Leslie and Jeremy welcomed Kai Jian Hui, son #2 on February 28, 2022, in a much hoped for and prepared for VBAC! I first met Leslie at an ICAN meeting in which I was a member of a panel of doulas. I had just showed up after a birth and not at all dressed for a social engagement, but I somehow gave her a good impression and reached out to me for a doula interview. Jeremy was at the meeting, and they made it very clear how important it was that Leslie have a voice this time. She had some high-risk issues that required care from high-risk OBs, but Leslie believed in her heart that she need not be treated as a high-risk patient.

She educated herself on her own as well as through my classes, and she and Jeremy were ready for whatever came their way. An induction because the recommendation, even though Leslie’s providers were hesitant. They recommended a repeat c-section, but Leslie stood her ground and asked simply “for a chance”. They waited for an available bed and then made their way to the hospital. As is the case with most inductions, there was a lot of waiting around initially. There were also words of caution and concern, sprinkled between the options and plans that were laid. A wireless monitor was brought to the room so Leslie would have every opportunity to move freely with her labor.

They waited through most of the day as the Pitocin was bumped up gradually. It was nearly maxed out, but Leslie’s perception of the pain was still mild. There was a recommendation to break her water to intensify contractions and change her cervix, but Leslie had a strong desire to hold off and let her body have a chance. She was effective in advocating for more time, and a phone conversation with me did her good. Several more hours into the night had her contractions coming closer than 5 minutes and longer than before, so I headed in. I arrived at her room around 10:45 that night.

Leslie was in good spirits, considering she had been staring at the same 4 walls all day. She had one excellent nurse after another and that would continue for the duration of her labor. Nurses work so hard and good ones are priceless! (And I rarely meet a nurse who doesn’t want the best for her patients.) Leslie’s doctor came in and did a cervical exam shortly after I arrived and she was dilated to 4 cm, 50% effaced, and baby was still high at -3. This was the third check that was the same. It was time for some Spinning Babies. Pitocin had been shut off which gave Leslie a nice break from the annoying and unproductive contractions.

We did the Three Balances that Jeremy and Leslie had learned from the Spinning Babies® Parent Class. Once completed, Leslie tried to rest. Two hours later they did another cervical exam and Leslie’s cervix was still unchanged. Once talking through the risks and benefits, Leslie and Jeremy felt comfortable with breaking her water. Her baby’s head was tight against the membrane, and they hoped once broken the head would move down nicely to help dilate the cervix. But it was too difficult to break at that time because there was not much give. So, they started up the Pitocin again to see.

Two hours later at 4:00 am, her cervix had made change! She was dilated to 5cm, 50% effaced (still), and baby was a smidge lower at -2 station. Her doctor tried again to break her water and this time it worked! Clear fluid flowed which brought reassurance to everyone that baby was doing just fine. Leslie lay on her right side with the peanut ball between her legs, and soon she was breathing through intensifying contractions. (She was still able to text between them though, so it wasn’t too active yet.)

She draped herself over the cub birthing chair just before 5:00 am to help her baby continue to navigate downward. But she didn’t rest there. She got up and labored on the toilet some and swirled her hips on the birth ball. And she even did lunges. Jeremy applied counter pressure to her lower back as the pain escalated, and Leslie drew strength from his steadfast support. He was all in the entire time, encouraging her with words, pressing on her hips, or literally holding her up when she was spent. Their love shone brightly through labor and was such a sight to see.

By 6:30 the morning of day two, Leslie was dilated 6 cm, 80% effaced, and vocalizing loudly with contractions. It was hard for Jeremy to see his wife in such pain that she cried out, and it brought tears to his eyes. It wasn’t soon after that Leslie requested an epidural. Her road had already been long, and active labor had only just taken hold. She wanted to preserve her energy for pushing, something she wanted so much in her heart to do! 

Peace and calming essential oil helped her to cope and she liked the feeling of the peanut ball between her legs to keep things open. She had to wait a bit but by 8:00 am the epidural was placed, and Leslie was comfortable. She tried hard to sleep and so did Jeremy. About 90 minutes later they started the Pitocin back up to see how labor would unfold. We helped Leslie onto her left side with the peanut and moved her to the right when her baby’s heart rate showed some variables from likely cord compression.

But they stayed the course, walking the balancing act between progress and safety.  Leslie “feasted” on an orange popsicle, but truth be told she really wasn’t very hungry, so it hit the spot. An hour later at 11:00 an exam revealed Leslie was dilated 8 cm! Her baby’s head was the lowest so far at -1 station too, so we were all very excited. Leslie was overwhelmed with emotion as tears spilled out of her eyes. She had not progressed to 8 cm in her previous birth, so this was a very significant labor landmark! She confessed that she didn’t think she’d get that far so her heart dared to hope for even more progress. I wanted her VBAC for her so bad, and she wanted it too. It broke my heart a little how tentatively she held her VBAC dreams, but I understood why.

Leslie slept, but after some rest she got busy being active. She lunged on her side with the peanut, we did side-lying releases to help encourage her baby’s passage down, down down, and she even rolled onto her hands and knees to labor over the cub with that epidural. And just over 2 hours later she was dilated to 8.5 cm. It was a small change, but her baby had moved down to 0 station, an even more significant change! She labored upright in bed in the throne position, and we placed the peanut strategically to keep her pelvis asymmetric. And just before 7:00 am she was dilated 9.5! Her cervix was 90% effaced and her baby was solidly at 0 station with some caput. It was back to hands and knees over the cub to get that last lip of cervix to melt away. Leslie felt more pressure in that position which made us hopeful it was working.

Leslie tried to relax as the pressure grew but by 8:00 that night she was pushing into the pressure. She had a lip that remained, but the doctor was able to push it aside, so her baby was no longer impeded by a thing. Leslie pushed with courage and persistence. She dug deep and pushed for nearly two hours, including with closed knees, and even using the tug of war push/pull with the rebozo. By 9:45 pm it was time to call the team! The room swirled with people and at 9:53 Leslie pushed her son out of her body!

She cried, Jeremy cried, baby Kai cried! It was a celebration by everyone, and Leslie savored the feeling of her baby on her chest from the very first moment. This was something she didn’t have with her first and it set the stage for such a healing start. They noticed his hairy shoulders and how alert he was, staring up at mommy. And once the crowd left and the room was once again quiet, Leslie brought Kai to the breast. And he latched in the first hour of life; another wish of Leslie’s fulfilled.

