Candace and Jacob, welcomed their second child, Madeline Isabelle, on September 14! It felt like yesterday when I had attended the birth of their fistborn. Well, I guess in a way it had only a short time earlier, given how closely spaced their babies are. This was a clue from the start that Candace’s uterus would be up for the task and jump right back into the job of labor with little warning. This baby would come quickly, no doubt. The biggest challenge would be getting out the door in time with the logistical details of making sure big sister was taken care of. There were some big changes that occurred on the early side of this pregnancy. Candace’s midwives switched hospitals, they moved into a new house, and last but certainly not least, a pandemic swept the globe leaving hospitals and pregnant women confused and worried about how things would play out. But all in all, Candace and Jacob seemed to ride the tides of uncertainty with a grounded perspective and this would prove to be their greatest asset in labor.

Candace’s first labor was intense from the start, due to a membrane sweep that got her cervix all reactive with strong contractions that rivaled very active labor (but that weren’t). She was familiar with minimizing and ignoring, so when she first felt rhythmic contractions she shrugged them off. She texted me at 12:21 am on September 14 to tell me she “thought” she was having contractions, not even that she thought she was in labor. So she was draped over the birth ball as she waited to see if it was anything. I reminded her to hydrate and rest and if she felt strong contractions to get details in place so she could leave for the hospital. This was a second baby after all, and they have a way of coming quickly when they come. At 1:55 am another text came through telling me the midwife recommended she head in since she would need antibiotics. Her contractions were coming at a steady clip of 2-3 minutes, although not really taking her breath away yet. They followed the recommendation of the midwife and loaded in the car for the 25-minute drive to the hospital.

I wasn’t sure if she wanted me to head in so I texted to ask. With no response I just got in my car to meet them there. I was en route when I got the text at 2:36 am that she was feeling intense pelvic pressure. I was driving at the time and 10 minutes later right as I parked the car at the hospital, Jacob called to tell me Candace was just admitted and checked and dilated 8 cm. I could hear Candace in the background and she was much changed from when we had last communicated on the way to the hospital. Oh my word, I had to hurry! I ran to the main entrance to the hospital. Then waited to be let in by security. I ran upstairs to the unit and then waited to be admitted and given the bracelet granting me access to Candace’s room. Then I ran down the hall to her room (yes, all the way down the hall, it was so far!), knocked, opened the door right as the midwife was handing Madeline to Candace! I put down my things and rushed to Candace’s side.

Madeline was born at 2:48 am, 3 minutes after Jacob called me to tell me Candace was 8 cm. It was a whirlwind of a labor that had Candace clutching her baby with Jacob by her side, both with startled and joy-filled expressions on their faces. From start to finish this labor was not even 2 ½ hours long, and that is counting from the very first contraction when Candace was trying to figure out if she was having real contractions. Recalling the details of those first minutes, Candace had just gotten on the bed to be monitored laying on her side when her water broke. Laying down was intolerable to her at that point so she instinctively rolled over to her hands and knees and felt the urge to push. She pushed twice and Madeline entered the world. Jacob was able to look and see his baby’s head as it was emerging too. And Candace proved her midwife’s prediction made minutes prior during the exam. She said, “The good news is you’re going to have this baby in 10-15 minutes.” But in reality she had her baby in less than 5 minutes! Madeline weighed 7 lb. 13.4 oz. and measured 20 in. long. She had a head full of dark hair with dark eye brows to match, just like her mom.

While her nurse worked on getting her admitted simultaneously while doing all of the immediate postpartum tasks, Candace and Jacob reveled in the birth and began talking through how they could be discharged as soon as possible. Yes, they were definitely veteran parents. A year of parenting had done them good! Shorter births are no less challenging. Many would say they are more difficult because so much is compressed in a short time. But Candace was a rock star as she labored, never taking things more seriously than necessary, and always getting the work done. I loved how her birth washed over her and left her wondering what happened. I love that her labor was fast and furious and she was grateful for it. I love that Jacob was beside her the whole way through, encouraging and rejoicing in the wonder of seeing his child being born. Women amaze me. And birth humbles me. I’m so grateful to have been there, even if it was right after.

The Birth of Madeline Isabelle 9/14/20