, Gabriella was excited to welcome this baby at home. It was where she felt comfortable, and her previous births taught her that once labor gets active she doesn’t have a lot of time. Cutting out a hospital commute would be a relief. Coordinating her birth team to her home would prove to be a bit stressful though.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Gabriella has a great trust in her body and its perfect design by God to grow and birth her children. I remember being particularly struck by that in her first birth. She is a woman comfortable in her skin and she assisted the doctor in supporting her perineum as her baby crowned.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

This time, the biggest anxiety was having the children taken care of and making sure her birth team got to the house in time. The week before she would give birth, Gabriella called with the distressing news that Michael had been scheduled for watch the Friday and Monday right near when she would likely give birth, going from her history. He would be difficult to reach and have some distance to drive to get home. I assured her that her anxiety about that happening might help to keep her from going into labor that day. She had friends who could help, and of course she had me and her midwives. But it was a hurdle, emotionally and logistically, and we prayed against it.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

On Good Friday, I got a call from Gabriella just before 9:00 am that it was baby day. It also was mid-rush hour and I had a drive through the tunnel to get to her. I told Gabriella it would be best for me to wait a bit to avoid the highest volume travel time, and I would leave after that. But even more importantly, it was the day Michael had watch. Gabriella initiated the message to him that she was in labor but knew there would likely be some delay getting him home. This added another layer of pressure to get everyone there in time.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Just over an hour later, I was on the road with an hour-long drive ahead of me. Gabriella and I were in touch a bit during the drive and I could tell she was nervous she wouldn’t have us there when she needed us. Her midwife and assistants, husband, and I were all expected to arrive between 10:30-11:00. In the interim, she had her best friend on the phone and a local friend at the house to help wrangle the kids and serve as interim doula.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

I hit traffic on the way to Gabriella’s house, probably worse than the traffic I would have hit had I left right at 9:00. But it served as a reminder that I could not predict traffic, and that everything would unfold as it was meant to with or without me. Michael’s eta was about the same as mine and it was far more important that he arrive in time!

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Ultimately, I arrived before the baby, following suite behind the midwives and Michael. I put down my things and thanked Crystal for doing counter pressure in my stead. Gabriella was laboring braced against the kitchen counter with Michael at her side. There were children milling about doing what children do, none of which seemed concerned or even much interested in what Gabriella was doing. I love that her labor was considered so normal that everyone carried on with playing and then lunchtime.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Gabriella was listening to a lovely playlist on her phone that several of us commented on including “First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes. Gabriella happened to be laboring right near a doorway when the line “Swear I was born right in the doorway” played. Gabriella swayed to the music and even sang under her breathe, while I Michael held her. I pressed gently but firmly on her back. She liked my cold hands.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

It was only a handful of minutes before Gabriella was asking for the tub. She longed for the water in labor and expected to welcome her baby boy in it. I went upstairs to get an update from her midwife, but the water was not the right temperature, and the water level was low. I went out to update Gabriella and she had nearly made her way to the top of the stairs where a contraction stopped her. She swayed against the banister with Michael there to support her. But when the contraction dissipated, she asked me if the tub was ready. I told her there was still some time left to wait.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Gabriella labored through a contraction or two on the upper landing, then went into her bedroom asking, “Is the tub ready yet?” Then she implored, “Please? Please?!” to her midwife, who apologetically said it was not quite ready but would be very soon. It was 11:15 am at this time, and I dipped my hands in some ice water before placing them on Gabriella’s back. She much preferred the cold to the pressure! Her oldest came upstairs to check on things and immediately noticed her mom’s discontent with having to wait to get in the tub. She recommended they sing a song while they waited, and The Grand Old Duke of York was the song of choice. So, we sang it twice (or maybe it was three times) and the tub was ready!