Leslie’s VBAC required a lot of patience, persistence, advocacy, communication, and belief in the process. Leslie was met with resistance, then cautious optimism, and finally a rousing congratulations. I hope everyone who was part of her care team learned something that day. I hope they learned that even risky birth can be approached with options and careful considerations. Communication is the key and does so much for a mom’s heart. I am so grateful Leslie was able to have the VBAC she prepared for and hoped for. And I am also grateful to have been by her side when it happened.

Photos in the gallery above taken by professional photographer, Stephanie Dunn. Follow her on Instagram: @stellar_photography _757

Christina and Sam welcomed their second child, Emma Quinn, on February 8, 2022. This labor began similarly to her first one with her water breaking. But this time, there was not much of a pause between the water breaking and contractions, thankfully. The text came to me at 6:05 am. Christina and Sam had to do some coordinating for their son’s care, but nearby family stepped in quickly, freeing them up to go to the hospital when they were ready.

Christina’s body responded readily with contractions that had her pausing and breathing every few minutes almost immediately. They soon left for their birth place with the plan to meet me there. By the time they arrived to the hospital, Christina was already dilated 6 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station. That was a mighty fine place to be! I arrived 20 minutes behind them to find Christina laboring kneeling on the bed with Sam pushing on her lower back with his fists. Christina wondered whether she could manage many more contractions of such intensity. “This really hurts,” she exclaimed. And she thought she might want some pain relief. She did not have an epidural in her previous labor and did not desire one this time, so Sam and I validated her feelings but reminded her that she felt overwhelmed because things were happening quickly. Her water had broken just over two hours earlier and she was already in rip-roaring labor!

Christina labored on the monitors for the initial NST, while her nurse busily admitted her into the hospital system and worked to get access to the wireless monitor so Christina could have a chance at the shower. Her midwife did not stray too far. The delivery table was brought into the room to stand ready, as Christina labored headlong into transition.

Sam continued to apply counter pressure to her lower back while Christina labored on her hands and knees upon the bed, vocalizing loudly through each contraction. As she finished her required time on the monitor, we started up the shower so she might get some hydrotherapy, but it was not meant to be. Christina felt like she had to push, and her body did not lie to her. Christina’s baby was ready!

Her midwife knelt beside the bed, and as Christina pushed her baby out on hands and knees, she caught her cheesy baby and passed her through her knees into her arms. It just took a couple of pushes, and over an intact perineum, Emma Quinn was born at 8:34 am! For some time perspective, that’s just over 30 minutes after they arrived at the hospital! Christina held her sweet baby girl close in shock and awe. There was no time to do anything but have a baby. 

Emma cried out loudly and pinked up quickly. She wasn’t weighed until after her first hour, but she tipped the scale at 9 lb. 7 oz. and she measured 21 in. long. She had a great latch from the start, something her brother wasn’t born with. So Christina was hopeful her breastfeeding journey might be a bit easier. (And at the time of our postpartum visit it still was, in part because of all she learned and knew to look out for the first time.)

This labor was fast and frantic, but also gentle. Christina came in and had a baby. Her provider attended her by kneeling down and catching the baby Christina birthed. Even her nurses worked around her, honoring her desire to hold her baby close and not be disturbed more than necessary. There was no need for immediate iv access so that was one less thing to contend with in between contractions, and I wouldn’t doubt if the signing of consents wasn’t completed until after delivery.

When it was all said and done, Christina had what she needed. Belief in her body, good support, and a team of people who didn’t get in the way of her birth process. I just love when births unfold in this way! 

Tabitha and Danny welcomed their second daughter in a home birth environment on February 8, 2022. When I first met this couple, they were students in my childbirth class in preparation for the birth of their first. They were very motivated to have an unmedicated birth and had a strong belief that the body was made to grow and birth a baby with little help. But sometimes plans change, and when your water breaks and you need contractions, Pitocin is a good tool. Tabitha birthed without pain medications, even with the addition of Pitocin, so she knew she could do hard things. 

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, very shortly after she gave birth the first time, it became very clear to her and Danny that they would rather forego the hospital experience all together. With mask mandates, required COVID tests, and restrictions on support people, their desire for a homebirth grew and grew. Tabitha found her perfect fit with a midwife who also had a birth suite available, giving the comfort of a homelike environment with a bit more space than they had at home.

We met prenatally and our conversations consisted mostly of Tabi telling me she believed she could do it, but also wondered how it would unfold without Pitocin. There was also the unknown variable of their firstborn, a spunky sweet toddler who had never been away from her mother. Tabi preferred to have her daughter present for the birth and knew Danny could take care of her if the need arose. It was up to her body and her baby as to when the time would be right for labor. And we suspected it would likely unfold when big sister was tucked away in bed asleep since she preoccupied so much of Tabi’s attention.

And sure enough, that’s what happened. Tabi went into labor before her due date just as she had the first time, with the first text to me coming in at 1:37 am on February 8. She sent a screen shot of her contraction pattern, an erratic one with short but close contractions. She didn’t feel they were very strong, so she planned to take a shower and go to bed. But those second babies tend to come into the world in a hurry and that shower can be an excellent comfort measure, perhaps a little too excellent.

Tabi emerged from the shower with much stronger contractions and her body was very changed. She managed another text to me saying, “the contractions really hurt; I’m scared and excited. I don’t know if I was sleeping between them or what, but I’m nauseous too. She wanted to cry from the pain and was groaning through most of it.” Clearly, it was time to alert the midwife and head to the birth suite. 

As she searched for her midwife’s number, and right around the time I texted it to her and she found it, her water broke. She called her midwife who told her to go, go, go right away to the birth suite. She would be waiting there. But rushing out the door is a challenge with a toddler and when you don’t quite have all the things gathered up that you need. They were out the door about 20 minutes later, and I arrived at the birth suite shortly before they did.

Her midwife and I waited at the door, and we soon saw Tabi and Danny pull up. Tami was crying, their daughter was crying, as she made her way up the front walk, clutching a towel between her legs to catch the drips. She wasn’t wearing her pants that cold night, too far into active labor to even care. She told us between contractions that she had been pushing in the car, so we helped her up the stairs into the house, a particularly difficult task at the end of her journey, and onto the bed in the birth suite.

