Madeline and Brian welcomed their first child, a son, on June 16, 2022! Love surrounded this journey from start to finish when an excited expectant grandma offered to gift her son and daughter in law a doula! (Isn’t that a great gift?) Maddy and Brian enrolled in my 7-week childbirth class as well which gave us the opportunity to get to know each other better as we explored pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period.

Things seemed to be straightforward without surprises, but very rarely does a pregnancy or birth not encounter something unexpected. In the last month or so, Maddy’s providers noticed her son wasn’t growing as much as they would have liked, which led them to wonder how the placenta was functioning and whether perhaps an induction was the safest route.

Maddy’s providers watched closer with NSTs and ultrasounds and were pleased when a few weeks out from the EDD, their son had a growth spurt, bringing Maddy’s fundal height up to normal as well as a glowing NST. Maddy was dilated 2 cm and 60% effaced to boot, so it was a very encouraging appointment.

Less than a week later, on June 15, there was some bleeding that caught Maddy’s attention. Since it didn’t stop, she reached out to her providers who suggested she go to the hospital to get checked out. Wisely, Maddy and Brian hastily packed their hospital bag just in case, then made their way in.

They got to the hospital around 1:00 am, and once on the monitor she got checked and was dilated 3 cm. They would reach out to the OB to decide next steps. They kept Maddy overnight to see what was going on, and by 8:00 am there was an exciting update. Maddy was admitted because her body appeared to be in spontaneous labor, dilated 4 cm, 70% effaced, with baby at -2 station, and her water had also broken. She just made it to 37 weeks on the dot, thank goodness, so everything could proceed as normal. Things were early yet, so Maddy and Brian would provide updates as things progressed and she was in a more active labor pattern.

At 3:00 am, Maddy graduated from triage to an L&D room, with the plan to do another check around noon to confirm whether things had progressed. In the meantime, Maddy rested as long as she was able to, knowing her body would require her to work harder as the contractions intensified. And then at 8:00 am her water broke. Everyone hoped it might move her into active labor, but time would tell.

Discussing options, they decided to have the midwife break her water since there was a fore bag of fluid in front of her baby’s head. The hope was after breaking her water, the contractions would get stronger along with some Pitocin. Within the hour the Pitocin was flowing, and Maddy’s contractions were 3 minutes apart, lasting 30 seconds, but getting stronger. I grabbed my go bag and was there 30 minutes later.

Right when I got there, Maddy’s contractions turned a corner. She was breathing with each contraction and struggling to remain soft as they washed over her. Brian was always right there, applying counter pressure, holding her, or saying encouraging things. I was not surprised by this at all, since my impressions of Brian from our initial interview was that he was eager and excited to support Maddy lovingly the entire time.

Things became much more difficult over the next hour, with Maddy quickly descending from the “small talk phase” between contractions to the “I can barely talk at all phase.” She continued to breathe and soften from head to toe, as tears trickled from her eyes revealing just how challenging it was. The shower was next, and Maddy and Brian, both entered it to help progress Maddy’s labor and maintain more relaxation too.

The epidural was placed speedily but it never gave Maddy complete relief from the pain. Her baby’s heart rate dipped, a sign she might be progressing quickly, and she was. Her cervix was dilated 7 cm at 3:38 pm! Maddy continued to breathe and focus through each one and moaned low to stay relaxed. And we all held on to the likely chance that she would be pushing soon. She was moving fast!

Just past 4:00 pm, and after more heart rate decels in her baby, another exam confirmed Maddy was dilated 8-9 cm! They turned off the Pitocin to give her baby a break and with confidence Maddy’s body would continue to fly to 10 cm. We shifted her position to accommodate her baby’s heart rate, and Brian was so excited he helped keep Maddy’s mood elevated in spite of the painful contractions. She coped with them like a trooper, continuing to breathe and vocalize through each one. She stayed the course knowing she would have her baby in her arms very soon.

