Emily and Adam became parents on December 14, 2021, when their son Oscar Mitchell was born. Their labor journey was a stunning display of a beautiful partnership that I have been blessed to witness in the early weeks of parenthood as well. Emily’s contractions began on her due date, December 12, as mild cramps. They grew more significant around 1:15 am and had developed into enough of a pattern to warrant a call to me around 6:00 am. Emily’s contractions were already 5 minutes apart at that point, so I mobilized and was to their house by 7:30 am.

Emily had already attempted to eat and thrown it up, taken four showers, and drifted into a predictable labor pattern that cued Adam in on applying counter pressure with each contraction. They had spent the night developing their rhythm, so when I arrived, I provided an opportunity for Adam to eat something as well as offer some fresh ideas. Emily had the shakes, and although she was still chatty and able to smile between, her labor was requiring a lot from her. 

Emily’s contractions spaced out a bit, but they grew longer lasting 1:45 each. That didn’t amount to much more of a break between. She sucked down some fruit pouches and rested between contractions in so much as she draped herself over whatever was near—the birth ball, the cub chair, and even Adam. Especially Adam. By 11:30 am, she labored out in the backyard for a change of scenery and the energy the sun provided. 

But when she returned indoors, laboring in the shower helped her labor take a more active turn, with contractions that moved from 4 ½ minutes apart to the landmark 3 ½ minutes apart. She was feeling tired and a bit worried for what was to come. She had a particularly strong contraction that reminded her there was more work to come. In her vulnerability, Adam pulled her in close and spoke words of love and encouragement. “I can’t wait until we meet our son,” he said. “Me neither,” was Emily’s reply. A call to the midwife, and we were off to the hospital soon after that.

In her triage room, Emily had her first cervical exam and was dilated 4.5 cm and 70% effaced, and her baby was at -2 station. There was still a bit of work to do, but Emily had dilated about halfway and we reminded her that the second half of labor tends to be shorter. Once done with the NST and settled into her room, Emily was ready to be on the move. She put on her pants and walked the unit. During contractions she gripped the handrail and did anterior pelvic tilts to bring her baby deeper into her pelvis. It didn’t take long for her to want the privacy of the room, so she returned there and did some hip swirls on the birth ball instead.

She gave the hospital shower a try and I left she and Adam alone for that time, hoping oxytocin would be bolstered by their closeness. Emily emerged from the shower tired, so some lemon essential oil helped to perk her up. She labored upright in the bed shaped into a throne awhile, laying her head back onto a pillow with her feet below, to encourage her baby’s continued downward movement. At 9:37 pm Emily was dilated 5 ½ cm. This was unexpected since she had been laboring at the hospital about 6 hours and only dilated ½ to 1 cm more. She didn’t let it discourage her and her midwife was patient and encouraging.

Emily resolved to do some dangle squats with the rebozo and then returned to the shower. She and Adam worked together in the shower alone, providing a good opportunity for Emily to voice her frustration to him, “I just want to be done.” Adam spoke such strength into her, sharing how amazing she was doing and how much he believed in her. She returned to the bed to labor as the nausea returned. Peppermint assuaged it as it did previously, and a bit of Zofran didn’t hurt either. Emily threw off her blanket as her body heated up. Surely, she was making changes now.

There was even some bloody discharge that hinted of a more open cervix. Her nurse had to place the monitor lower on her belly, another good sign of baby’s descent. Emily did more dangle squats with the rebozo, and then sat upon the cub birthing chair, as burps and hiccups bubbled up, another positive sign of progress.

During a bathroom trip, Emily felt a new degree of pressure that had her express that she thought her baby was moving as if to find the best way out. (He was!) And at 2:00 am she was dilated 7 cm and her baby’s head was at -1 station. She had finally turned that corner. She and Adam returned to the bathroom for a heart-to-heart pep talk, and then a return to the shower. Emily moved down to her hands and knees as the water beat upon her back and the contractions grew even stronger. And soon she felt like she might need to push.

She got out of the shower and was ready to have her water broken if the conditions were right. Her midwife broke it and simply said, “Do you want to have your baby?” “Yes,” was Emily’s reply and she rolled over to her hands and knees and began pushing at 3:25 am. And Emily moved her baby down so rapidly, that her midwife pulled the delivery cart over just 10 minutes later. She sat at the foot of the bed as Emily did the hard work of birthing, perfectly poised at her feet in service to the source of such birthing power.

The midwife supported the perineum with oil and nonchalantly signaled the nurse to call for nursery. And with words of affirmation with each push, and Adam’s growing excitement as he caught more and more of a glimpse of his son, Emily brought him into the world at 3:50 am on December 14, 2021! He was born juicy, and since there was thick meconium, he got a little more help at the warmer clearing it all out. He was back in mama’s arms a few minutes later and always had Dad standing by. Oscar weighed 7 lb. 15 oz. and was declared perfectly healthy, punctuating that by having his first pee and poop on the warmer.

We recounted the details of the birth and were grateful for patient providers that left Emily and Adam to welcome their son the way they felt best. Emily was patient and wise and was strong in her vulnerability. She left open the possibility that things might unfold differently than the books say but knew they would unfold in the way their baby needed them to. Emily stayed focused on one contraction, one breath, and one step at a time, and I think that was the key, well that and the unfailing support of her husband. It was a beautiful journey and an important reminder that every birth is different and doesn’t necessarily follow Friedman’s Curve. 

Cassandra and Joe welcomed twin baby boys, Parker Matthew and Grayson Robert, on December 9, 2021! And Cassie did it in the unmedicated birth she had hoped for. But it didn’t come easy and wasn’t a sure thing. They already had two boys at home, so they were experts at taking care of babies and young children but throwing two in the mix on top of the two, would be an adventure. They are no strangers to changes, with Joe a submariner in the navy and moving the family when new assignments arise. But this assignment was like nothing they had experienced.