There was no need to check a cervix to confirm it was time to push. Tabi followed her body and growled into the intensity of her contractions. Her midwife and I reminded her that she was safe and strong, and to open and soften for her baby to come. Meanwhile, I reassured big sister that mommy was growling like a bear to bring baby sister into the world. She settled down quickly in her dad’s arms, and became a junior doula, watching her mom push out her baby.

I leaned in close to Tabi, so she knew I was there. She didn’t need much from us, just our support and a hand to hold, and our faith in her ability to birth. That became our chorus to her, that she was safe and strong, and her baby was ready to come. And Tabi repeated it to us, saying, “I will open for my baby,” “I am safe,” among other encouraging words. They were wonderful self-affirmations! And she pushed so softly, bringing her baby into her midwife’s hands in a short amount of time. We heard her baby cry before her body was all the way out! She was literally born ready! And one more push brought sweet Alexis Teagan into the world at 3:07 am, in just barely 2 hours’ time.

Tabi received her daughter into her arms and lay back upon the pillow with her firstborn right beside her, petting her, and petting baby, and beaming to each of us her content at her promotion to big sister. It also didn’t hurt that mom was no longer a growling bear and was instantly returned to her normal mom self. She would remain beside her mom for several more hours, eventually falling asleep in bed beside her. Danny was next to the midwife ready to cut the umbilical cord after several minutes of pulsing. After a couple of hours, Alexis was weighed and examined so gently she didn’t even cry. Believe it or not, babies rarely cry during the homebirth exam. It's just different. Alexis weighed 5 lb. 14 oz. and measured 21 in. long.

Tabi had conquered her fear of childbirth; such a strong and independent woman in a small frame. She was powerful in her birth, claiming it for her own, just as she had imagined. When the heightened hormones of birth eased some, and details came into focus, Danny and Tabi laughed over how unprepared they were. The car seat wasn’t installed, the car was badly in need of a charge, and the red lights all conspired against them the entire drive to the birth suite.

But even with the missteps and oversights, everything came together wonderfully and peacefully. As the world slept, Tabi and Danny welcomed a miracle. And we were all the better for being present for it. After a few hours of rest at the birth suite, I got a text from another client in labor, sending me out the door an hour later. As I stole off into the early hours of the morning, Tabi and her girls were stirring with the sunrise. Their only destination was to return home to continue resting and healing they had already begun. It was beautiful how seamless the transition home was: from a homebirth in a birth suite back to home.

Keely and David became parents for the second time on January 24, 2022. This was also the second time to serve as their doula, the first occurring early in the pandemic and had me serve virtually. We were very happy to know I would be in-person for this birth. It’s funny, since Keely and David live over an hour away, our prenatal and postpartum visits were virtual, while the birth was not.  Ironic, isn’t it? But preferred.

The call came in just past 3:30 am on January 24. Keely’s contractions had begun an hour prior and were already regular at 8 minutes apart. She planned to labor home a decent amount but since they had the hour-long drive to contend with, they would still be more conservative with timing their leaving. Keely labored at home about 5 hours before deciding it was time to make the hospital drive. 

Keely was blessed to see the same midwife was on call who attended her first birth. She was dilated 4 cm, but with contractions at a steady 2.5 to 3.5 minutes apart, things could change quickly. She was admitted, and over that hour her breathing grew more labored. Keely remained lucid between her contractions, but they required more of her. She eyed the shower as she endured the requisite non-stress test, and once the monitors were removed from her belly around 10:00 am, into the shower she went.

Keely requested her trusty Valor essential oil blend, so we applied a few drops to a wet washcloth and hung it the warm shower nearby. Keely did lunges to keep moving, knowing it would also open her pelvis in varying ways to help her baby move deeper. Her nurse would quickly lean in to catch baby heart tones on the doppler every 30 minutes but scurried away as unobtrusively as she came. Battery votives added to the spa vibes as Keely labored on.

She felt two particularly strong contractions around 10:30 that moved her baby to a lower place than before. She was growing hot in part from her labor, but also from the shower, so she took a break from it at 11:10. Her midwife did a quick cervical exam at that time and confirmed that Keely was dilated nicely to 7 cm with a bulging bag. Keely did not want it broken at that time and instead preferred to let her body move at its own pace. She hopped out of bed after the exam just in time to be on her feet for the next contraction.

Keely took several trips to the bathroom and made use of the foot stool to keep her pelvis in motion. David was always by her side to offer sips of water, touching her gently, and encouraging her with just the right words. Keely welcomed the intensity of her labor, adjusting her focus as It required more of it. We prepared cold cloths as her body heated up, and Keely’s smiles faded as she focused on all that her body required of her.

Keely voiced concern that her contractions had spaced apart, but the truth is they hadn’t. She labored over the cub chair as the cold cloths circulated from her back and neck. Keely lunged upon the bed too and at 11:46 am her water broke. It ran clear and copiously, and when the fluid had slowed to a drip, her contractions intensified even more. “Dave, hold my hand!” she barked out, and his hand was right there. It always was. 

Keely placed a cold cloth over her face and in another contraction or two she told us she felt like she had to push. Her midwife, who had been perched at the foot of the bed a decent while, calmly said, “Push when you are ready.” There was no need to check a cervix here. Keely’s body was telling her what to do next. And it was telling her to push. She gave a push and then lay down to her side and pushed there.

Dave supported her raised leg and subsequently rubbed out the cramp it caused her hip. Keely didn’t push long. In just a contraction or two we could see the baby’s head. Keely was calm and collected at the end, pausing and allowing her body to gradually move her baby out, rather than pushing full-on. Once the head was born, the midwife easily unwrapped the cord from the neck, and with the next push her baby was born at 12:35 pm.

Her baby didn’t cry out immediately and seemed a bit stunned, to he took a few minutes at the warmer with the nursery staff. In all the excitement, Dave forgot to check to see whether it was a girl or a boy. He got a visual and happily reported that Clara had a little brother. And a few minutes later after the placenta was out, the midwife announced the next best news that day, the news that Keely did not tear.

Keely’s son was in her arms after he cried and perked up, and she and Dave got busy studying all his parts. Dave confirmed 10 fingers and 10 toes and noticed his son had finger toes just like him. Eventually they would select the perfect name, Callum Hayes was the winner. He nursed well in that first hour, getting a feed on both sides before I left. And he came by it honestly, weighing in at 9 lb. 3 oz. and measuring 22 in. long. Those big babies tend to be born ready to eat!

