Amber and Eric welcomed their second child, a son, on December 17, 2020. Amber found herself growing anxious as her due date came and went. And the logistical details of getting her daughter situated during delivery didn’t help. So she opted for an induction with her provider’s blessing. She had also had the unsettling news late in pregnancy that her son was in the breech position. Thankfully he drifted into transverse and ultimately head down, thanks to his mother’s diligence with positioning and maneuvers. Suffice it to say, she was ready to meet him. She had high hopes for a birth free of pain medication this time, but she also understood what she was signing up for with an induction. So she remained open-minded.

Her doctor was very patient and supportive and we are all so grateful for that. But by that evening, Amber was ready to move forward with pitocin. After a break for dinner, the pitocin drip began. It was around 6:45 pm, December 16. Slowly the level was raised. Amber was blessed with amazing nurses both shifts. But her overnight nurse was something special. A champion for natural birth, she was all about leaving Amber alone and giving her space and options. Although she was working harder with her contractions by 10:00 that night, her cervix remained 2 cm. Amber, who had been a trooper through it all was beginning to feel discouraged. We used essential oils to literally breathe new life into her labor. Lavender for tension and anxiety, peppermint for an energy boost, raven to help her breathe deeply, and valor for the hard work that was to come.

Shortly after midnight on December 17, we hit the official birthday and Amber hit active labor! Eric pressed a heating pack on Amber’s lower back and she labored in a variety of positions, breathing deeply all the while. Just past 1:00 she expressed her doubts about continuing on with her plan of avoiding pain medications so we suggested she labor in the shower. Amber did amazing work in there! Eric and I took turns spraying her with the shower nozzle and she faced each contraction with a renewed sense of courage and determination. And at 2:00 am she was dilated 8 cm!

Amber was so strong and mighty as she opened fully to 10 cm. It was a 40-minute process and the intensity was powerful. Amber labored down beautifully until it she could no longer resist what her body was telling her to do. And she pushed mightily and quickly brought her baby out. The doctor arrived with just a few minutes to spare and Charlie Keith was born at 3:00 am on the dot! And oh the tears! Eric and Amber both cried, overjoyed and elated by how everything unfolded. Charlie rested against his mother as his umbilical cord pulsed a full 5 minutes to completion before Eric cut it. Charlie spent time in his mother’s arms but she was quick to offer him to daddy for a snuggle. It was so precious and shows how sweet and generous Amber is. Eric melted as he looked into his newborn son’s eyes and Amber melted at the sight of her boys taking each other in.

In the minutes following the birth we heard joyful songs like “Celebrate” and “Happy”, perfect soundtracks for the happy ending of Amber’s labor. Charlie weighed in at 7 lb. 4 oz. and measured 21 in. long. He was just perfect.

At a time when the world is more aware of the medical side of things (aka COVID), it was a lovely juxtaposition to watch a natural process unfold and for it to happen with minimal medical intervention. It gave us hope for something better, something different in the grand scheme of things, but also reinforced that for Amber on a personal level. I know a natural birth was Amber’s wish in the beginning, but often it’s not until you look back from the other side of the experience, that you truly get the chance to ponder it. Everyone in the room was blessed to be there. It was good for us to see that birth works and that women are strong, and in spite of history, there is always the opportunity to move through a new and different experience.

The Birth of Charlie Keith 12/17/20