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Wild horses couldn’t keep Gabriella away as she hiked her leg over the side and submerged herself in the warm water. As I remember it she sighed with great relief! (But I might be making that part up.) Gabriella leaned back against the side of the tub and breathe calmly through contractions. Her cervix was likely completely gone, or nearly so, and she provided her own perineal support as her baby boy descended into her birth canal. She spoke to him, encouraging his continued descent, telling him she could feel him, and how excited she was that he was coming. She even told everyone assembled that she could feel him moving down.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Michael remained by Gabriella’s side and was also tending some to their oldest, who had questions here and there. She left for lunch after a few minutes, and Gabriella hunkered down into the tub as her body moved through transition to second stage. We continued to place our hands on her, my cold hands on her back, Michael’s hand on her so she knew he was close. Her midwife reached in to listen to baby from time to time, but mostly sat and were present and unobtrusive. Gabriella lay back and felt her baby just inside knowing her was coming in a few short minutes.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Gabriella rolled off her back onto her hands and knees. Her water broke soon after that at 11:32, and her baby boy moved down quickly to birth. You might not have known he was coming out if you didn’t see the midwife lean in closer behind Gabriella and her hands disappear below the water. Then Tobias emerged from the water’s surface and was passed right into his mother’s hands. He was born at 11:35 am on Good Friday, April 15, 2022. It was a very fitting birthday for this devout Catholic family.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Gabriella and Michael looked upon their son and greeted him with kisses and soft touches. “Bubby is going to be so happy. He got his wish for a baby brother!” After a few minutes had passed, we helped Gabriella out of the tub up onto her bed. She didn’t want to get out of the water and the climb onto the bed was the tallest it had ever been with a baby in her arms and the weariness of birth.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

She birthed the placenta shortly after that and Tobias latched in time. Gabriella and Michael lay in their bed and let the moment sit between them. And a few minutes later their oldest came upstairs to discover what had transpired as she ate her lunch. She was excited to bear the good news to the others downstairs that baby was born, and it was a boy! A short time later the rest of the little people wandered upstairs to meet and welcomed their newest sibling with kisses and questions. It was a beautiful sight to see this entire family on the bed together.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Tobias Ryan weighed 6 lb. 15 oz. and measured 20.5 in. long. Soon after his birth, Crystal came upstairs to share with Gabriella, that during a walk with the children, they prayed for a healthy pregnancy, and big brother prayed that he was grateful for a baby boy! He seemed to know already that it was a boy, so the announcement was particularly exciting for him.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

We lingered to make sure Gabriella got some food to eat and was recovering well. By the time I had left she was already showered and ready for the day. Her agenda should have been cleared of everything but snuggling her baby, but somehow, I suspected she would do some mothering tasks for her other littles in there too. It was a beautiful birth though. A birth surrounded in loving supportive women. And In the end, we all made it in enough time to serve Gabriella. I think her midwife said it well when she said, “Perhaps you had to face your worse fear to know you could do it.” And that she did.

Photo Credit: Ely Mac Photography

Tabitha and Danny welcomed their second daughter in a home birth environment on February 8, 2022. When I first met this couple, they were students in my childbirth class in preparation for the birth of their first. They were very motivated to have an unmedicated birth and had a strong belief that the body was made to grow and birth a baby with little help. But sometimes plans change, and when your water breaks and you need contractions, Pitocin is a good tool. Tabitha birthed without pain medications, even with the addition of Pitocin, so she knew she could do hard things. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, very shortly after she gave birth the first time, it became very clear to her and Danny that they would rather forego the hospital experience all together. With mask mandates, required COVID tests, and restrictions on support people, their desire for a homebirth grew and grew. Tabitha found her perfect fit with a midwife who also had a birth suite available, giving the comfort of a homelike environment with a bit more space than they had at home.

We met prenatally and our conversations consisted mostly of Tabi telling me she believed she could do it, but also wondered how it would unfold without Pitocin. There was also the unknown variable of their firstborn, a spunky sweet toddler who had never been away from her mother. Tabi preferred to have her daughter present for the birth and knew Danny could take care of her if the need arose. It was up to her body and her baby as to when the time would be right for labor. And we suspected it would likely unfold when big sister was tucked away in bed asleep since she preoccupied so much of Tabi’s attention.

And sure enough, that’s what happened. Tabi went into labor before her due date just as she had the first time, with the first text to me coming in at 1:37 am on February 8. She sent a screen shot of her contraction pattern, an erratic one with short but close contractions. She didn’t feel they were very strong, so she planned to take a shower and go to bed. But those second babies tend to come into the world in a hurry and that shower can be an excellent comfort measure, perhaps a little too excellent.

Tabi emerged from the shower with much stronger contractions and her body was very changed. She managed another text to me saying, “the contractions really hurt; I’m scared and excited. I don’t know if I was sleeping between them or what, but I’m nauseous too. She wanted to cry from the pain and was groaning through most of it.” Clearly, it was time to alert the midwife and head to the birth suite. 

As she searched for her midwife’s number, and right around the time I texted it to her and she found it, her water broke. She called her midwife who told her to go, go, go right away to the birth suite. She would be waiting there. But rushing out the door is a challenge with a toddler and when you don’t quite have all the things gathered up that you need. They were out the door about 20 minutes later, and I arrived at the birth suite shortly before they did.