Cassie knew that to have a vaginal twin birth, her babies would need to settle into the head down position, well at least Baby A needed to. But at 24 weeks Baby A was in the breech position and Baby B was transverse. Cassie got busy with chiropractor appointments and did many positional things to encourage Baby A to rotate to head down. Thankfully, at her 28-week appointment, both babies were indeed head down! Now they just needed to stay that way.

Cassie’s providers recommended induction by 38 weeks if labor had not started on its own. She had hoped to go into labor on her own, but at the very least advocated for the latest induction date which landed her nearly to 39 weeks. She reported to the hospital prepared for the waiting game that is standard for inductions. Cassie called the unit on the scheduled day for ripening, December 8, but they didn’t have a room ready. So she waited an hour, and then got the call to go in an hour after that. 

Since her cervix was dilated 2 cm, her doctor decided to move right to induction with Pitocin rather than ripening. Cassie tried to get comfortable being strapped to so many things, but it was hard to get her head wrapped around everything wrapped around her belly. She knew the plan would be to rest as much as possible before labor began, but she had difficulty with that seeing as she was connected to so much. She struggled to rest that night, with little happening, including sleep.

By 7:00 the next morning, December 9, Cassie texted she was having contractions every 3-5 minutes, but she was resting through them, and was able to get some sleep that night. The doctor came in about 30 minutes later and broke the water for Baby A in the hopes it would be just the thing to get labor going. Joe reported that Cassie got a break and was able to take a shower. She was breathing and talking through the contractions and also working on a puzzle, so things hadn’t really ramped up yet. On occasion she would have a stronger one, but by and large they were mild.

Early that afternoon, just past 1:00, Cassie was still waiting for action, doing her puzzle, pacing around the room, sitting on a birth ball. They had started the Pitocin again and her contractions were getting stronger, but not so much that she couldn’t focus. A couple of hours later, an exam revealed that Baby A’s amniotic sac was not completed ruptured, so the doctor broke it completely. Cassie was dilated 4 cm and 80% effaced so the hope was that she would soon move to active labor.

Since her doctor had strongly recommended that she get an epidural just in case there was a need for a c-section, Cassie chose to have it placed without medicine flowing in it. This was a first for the staff, but they were able to accommodate her wishes, reassuring her providers there was epidural access, while giving her the freedom she desired for labor. The epidural was placed without any medication in it by 4:45 pm. And by 6:00 her contractions were strong enough that she had to focus and was struggling to talk through them. It was time! And with contractions 2-3 minutes apart, it was active labor. Remember that time: 6:00 pm was when Cassie’s active labor began.

At 6:26 pm, Cassie was battling nausea and laboring leaning against the bed. She felt pain in her lower back and counter pressure really helped. Her nurse was trying to keep both babies on the monitor as Cassie moved where her labor sent her. She stood and swayed, she leaned onto the bed, and ultimately ended up on her hands and knees on the bed. And at 6:30 she was dilated 6-7 cm. 

It wouldn’t be long now. Her nurse called for the OR team just in case they needed to move to a c-section, but Cassie would push her babies out in the OR as per hospital policy. She leaned over the cub chair on the bed and then she lunged her foot to the side at my recommendation. It hurt a lot and was difficult to do, but she did it. Cassie hit a wall and wondered if she had it in her. I reminded her she had hit the same wall previously with her other two boys and she climbed right over it. She knew it was true.

At 6:45, after seeing Cassie move and sound like it was time to push, her nurse felt just a lip of cervix. That’s when things got a bit crazy. A team came in the room to roll her bed into the OR for pushing. Joe was dressed in the paper bunny suit, and I waited behind in the empty labor and delivery room for their return. I could hear Cassie pushing from across the hall since the OR was very nearby. And after some time, I heard a baby cry! Parker Matthew was born at 7:12 pm on December 9, 2021!

I waited to hear clues of more pushing, but instead I heard voices in the hall. It was Cassie! They wheeled her back into the labor and delivery room to push out Baby B! There was a midwife in the OR who advocated to get her back to her room with her doula and for that we will always be so very grateful. Baby Parker was wheeled in as well, and lay content in the bassinet a few feet away from his mom who was gearing up to push out another baby.

Her cervix had reduced to 7 cm so there was a second round of laboring to do. Can you even imagine? Cassie gathered her strength from deep inside and she labored through those three centimeters again. She moaned and growled like a warrior until she felt the familiar sensation of needing to push. It was a high mountain to climb but she knew she had no other option but to do it. Her doctor encouraged her, her nurse encouraged, Joe encouraged her, I encouraged her. We all knew she could do it. And just in time, her on-call doctor, who was previously unavailable, was able to step in and relieve the doctor who was present for the birth of Baby A.

And Cassie pushed with such strength and stamina! She wasn’t excited to do it and she voiced her discontent to her doctor but quickly apologized. Of course her doctor did not mind and responded with even more encouragement for Cassie. And she quickly brought her baby’s head in sight and after a little more pushing, Baby B, otherwise known as Grayson Robert, was born at 8:38 pm! Grayson weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. and Parker weighed 5 lb. 6.8 oz. That’s a lot of baby!

Photo Credit: Heidi Calma Photography

Cassie sobbed as she held Grayson. Her body was spent, and she had literally given it all she had. Joe expressed his love and admiration for her. We were all so proud of her. Her doctor helped with the rest of the delivery and clean up. Cassie snuggled with Grayson while Parker slept, and she soon brought him to the breast.

Photo Credit: Heidi Calma Photography

As time passed the nurse came in to do some newborn checkups, which gave Cassie the chance to have Parker in her arms for a bit. As she recounted the details and we praised her for all her hard work, she realized even though her boys were twins, they had different births. They ended up born in two separate rooms with two different doctors, for starters! And the finer details of the births had their own uniqueness too. Her labor went fast and furious once it got going, taking her from active labor to Baby A in just 1 hour 15 minutes, and Baby B born about 1 hour 30 minutes after that. That’s active labor and pushing out two babies in just under 3 hours!

