Meredith and Brett welcomed their first child, a son, on March 14, 2022. Meredith found out her baby was breech and OP around 32 weeks and made it her mission to encourage her baby to turn! Then attended my Spinning Babies® Parent Class to learn tips for encouraging their little guy to rotate. And rotate he did, into the OA position before labor. Yay!

Meredith’s water broke around 5:00 pm on March 13. She and Brett were watching a movie, Murder on the Nile, when it happened. Meredith texted me right afterward, and I recommended she do some of the positions we had gone over in the Spinning Babies class to help optimize baby’s position for birth, and hopefully to also encourage contractions. Meredith didn’t feel anything immediately, but she soon detected period-like cramps. It was wonderful that her body responded relatively soon after her water broke, and we were very encouraged she would continue to move into labor. The contractions began erratically and were short, so Meredith tried to rest and not pay too much attention to them until she had to.

Then around 10:00 pm Meredith texted to say she was unable to lay down anymore because the contractions were much stronger and more frequent when she did so. I gave her some suggestions to facilitate rest between them as well as getting in the shower to help and she planned to try them. The Miles Circuit was also recommended, and Meredith had already done it earlier that day! I was pleased to know she was being diligent about helping her baby and her body as her labor developed.

Many hours passed which led me to believe perhaps Meredith’s contractions had died down. But quite the contrary. Brett texted just before 3:00 am to say that Meredith was having a pretty hard time with contractions that were 3 minutes apart, but not lasting a minute yet. She was nauseous and had made good use of the shower. From the sound of things, it was probably time to call the midwife and see if it might be time to head to the hospital. 

Brett conveyed what he saw quite well. Meredith was moaning through contractions and acting differently. She didn’t feel she got any relief between the contractions; they were coming so close. They agreed to call the midwife who recommended they head in once Meredith got something in her stomach. They would update once they arrived, and I would meet them there. Brett ran two red lights to get to the hospital as soon as possible and it was a good thing he did. They waited at the front door for what felt like forever, and then a janitor opened it for them. Thank goodness.

It turned out that although this was their first journey through childbirth, Meredith and Brett did an excellent job of minimizing and ignoring early labor! By the time Meredith got upstairs on the unit and was checked in triage and she was 9 cm dilated! She would not be getting the epidural she thought she might need, and instead relied on her support team and comfort measures to finish the birth.

Meredith breathed deeply as her body opened to complete, and her involuntary urge to bear down grew stronger. It had been a particularly crazy delivery night, and the resident midwife was standing in for Meredith’s midwife until she was available. Everyone swirled around her taking care of their tasks to get her admitted and ready for delivery. The table was set up lickity split and one of Meredith’s doctors arrived in time for the delivery. Her midwife got there a bit after.

Meredith pushed well and her baby moved down nicely every single time. Her baby’s heart rate dipped as she pushed so she breathed oxygen from the mask given to her. Brett was so encouraging, speaking words of affirmation and strength to her as she worked hard to birth their baby. And when he was born, everyone was elated and so excited for this couple. Meredith cried and Brett touched his son in awe of what had just happened. Grant Nelson was born at 5:38 am on March 14, 2022, after an hour of pushing. (See? They still have plenty of time before baby, even though Meredith arrived 9 cm!)

I love watching new parents get to know their baby. They marveled over Grant’s features and Brett placed his finger in his son’s hand and was rewarded with a tight grip. As things settled and Grant had his first go at laid back breastfeeding, Meredith was able to think about what had transpired. It was kind of crazy and wild, and confusing how it didn’t fall into the typical labor pattern that we discussed. But when Meredith listened to her body, things happened. And she got to the hospital in plenty of time to welcome her son. She even managed to squeeze out the possibility for a chance at an epidural which turned out to be a very good thing. Meredith wasn’t sure she would or could labor and birth without pain medications, but she surprised herself and did! And she was very proud of herself and amazed at her body too. And she should be!!