Her midwife and I waited at the door, and we soon saw Tabi and Danny pull up. Tami was crying, their daughter was crying, as she made her way up the front walk, clutching a towel between her legs to catch the drips. She wasn’t wearing her pants that cold night, too far into active labor to even care. She told us between contractions that she had been pushing in the car, so we helped her up the stairs into the house, a particularly difficult task at the end of her journey, and onto the bed in the birth suite.

There was no need to check a cervix to confirm it was time to push. Tabi followed her body and growled into the intensity of her contractions. Her midwife and I reminded her that she was safe and strong, and to open and soften for her baby to come. Meanwhile, I reassured big sister that mommy was growling like a bear to bring baby sister into the world. She settled down quickly in her dad’s arms, and became a junior doula, watching her mom push out her baby.

I leaned in close to Tabi, so she knew I was there. She didn’t need much from us, just our support and a hand to hold, and our faith in her ability to birth. That became our chorus to her, that she was safe and strong, and her baby was ready to come. And Tabi repeated it to us, saying, “I will open for my baby,” “I am safe,” among other encouraging words. They were wonderful self-affirmations! And she pushed so softly, bringing her baby into her midwife’s hands in a short amount of time. We heard her baby cry before her body was all the way out! She was literally born ready! And one more push brought sweet Alexis Teagan into the world at 3:07 am, in just barely 2 hours’ time.

Tabi received her daughter into her arms and lay back upon the pillow with her firstborn right beside her, petting her, and petting baby, and beaming to each of us her content at her promotion to big sister. It also didn’t hurt that mom was no longer a growling bear and was instantly returned to her normal mom self. She would remain beside her mom for several more hours, eventually falling asleep in bed beside her. Danny was next to the midwife ready to cut the umbilical cord after several minutes of pulsing. After a couple of hours, Alexis was weighed and examined so gently she didn’t even cry. Believe it or not, babies rarely cry during the homebirth exam. It's just different. Alexis weighed 5 lb. 14 oz. and measured 21 in. long.

Tabi had conquered her fear of childbirth; such a strong and independent woman in a small frame. She was powerful in her birth, claiming it for her own, just as she had imagined. When the heightened hormones of birth eased some, and details came into focus, Danny and Tabi laughed over how unprepared they were. The car seat wasn’t installed, the car was badly in need of a charge, and the red lights all conspired against them the entire drive to the birth suite.

But even with the missteps and oversights, everything came together wonderfully and peacefully. As the world slept, Tabi and Danny welcomed a miracle. And we were all the better for being present for it. After a few hours of rest at the birth suite, I got a text from another client in labor, sending me out the door an hour later. As I stole off into the early hours of the morning, Tabi and her girls were stirring with the sunrise. Their only destination was to return home to continue resting and healing they had already begun. It was beautiful how seamless the transition home was: from a homebirth in a birth suite back to home.

Julia and Erich, repeat clients of mine, welcomed their second COVID baby on June 10, 2021! (Yes, you read that right! They welcomed their first baby just a few weeks into the pandemic!) Julia was well aware of the changes to hospital policy that followed in the wake of COVID-19. She had an unmedicated birth in the hospital, however she had a virtual doula, a mask on her face, mandatory COVID test, and hospital staff all decked out in layers of PPE. This time around she desired a less medical experience and she also wanted more choice. So she brought her birth to the place where she knew she would be most comfortable, feel safest, and make all of the decisions that were important to her. And that place was home.

Her second baby proved to be different in when she came as well, because she surprised her parents by coming weeks earlier than her sister did! Her first baby came 3 days before her due date, but baby #2 came over 2 weeks before her date. Her first labor text came after 10:00 pm on June 9. She was having contractions but they were far apart. By the next morning they had not subsided but were still spaced. Julia had an in-home appointment with her midwife that afternoon and she hoped to get more info then unless things picked up before.

Julia’s labor was confusing and she wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. She stayed hydrated and she even went through multiple rounds of the Miles Circuit to encourage her baby to move into an optimal position to help labor progress more regularly. And it was after the second round that her contractions jumped to every 3 minutes and longer and stronger. It was around 12:15 pm and I headed to her home. I arrived to find Julia laboring in various positions but battling her fatigue. She had been up most of the night already and the hardest work lay before her. The contractions spaced out which was actually a grace for it allowed Julia time to rest in between. Her midwife arrived for the appointment around then and was able to do an assessment and leave the equipment for pool setup. Julia got emotional with everyone assembled, and when her midwife asked about them, she confessed she was worried about her firstborn. Who would get her from daycare, when would she be home. She wanted her baby back home in the nest before welcoming her newest baby. Erich was on it and in minutes had made arrangements for a family friend to pickup big sister and get her home asap.