Cassie was a trailblazer that day. She followed through with her hope of vaginal births for both boys, and she did so without any pain medication. Her doctors don’t see unmedicated births of singletons very often, but they rarely see twins born in that way. Birth teaches us a lot as mothers and as birth workers. I hope this birth taught Cassie that she is strong and capable, and her body is wonderfully and amazingly equipped to grow her babies and to birth them. Recently, we had our postpartum visit and Cassie shared with me that she feels proud of what her body was able to do. I’m so glad for that! We were proud of her, but it’s even more important that SHE is proud. I was honored to be there in service as she worked so hard. Mothers are powerful creatures!

Jordan and Mike became parents in a way they didn’t expect but rose into their roles as mom and dad with such confidence and courage, it was remarkable. They took my 7-week Birth Essentials class and learned about so many things—what to expect in pregnancy, labor, and birth, postpartum, and even all the interventions that could come into play. And about a month after the conclusion of our classes, they put what they learned to work.

Jordan got a call from her concerned midwife about her elevated blood pressure and lab results. A couple of days later she developed some upper back pain that brought her to the hospital for monitoring as her midwife recommended. And it soon became evident that Jordan would be giving birth much sooner than expected. In addition to preeclampsia, she had also developed HELLP syndrome. And in a few short hours, her care was transferred to Maternal Fetal Medicine, and she was transported to a completely different hospital to induce labor for her 34-week baby. Jordan and Mike rolled with it and embraced the many changes that took place from that point on.

Cervical ripening and administering steroids to her baby girl were job one. There was also discussion of an epidural at some point just in case there was a reason to move rapidly to a c-section. It was a mostly safe proposition to induce, but with her baby still so young, they wanted all their bases covered. It was going to be a lengthy process, so Jordan and Mike settled in.

The induction began with cervadil as well as magnesium for Jordan’s too high pressures. It was just another addition to her collection of interventions that she didn’t know she would need. She got dinner that evening for which she was so grateful. But we weren’t sure when she’d eat next. With inductions and first-time moms, it’s usually a long process, a statement Jordan and Mike heard over and over as they waited for labor.

In the middle of the night, around 3:00 am a balloon was placed in her cervix to manually dilate her to 4 cm, a much better starting place for induction. Jordan was dilated 1 cm which was a modest change from no dilation at admission. And in less than two hours she was having regular contractions that required her to breath and focus. 

Jordan had the epidural catheter placed ahead of time for insurance, while allowing her time to labor without it. She decided that night to have the epidural medicine added. She was having contractions steadily every 3 minutes and it would only get more intense.

By 8:30 the next morning, Jordan was dilated 2-3 cm. At 11:00 the began Pitocin, and just past 2:00 that afternoon, Jordan’s contractions were 3-6 minutes apart. Within the hour she was dilated 4 cm. They would wait another 4-6 hours before breaking her water if it didn’t break on its own first.

At 7:00 that night, they broke her water and inserted an IUPC to make certain her contractions were strong enough. Jordan’s cervix had not changed and remained at 4 cm, but the thinking was that her baby’s head would come down upon it and encourage dilation. The Pitocin was at the highest level, but Jordan’s contractions were coming steadily. And the IUPC confirmed they were strong enough. All she needed was time.

Jordan soon felt her contractions in a different way. She felt more pressure lower and in her back as well as rectal pressure. Her baby’s heart rate took a concerning dive, so the nurse did a check to see if maybe Jordan’s cervix had made big changes. Unfortunately, it hadn’t, and Jordan was still 4 cm. It was time to change positions, so her nurse and I helped to reposition her onto her hands and knees. She labored in that position for 30 minutes before returning to her side on the bed.

Then Jordan felt a contraction that was a lot more uncomfortable than the others bringing much more pressure with it. And on the monitor, we could see head compression and her nurse and I were hopeful for big cervical change. And that’s what happened because Jordan was COMPLETELY DILATED, and her baby’s head was at +2 station! In just 2 ½ hours, Jordan had dilated from 4 to 10 cm!

The room quickly filled with people There were extras there for the baby who would be born several weeks preterm. An isolette was wheeled in as well for Jordan’s baby was be destined for the NICU for a time. All the while, Jordan felt more and more pressure to push. I reminded her to blow out the birthday candles while the final members of the birth team got assembled. With her baby a premie, it was important they had the necessary support. And once everyone present and accounted for (but the baby), Jordan gave her first push. And it was an excellent one! We already saw her baby’s head and just one more push or two and her baby girl came into the world at 12:05 am on December 6, 2021! 

Baby Ella Helene cried out right away, sounding like a kitten. She got a good rub down from nurses as well as her auntie who was also a NICU nurse, and soon went to the warmer for additional breathing support. Mike followed his baby and stood watch by the warmer while Jordan beamed at her new baby girl. She was the epitome of joy and had full trust in her baby’s care providers. She too, was a NICU nurse, so she had more of an understanding than most.

Ella weighed 3 lb. 1 oz. and measured 11.4 in. long. She was little but so strong. She was placed in the incubator and took a stop bedside for a quick sendoff from mom. Jordan talked through her labor in that first hour or so. It was a whirlwind and took some time to get her head wrapped around what had transpired.

Jordan pumped milk and delivered it to the hospital for her baby in those first few weeks. She and Mike faithfully commuted to the hospital to visit and get updates and even snuggles. And day by day, Ella gained weight. And after just over 2 weeks, she was discharged home just in time for Christmas!

Jordan’s birth journey took a sharp left turn and had her off-roading for the entirety of her birth. And what an adventure it was! She had good support, had agency, and played an active role every step of the way, and in the end she and her baby were healthy and strong, and off to a great start. Birth is a mysterious thing with no guarantees really. So, when risks present themselves its more important than ever to trust your team and to trust yourself. Which is exactly what Jordan and Mike did. Congratulations again!

Zoe and Michael welcomed their third child, Cody Stirling, on December 4, 2021! This third baby did not fail to live up to the dubious third baby reputation of being a wild card! And it really goes to show that you can never know what to expect from one birth to the next, even in the same person. Zoe knew what it was like to have a fast and furious labor—her experience with her second—and she hoped to have more of a chance to find her labor rhythm instead of holding on for dear life like last time. So, she kind of paid attention in those last weeks to be sure she had enough of a heads up. But paying attention can be misleading too.

