Laura and Kurt welcomed their second child, a son, on August 2! Laura’s journey to meet this baby was a roller coaster for sure. Their first child had health complications that required a birth by scheduled c-section and a surgery soon after. Laura’s daughter’s birth and her immediate postpartum time was stressful and did not include the immediate skin to skin and breastfeeding, not to mention the bonding that is expected in most births. Instead, her daughter went right to the NICU and had surgery in her early days of life.

Fast forward to this second pregnancy and Laura had high hopes for a VBAC. She chose providers who were known for high VBAC rates (and low c-section rates) and she took the Spinning Babies class and did a lot of information gathering to prepare herself for the upcoming birth experience. After all, this would be her first labor. There would be so many firsts.

Going for a walk the evening before Logan was born. Laura was feeling mild contractions here.

However, as her due date drew near, Laura’s cervix was not showing any signs of moving toward labor. Ordinarily, this isn’t an issue, however, with a VBAC (or as the medical world likes to call it a TOLAC – trial of labor after cesarean), there were a very small number of ways to ripen the cervix before an induction and they would need the cervix to be somewhat moving in the right direction to consider them. Laura found herself in her 40th week with no dilation and not much effacement. Her doctor told her a repeat c-section was the safest route. This was not what Laura wanted but she knew that her baby’s safe passage was paramount. She spent the last days wrapping her head around the disappointing turn of events and tried to keep herself busy.

Kurt was such an engaged and supportive partner.

Then the day before her scheduled c-section, Laura thought she was having contractions. She reached out to me, and we tried to sort through them and came up with the plan of not paying attention to them and hydrating and resting. And if the contractions were changing her cervix, she could absolutely have an exam before any c-section in the morning. I wasn’t convinced it was labor, to be honest, since Laura had been out walking and that can cause the uterus to complain, so to speak. I wanted it for her so badly, but we were also trying to keep her head and heart from jumping too quickly to the conclusion of labor. But her neighbor happens to be an ob-gyn and he agreed with Laura that it was labor getting started. So we looked forward to what the night and morning might reveal.

Laura got through the night and managed some sleep. And she reported to the hospital for the scheduled c-section. She knew her cervix would get checked if she had been feeling contractions and maybe she would have a surprise and the opportunity to TOLAC. It was an amazing turn of events! She was dilated 4 cm and 60% effaced! She was in early labor, and her body had done a lot of good cervical change in the nick of time! She wasn’t having regular contractions and they weren’t very strong yet, but she would keep me posted as things progressed to the point of needing support. I was with another laboring client at the time so the need for backup was high.

Three hours passed and Laura’s cervix was the same. She wasn’t quite in active labor yet but the groundwork had been laid for a very good chance for a VBAC. Her midwife recommended seeing what happened over the next couple of hours and possibly breaking her water or starting Pitocin if her labor had not progressed. Her contractions were intensifying but were not getting closer so they decided to wait on the Pitocin and see if some more natural ways to intensify contractions might work. Her midwife did a membrane sweep and then Laura made use of the shower during this time to help her relax and stimulate stronger contractions.

Freshly born! Logan got some oxygen in the early minutes.

But an hour later, with still no change, it was time to make a change. Laura’s doctor said it was time for Pitocin. Luckily, Laura had a nurse who was all about moving her into a variety of positions as she waited for active labor to kick in with the Pitocin which was started around 1:00 pm.

Getting some respiratory supporting the nursery the first couple of hours with daddy by his side the whole time

As the Pitocin began to work, she labored on the birth ball and leaned over the peanut ball in bed. Laura felt her contractions change in the first 30 minutes so they were hopeful she wouldn’t need much Pitocin. After 1 ½ hours on Pitocin, Laura began to vocalize through each contraction. They were on the short side at 30-45 seconds, but they were getting stronger which was a good sign. Her nurse said her labor was picture perfect.

Reunited after Logan was cleared from the nursery team

Laura kept laboring in various positions and clenched combs in each hand to help her get through the contractions. Kurt was amazing support, and the nurse was very good at giving him ideas for how to support Laura. As her contractions moved closer to a minute in length, she had a cervical check. Kurt updated me at 3:30 pm that Laura was dilated 5-6 cm and her cervix was very thin, and her baby’s head was at 0 station. She was edging into active labor! (The exam was closer to 3:00 but the update came at 3:30.)

It was time to deploy some doula backup since things had turned a corner so my friend, Aimee Roberts was on it. Laura even cussed which is saying something! (See what I did there?) Backup was on her way soon after 4:00 as Laura and Kurt continued their labor dance through various positions with the support of their nurse. Then just 45 minutes after learning she was 5-6 cm dilated, Kurt sent a text that Laura was 9 cm and 0.5+ station just past 4:00 pm! She went really fast, dilating from 5-6 cm to 9 cm in the span of an hour! She was in a lot of discomfort and considering an epidural but since she was so close to pushing she stayed the course and did not receive pain medications. Instead, Laura clenched Kurt’s hand and breathed and focused through the contractions that finished her cervical dilation and brought her into second stage with the involuntary urge to bear down and push her baby out.

Aimee arrived right as Laura was starting to push and supported Laura’s leg so she could push side-lying. Kurt dabbed her face with a wet cloth and encouraged her through. And Laura was able to hold his hand on her side. Laura pushed on her right side as well and rotated to push in the middle too. She remembers it as being especially intense in that position. But when she followed her midwife’s advice to use her legs and curl around her baby, she made big progress in bringing her baby into view.

Laura pushed out Logan at 4:58 pm after pushing just 10 minutes according to Kurt! He weighed 8 lb. 6 oz. and was 22 in. long. In his first moments, they could tell that he was having some struggles with his breathing since he had some amniotic fluid in his lungs. The nursery nurse did end up taking him to the nursery for observation and possible support for his first couple of hours, but Kurt was with him the entire time. But the brief separation was nothing compared to the separation they endured with their firstborn. So, the reunion, albeit delayed, was a beautiful opportunity for skin to skin and breastfeeding. I was in the room for that moment and was so grateful for that. It was a precious moment of getting to know their baby and soaking in all the snuggles that had been waiting.

I love Laura’s story! Birth NEVER goes how you plan it. And holding loosely to expectations (or letting them go all together) can be the best plan. So much about this birth didn’t go as expected, including needing a backup doula! But then again, the surprise ending was more amazing than anything Laura had imagined! Turns out her cervix knows how to dilate rapidly! She labored on Pitocin without any pain medications, and Kurt was incredible support through it all. I am so proud of how they navigated Laura’s surprisingly short active labor! Short is not easier, that’s for sure. And ultimately, Laura’s birth journey blew everyone’s expectations out of the water. Even hers.

The Birth of Logan Thomas 8/2/23