Lindsey and Ken are parents! They welcomed their daughter, Charlotte Reed, to the world on October 19, 2021. They were students in my 7-week childbirth class and did all they could to prepare for an unmedicated birth. Lindsey’s due date came and went, and her midwife scheduled an induction “just in case” she got to 41w 5d. She hoped that she wouldn’t and as fate would have it, she didn’t. But then again, she kind of did because at her 41-week appointment they noticed the amniotic fluid levels were low. And since she was already a week past her due date, the safest bet was to move forward with induction. Lindsey wrapped her head around the change in plans but maintained her desire to birth without pain medication.

ince Lindsey was already dilated 3 cm, her midwife felt she would respond with Pitocin and then possibly breaking her water. The Pitocin began at 1:00 in the afternoon on October 18. Lindsey waited for her body to respond with significant contractions. It didn’t take long for her to feel the cramps that would become active labor contractions. And after several hours of that, her midwife proceeded with breaking her water to continue the momentum that had begun with the Pitocin. It was 7:30 that night when her water was broken.

Shortly after her water was broken, her labor picked up considerably. The television became white noise in the background as Lindsey breathed and focused through each contraction while Ken did counter pressure on her lower back. A warm rice sock also helped, but Lindsey found staying active to be the best comfort measure. She labored on her hands and knees on the bed with the pillow, and then the peanut ball. Then she did lunges on one side and then the other.

We requested the squat bar, so she’d have it just in case, and her body continued to move into active labor with hiccups and nausea, and then the labor shakes. The midwife checked her and confirmed Lindsey was dilated 4 cm, not nearly as far as we expected from her body’s response. Her cervix was all the way thinned out though, so it was primed for big changes.

Lindsey’s midwife recommended turning off the Pitocin and seeing what some time in the shower might do. It was 10:00 pm at this time, and Lindsey was grateful for freedom from the IV pole and monitors. And she labored in the shower a full hour. She lunged on the foot stool, for the left then the right. And since she felt more pain on the right side, she lunged even more on the right. She stood and she swayed, and she even squatted while pulling on a sheet overhead.

When Lindsey emerged from the shower, she was hot and tired. A cervical exam showed her to be 5 cm dilated. Once again, it seemed lower than expected since Lindsey had felt some pushy pressure at the peaks. She breathed and blew raspberries through the peaks to relieve that pressure. And she leaned forward onto the bed while Ken pressed on her back. We placed a cold cloth on her head, but Lindsey was feeling worn down. Her midwife recommended a bag of fluids to see if it might help. She managed to rest between contractions as the fluids ran, and she found the energy and desire to return to the shower. Her nurse did a 20 minute NST on the baby since there had been some variables, but she ultimately returned to the shower for another hour, this time spending a lot of time on the birth ball. But not until she got an orange popsicle for some sugar.

In the shower, Lindsey told us how it felt counter intuitive because the contractions didn’t feel as strong as when she was out of it. But it was the relaxing effect that helped the pain feel less intense. Lindsey got out of the shower after 40 minutes and wanted to lay down but it was too painful. Her body required her to be more upright and active. Her baby had moved from the right side to the middle which was a very good thing. It showed us that her baby was making the rotation to be born!

When Lindsey emerged from the shower, she was hot and tired. A cervical exam showed her to be 5 cm dilated. Once again, it seemed lower than expected since Lindsey had felt some pushy pressure at the peaks. She breathed and blew raspberries through the peaks to relieve that pressure. And she leaned forward onto the bed while Ken pressed on her back. We placed a cold cloth on her head, but Lindsey was feeling worn down. Her midwife recommended a bag of fluids to see if it might help. She managed to rest between contractions as the fluids ran, and she found the energy and desire to return to the shower. Her nurse did a 20 minute NST on the baby since there had been some variables, but she ultimately returned to the shower for another hour, this time spending a lot of time on the birth ball. But not until she got an orange popsicle for some sugar.

The rice sock provided relief to her back pain, and she inhaled some valor blend to help keep her centered and capable. At this point, Lindsey was in transition. We just didn’t know her dilation. She sat upon the bed in a throne position, and she leaned forward onto the squat bar. A whiff of lemon essential oil gave her a boost of energy that helped carry her through the last bit of dilation. And at 1:25 am she was dilated 8 cm. She had opened from 5 cm to 8 cm in just 3 hours.

After that exam, Lindsey returned to the shower, this time with lemon essential oil on a washcloth. It filled the shower with the aroma, and she labored on the ball once again. There were votives in the shower which helped create an atmosphere that was conducive to birth and less conducive to watching.

While the nurse set up the delivery table, Lindsey labored in a dangle squat using a sheet. She had definitely found a second wind and was doing the work necessary to stay on track with her desires for an unmedicated birth. Ken was such a wonderful partner through it all. He was right beside her speaking encouragement and never once wavering on her. He stood strong.

After that exam, Lindsey returned to the shower, this time with lemon essential oil on a washcloth. It filled the shower with the aroma, and she labored on the ball once again. There were votives in the shower which helped create an atmosphere that was conducive to birth and less conducive to watching.

While the nurse set up the delivery table, Lindsey labored in a dangle squat using a sheet. She had definitely found a second wind and was doing the work necessary to stay on track with her desires for an unmedicated birth. Ken was such a wonderful partner through it all. He was right beside her speaking encouragement and never once wavering on her. He stood strong.

Lindsey got out of the shower the final time and sat upon the toilet for some contractions. We placed a step stool under her feet to act like a squatty potty to encourage her baby’s descent upon the cervix. She returned to the bed for some monitoring of her baby, and she was also checked and 9 cm dilated. Her baby was at 0 station, and she had a lip on the right. We had her stand at the end of the bed and lunge to her right in the hopes the cervix would melt away on that side.

She labored in upright positions and soon felt pressure to push. And sure enough, at 3:30 am she was completely dilated, and her baby was at +2 station. She had moved her baby so much in a short time! Her midwife returned and Lindsey breathed in the lemon oil to continue the resurgence of energy.

Lindsey gave her first push at 4:15 am. She lay upon her side and pushed and asked us, “Do you see anything?” We didn’t see anything just yet but 20 minutes later we saw her body opening. She pushed on her right side 30 minutes later, and within 15 minutes the midwife slid the delivery cart beside the bed and got dressed in her paper suit and gloves.

By 5:05 am we could see Lindsey’s baby’s head and in 10 minutes she was crowning. Another contraction, and Lindsey pushed out her daughter, Charlotte into the world at 5:19 am. She was coughing and sputtering from the start but went to the warmer for some initial support. Lindsey’s placenta took its sweet time, so the OB was called in for additional support. It was born over an hour later. But by then Charlotte was getting some bonding time with daddy.

Lindsey was able to welcome her baby girl in the unmedicated birth she had planned and prepared for. It wasn’t easy, especially when her labor was induced. But Lindsey trusted her body, regardless of what was being done to it medically. And she listened to it all the way to the end when she pushed her baby out. And you know how much her baby girl weighed? 9 lb. 7 oz! She was no peanut. But Lindsey did it. And it didn’t hurt that she was surrounded in supportive people too. Congratulations again, on seeing your natural birth through!

The Birth of Charlotte Reed 10/19/21