And then at 4:55 pm, an exam by the midwife prompted her to say, “Your baby is right here!” It was pushing time! Maddy gave her first push at 5:00 pm and she was an excellent pusher. Brian was ecstatic and so thrilled to be meeting his son soon. And he did, because after just a couple of pushes we could already see his head! Maddy reached down and felt her baby’s head with her fingers and couldn’t believe just how close he was!

The midwife offered for Brian to help catch so he put gloves on so he would be ready. His mom also happens to be a midwife so Brian came by it honestly! And just about 10 minutes later, after pushing just 25 minutes, Maddy brought her son, Isaac James, into the world into his daddy’s hands at 5:25 pm! One Republic’s song, “Good Life” was playing, and the room was awash with tears and love! I don’t cry at every birth, but I might have cried at this one! Isaac cried out and Brian and Maddy had teras running down their faces amid smiles and words of love. “We have a baby boy,” Brian said to Maddy, as he continued to cry out his first breaths.

Since there had been growth concerns, Isaac went to the warmer briefly after Brian cut his cord, but he was back in his mom’s arms within 10 minutes, pronounced healthy and perfect. He even weighed more than anticipated at 5 lb. 9 oz. and had excellent Apgar’s of 8/9. Fun fact about Isaac’s birthday: He was born the day after his Grandpa’s birthday, and the day before his Grandma’s birthday (both on daddy’s side), making a birthday sandwich! Isn’t that the coolest?!

Isaac snuggled against his mom’s chest and was latched within his first hour, well on his weigh to chunking up. Just over a month later, at the time of this writing, Isaac weighed 8 lb. 14 oz. at his one-month checkup! He and Maddy are finding their way with breastfeeding, and the spotty sleep is made easier by such a sweet little guy. I loved accompanying them on their journey and seeing them off to such a great start parenting. Brian literally loved Maddy through labor. Their love for each other and their baby was just beautiful to witness.

Brianna and Angel, first-time parents, welcomed their son, Kai Andrés, on June 24, 2022. Like many births, they encountered some unexcepted challenges that began at her 40-week prenatal appointment. Her son’s heart rate had concerning decels that had Brianna at the hospital for monitoring. It didn’t take long to realize her baby would fare better being born since they were not sure what was causing the decels. Thankfully, she was to her EDD so there was not too much time to have waited for labor.

Brianna and Angel settled in for the night, understanding that inductions can take a long time. Cervadil was the ripener of choice, and Brianna rested as well as she could in the hospital that night. Her water broke at 5:00 am, bringing irregular contractions that were soon intensifying. I joined them at the hospital soon after that since things seemed to have taken off like a shot.

Brianna threw up several times and was breathing through her contractions. Her nurse brought us all of the tools: the birthing chair, birth balls, and we had my cub birthing chair. Brianna felt a lot of pain in her back, so we made good use of my heating pad. It became her mainstay through her entire labor.

When the sun rose and the nurse shifts changed, Brianna was ready for what was ahead. By 7:45 her contractions were 5 minutes apart, requiring her complete focus, and even causing her to throw up again. Her nurse got the room ready, feeling like a baby was coming sooner rather than later. But a cervical check at 8:49 was a surprising 1-2 cm. Brianna’s cervix was 80% effaced which was a significant change, but the lack of dilation blew the wind out of her sails. Her contractions felt much harder than 1-2 cm! Brianna chose an epidural so she could rest and get a break. She wasn’t sure she wanted to endure many more hours of labor like that. She was comfortable shortly after 9:00.

We dimmed the lights to help with rest, placed a cotton ball with lavender essential oil near her face, and the warm heating pad to hug to her chest. She ran cold the entire time, and the heating pad not only relieved her back pain earlier on, but it also helped her to feel warm.

Brianna felt cramps on one side of her abdomen, so her epidural was not a complete relief for her pain. Then they discovered her baby preferred how she lay in the bed. His heart rate would have decels on one side so we would roll her to the other. It became a dance between progressing dilation with positions while making sure baby’s heart rate was stable. The heart rate would dip, and Brianna would get rolled one way and another and breathe oxygen through a mask. Eventually they struck a balance. But it was never 100% effective. Those decals would still come from time to time.