And within the hour, Julia’s labor picked up. This was no surprise since she had addressed her emotional hurdle. Julia labored in her shower while the pool was getting setup. Big sister was safe at home by 5:00 and Julia’s relief was clear as she exhaled and relaxed. Her contractions were requiring more of her, so she stayed upright so she could better cope and move how she needed. By 5:22 the tub was ready and Julia did not hesitate to get in. She naturally moved to her hands and knees, leaning over the edge of the tub with her contractions and exhaling audibly through the peaks. She stepped out for a bathroom trip and labored a few of her contractions there. But she returned to the tub where she desired to welcome her baby.

When she entered at 6:22 pm, an hour after she got in the tub initially, she was feeling pressure as though she would be pushing soon. She waited to feel the undeniable urge to bear down, but it was slow to come. By 6:40 she pushed more intently, shifting from hands and knees to sitting against the wall of the tub. Around 7:00 pm we heard Grandma put big sister to bed. Dinner, bath time, and now bedtime routines were completed. This might be the last thing keeping Julia from birthing. Just in case, I also offered her some sugar in case she was feeling weary. Julia was interested in a cervical exam and her midwife obliged, confirming she was fully dilated with a bulging bag of water. No wonder she felt so much pressure but pushing wasn’t quite happening. She pushed some on the bed using the rebozo to tug-of-war push with her midwife for a bit. Upright positions seemed to be in order, so I recommended Julia return to the shower to make use of the ledge so she could do standing lunges. Surely that would bring her baby’s head down to birth.

Julia returned to the tub at 8:25 pm and that’s when we really saw some progress. She pushed in a squat and after just one or two contractions her water broke. Then her vocalizations changed and we heard the unmistakable guttural sound of a baby coming. Her midwife shined a flashlight but didn’t quite see baby. We continued our words of encouragement, cold cloths, and all of the support. And then Julia leaned forward in silence and reached down for her baby! The midwife said, “Oh!” as Julia leaned back against the wall of the tub, baby in arms. It was 8:43 pm when Aurora Grace was born unbeknownst to the people present. It was a secret between her mom and God, just as it was intended.

Aurora cried out right away and a towel was gently rubbed on her back to keep the cries and breathing coming as well as keep her warm. Julia embraced her baby calmly and we marveled at how her baby flew under the radar and the flashlight pointed at Julia’s backside. Clearly she preferred not to be in the spotlight when she entered the world. The placenta came 10 minutes later and was placed in a bowl floating beside the mother-baby pair. When she was ready, Julia got out of the tub and proceeded to the bed where she would stay. Grandparents joined her and her mother’s “Wow! Wow! Wow!” said it all. A miracle had transpired upstairs all while they went about their day.

Next on the agenda was food so Julia placed her order and Erich set out on a mission to get it before closing time. Meanwhile, Aurora latched and had her first nursing session as Julia ate some snacks. All was well and there was no rushing any of it. In time, the midwife did the newborn exam so calmly. Homebirth babies rarely cry during the exam, believe it or not. And we confirmed that Aurora weighed in at 7 lb. 2 oz. and 18 ½ in. long. The midwives cleaned up and did some education, while I remained with Julia. And soon it was time to leave. Erich had returned with dinner and she had her parents at home to help. It was time to tuck in for the night. How lovely that she had nowhere to go and she was already home.

This birth was a timely reminder that even as a pandemic swirls about the world, birth can still be intimate and safe, and done at home. I was honored to serve this sweet family as they welcomed both of their babies just 14 months apart. Hopefully by the time they welcome any other babies the pandemic will be a thing of the past. One can hope!

Sabrina and Chris welcomed their third child together, Bodi King Ro, on March 12, 2021, much to the excitement of his big sisters! This birth was completely different than the others, including being their only son whose gender was a surprise until birth. As you can surmise, this pregnancy occurred during the pandemic and Sabrina felt strongly that she wanted to have her chosen support people in attendance. She was not interested in the limitations of the hospital and also preferred to have her own babies nearby. This was achieved at her previous birth in the hospital for she had them asleep on a blowup mattress beside her birthing bed. However, this was not an option during COVID. Sabrina decided to welcome this baby in her own home where she felt safest and where her babies would be close.