This birth was a nice juxtaposition to the Covid-enforced virtual doula support from last time. It was a blessing to witness Keely and David’s partnership and to see her courage and strength in person. And it was a special treat to meet their baby too!

Rikki and Nathan became parents when they welcomed their baby girl, Roxie Wren, on January 12. 2022. When I first met Rikki, she had many questions for me. She understood the value of good support for many reasons, but the education component was a huge one! We had our prenatal visit at which point I met Nathan for the first time. And about halfway through our time together, Rikki blurted out, “Aren’t you so happy we have her, Nathan?” It was sweet, but I hoped that in time, Rikki would realize that she would be the one to do the work of birth and she already had everything she needed within.

Soon after our meeting, Rikki’s body started gearing up with contractions that were surprisingly painful. The first round came overnight on January 9, and then settled down enough for a little bit of sleep, only to return the following night. Rikki and Nathan wondered if it was baby time, but things chilled out again. The third night her contractions were regular at 8 minutes apart. So, by the morning, with consistent but erratic contractions, she went to the hospital and was dilated 1-2 cm. They waited an hour and checked her again and were happy to report she was dilated 3-4 cm already. This was happening! Rikki assured me things weren’t too serious yet and not to hurry to the hospital. But she would tell me if things changed. Currently her contractions were ranging from 4-9 minutes apart.

But a few minutes later she texted that they were steadily every 5 minutes so we decided to play it safe I should head in. Rikki was handing her contractions well, staying loose from head to toe and breathing deeply. But she knew things would continue to escalate and she was open to getting an epidural. Being up most of the past three nights wasn’t helping anything either and the promise of sleep once she was comfortable was very tempting. Another contraction wave came and went, and Rikki was ready for relief. The CRNA came shortly after that and Rikki was comfortable by 2:00 pm.

The contractions spaced out after the epidural, a common occurrence, so Pitocin was incorporated to make them stronger and closer. In the meantime, her baby’s heart rate dipped so they checked to make sure she hadn’t surprised everyone by making rapid cervical change. She was “over 4 cm, but not quite 5 cm” and she also had a bulging bag. So, we focused our efforts on helping Rikki into various positions to continue labor’s progress while also enabling her to rest.

It took some time to get the Pitocin titrated to the level that would produce consistent contractions but eventually it did. Whether it was the positions, the Pitocin, or (most likely) both, at 10:15 pm Rikki was fully dilated! Her baby was still rather high at 0 station, so it wasn’t quite time to push. We used that time to use gravity-enhancing positions and to give Rikki some sugar (aka a popsicle). There was also the ever-present oxygen mask that had been incorporated during the initial decel. But she didn’t seem to mind it.

There were some late decels that Rikki’s nurse noticed, and she also developed some back pain, likely due to baby moving lower in her pelvis. Nathan rubbed Rikki’s back to help her relax and we rolled her to the other side to hopefully ease the pain. She grew warm so we turned a fan on nearby. Her nurse lowered the Pitocin to give baby a break too, since everything seemed to be a bit more intense for her too.

By 12:05 am, Rikki felt pressure down low. Her contractions were also getting more painful, despite the epidural, requiring her to breathe deeply through them. We helped Rikki roll to her hands and knees in the hope that position would move her to pushing with baby’s head low enough. Rikki swayed her hips as Nathan rubbed her back, and she maintained this position for 25 minutes. But at 12:40 her baby’s head was still at 0 station without molding, so there was still laboring down to do. 

Rikki continued to breathe courageously and calmly through her contractions as they grew, and at 1:30 am her nurse had her give a push to see if her baby would move down. She gave a good effort through several contractions on her side, but her baby was showing some signs that it was just a lot. Her doctor came in and explained her concerns about baby’s heart rate dips, the tachycardia that had developed, even after the Pitocin had been turned off. She recommended a vacuum assisted delivery, if Rikki was on board. After getting a clear understanding of what it entailed, Rikki agreed to move forward and at 2:00 am she gave her best push as her doctor assisted by vacuum. And her baby was born just two minutes later at 2:02 am on January 12, 2022! With all the 1’s and 2’s we thought Rikki and Nathan should play the lottery!

Baby Roxie was born sunny side up, as suspected. It helped give an explanation to Rikki’s erratic contractions for three nights as well as her back pain. It was all forgotten though, as her focus was 100% on her baby in her arms. Rikki spoke to Roxie about how excited she was to meet her. She also introduced her to her daddy who makes pizza, likes photography and is a skateboarder. And Rikki also made a point of letting Roxie know she really values her sleep if she didn’t mind helping preserve that. She was soon on a Facetime call with loved ones, expanding the circle of those who had been anxiously awaiting her arrival. She weighed a petite 5 lb. 12 oz. but was working on her first feed by 2:40 am.

This couple was so sweet in their excitement and expectation over becoming parents and finally meeting their baby girl. And to watch them journey together through a challenging labor was heartwarming and a good indication of their loving partnership. They were clearly more equipped for the twists and turns because they had each other to rely on.

Photo credit for the last two pictures in the gallery above goes to Roxie’s daddy who is also a gifted photographer. You can find him on Instagram: @nathaninstagrams

Loren and Colsen welcomed their sweet girl, Isla Marie, on January 9, 2022. This labor was a confusing and deceptive one for sure, sending Loren to the hospital numerous times before she was admitted in active labor. The first time, on December 6, Loren thought her water had broken. She sent me a text that there was some fluid on the bed and her mucus plug in the toilet. They went to triage at the hospital to get the fluid tested. It was a long and slow process. One nurse said she was 2 cm dilated, so that was encouraging. Eventually they got the results that one test confirmed negative for amniotic fluid and the other had a small amount, but not enough to warrant admitting Loren. They checked her cervix again and said she was not dilated at all. This whole process took 4 hours, but ultimately Loren and Colsen were able to return home. Going home is a good thing, especially if you prefer to avoid interventions, which Loren did. But it can be a hard pill to swallow (no pun intended). Loren continued to have contractions all that day and through the night. 

The next morning, January 7, just before 8:00 am, Loren texted to let me know she thought it might be time to return to the hospital. She hadn’t slept a lot, just from 10:00 to 3:00 waking up every so often from strong contractions. She was feeling nauseous, shaky, and getting vocal with her contractions. Since she had been up all night with contractions, she was feeling pretty exhausted too. This time, upon arrival to the hospital, she was dilated 4.5 cm. I met them there this time too, since it seemed to be the real deal and time! Being that she was exhausted though, they gave her the option of iv meds for some rest. Loren took them and after resting at the hospital, her contractions chilled out, so she was sent home again. And she managed to nap most of the day.

