Regina got used to nightly contractions. As she lay down to bed, her uterus went to work getting ready. The texts to me were frequent, and so much so that I reminded Regina that it was best to ignore and minimize the late pregnancy/pre-labor contractions unless or until they were consistently getting longer and stronger at 5 minutes apart or closer.

A week went by and then a text: I’m in labor. 5 cm. It was a startling text but Regina was in triage and calmly waiting until she was moved to her proper labor and delivery room. She assured me she was still comfortable, and it was not an emergency. But I knew with her history that her cervix could open right up at any time, so I got there within the hour.

When I arrived, she caught me up on the timetable. She woke at 7:00 am to contractions that were strong but spaced. She spoke with the midwife, made arrangements for the care of her girls, and then proceeded to the hospital. The midwife tried to break her water at 11:35 am to keep momentum going but it was not confirmed whether she was successful. So, I encouraged Regina to try various positions as she waited for her labor to move into active. She rested over the CUB on the bed, and I applied a heating pad to her back. She updated friends and family by phone since her contractions were not yet requiring all her focus.

Her midwife returned and hinted that her baby might be OP so we were more strategic with positioning. Regina found lavender relaxing, so she leaned in to smell the lavender doused cotton ball taped to her wrist. She labored in the throne position and placed one foot on the squat bar and then the other. And by 2:00 pm her contractions had moved closer at a steady 3 minutes apart.

Regina felt a lot of pressure during one bathroom trip so I recommended she might give the shower a try. With dim lights (votives) and the lavender on a washcloth, Regina spent time in the shower and soon felt like her contractions weren’t as close. (They were.)

At 2:45 pm another midwife came in to do a check since Regina’s midwife was otherwise engaged, and announced she was dilated 8 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station. These were big numbers! Regina felt a lot of pressure and told us so. “Is it too late for the epidural?” she asked. And while it technically wasn’t, it likely would have been too much trouble for too little relief. We stepped up the support and helped Regina move into different positions to help her progress and pain management.

Her midwife joined us right before 3:00 pm and Regina insisted, “She’s coming! I can’t hold it.” She moved to her hands and knees at 3:20 but did not like it, so she rolled to her side. It was not comfortable either, but then again at that point in labor not much is. Regina breathed through the last contractions before second stage and at 3:47 pm her midwife checked and confirmed, “Your baby is right here at +2.”

“I need a break,” Regina stammered. It was 4:00 and she had been working much of the day on this baby. We validated her hard work and assured her she would have a break very soon. I reminded her to push right into the pain and not to back away from it. Regina continued, but she struggled with pushing into the pain.

There was a forebag remaining, so her midwife broke it after Regina consented. We were hopeful her baby would come right on down and out, but she didn’t. Regina pull pushed with the rebozo, and thirty minutes later she pushed in the traditional way. But her baby wasn’t coming. Regina had hit a major wall and she didn’t feel she could persist. She was tired and over it all. The doctor came in and discussed options including assisting with the delivery, and a c-section was even brought up as a last resort. “That! I want that.” Regina insisted that was what she wanted to do, and we were all confused and shocked. She was adamant! What do you do?

It was a relief to everyone but most of all to Regina to have her baby safely in her arms. Regina birthed her without a tear and had her daughter on the breast with little effort. Eliana weighed 6 lb. and was 19.5 in. long. Ultimately, Regina had to get to the point of being ready to have her baby. There was the final bit of work to be done and in the moment it felt impossible. But then she did it. Regina is a woman who gets things done! And I was so proud of her that day. She is back into her busy life now and we are trying to get her postpartum visit scheduled nearly a month out. (She’s that busy!) But I am confident she is adjusting to being a single mom of three surprisingly well. I also know that she has a village of support which makes a big difference. It was an honor to witness her strength in birth.

The Birth of Eliana Grace 4/10/23