Her doctor came in to discuss the virtues of Pitocin to try to put Brianna’s mind at ease about it. She was concerned but she also needed her cervix to open, and stronger contractions would do the trick. They started it low, but her baby lodged his complaint with a decel so it was turned off.

Just before 2:00 pm Brianna was dilated 4 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -1 station. She was moving in the right direction, and we were encouraged. In two hours when her cervix was the same, Pitocin became the topic of discussion again. But Brianna was scared for her baby. She knew he was having decels and she knew Pitocin would bring stronger contractions and likely more decels.

She had a good talk with her doctor and explored her options and the risks and benefits of each. And after considering everything, Brianna decided she was most comfortable with a c-section to make sure her baby was ok. She had a strong desire to protect him from the possible consequences that Pitocin driven contractions might bring to his heart rate. It was not an easy decision, and it was not free of tears, but she felt better having made it.

With her doctor’s full support, they began to assemble the team and prep Brianna. She continued to feel pain on one side of her abdomen, and her baby’s heart rate continued to decel to such an extent that we had to roll and shift her into different positions to help bring it back up. And it only validated her decision to move forward with the c-section. Angel was solid support through labor. He loved Brianna through it, was her rock when things got difficult, and stood by her in her decision for a c-section.

It wasn’t an emergency so there was no rush. But once the team was ready, Brianna went back around 6:18 pm. Angel was summoned back and took his place beside Brianna to welcome their son into the world. Kai was born at 6:35 pm and we heard the lullaby play over the speakers a short time later. There was such relief knowing he was born safely! Kai weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and measured 20.6 in. long. There was no cord issue when the doctor went in, but it might have been his position or simply the contractions that he didn’t tolerate.

Brianna and Angel were relieved and in love and gushing over their little guy from the start. They adjusted nicely at home and this little family is savoring their time together. Brianna’s decision was not an easy one, and it is not one everyone would make. But I admire her for taking the more difficult road for her baby. Signing up for a c-section is signing up for a much more involved recovery, not to mention the possible risks with future pregnancies. But ensuring their baby was born safe and healthy was always the goal. And that’s exactly what happened!

Casey and Dan welcomed their fourth child, and FIRST girl, on June 8 in the most unique birth of theirs yet! I have walked beside them on all four pregnancy journeys and have stood beside Casey as she birthed all four of her babies unmedicated. She was no stranger to natural birth, but this birth would have some unique challenges thrown in.

We met prenatally to discuss the upcoming birth and review Casey’s goals. She hoped to use the birth tub at her hospital since she welcomed her third son in a water birth. But she also understood that logistics can be tricky, especially with several children at home, so we just hoped the timing would work out.

Her pregnancy didn’t go without a hiccup though. At her last prenatal appointment, her blood pressure was high, and her doctor was concerned about high blood pressure and had labs drawn to determine a possible induction. Casey had a strong desire to let her body go into labor so she went home, and thankfully, never heard from her doctor. The labs must have checked out!

On Tuesday, June 7, around 9:15 pm, Casey texted to tell me she was feeling mild contractions and felt like she would be welcoming her baby early in the morning. She was very certain in her text, and I didn’t doubt her. I told her to keep me updated and we would go from there. It didn’t take long for Casey to decide to head to the hospital. After just an hour of intensifying contractions, she had already called the midwife and they decided going in on the sooner side was prudent especially since she was supposed to receive antibiotics this time around.

Upon arrival at 10:30, Casey was shown to a triage room and was shocked and disappointed when a cervical exam revealed she was only dilated 3 cm. This didn’t mean much in the grand scheme of things, for her labor could take off like a shot, but it still deflated her a little bit. She didn’t ask for me to come just yet and instead would wait and see what happened. Their childcare plan was not available until the next day, so Dan went home to tuck the boys in bed, knowing I would be there beside Casey. This was not ideal for anyone, honestly, but their trust in me after serving them at every birth helped us to make the best of the situation.