The next day, January 8, Loren and Colsen got better sleep, but Loren continued to have regular contractions. By 4:00 am once Colsen was awake, he logged a few contractions on the app and saw they were coming every 3-5 minutes. Other than having contractions, her demeanor was still that of early labor. She ate and worked through contractions, but a couple of strong ones that afternoon had them back to the hospital. It was around 2:00 pm. But while the contractions seemed closer and stronger, Loren’s cervix had not changed from the previous day. And an hour later, after still no change, they were sent home again. 

Back at home Loren was miserable. Benadryl didn’t help and she wondered if she was having really bad gas pains. Loren’s discomfort had grown so intensely they returned to the hospital a fourth time around 11:00 that night. And fourth’s time’s a charm because Loren was dilated 6-7 cm! At last! She was in active labor, and she would be admitted! This was exciting and I joined them at the hospital.

Loren had a wonderful nurse who was getting the wireless monitor ready. We made good use of the peanut ball to open her pelvis and allow for rest, in addition to sitting in the throne position on the bed. Loren got some bites of popsicle for a sugar boost, but she didn’t much feel like eating. By 1:25 pm she got in the shower for some labor, but the shower head wasn’t working properly so she quickly got back out. PSA: Check to make sure the shower works right when you get in a room!!

She returned to side-lying on the bed with the peanut between her legs, trying to rest between contractions. We even heard her breathing deepen in sleep briefly, but it didn’t last long since there was always another contraction. 

Loren’s doctor came in to visit and they decided breaking her water was a good strategy to keep things moving forward. Her contractions were spaced and had lessened in intensity. At 2:26 am her water was broken, and Loren’s cervix was 7 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -2 station. They would recheck in 2-3 hours unless things changed. Loren requested the nitrous oxide for some relief and tried using it during contractions with mild relief. She was in serious labor though with the unpleasant side-effect of vomiting. 

Loren returned to laying on her side just past 3:00 am, breathing in the nitrous during contractions. She then labored in the rocking chair for a bit breathing the nitrous, and then sat upon the cub chair for some contractions, again with nitrous. Every time she moved, there were cords to untangle in order to get the nitrous to her. But it gave a little bit of a relief and distraction for 30 minutes. We directed the fan to hit her best after each move. And Colsen placed a heating pack on Loren during contractions as she leaned forward. It was a team effort of support, while Loren did the work.

By 3:50 am, Loren verbalized her doubt in continuing. She couldn’t get comfortable, and she just couldn’t see the forest for the trees (or couldn’t see the birth for the contractions). We tied the rebozo in a knot and hung it over the top of the door so Loren could dangle squat through some contractions. It was 4:00 and I was hoping she’d have some great cervical change from that. At 4:17 she was 8 cm, with more cervix on the right side. So, she lay back upon the bed on her side in the hopes her baby might help dilate her cervix on that side. Then she stood back up and lunged with Colsen, placing her foot upon a stool, and leaning to the side through each contraction. Next, she moved to her hands and knees to labor over the cub chair. Loren did all of the things! And she was rewarded for it because at 4:55 an exam confirmed she was completely dilated! She did a “practice push” and moved her baby well, prompting the nurse to predict that she wouldn’t push long.

Loren began pushing officially at 5:15 am and she pushed in a variety of positions, as you might guess. She pushed with the squat bar, then she pushed on her left side. Next, she pushed semi-reclined. At 5:46 am we could see a baby’s head just inside! And Colsen took a seat to try to compose himself, saying, “I’m just trying not to cry.”  Less than 10 minutes later they called the doctor to the room. And Loren pushed while holding her legs above her belly and brought her baby very quickly to crowning at 6:22 am. She continued to push well and sweet Isla Marie was born at 6:29 am on January 9, 2022!

Colsen cried to see his baby girl, and Loren brought Isla close. She was born on a special day, sharing Loren’s grandmother’s birthday, Isla’s great grandmother. Colsen cut the cord when the time came, and Isla was latched by 7:15 and didn’t come off for 12 minutes. It was an excellent start for breastfeeding, coasting on the incredible surge of oxytocin that comes at the time of birth. She was beautiful and made into a diva with the souped up big-bowed hospital hat for baby girls. Isla weighed 7 lb. 14.6 oz. and measured 21.26 in. long. That’s about as perfect as it gets.

I am so incredibly proud of Loren and of Colsen too. Loren’s labor was very stop and start and there was some discussion of a possible malposition that impacted her labor’s beginnings. But she charged on through the sensations she felt, resting as well as she could and conserving energy for when labor became active. And once it did, she continued her dance through labor, keeping Colsen close, staying positive (as much as possible through transition), and ultimately trusting that her body could do what it was created to do. And it did! It was exhausting, messy, deliriously hazy, but also empowering, uplifting, and beautiful.

Photo credit: Lex Leigh Photography

Brittany and Mike welcomed their sweet lass, Selah Brielle, on December 26, 2021, ending my year of births beautifully. Brittany is not a woman who has an easy time of pregnancy. She had hyperemesis for both pregnancies and it didn’t let up. In her final week, even up to the day before labor, she was still getting sick. Still, Brittany maintained a positive attitude and was very motivated to have an unmedicated birth this time. She had a long an involved induction with the birth of her son that began with her water breaking at 36 weeks, and developed into a birth that included Cytotec, Pitocin, and an epidural. The outcome was excellent, and Brittany was so happy with the journey. But she was also curious about the possibility of labor starting on its own this time and what that experience might be like.

Brittany and Mike took my Spinning Babies® Parent Class to learn all they could about helping make pregnancy more comfortable and easing labor. The goal was for a shorter labor this time and a spontaneous one at that! In the last month, Brittany measured a few weeks larger which had her providers hinting to a possible induction if things continued in that direction. Brittany hoped to avoid an induction and chose to stay the course with confidence unless or until there was reason to do otherwise.