Zoe’s uterus was a contracting machine in the final month especially. She texted me about contractions that were alarmingly strong and consistent but would eventually fizzle out. They would be five minutes apart like clockwork, the uterus can be surprisingly steady with its contraction pattern, and halt after several hours. This happened. And a few days later it happened again. And then five days she had another round of contractions that had her radar up. These contractions seemed stronger and Michael thought Zoe was laboring similarly to how she was before they left for the hospital last time. So, they called the midwife and headed in. And things fizzled out. Again. Zoe kept her spirits high even though she really thought she would meet her baby that night. It was a good dry run, and we had a feeling once the contractions were strong enough to be “real” labor, it would go quickly.

At her 38-week appointment she was 2 cm dilated and baby was -2 station. This was progress from before, so she was encouraged. An induction was scheduled for around her due date since baby was measuring on the larger side. And five days later she thought perhaps her water broke. Surely, this would bring on labor contractions. But it didn’t. She went into the hospital as requested by her midwife, and upon further testing, her amniotic sac did not break. So, she was sent back home. This was the second time she went to the hospital and got sent home. And this was Zoe’s third baby. (See? It can happen to anyone!)

An induction was put on the books for December 6, Zoe’s 40th week, but we all hoped she wouldn’t need it. Her baby was measuring on the big side, so her providers were being cautious by scheduling it. At her 39-week appointment Zoe was dilated 3-4 cm and hopeful for labor before that induction date. Her midwife stripped her membranes for good measure and on good faith that labor would ensue over the next 48 hours. Zoe’s body was on the verge. The only potential hold up was her baby’s position—occiput posterior (OP). We had suspected her baby’s position was off for weeks since her uterus seemed to be trying to go into labor, but not quite doing it.

A couple of hours after her appointment, Zoe was having steady contractions! She also managed to get through as much of the Miles Circuit as she could, optimizing her baby’s chance to reposition. An update came several hours later that the contractions were erratic, then got stable, then would return to erratic. They flip flopped like this for a while but stayed between 3-8 minutes apart and remained the strongest they had been in the pregnancy so far. It was a mystery whether the erratic contractions were due to the sweep, or her baby’s position, or both. So, she did the Miles Circuit the best she could and stayed hydrated. They went to bed at 11:00 that night.

Then this text came through at 3:08 am:

2.5 mins apart 30 sec

Heading to hospital

This was different. She woke up at 2:45 am, and then she went through two contractions and told Michael to get dressed, they were heading to the hospital and would call the midwife from the road. She was walking to the car as Michael hurriedly dressed himself. The midwife called them back halfway to the hospital. Thank goodness they didn’t wait for the call back or their baby would have been born at home or in the car. The plan was for us to meet at the hospital I left with confidence knowing she wouldn’t have me meet her there a second time for a maybe. We had already done a run-through. Zoe had Michael pull up to the entrance and drop her off while he parked. Zoe was ready to get upstairs as fast as possible. I arrived 10 minutes behind them at 3:42 am. When I got to her in triage (they didn’t have any available rooms), Zoe was checked and already dilated 8 cm. It was happening! Thank goodness they left when they did!

The rest was a bit of a blur but somehow, they did a Covid swab and got her admitted. Laboring women have this superpower way of answering questions with such clarity during active labor! Zoe started her labor at the hospital laying on her side holding onto Michael. She was breathing and moaning through very strong contractions. We placed a cold cloth on her neck and Michael did counter pressure on her lower back. Her baby sounded good on the monitor. Since she had just arrived the monitor was still strapped around her belly.

I recommended she rotate to her hands and knees to feel more in control and to better manage the pain. I also remarked that the only thing keeping her baby in was her water. And during the first contraction on her hands and knees over the cub, Zoe’s water broke and spilled over the edge of the bed all over the floor. It was 4:00 am. 

Zoe began instinctively pushing after her water broke. Zoe screamed out loudly and she struggled to stay in control. We reminded her to breathe for herself and to push her baby out. She asked for oxygen because she felt lightheaded, and then Michael told her their baby’s head was out and to just push the rest of him out. Zoe pushed again and Cody Stirling was born at 4:05 am! Her midwife who had been there all the while, leaned in and cradled his head as it crowned. And when the rest of him was born seconds later, he was passed into Zoe’s arms.

Cody came into the world a bit stunned. He had sped into it like a cannon ball and sometimes those babies need a little reminder to breathe on their own. Michael cut the cord and Cody went to the warmer for some chest pt and stimulation. In the meantime, Zoe moved from hands and knees back to laying on the bed, and her nurse got busy cleaning up the puddles of amniotic fluid left on the bed and floor. And he was back in his mom’s arms a short time later. Zoe was relieved to have birthed her speedy son without any tears, which is no small feat! All told, she was in active labor for just 1 hour 20 minutes!

Photo Credit: Sarah Fitz Photo (Sarah Fitzsimmons)

She snuggled her newest boy, and she and Michael took in the details of their third baby with all the attention they gave the other two. Cody had the same crimped ears as his daddy, and the same hair as his brother. His brother, by the way, is the one who came up with the name, Cody! Not bad for a 4-year-old! Cody latched in his first hour as well, with the patient and experienced hand of his mother to guide him. We would eventually learn that Zoe’s feat of no tears, and Cody’s lightning-fast birth were even more incredible because Cody weighed 9 lb. 1 oz.! And he was 20.5 in. long.

But Zoe knew she could do it. She welcomed her second, a daughter, in a not so different way. It was a short labor and she weighed 9 lb. There was no worry about birthing a large baby and her body proved it that night, just two days shy of the induction for a suspected big baby. It can be challenging to navigate potential risk while maintaining a trust in one’s body and the process of birth. But this is exactly what Zoe did. And I’m so proud of her for it!

