The Birth of Christian Jase 4/2/22
Cierra and Tyler welcomed their second COVID baby on April 12, 2022. This second son served as a gentle reminder that not all babies will follow the same birthing pattern as their siblings, and not all pregnancies will run the same course. Cierra had a long labor with her first, due to a complicated position, and used an epidural to help with rest. She hoped to avoid it altogether this time, especially since she got it late in labor. She also went over a week beyond her due date the first time around so we all assumed she would do the same. It’s often the case, yes, but we were so wrong!
Cierra texted me on Saturday, April 2, just past 5:00 am, nearly two weeks before her due date, to tell me she was bleeding and having contractions. She had managed to sleep some between and during, but it was getting more difficult. She called the midwife about an hour later who recommended they make their way to the hospital. They had quite a drive, and since this was the second baby, it was better to get to her safe place before things really took off. Later I would learn that she was awakened by her first born at 2:20 and she rocked him to sleep, went back to bed, only to wake up to contractions at 3:00 am.
In the car on the way, Cierra’s body continued to labor, and her contractions were steady at 5 minutes apart. Cierra arrived dilated 7 cm and I was by her side within 30 minutes. She breathed through each contraction as the minutes of the requisite 20-minute NST ticked by. Once the monitoring was done, Cierra made her way to the shower.
Cierra labored in the shower through just a couple of contractions and then was startled by the sensation of having to push. She got out and returned to labor upright on the bed. We tied a rebozo to the squat bar and she grabbed hold and breathed through the strongest contractions of her labor. She was feeling pain in her back so we applied counter pressure to try to ease it, knowing that ultimately birth was the best cure for it.
Twenty minutes later her water broke. It was 8:40, and Cierra labored standing in her husband’s arms and was pushing shortly therafter. Cierra climbed upon the bed and leaned over the cub where she followed her body’s instinct to bear down. She didn’t push long before welcoming her baby boy at 8:52 am! And he was so ready to sing his birthday song, he cried before his whole body was out! And his head was perfectly round since he spent such a short time low in his mom’s pelvis before being born. Sweet baby Christian Jase weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. and measured 19 in. long. (Although those stats would not be confirmed until after the magic hour he shared with his parents!)
Cierra leaned back and clutched her son to her chest. She had done it! And she labored with confidence and never even uttered a word of doubt to us. She hardly had time to, but she likely didn’t feel the doubt. Tyler was her solid partner and never wavered either, supporting her emotionally, and even physically at times, serving as her rock. And this makes my doula heart sing.
It was a privilege to bear witness to Cierra’s strength and Tyler’s steadfast support. It was also nice to see the staff give space and opportunity for Cierra’s birth to unfold unhindered. Cierra labored in whatever position she chose and birthed where and how she landed. Her midwife met her there, and the hospital support team was ready to help if needed but kept their distance. I love seeing this happen. And I hope to see it happen more.