A few days before Brittany would go into labor, she felt a lot of cramps that wrapped around her abdomen. But they weren’t rhythmic and felt more like a digestive upset with other symptoms. She also had some hot and cold flashes but found that taking her prescription for hyperemesis helped. But two days later, Christmas Day, Brittany texted to tell me she was having trouble keeping anything down. She called her OB who recommended going to the hospital to get fluids at the very least and see what was going on. She was having contractions, but they didn’t seem regular. Fluids helped and her body settled down enough to warrant a return home if or until her pains developed into labor.

Brittany minimized her contractions and tried to play it cool and not get drawn in too quickly. Surely this would take some time. After all, her first labor was 26 hours long! Brittany ate cinnamon rolls and pulled pork from Christmas Day since she wasn’t able to keep down light foods in early labor. But her early labor didn’t last long. Brittany’s body quickly moved from erratic contractions to consistent and strong ones. In the first two hours they moved from 5 minutes apart consistently, then quickly moved to 4 minutes apart, to 3 minutes, and to 2 minutes in a short amount of time. She had two very difficult contractions in bed, then as she made her way downstairs to go to the hospital she had two more intense ones. Brittany even had a contraction on the porch before getting to the car. They left the house at 2:40 pm and Brittany endured a very difficult and uncomfortable car ride. Thankfully it was a short one, although she might argue that it didn’t feel very short at the time. Mike had the car parked in the hospital lot by 2:53 pm.

When Brittany arrived on the unit it was clear she was about to give birth. She had a lot of back pain and her contractions were coming back-to-back. She was led quickly to a labor and delivery room, bypassing triage altogether (thank goodness!), and an exam confirmed she was already completely dilated! I walked in around this time, arriving right behind them toting my birth ball and cub birthing chair. A nurse glanced up at me when I entered, saying, “You won’t be needing all of that.” And she was right! Brittany was already in position in the bed, stirrups, and all, surrounded by several hospital staff with her doctor suited up at the foot of the bed to catch. I quickly put all the “stuff” down and went right to Brittany’s side. She was on the threshold between full dilation and pushing, and the next contractions sent her headlong into second stage.

Brittany only pushed for two contractions and brought her baby girl into the world at 3:08 pm on December 26, just 15 minutes after they parked in the hospital lot! Brittany and Mike were so sweet in those first moments. They looked at each other in disbelief as Brittany held their sweet baby and were stunned as they smiled and giggled in disbelief. The placenta came by 3:12 and to punctuate the exhilaration of the experience, her doctor confirmed there were no tears! 

Brittany and Mike tried to wrap their heads around all that had transpired that day. So much had! In the end, Brittany had labored and birthed her baby in the unmedicated labor she was hoping for. And as soon as her baby was born her hyperemesis was cured! That was a big motivating factor right behind healthy mom and baby. Brittny and Mike had the opportunity to share one last Christmas with their son as an only child, and were blessed with the best Christmas gift the next day, Selah Brielle. She weighed 7 lb. 6 oz. and was 19 in. long. She had a crooked nose like her big brother, and she had so much vernix it covered her ear and made it stick to itself. It was also a nice coincidence that Selah was born on St. Stephen’s Day (Boxing Day), which happened to be the same day her Aunt Margaret passed away. Surely she was looking down on her and smiling. 

Every birth is a new experience. And every baby has their own journey to enter the world. But it’s nice when birth comes through us so quickly that it leaves us exhilarated and empowered. I was thrilled for this couple and their birth and the promise it fulfilled that every birth is different, and an opportunity for a totally new story. What an exciting story they have to tell Selah Brielle when she’s old enough to understand.

Ragan and Tommy welcomed their second daughter on Christmas Day, the second client of mine to get the best gift that day! Ragan was no stranger to natural birth since she had welcomed her first baby girl that way. But every birth is different, and there is the added detail of making sure big sister is taken care of before leaving for the birth place. Thankfully, Ragan’s mom planned to live with them for an extended time right around her due date window to facilitate the transition when baby arrived, in addition to Tommy’s anticipated deployment soon after the birth.

Last time, Ragan arrived quite advanced in her labor so she hoped to have more of an opportunity to settle in at the hospital so things might feel less frantic. She took care of the preliminary details as much as she reasonably could, and trusted things would unfold when and how they were meant to. She even declined a membrane sweep in favor of waiting and seeing.

I got a text from Tommy at 5:27 am saying that Ragan’s contractions had started at 4 am. They were irregular in spacing, jumping between 10 minutes and 3 minutes apart, but they were about 50 seconds long. Unfortunately, I was at a birth but hoped to be able to join them in support. I alerted my backup doula just in case and she was ready. They had spoken with the midwife and planned to leave for the hospital in about 30-45 minutes. 

An hour later, when they arrived at 6:40 am, Ragan was dilated 5 cm, 80% effaced, with baby’s head at -2 station. She was still comfortable laboring with Tommy for the time being. I stopped by the triage room to visit briefly. Ragan teared up knowing I wouldn’t be by her side, not yet anyway. But she also verbalized that she knew it was going to be okay, and I echoed that to her, gave a hug, and promised to be back as soon as I was available. Once Ragan completed the 20-minute NST she was able to move to her labor and delivery room. 

By 7:20, Ragan’s contractions were steady at 4 minutes apart and she was considering calling the backup doula. She continued to labor another 40 minutes and when she made the first vocal contraction, Tommy dispatched the doula. He remembered that point in Ragan’s labor last time and he knew things were turning a corner. She requested some essential oils, so I was able to deliver a few bottles to Ragan. It was nice to see her, and I hoped I would be seeing her soon, but knew she was in excellent hands in the meantime.

The backup doula arrived at 8:20 to find Ragan leaning and moaning through her contractions. She was feeling emotional about everything, labor, Christmas, a backup doula, so she asked for a hug and gave the doula a tight squeeze. Ragan was soon in the shower where her contractions moved to 2-3 minutes apart. She moaned low through them. She labored with one foot on a stool to keep her pelvis asymmetric. And though the water was making her feel hot, she didn’t want to get out because it felt so good. She savored the shower, knowing it was such a luxury for moms!

Tommy was decked out in his Christmas morning pjs. Turns out Ragan was wearing matching pajama pants when she arrived but had long since taken them off. It was a funny sight to see him dressed that way but I’m sure it will be a great memory when they revisit the birth pictures. At 9:00, Ragan could feel her baby was low, and her contractions grew more intense, bringing her sounding stronger as well. She put her leg up facing the water for short breaks and continued to vocalize low. She was out of the shower by 9:10 and was able to sign her consents at that time. 