Summer and David welcomed their baby girl, Autumn Rayn, on November 15, 2021. When we first met, I could tell Summer had a strong desire for an unmedicated childbirth. She trusted in her body’s design, and she was no stranger to exercise and fitness. She was a CrossFit coach after all! 

Needless to say, David and Summer also enrolled in my 7-week childbirth class to prepare for labor and birth. Summer’s midwives also recommended it, knowing that the first time around brings a lot of unknowns. She did her reading, and her homework, asked questions, and did research. She was ready. She had done “all of the things.”

But around 32 weeks, Summer felt her baby’s head wedged by her ribs. It was confirmed by ultrasound at her 36-week appointment. Summer had already spent time on the Spinning Babies website to get started on positions and maneuvers to help her baby flip. Trust me when I say that Summer did EVERYTHING recommended. She even did handstands in pregnancy. There was nothing she didn’t do. They discussed options at that appointment and decided to move forward with an external cephalic version at 37 weeks.

However, the version was unsuccessful. The doctor made a valiant effort to move her but their little miss just wasn’t going to budge. Devasted and forced to reckon with the reality of a scheduled c-section, Summer and David went home to process everything. And this is where Summer gained some control over her birth.

I was so proud of Summer for she did not deny or fight this outcome. Instead, she took her baby’s lead and did her research on c-sections so she would be more familiar with the process. When it came to labor, she told me she was not scared of it, nor the pain. But when everting switched to c-section, the surgery did not scare her. But the reality of recovering from surgery and having limited movement and postpartum restrictions, all while trying to care for a brand-new baby, felt overwhelming. She looked into how she could maintain control during the surgery and explored coping mechanisms she could take with her into the OR. We had a good phone conversation in which we went over the steps and Summer felt more comfortable with everything after that. 

There is a letting go that happens when we meet our babies, and Summer experienced it in a big way before her baby was even born. But I think working through so much beforehand helped her on the day of the c-section. We met up in the early morning, and Summer’s energetic nurse was a breath of fresh air. Then at shift change another excellent nurse came in and would see the birth through alongside Summer and David. There was a great team assembled!

A lot of waiting happens before a scheduled c-section. So, Summer and David filled it with conversation and some silliness. Summer even coached me on the proper squat as she waited. She was coaching her birth coach! As has been her tendency, Summer asked questions as they arose, making sure she understood each step and what to expect. She advocated for her hands to be free and wanted the clear drape so she could see as much of her daughter’s birth as possible.  

Then the parade of people came through to introduce themselves. The nursery nurse, anesthesiologist, surgical assistant, and even the OB came by for a visit. The final surgical prep was done in the room and then it got very real. Summer shed some tears in that moment, cleansing herself of the worries and anxiety that had been pent up, and freeing herself to mourn the change in her birth. She would not have chosen that birth but it’s the birth that her baby chose. And she was at peace with that. Now it was time for a birthday party! Summer disappeared out the door to welcome her baby at 7:38 am. And by 8:09 am I heard the lullaby playing over the speakers announcing to the unit that another baby had been born. And it was Autumn! She was officially born at 8:07 am.

Photo credit: Carlyn Dahlig

When all was said and done, the new family settled into the room they would call home for the next day or two. Autumn snuggled in her mama’s arms and even latched for her first feed. She was a big girl, weighing 8 lb. 14 oz. so she was ready to eat. Summer and David were all smiles as they got to know their little girl. And somehow all the details of how and why the birth meandered as it did, things that were their focus just a day before, faded into the background as they found themselves enthralled with their baby girl. It’s so reassuring when that happens, and can some closure to the journey. It’s good to remember that in the process of birth, not only is a baby born, but so is a mother, and often a father. Excellent job to all three!

Jerica and David welcomed their second son, Whitman Keith on November 11, 2021, which also happened to be his due date! Jerica was motivated to have an unmedicated birth, even though she was birthing in a hospital that didn’t have a reputation for many births like that. She birthed her first with an epidural and it was a very long process, particularly after the epidural. This birth would be different. And advocacy and solid support would be key components in this birth experience.

The text came in at 8:50 pm on November 10: “My water just broke!!!! No doubt about it…it was A LOT.” Jerica had suspected her water might have broken several days before but the wetness subsided and well, this time there was no doubt. Jerica carried on with her evening plans and eventually went to bed in the hopes that her body would initiate contractions. But she woke up with very little happening. She approached the 12-hour post rupture mark and her providers wanted her to head to the hospital for labor induction. She was disappointed and a bit nervous since she had hoped to avoid the whole hospital intervention rigmarole. 

To do all she could before going to the hospital, Jerica walked a mile, ate a protein breakfast of eggs and sausage, pumped, and even did an enema to bring on labor, and walking some more. She had mild contractions but nothing too significant by the time they left for the hospital. 

On the way to the hospital and in triage, contractions were intensifying and growing more consistent. Jerica was dilated 4.5 cm, 90% effaced, but her baby was at -2 station. Something must have been keeping her baby high and once we figured it out, his head would drop down and her labor would take off. 

Soon after she was settled in her room, Jerica requested a breast pump to try to bring on contractions before using Pitocin. After some pumping rounds, we walked the halls of the labor and delivery unit from 2:00 to 2:30. Jerica paused with each contraction and grabbing the arm rail did posterior pelvic tilts to encourage her baby’s head to come down behind her pubic bone, should that be what was holding him up.

Back in the room, Jerica lay back in the froggy walchers position to encourage her baby to get more centered in her pelvis so he could descend. And after that she resumed a pumping regimen of 10 minutes on, 20 minutes off, and walked the halls again. And her contractions were different. She felt more discomfort in the front, and they were stronger and closer. After walking, she did another round on the breast pump. Her contractions were consistently 3 to 4 minutes apart and Jerica started to dread the pain that was yet to come.

David placed a warm pad on her back which helped, and she did another round of pumping for good measure. It seemed to be working well to bring on good solid contractions. She swayed through contractions in David’s arms as the waves grew within her. Jerica was working harder and leaned over the cub for some rest. Around 5:15 pm she felt a particularly strong and long contraction that required the most attention and focus thus far. She was tired and thought to lay on her side for a bit in an effort to conserve her energy.

