Jessie and Travis are parents! They welcomed their baby girl, Ginny Josephine, on May 5 at 11:42 am. Jessie’s body made some gradual changes in the final weeks as her due date came and went. She was dilated 3cm and 90% effaced at 41 weeks, which was a very good starting point for an induction that was scheduled for the following Monday. However, Jessie hoped she wouldn’t need it!

And thank goodness she didn’t! I got a text the following morning around 6:35 am telling me that Jessie’s contractions had started and were already getting stronger. This was very good news! I reminded her to hydrate and eat as she was able to, and to rest until she couldn’t do anything but breathe and focus through her contractions.

But Travis took over the texting and ten minutes later clarified that Jessie already couldn’t talk through them and they had begun around 2:30, paused at 3:30 and then returned with a vengeance at 5:30 that morning. The plan was to take a shower to see if it might relax her and touch base after.

Two hours later, Travis texted that Jessie’s water just broke. She was also in a lot of pain and just threw up. My drive to them was 30 minutes and it sounded like it was time to head to the hospital. But Jessie was having to focus so much through her contractions that she couldn’t move! It was time to go. They called the midwife and were on their way a few minutes later.

We arrived at the hospital at the same time and Jessie had made huge progress in those 3 ½ hours because she was dilated 8 cm! Her baby was at -1 station, but likely wouldn’t take much longer. So, her nurse got busy taking care of the admissions process while Travis and I offered comfort to Jessie. Travis rubbed her legs and I praised her for her breathing and low tones through the surges.

With her baby looking wonderful on the NST, Jessie was freed from the monitors and headed to the shower for the last bit of dilation. She was under the warm water by 9:50 pm, surrounded by votives and lavender. She did lunges on the bench, first on her right, then on her left.

She got out of the shower at 10:15 feeling pressure and was dilated 9 cm with baby at 0. There was still more work to do to bring her baby down and melt that last bit of cervix away. Jessie dangled in a squat using the rebozo and Travis was right there to support her, literally squatting behind her. I loved watching this couple labor together. They were a beautiful partnership.

After working with the rebozo, Jessie returned to the shower. She labored 20 more minutes under the warm water and felt the desire to push grow stronger and stronger. We could hear her sounding really pushy just 10 minutes later at 10:32. Jessie was beginning to bear down involuntarily.

She got back out at 10:55 pm to get checked but there was still a lip of cervix in the front. Her nurse drew labs (just in time!) and Jessie leaned over the CUB on her hands and knees, hoping her baby’s head might help push that lip of cervix back. I placed a washcloth with lavender and valor near Jessie’s head and she breathed it in and relaxed into the growing pressure to push.

We put a heating pad on her back as well and it gave her a distraction and some relief. As her desire to push grew stronger, I reminded Jessie that she would eventually feel a burning sensation and to let us know if she did. That would be her cue that baby was ready. And just a contraction or two later, Jessie said, “It burns!” We lifted up the sheet that was covering her backside and sure enough, there was a baby’s head!

Her nurse called for the midwife who arrived just in time to get dressed in the paper suit and don gloves to catch. Jessie pushed her baby out gradually with great control and welcomed her 8 lb. 4 oz. baby girl at 11:42 am just in time for lunch! Her midwife passed baby Ginny through her mom’s legs where Travis and Jessie lifted her up together. Jessie gathered up her baby in her arms and held her there, taking it all in. The tears flowed between she and Travis, and the smiles were infectious. They had done it!

Since she came out so quickly, she didn’t get much of a squeeze, so Ginny had more fluid in her lungs and wasn’t able to get really strong cries out initially. She took a stop at the warmer for some chest pt and once she cleared some fluids and mucus she was back in her mother’s arms. She sucked her fingers and rooted around, interested in latching. She found her way and was feeding with her first hour in this world.

Ginny Josephine is named for her maternal grandma and her paternal grandma, both who passed away. And when she looked at us, she had a wisdom in her eyes, like she knew more than we realize. Perhaps her great grandmas were in her eyes too.

Jessie’s birth unfolded in a very straightforward way. Her body was ready. Her mind was ready. Her heart was ready. And her baby was ready. And that makes for the perfect sort of timing. It was a beautifully orchestrated natural birth, just as Jessie had hoped. And it was a joyful birth, even during contractions. I caught some smiles even then. Good ol’ oxytocin!