She moved to the bed and labored on an extended hands and knees position and felt more pressure in her bottom. And as each contraction came, Ragan moaned through it and returned to a very calm state between. She was wonderful about conserving her energy that way. At 9:45 she took a trip to the toilet and had 3-4 contractions sitting there. She tried sitting on the cub after that but didn’t care for it. So instead, she stood by the bed and leaned over the birth ball. 

By 10:00 her labor had reached the next level, with noticeably longer and stronger contractions. “I just want to take a nap,” Ragan said, a very normal way to feel as a woman works her way through the most challenging part of her labor. Her contractions were very close and intense, leaving Ragan really having to focus intensely. Tommy setup the playlist, Christy Nockels Christmas which seemed fitting, after all.

Ragan labored on her hands and knees with a fuzzy pink blanket she had brought from home, and about 15 minutes later she was laboring on her side. I arrived around that time and quietly slipped in beside the bed and spoke softly to Ragan that I was there and she was doing an amazing job. She had two doulas for her birth, as it turned out.

At 10:30 Ragan yelled out as her water broke, stepping her contractions up in intensity once again. She was soon bearing down with her contractions and rolled over to her hands and knees. Ragan frantically called out to me and reached out her hand, so I grabbed it. Her eyes were closed, and she couldn’t see me, only heard that I was there. Then she pushed with the next contraction. Her legs shook from hormones and adrenaline, and she soon pushed her baby out into her midwife’s hands. Ragan reached down and received her baby into her arms, becoming a mother for the second time at 10:46 am on December 25, 2021. 

Ragan cradled her baby to her chest and looked down. She was so beautiful in that moment to me, literally holding in her hands the fruit of her labor. Her daughter cried out and everyone sighed and smiled. Then we helped her roll to her back upon the bed where she was able to get settled and birth the placenta. Tommy cut the cord when it was done pulsing and after some snuggle time, Ragan brought her baby to breast for a first latch at 11:18 am. And once measured, Arwynn Rose was 7 lb. 11 oz. and 19 1/2 in. long.

The finer details of what happened and when, were a blur in the midst of labor. But the contractions grew hazy, and Ragan held her baby in her arms, she realized what she had done. Her entire labor lasted just 6 ½ hours and most of Christmas Day remained. The power of her laboring body moved intensely through her, and she rolled with it, gracefully taking the unexpected changes that occurred—a Christmas birth, and a second doula. It made for a beautiful birth on such a special day to so many for other reasons. And it was not lost on us that the day Ragan and Tommy’s baby chose to be born was a very significant birthday for another very special baby. The message of love and peace that we’ve come to associate with Christmas Day shone through Ragan’s birth from start to finish. She was literally surrounded in loving support and birthed with little help from the rest of us, other than a cold washcloth at the perfect time, a steady hand to hold, and encouraging words when she needed to hear them. But we believed in her and were there to serve her however she wanted us to. And to watch Ragan do her great work, we were reminded of the significance of simply being there to honor her power and vulnerability entwined. That’s the essence of motherhood, isn’t it? To be strong and soft all at once.

Hannah and Nick welcomed their second daughter on December 25, 2021! She was absolutely the best Christmas gift they ever received, but she made them work for it. Hannah and Nick took my 7-week Birth Essentials childbirth series to prepare. Who says once you’ve had a baby you don’t need to take a class? Plus, it was a nice opportunity for them to carve aside some intentional time preparing for their second birth. That can be a challenge with a toddler to take care of. 

Photo credit: Kristin Watkins Photography

Hannah’s first birth began with an induction for high blood pressure, so she was hoping to avoid the induction process this time around. She sought out midwives for her prenatal care and birth, knowing their model was more fitting for the birth experience she desired. But even though she took the class and had previously giving birth, she still found herself confused as to when labor might be starting. She noticed increased mucus discharge, but the nothing. Then a few days later she texted that she was 99% sure her water had broken. Surely this was it! She tried to rest overnight, but we expected her body would respond with contractions. When it didn’t contract with consistency and then flat out stopped, she went in to see her midwife as instructed. And it turned out her water had not broken significantly enough to warrant going to the hospital. The plan was to wait and see and to minimize anything that didn’t stop her in her tracks. Surely her body was very close to labor.

Later that evening on December 24, Nick texted to tell me Hannah’s contractions were 5-7 minutes apart and consistently lasting longer than a minute. She had also thrown up so surely this was it! It was late at night, but Hannah was past the point of sleep, since her contractions required all of her focus. She got in the shower and within 45 minutes they had moved to less than 5 minutes apart consistently. They called the midwife and she told them to head to the hospital.

We met there around 2:00 am and Hannah was shown directly to a room for which we were thankful. (No triage!) She was dilated 4 cm, 80% effaced, and her baby’s head was at -1 station. This was a big change from her previous appointment so it was a great validation. Hannah’s body shook in response to the hormones of her labor and the pain became so intense she struggled to cope. Hannah chose to get an epidural and within the hour she was comfortable and had the option to sleep. 

Soon after the epidural an exam showed Hannah to be dilated to 6 cm, 80% effaced, and her baby’s head at 0 station. These were big changes in just over an hour. With contractions coming just 2 minutes apart, all signs were pointing to a baby soon! Then again, what do we know?

We had Hannah in a variety of positions and made good use of the peanut ball. Her midwife came in about 30 minutes later and Hannah was dilated to 7 cm. Hannah tried to rest at this point since she really hadn’t yet, but she had persistent pain on her left that made rest elusive. She tried to keep her head in a positive place though, knowing she still had much relief.

Two hours later, Hannah was dilated 8.5 cm. We moved the bed into the throne position to use gravity to our advantage. We were careful only to have Hannah upright for 30 minutes so prevent her epidural from migrating down to her feet from her belly. She returned to the reclined position until 30 minutes later when one of her doctors paid a visit. Hannah was ready to have her water broken and was glad the doctor stopped by! It was broken at 7:25 am, and with just a lip of cervix, the doctor asked Hannah to give a push to see if it slipped past the head. It didn’t, so she labored down another 30 minutes.

Her nurse encouraged Hannah to do a practice push at 8:00 and then again at 8:20, which finally revealed the cervix was gone! Since it had taken so long to dilate to complete, we suspected her baby was OP. We helped Hannah roll over to her hands and knees where she began pushing. Then she pushed on her right side, and then we assisted her into the flying cowgirl position, putting the peanut ball between her legs, while pointing her feet inward behind her. Then we switched it up at 9:00, encouraging the internal rotation of her femur by putting the peanut ball between her ankles and calves. 