Shortly after Casey was given her own room 30 minutes later, her labor took a turn. It was about 11:00 and Casey was asking for me. I was just down the hall, thankfully, finishing up with another birth, and was able to arrive as soon as she asked. I found Casey on her hands and knees laboring hard on the bed, monitors strapped around her belly, as her nurse tried to chart and grab a decent blood pressure. This is a very difficult task with strong contractions coming every 2 minutes! Casey was hitting a wall, saying, “No, no, no,” with her contractions and when I told her she was strong and capable, she told me, “No I’m not.” I had seen this denial before, and I had seen her move past it. I knew she would move past it again. She just needed to get out of that bed and off those monitors!

A quick chat with the nurse had Casey off the monitor since it had already been long enough. And right about then she also managed to get a decent blood pressure. Casey was free of the monitors, and we moved in the direction of the shower.

Meanwhile, her midwife and nurse moved furniture around in anticipation of the birthing tub that was enroute. And I warmed up the water for Casey and placed the CUB just outside the tub so she could continue laboring in her hands and knees position that she preferred. Casey was still doubting herself as her contractions grew in intensity beyond what she remembered. I told her this would be her girl power birth, surrounded by only women, giving birth to her only daughter. Casey looked up at me and smiled and continued the work of her labor. She was in the shower by 12:30 am.

After laboring about 15 minutes in the shower, Casey’s voice changed through her contractions as the pressure of her baby in her pelvis drew her voice lower. She growled like a bear through the peak and her midwife and I exchanged looks. We knew there would be no time for a tub. Furthermore, there might not be time to get out of the shower either!

I asked Casey if she was pushing but she didn’t answer. Instead with the next contraction Casey’s vocalization halted and she was silent. She reached between her legs and said, “I think that’s her head,” very calmly. Her midwife was beside her and in scrubs and all stepped into the shower to reach her hands behind Casey. She yelled out to the nurse for the cart, and I looked outside the bathroom to find a comical scene of the nurse trying to wield the delivery cart towards the bathroom like the grocery cart with one errant wheel.

Then the midwife yelled, “Head!” as Casey brought her baby’s head out, and with the next push her sweet baby girl, Leighton Claire, was born! It was 12:47 am and Casey got her waterbirth after all. The midwife held the baby up and commented about her being slippery, and then passed you through your mom’s legs into her arms. She kneeled there on the shower holding you for a moment, taking you in briefly as time stood still. Then we helped her stand and walk to the bed to birth the placenta. Other nurses had arrived for the birth, but it was done. There were words of congratulations thrown about and some towels placed on Leighton to keep her warm against her mother. And as if to emphasize the girl power theme, Casey cut her daughter’s cord herself!

Before the cord was even cut, we Facetimed Dan so he could meet his daughter. He had one of the boys snuggled on him at the time, roused from sleep and wanting comfort. Dan was doing the work on the home front while Casey birthed Leighton. She brought her to her breast with ease. The memory of experience plus a chunky baby tend to help breastfeeding go smoothly. Leighton latched well and sucked vigorously. It’s as if she knew she had to work for her food after having it fed 24/7 by way of the umbilical cord all those months.

The placenta came soon after and Casey was given the happy news of no tears. She held her baby and marveled at how big she was! We could tell she was chunky. Those cheeks don’t lie! And when she was finally weighed, Leighton tipped the scales at 10 lb.1 oz.! She surpassed Casey’s previously heaviest baby of 9 lb. 15 oz. and did it in the shortest amount of time. Casey’s entire labor wasn’t more than 3 hours, but her active labor was closer to 1 ½!

Minus the fact that Dan wasn’t there, Casey calls her birth perfect. The timing of my arrival was perfect, and the strong and surprising shower birth was the perfect way to assert Leighton’s female presence in this world! She was a lively exclamation point to their family. And I was honored to have been there to see each birth story through.