Things proceeded without incident until the final weeks in which at an appointment her homebirth midwife noticed the baby’s heartbeat was less reactive than desired. She recommended an immediate NST at the hospital to determine next steps. Sabrina’s baby was tired, as they described it, and at 41 weeks they recommended induction. She was told to return that evening. However, when she returned there were no available beds. A call to another hospital yielded the same predicament, no beds. Her baby was cleared with a good NST and so she was sent home. Sabrina’s midwife came the very next day to monitor baby and Sabrina also had another NST at the hospital. That would be the plan—very close monitoring and a call to the hospital (or induction) if anything wasn’t right. This was a roller coaster of a ride for Sabrina who went from a homebirth to a hospital induction, and then to a possible homebirth, depending on baby. It was a challenge but she perfected the art of letting go and seeing what her baby had in store. It was all she could do and it would be the secret to being able to roll with her labor.

Just three days later, Chris texted me at 12:40 am to say that Sabrina was having regular contractions at 3-4 minutes apart already lasting over a minute. They started 45 minutes earlier and they were already going like gangbusters. Since this was Sabrina’s third birth and I had been at her previous births, I knew that she had a high pain tolerance and would be calm through pretty much all of it. Subtle signs would mean big progress so when Chris said she was stopping and bracing for her contractions I knew I’d be heading to their house soon.

Then about 10 minutes later, Chris texted to say that Sabrina’s water broke “all the way” and the labor was “getting really fast.” That’s all I needed and I was out the door. Things were escalating quickly and they had also contacted the midwives who were on their way to the house. I arrived about 20 minutes later at 1:15 am to find Sabrina on her hands and knees leaning against the bed. The midwives arrived one by one soon after, setting up their things and seamlessly drifting into Sabrina’s birth. They listened to the baby’s heartbeat regularly and it stayed strong, even better than the previous days as if baby wanted to show everyone that all was well.

Within the hour Sabrina felt a lot more pressure in her bottom and she required steady counter pressure from me and Chris. But no matter how deeply her labor drew her in, there was always a part of her that was tuned in to the monitor on the bed. The moment there was a peep from one of the girls Chris disappeared upstairs to calm them. Sabrina was surrounded in support so when Chris had daddy responsibilities, she was never alone. In fact, having him available to soothe the restless sleepers helped Sabrina to let go and labor.

By 2:22 we could hear Sabrina become more vocal with her contractions, and within 10 minutes we heard her familiar mantra of “okay, okay, okay,” which had been her landmark transition sign in previous births. We stayed close and applied steady pressure to her sacrum, reassuring her she was strong and capable and her baby was almost here. And in three minutes she said, “I feel the baby coming.” Her breath changed in that moment from a deep inhale and exhale to the catch in breath the precedes the urge to bear down. Sabrina pushed for maybe 10 minutes as her midwife sat at her bottom encouraging her, Chris lay beside her, and I sat nearby. Her other two midwives were attentive and saying words that uplifted and empowered her and in the midst of the support Sabrina opened and birthed her baby. First the head, and then the rest tumbled out at 2:41 am, just 2 ½ hours after her first contraction. The baby’s cord was wrapped around the leg twice and the ankle once but did not slow down descent. It might have explained the low heart rate detected a few days earlier but we will never know.

He cried robustly and was soon declared a boy and greeted with tears from his mother as she grabbed him upon her chest. Tears of love, elation, relief, and ultimate release that comes with giving birth. This journey had been rife with drama, the likes of which Sabrina never would have wanted. But even when she had resigned herself to an induction in the hospital, her baby’s journey to birth took a U-turn and had her meet him right at home where she had planned from the beginning. 

Bodi weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and was nursing shortly after birth. One of his sisters woke up as well, sending Chris bounding back upstairs to settle her before coming back down to cut the cord. There was no rush to cut it though. Once delivered, the placenta remained in a bowl nearby in the meantime. It stopped pulsing naturally when Bodi was through with it. The first hour was magical and reserved for exclusive skin-to-skin between mom and baby. And even after the first couple of hours passed and it was time for the newborn exam, Bodi hardly cried as the midwife gently assessed him with a tender touch and soft-spoken words. It’s really beautiful how serene the newborn exam is at a homebirth. And it inspired some thought-provoking discussion about homebirth and what normal birth looks like when it is left alone, undisturbed.

Sabrina was challenged to let go of the reins in this birth. And that is not something that comes easily for her. But she was ready to do anything to insure her baby’s safe passage earthside, even if it meant an induction and interventions. But in the span of a few days, she had her baby safely in her arms, born at home in the unmedicated birth she had envisioned all along. In the midst of a pandemic and so much uncertainty, I’m so thrilled this couple was able to welcome their newest baby in the comfort and sanctuary of their own home. There is no better time for a homebirth, I say. Welcome to the world, Bodi King Ro! You are the prince in your family and the king of your mom’s heart.