And that might have been what finally did it because at 9:10 am Hannah moved her baby from +1 to +2! We could already see her baby’s dark hair and when we told Hannah this she choked back some tears. She pushed on her right side with great effort, and we placed a cold cloth on her neck. And right at 9:30 her midwife joined us and quickly suited up for delivery. Hannah felt a lot more pressure with each contraction and as her baby’s head began to crown, she reached down to feel with her own hands. I love when moms do this! 

The midwife pulled the delivery cart up to the side of the bed 5 minutes later as Hannah continued to push with all her strength. And then we saw the head, emerging with the cord loosely wrapped. The next push revealed the culprit that delayed the process—there was a hand by the chin! Eden Elizabeth was born at 9:46 am on Christmas Day! She was the best Christmas gift ever, weighing in at a perfect 7 lb. 12 oz.

Hannah held her sweet baby so tightly, it was as if she’d never let go. She cried and was so grateful to have her daughter in her arms. Nick was steadfast support the whole way through, always right beside Hannah believing in her, trusting her, and most of all loving her. 

Hannah’s midwife gushed over her beautiful placenta and gave her a tour of the vibrant home she had grown for her baby. Sweet Eden was born a bit juicy, so she took a stop at the warmer, and then a trip to the nursery. But she was back within the hour. 

Photo credit: Kristin Watkins Photography

I was so honored to stand beside Hannah as she labored. She did all the prep work and when labor was more challenging than expected, she rolled with it and maintained a positive attitude. She was surrounded in support and when she met her baby, we were there to celebrate with her. I grabbed my things up a little while later since there was another client whose baby wanted to be born on Christmas. It’s worth noting that Hannah tried to send me away to the other client sooner, but I knew she was in the capable hands of my backup doula. It takes a village for all of us sometimes.

Photo credit: Kristin Watkins Photography

Dulce and Joshua welcomed their third child on December 22, 2021! This was my third time to serve as their doula and it has been such a wonderful gift to watch them grow as parents with each new addition. When they reached out to tell of their pregnancy, they were in California with plans to return to Hampton Roads in the later half. I was so excited at the opportunity to serve them again! Dulce’s birth history is varied in some ways, and consistent in others. She has had recurrent high blood pressure that resulted in inductions for every birth. However, they unfolded differently. Her first child was born by c-section, her second by a VBAC. And then came Charles Duke, born by a second VBAC! 

In this third pregnancy, Dulce’s blood pressure was actually very good almost the whole way through. It was a nice change and left open the possibility of spontaneous labor. That is until the very end. Dulce’s blood pressure was high at her appointment on December 21, just one week shy of her December 28 EDD. She was sent to triage for evaluation, but they soon made the call to keep her for induction. Dulce and Joshua were happy with the decision given her history.

Dulce’s biggest hope for this birth, behind healthy baby and mom, of course, was to not feel frantic. Her first birth got scary when her water was broken and her baby’s heart rate took a turn, making the call for a c-section for her baby’s sake. Likewise, in her second labor things got crazy when her water was broken and then things ramped up so quickly, she hardly had time to get an epidural. This third birth she hoped to feel less frantic and calmer. And that meant being a bit more strategic about things. 

Dulce’s initial exam had her cervix dilated 2 cm, 50% effaced, baby at -3, with a posterior cervix. There was some ripening to do. They began with a Foley bulb and Pitocin together and just an hour later, Dulce was feeling contractions. They were short and erratic, but they were contractions, nonetheless. And the Foley bulb was out in just 1 ½ hours. The plan was to gradually increase Pitocin and do another exam in a couple of hours around 9:00 pm.

An hour later, her contractions were coming at a steady pattern of every 2 ½ minutes and lasting 30 seconds. They planned on getting the epidural in place before breaking her water this time, to help guard against the crazy experience she had previously at that point. In the meantime, Dulce walked and paced and sat upon the birth ball, moving in ways that helped with the contraction pain, and also brought her baby deeper in her pelvis.

They broke her water shortly after the epidural and she was dilated 3 cm, but Dulce’s body shook in a way that hinted to active labor getting established. We had her lay over the cub birthing chair for some rest but to also help bring baby down to dilate her cervix. It was 10:40 pm.

Shortly before midnight, her nurse noticed some variables in the baby’s heart rate. Dulce was also feeling some pain in her vagina, so it seemed a good time to investigate. Her cervix was a stretchy 5 cm, so we tried a new position to encourage descent called Froggy Walchers. I loved how eager Dulce’s nurse was to learn and collaborate with me with positions to encourage the birth!

The doctor came in and inserted an IUPC to make sure contractions were strong enough and also to add fluid to help float the cord to help stabilize baby’s heart rate. They also turned off the Pitocin to see if Dulce’s body might continue dilating on its own.

Someone drifted in to setup the delivery table and we helped Dulce roll to her side and placed a peanut ball between her legs. She felt more pain in her vagina and a check at 12:15 revealed Dulce was fully dilated, and her baby was at 0 station. The turned Pitocin back on at the lowest level to help bring baby down. But I doubt it was necessary really, because when Dulce gave her first push after they removed the foley at 12:30, we could already see her baby’s head! 

Dulce pushed a total of 3 minutes, so I guess that was 2 contractions. And Charles Duke was born at 12:34 am on December 22, 2021! The cord was loosely around his neck and easy to move aside at delivery. His face was so purple from bruising as he navigated his way through his mom’s pelvis. And he was a little slow to perk up, so he took a 5-minute detour to the warmer for some extra attention. Joshua was never far from his son, and I was never far from Dulce. And he was soon back in her arms. Charles weighed 7 lb. 10 oz. and measured 21 in., the same length as his brother and sister at birth. Dulce birthed her son without a tear too, by the way. And he was latched not too long after birth.

Dulce had the calm and gentle experience she envisioned for Charles. She had a hand in the decisions and was reassured by her providers every step of the way. They even worked collaboratively with her chosen birth support, going so far as asking whether I was going to “coach” her in pushing or they were. Honestly, I don’t think Dulce needed any coaching from any of us, but it was so nice of them to ask. It was a truly lovely birth and I think there was a lot of good cross training happening too!