At 6:00 that evening her doctor came in to see how she was doing. Jerica consented to an exam and was excited to learn that she was dilated 8 cm. There was a forebag and her doctor recommended breaking it to continue the trajectory of her labor. Then Jerica went to the shower to labor through transition. “Why doesn’t everybody get in the shower?” she asked. “I never want to get out. We should have done this with our last birth.” It was a stark reminder to Jerica of how important it was to know your options and have the support to see them through. She remained under the warm water another 25 minutes. She might have stayed in longer, but she was feeling lots of pressure in the shower and she got a little shaky.

She returned to her side in the bed, and we played some hypnobirthing tracks at her request. Counter pressure helped with the back pain she felt as her baby moved lower in her pelvis, and she labored on her hands and knees over the cub to finish her dilation. She felt pushy soon after and breathed through intensifying sensations. Cold cloths on her neck and back, and a fan nearby helped to cool her as her body heated up. 

Jerica was pushier by 7:30, and was bearing down more intensely. In fact, we saw her baby’s hair at 7:40! She pushed very calmly on her side, so calmly that her doctor kept commenting on how they never see women labor that way. She pushed with a yell, which helped to birth his head gradually. There was a tight cord around the neck so the doctor clamped and cut the cord right then, freeing things up so Jerica could push him the rest of the way out. And Whitman Keith was born at 7:52 pm! He got a lot of attention at first because he was a bit stunned, and when aggressive rubbing didn’t elicit a cry, he took a stop at the warmer. We heard him cry after a brief pause, and he was back in Jerica’s arms a few minutes later.

“That’s the craziest thing I’ve ever done,” exclaimed Jerica as the details of what happened ran through her mind. David was amazed and astounded as well, albeit a bit shocked and freaked out by the first moments of his son’s life. It can feel a bit frantic when there is any delay in that first cry. It was a different beginning than with their first son. But it was a different birth too. Whitman was nursing eagerly by the end of his first hour of life. And he weighed 8 lb. 3 oz.

Jerica gave her body what it needed to move headlong into active labor. She remained patient, rested when appropriate to do so, and was active as well. She though outside the box and used tools like breast pumps, enemas, and well thought out positions, to encourage her body and her baby to work together. She was powerful and empowered as she advocated for her wishes and was met with supportive providers who said things like, “We never see births like this.” Perhaps Jerica’s birth planted seeds that day in every person present, and maybe, just maybe, minds have been opened to consider that in birth, less can be more and usually is.

Chelsea and Chris welcomed their second child, Daniel Charles, on November 5, 2021. I had been their doula with the birth of their first and looked forward to welcoming baby number two. But fate had other plans, or perhaps Daniel Charles did, as he made his debut on the final day of my out of town Spinning Babies Parent Educator training. Here are my written details of the events based on the notes and observations of the backup doula.

Chelsea’s body was gearing up in her last week or pregnancy. It also happened to be right around her 40th week, the same time she welcomed her first, so naturally, her radar was up. She felt a lot of pressure, as if her baby had moved deeper in her pelvis, and her exams at the end of pregnant revealed a completely thin cervix that was beginning to dilate. Her body was getting ready. In fact, on her 40-week appointment, she was checked and had a very, very thin cervix that was already dilated 4 cm. She declined a membrane sweep at that time, trusting labor would begin on its own and if it was meant to be that her son would wait for me, then he would. Turns out, Daniel was ready. And he didn’t want to wait for anybody!

Later that night around 9:22, ON her due date, by the way, Chelsea reached out to my backup doula to share that she had felt a few contractions. They were inconsistent and she didn’t think she was in labor, but she wanted to give a heads up. After all, her midwife had told her to leave for the hospital with any strong contractions that came closer than 10 minutes. The 5-1-1 guideline no longer applied. Those experienced cervixes can’t be trusted to follow guidelines and expectations! (Neither can first-time ones, come to think of it.) But even more important that that, Chelsea’s intuition as a woman and mother was telling her that this labor would be a fast one. And a mother’s intuition is a powerful force that is right almost every time.

Just over an hour later it became absolutely clear that her son was coming. It wasn’t so much from her contractions, although they were still there. Chelsea’s water broke! It wasn’t the “gee, did my water break?” sort of break, but the “oh wow! My water definitely broke sort!” They reached out to the backup doula telling her to meet them at the hospital. And they left almost immediately.

Just 40 minutes later at 11:10 pm, the doula arrived to find Chelsea being admitted. There was some meconium in the fluid but it was light and the baby’s heart rate looked stellar on the monitor. Five minutes later the midwife came in to do a cervical check and confirmed that Chelsea was dilated 7 cm! (already!) Her contractions were still inconsistent, bouncing around between 3 and 10 minutes apart. And Chelsea was the epitome of calm, resting on her side and talking casually to her husband, and with each contraction, pausing her conversation to squeeze his hand and breathe through it. You might not suspect she was as advanced in her labor, but her quiet focus was enough to hint at the hard work at hand. She was feeling significant pain in her back, which helped provide insight as she sought out labor positions that were predominantly forward leaning.

A short 20 minutes later, Chelsea’s labor had intensified. Her nurse began to prepare the room for delivery as the contractions moved to a consistent 3-4 minutes apart interval. Chelsea moaned lightly through them as Chris held her hand and offered her sips of water between. She would be meeting her son soon, but she maintained her gentle focus as the power of her contractions grew.

Just 15 minutes later at 11:45 pm, Chelsea said, “I feel like I need to push.” The nurse called for the midwife who skipped a cervical check in favor of sitting quietly on the bed and waiting for Chelsea to feel the strong urge to push her baby out. Chelsea still felt back pain, so as her urge to bear down intensified, she rolled over to her hands and knees to push. There was no counting, no direction, just trust and patience as Chelsea moved and pushed into the growing pressure within her uterus. Her body told her what to do and when. She did not require any guidance from anyone.

