Isabella and Corey are parents! They welcomed their sweet ray of sunshine, Callie Lucille, on November 21! It was such an honor when Isabella shared the secret of her pregnancy because I had been lucky to work by her side at many births. She is a nurse! But being a nurse can make it more challenging to be the patient, and Isabella knew this to be true. Her body dilated gradually and she felt waves of contractions come and go for weeks. Nighttime was the hardest because that’s when her uterus would gear up. She did Miles Circuit and was mindful of being restful, knowing she would need energy when those contractions organized themselves into active labor. Then on Saturday evening I got a text at 5;25 with a contraction pattern and the comment that “the last three have gotten really strong. I’ll let you know in another hour.” Isabella had felt the familiar bout of contractions 10-15 minutes apart, but they picked up in intensity around 4:30 that afternoon. I reminded her that she had been feeling contractions for weeks and unless they were different they were likely more of the same. And this was when Isabella assured me she really thought they were different. She would keep me posted and continue various positions as she was able.

Two hours later I got a text that Isabella and Corey were going to the hospital. And Isabella said, “I’ll let you know if we are staying.” So I waited to hear back. Wellllllll, it was definitely labor because when Isabella arrived her midwife did an exam and confirmed she was 8 cm dilated! Thank goodness I live close and was able to be there a few minutes later. I walked in the room at 8:20 to find Isabella working hard to stay centered during her contractions as well as in between. She was answering questions even as her contractions intensified, trying in earnest to help her fellow nurse complete her admissions tasks. Corey and I circulated wet cloths on Isabella’s head. She was generating a lot of heat from her transition labor! “I can’t do this,” did escape Isabella’s mouth, along with other things like, “I want an epidural,” but Isabella was rocking it and facing each contraction with courage and determination when they came. We recognized it as transition talking and knew she would have her baby in her arms very soon. Isabella was pushing by 8:55 pm.

Isabella welcomed her midwife’s offer to break her water, she was already pushing and we could already see birth was imminent. “Out, out, out, come out, baby, you hurt!” was Isabella’s mantra to Callie. They were working so well together every step of the way, as if Callie heard her mom’s words and obeyed. Isabella reached her hand down to confidently feel her baby’s head. I just love that moment of connection and awe so much! It doesn’t matter that Isabella had witnessed hundreds of babies being born. She was so captivated you never would have known. Isabella connected with her baby again and again in this way, and it spurred her on to keep pushing.

Isabella brought her baby to a crown and sighed and stretched as she gently eased her out. And Callie was born at 9:18 pm with her amniotic membranes around her waist like a skirt. She was such a girly girl from the start! Isabella grabbed Callie up to her and noted right away she did not have a tongue tie. And she also told her nurse she was comfortable with postpartum Pitocin if she felt it necessary. Yes, Isabella was definitely a L&D nurse. She smiled at her midwife and thanked her for catching her baby and graciously allowed her coworkers to pop in and congratulate her. I imagine they were jockeying for position to be in that room for delivery, knowing it was their friend, Isabella giving birth! Membership has its perks, because her midwife brought her some pizza and cookies from the staff room saying, “You get the reward for the hardest working nurse on the unit today.” No one would argue that! Callie was 19 ½ in. long and weighed in officially at 6 lb. 4.4 oz. But I have to give Isabella credit for her estimated weight of 6 lb. 5 oz.! Truly, mommy knows best.

Isabella had a greater challenge before her simply by being a nurse herself. She even finished her shift the day her labor got going. But she managed to take care of her husband’s needs—making him mac and cheese during labor to keep HIS strength up, assist her nurse—she helped her with proper ice pack placement, and even thanked every member of her birth team for being there. But don’t let her sweetness mislead you because I can vouge for the fact that when it comes to birth, she is a downright warrior with unfailing strength who is not afraid to let a few adult words slip from her mouth. It was such a joy to accompany this couple to parenthood. Well done!