The Birth of Emma Quinn 2/8/22
Christina and Sam welcomed their second child, Emma Quinn, on February 8, 2022. This labor began similarly to her first one with her water breaking. But this time, there was not much of a pause between the water breaking and contractions, thankfully. The text came to me at 6:05 am. Christina and Sam had to do some coordinating for their son’s care, but nearby family stepped in quickly, freeing them up to go to the hospital when they were ready.
Christina’s body responded readily with contractions that had her pausing and breathing every few minutes almost immediately. They soon left for their birth place with the plan to meet me there. By the time they arrived to the hospital, Christina was already dilated 6 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station. That was a mighty fine place to be! I arrived 20 minutes behind them to find Christina laboring kneeling on the bed with Sam pushing on her lower back with his fists. Christina wondered whether she could manage many more contractions of such intensity. “This really hurts,” she exclaimed. And she thought she might want some pain relief. She did not have an epidural in her previous labor and did not desire one this time, so Sam and I validated her feelings but reminded her that she felt overwhelmed because things were happening quickly. Her water had broken just over two hours earlier and she was already in rip-roaring labor!
Christina labored on the monitors for the initial NST, while her nurse busily admitted her into the hospital system and worked to get access to the wireless monitor so Christina could have a chance at the shower. Her midwife did not stray too far. The delivery table was brought into the room to stand ready, as Christina labored headlong into transition.
Sam continued to apply counter pressure to her lower back while Christina labored on her hands and knees upon the bed, vocalizing loudly through each contraction. As she finished her required time on the monitor, we started up the shower so she might get some hydrotherapy, but it was not meant to be. Christina felt like she had to push, and her body did not lie to her. Christina’s baby was ready!
Her midwife knelt beside the bed, and as Christina pushed her baby out on hands and knees, she caught her cheesy baby and passed her through her knees into her arms. It just took a couple of pushes, and over an intact perineum, Emma Quinn was born at 8:34 am! For some time perspective, that’s just over 30 minutes after they arrived at the hospital! Christina held her sweet baby girl close in shock and awe. There was no time to do anything but have a baby.
Emma cried out loudly and pinked up quickly. She wasn’t weighed until after her first hour, but she tipped the scale at 9 lb. 7 oz. and she measured 21 in. long. She had a great latch from the start, something her brother wasn’t born with. So Christina was hopeful her breastfeeding journey might be a bit easier. (And at the time of our postpartum visit it still was, in part because of all she learned and knew to look out for the first time.)
This labor was fast and frantic, but also gentle. Christina came in and had a baby. Her provider attended her by kneeling down and catching the baby Christina birthed. Even her nurses worked around her, honoring her desire to hold her baby close and not be disturbed more than necessary. There was no need for immediate iv access so that was one less thing to contend with in between contractions, and I wouldn’t doubt if the signing of consents wasn’t completed until after delivery.
When it was all said and done, Christina had what she needed. Belief in her body, good support, and a team of people who didn’t get in the way of her birth process. I just love when births unfold in this way!