Chelsea began pushing in earnest, and her midwife suggested she try a side lunge. And by 11:53 pm she was pushing mightily with each contraction. The midwife gowned up and everyone took their places. Nursery was called soon after as Chelsea continued to bring her baby down to her perineum. And at 12:05 am on November 5, 2021, her baby was born after just 2 ½ hours of labor!! And just 5 minutes after the end of her due date, no less.

Chelsea grabbed for her baby as the midwife passed him between her legs, and then turned back onto her back upon the bed. It was then that she and Chris realized they had a baby boy! This baby had been a surprise gender! Daniel struggled to breathe initially, most likely due to excess fluid that can remain after a precipitous birth like his. The meconium was an added concern, so he went to the nursery for some initial close observation but was returned to his parents within a couple of hours. 

Birth always teaches us things. Chelsea’s second birth reinforced the value of a mother’s intuition and her trust in her body. It reminded us that birth workers need only stand by unless needed. And it taught me (reminded me!) that my clients don’t NEED me. They don’t NEED anyone. They only deserve steady, attentive support. I don’t use the word support to infer there is a need fulfilled, but rather in the meaning of support by simply being present and affirming Chelsea’s steps on her birth journey. For the work of birth is done by no one but the person birthing. And Chelsea did a fine job of it, regardless of who was there.

Another sweet soul has arrived! Presenting Rowen Laine, born to her proud parents, Arielle and Randy. Arielle had already given birth vaginally and then by c-section, so she was no stranger to birth and how unpredictable it can be. She hoped to avoid another c-section though, so she added a doula to her birth team, knowing the support would be important. Arielle, did a wonderful job advocating for as much time to wait before a potential repeat c-section. There was only so much time her providers were comfortable waiting, and she wanted to go into labor on her own.

It didn’t end up being an issue, thankfully, because Arielle’s first labor contractions happened just a day or two before her 38-week appointment. She had been extra busy that day, so she wondered if it might just be her uterus talking after being on her feet so much and probably not hydrating as she should. Arielle got into the bathtub and stepped up her hydration, but her contractions soon moved to the 5 minutes apart interval and grew much more painful. Mystery solved. This was labor.

She moved to the shower for additional pain management and soon felt it was time to head to the hospital. Her labor seemed to be ramping up quickly and her other two daughters would be waking up soon. Once Randy’s mom arrived to watch the girls, Arielle and Randy left for the hospital. They made their way to Sentara Leigh and arrived at 6:45 am, right as the morning rush hour was taking hold. The contractions were already coming every 3-5 minutes and the car ride was very unpleasant. Good thing they left when they did.

 Arielle was reassured to learn she was dilated 6-7 cm! This was great news and it was also the perfect time to get an epidural. She was struggling with relaxing into the pain and felt the rest would do her good since she would still need to push her baby out.

Two hours later, the midwife came to do a check and Arielle was still dilated to 7 cm, although stretchable to 8. Her cervix was thin and easily opened so we were hopeful she would be pushing soon. In the meantime, we made sure she was in a variety of positions to encourage her baby’s head upon the fading cervix.

Another two hours passed, and Arielle’s cervix was still at 8 cm. Her midwife recommended Pitocin and Arielle was comfortable with that. Perhaps the extra oomph would help those last two centimeters disappear. Arielle continued moving all over the place, including laboring on her hands and knees. Her baby got the advantage of many positions in the hopes the combination would be just the thing to move Arielle to pushing.

After two more hours and no further cervical dilation, an IUPC was placed to make sure the contractions were strong enough to make change. We also did a side-lying release the really helped to relax Arielle. By just past 3:30 that afternoon, a cervical exam revealed that Arielle’s cervix remained at 8 cm, although her baby had descended from -1 for so many hours to 0 station. There was some cervical swelling in the front, so we tried Trandelenberg to get baby’s head off the cervix to reposition. We had tried every position we could think of by then and were hoping for some progress.

However, it was not to be. Arielle’s doctor came in and when she did an exam she could feel the same cervical swelling. She also mentioned that she noticed the baby’s heart rate was trending upward and was tachycardic, and there were several noted decelerations that may indicate her baby was losing steam. The kind doctor looked Arielle in the eyes and expressed her recommendation that a repeat c-section be the mode of birth for her baby. And Arielle did not hesitate to get on board with that. 

Once the decision was made, the Pitocin was turned off, shifting from strengthening contractions to helping Arielle be more comfortable and her baby less stressed. They added a bolus to her epidural and soon were ready to move to the OR for the birth. Arielle and Randy were eager to meet their little lady who was giving them such a run for their money.

Rowen Laine was born at 5:54 pm on November 1, 2021. She weighed 7 lb. 7 oz. and measured 20 in. long. She was in her mom’s arms soon after delivery and managed to nurse 30 minutes on each side in her first hour or two. It was an excellent start, and to see the look of serenity on Arielle’s face at the end of her birth journey, was confirmation that she had made it through! Randy and Arielle were infinitely flexible, with a sense of humor that carried them over the surprisingly long hours of the labor. I will always be so honored to have been invited into their birthing space. 

Arlo Elliott was born to his parents, Alex and Will, on October 26, 2021. His parents are wanderers, comfortable living in their RV and driving where their hearts are led. Upon becoming pregnant, they thought it best to set down some roots and so their journey got established here, and they reached out to me. I was honored to be chosen to accompany them on their birth journey, for I got a strong sense of adventure. Every birth is adventurous, but theirs would somehow be an especially memorable experience, I just felt it.

They attended my childbirth class and learned all they could about creating a safe growing environment for their baby and how to work with Alex’s body in labor. And so we all waited for quite a bit. Alex’s due date came and then it went, and she remained pregnant. She fought the temptation to try to coax her baby out with various methods. She knew he would come when the time was right. So nearing 42 weeks, an induction was scheduled just to be cautious. More patient waiting was required as the first call to the unit did not yield an available bed. Alex and Will had one more night of sleep until the next morning when they had a room.

Alex’s cervix was not ready and thus needed some ripening. Cytotec was the plan and they went through three rounds of it which took up the entire day, but dilated her to 2 cm. The next step was to use a balloon with low dose Pitocin to continue ripening of her cervix. And by 4:00 am on the second day she was dilated 4 ½ cm and 80% effaced. This was a good starting point for labor. And once the balloon fell out, Alex said, “I feel amazing!” 

By 8:30 that morning, Alex’s contractions were steady and moderate. They didn’t require much coping at that point, but were a mild distraction. Her bulging bag of water was broken at 9:15 that morning as the Pitocin continued to flow. And she was soon dilated to 5 cm, 80% effaced, with her baby’s head at -1 station.

Alex labored in every position she could think of. She was on her hands and knees, standing beside the bed, swaying, and even sitting all in the first 45 minutes I was there. But it was difficult to keep track of her baby’s heart rate. Whether it was her movement or an issue with baby, they were unsure. So an internal monitor was placed on the baby to be assured of accurate information. Alex’s blood pressure rose, something new for her, and something to be aware of. And with increased lighting, they noticed meconium in the amniotic fluid. Once again, not necessarily a problem, but something to be aware of.

Her baby’s heart rate continued to dip, so an intrauterine pressure catheter was inserted to gauge the precise strength of the contractions to help titrate Pitocin accurately. But her baby kept showing signs of stress with continued dips in his heart rate. Since Alex’s blood pressure also continued to climb, her doctor recommended she get an epidural to help with her pressure as well as provide an opportunity for her to rest. After some discussion, Alex and Will agreed that it was the best decision.

She was comfortable by 1:40 that afternoon, but her baby continued to show signs that he was tired. The doctor came in and had a heart to heart talk with her, as did her midwife. They were worried about her baby and whether he had the wherewithal for the rest of labor. Alex’s cervix had not opened further and her baby had not descended, and he was quite frankly running out of steam. So they took their time to reflect and discuss, and after some tears, they took the advice of the providers and agreed to a cesarean birth. 

Alex was adorable at this point. She was comfortable so she figured she might as well put on some makeup. I just loved that about her. She was upbeat and kept her focus on the fact that she would soon have her baby in her arms. Within half an hour she was on her way to the OR to meet her baby, with Will walking behind.

Their sweet son, Arlo Elliott was born at 4:19 pm, healthy and sturdy, at 8 lb. 2 oz. He was perfect, especially after getting two extra growing weeks. The sun set outside as this new family got familiar with each other. Alex and Will were naturals with Arlo, cradling him with confidence and familiarity that not all new parents possess day one. Will handed Arlo to Alex as if he had been doing it forever. Alex learned a lot that day. She learned about the unpredictable nature of birth and how you can’t plan anything. She was reminded of the value of spontaneity and being flexible, things she and Will already knew about from their RV tripping. And she connected with her inner strength, courage, and patience, all important attributes for a mother to have. And I sat and watched her soar.  

Alexa and Frank met their little lady, Nova Wren, on October 21, 2021. They were students in my 7-week childbirth class and learned a lot about labor and birth, and about the ways birth might deviate from the straight and narrow path. It was no surprise that their little lady was, well little. Nova was suspected small for gestational age. So as Alexa rounded out the final month of pregnancy, and after NSTs and ultrasounds kept a closer eye on baby and her growth was still below the curve, an induction was scheduled in her 40th week. Alexa was glad to delay the induction as long as possible since her initial hope was to have a birth without interventions. But she also wanted her baby to be born safe and healthy and was willing to compromise the ideals she had for her birth. 

Alexa had one last appointment the day before the induction. She was dilated 2 cm and her doctor did a membrane sweep hoping it would either start things or help to further ripen her cervix so they might break her water to induce. Alexa and Frank had a realistic expectation of the long duration of a typical induction, especially with a first baby, so when a room was ready, they went to the hospital and settled in for a long stay.

Her doctor came in and broke her water at 9:15 am. They started Pitocin within the hour. Alex felt her first contraction at 10:25 am and figured things might take a bit. But they surprisingly didn’t. Two hours later at 12:30 pm, Alexa was dilated to 5 cm and 100% effaced. Alexa got teary as it settled in that she was actually having a baby. Apparently, there wouldn’t be the long, gradual wait everyone had prepared her for.

She requested an epidural knowing things would continue to escalate. She felt pain in her lower abdomen even after it was placed so we tried to position her in ways to minimize it. It didn’t take long before she felt pressure in her bottom with contractions and we told her that would normal and to be expected. It was a good sign of continued progress too. We encouraged Frank to go grab something to eat since he wouldn’t have an opportunity later.

Alexa labored on her side with the peanut ball between her legs and in thirty minutes she was feeling so much pressure they did another exam. And we were all thrilled to learn that Alexa was fully dilated, and her baby was at +2 station! Frank had recently left so we texted and called Frank to tell him to come back up because it was baby time. He arrived a few minutes later a bit winded. Frank told us he threw $20 at the cashier and told her to keep it as he breezed on by, chicken tenders in hand.

The delivery table was getting set up at 1:35 pm and in ten minutes Alexa was pushing! Five minutes later they broke down the bed, and then at 2:00 they called in nursery for delivery. And Nova Wren was born at 2:02 pm! (And her placenta was born 6 minutes later, completing the birth in very efficient fashion!)

Frank and Alexa cried at the sight of their baby girl and were simply in awe of how everything transpired. The doctor was likewise shocked and leaned in to congratulate Alexa and comment on how perfect her baby was. And she didn’t look nearly as small as everyone expected. She wasn’t huge, but weighed in at a respectable 5 lb. 14 oz. And she was 19 in. long.

As you might guess, Nova was latched with little trouble by 3:00 pm. Despite her rapid entrance, she seemed to adjust to being born just fine, scoring Apgars of 8/9. She was healthy and strong, just a little petite. It was beautiful how this induction unfolded. Alexa rode the waves of her contractions and the tides of her birth with courage and confidence. She trusted her body and she also trusted her birth team. And she was in the middle of every decision made. She was empowered by the experience. What a great start to parenthood, don’t you think?