Lindy and Leland welcomed their first child, a son, on February 22, 2022. (That’s 2-22-22!) These first-time parents were also students in my 7-week childbirth class and had chosen providers who were known for their support of natural birth. However, as the pregnancy progressed, there were some concerns that came up at 28 weeks. It became clear that their care would be referred out to the high-risk OB practice in the area to ensure Lindy and Leland’s baby got the level of care he would need. There were several concerns that added up to a heart problem that would need to be addressed with surgery in their baby’s first days of life.

This was a big pill to swallow but swallow it they did. Lindy and Leland gracefully followed the new direction their journey had taken them, and with strong faith in the Lord, they prayed fervently and adjusted their plans, surrounding them with loving friends and family to help.

In the last weeks, their baby was confirmed breech. This was an added complication as it would mean a c-section birth if baby did not turn. With the heart issues looming, and some concerning slow growth in their baby, Lindy’s doctors strongly recommended a c-section sooner rather than later. They even put a date on the calendar to insure they had the OR reserved. Lindy and Leland struggled to balance the potential for a c-section with the benefits of more time in utero for their baby to develop. Lindy went in for regular BPPS and NSTs to check on baby and make sure he was doing fine. And for a while he was. Until he wasn’t.

All was well on February 14. Then on February 17, baby checked out fine. But four days later, the ultrasound showed some reduced amniotic fluid volume that made a c-section as soon as possible the safest option. Originally it was going to be 6:00pm that night, but then it was shifted, and Lindy was admitted overnight so they could do the c-section in the morning when the full cardiac team was available. This was par for the course at this point. Their expectations were in constant flux.

We had a powwow phone call that night to check-in on emotions and review details, and I planned to arrive the following morning. When I entered the room, I saw Leland laying in Lindy’s hospital bed with her. It was such a sweet image and hit home just how united and how in love these young parents are!

We passed the time talking, and I answered questions as needed and encouraged the both of them. A parade of nurses and doctors came in to explain why things were delayed. Yes, they were delayed again. But Lindy and Leland were patient and took refuge in the fact that their baby was holding and wasn’t in such urgent need of a c-section that they couldn’t wait a little longer. Time was a gift, every day, to every hour, and in the end every minute. They played worship music to bring peace and love to the space. And with minutes remaining before Lindy was to get wheeled to the OR, a prayer was said for wisdom and skill of surgeons, and for a safe birth for their son. Lindy was taken back at 11:44 am. And Leland worked on getting dressed in his paper suit.

Leland was taken back to join Lindy at 12:08 pm. And their son was born at 12:25 am. Leland texted me the good news and mentioned there was a beautiful story to share. Lindy had worship music playing over her phone during the birth. She and Leland sang as the c-section began. Soon they heard another voice singing on the other side of the curtain, followed by another, and another until a chorus of people were singing and worshipping together. There were tears and softened hearts and a definite feeling of God with Us during the birth.

Their sweet baby, Levi Marshall, was born breathing well. And in answer to a prayer by his parents that he be born weighing more than 5 lbs. (in spite of the most recent ultrasound that had him estimated at 4 lb. 10 oz.). And Levi weighed 5 lb. 1 oz.! While still small, this was a huge victory as it was a safer weight for surgery. Hugs came from the doctor, who happened to recognize Leland from a previous encounter, and she told Lindy she brought the good energy that day.

Leland went with Levi while I stayed with Lindy. She mostly rested. She had had a whirlwind 24 hours and it was just the beginning of their crazy ride as parents. Soon they would have surgery and recovery for their baby, and eventually skin to skin, breastfeeding, and bringing him home.

In the meantime, they drive to the hospital daily, bringing Lindy’s pumped milk and taking notes to update loved ones. At the time of this writing, Levi is still at the hospital but on the road to recovery. They encountered a few little hiccups but in general things are looking good. And mom and dad even got some skin-to-skin time with their sweet boy!

Birth can be so different. And while there were not many surprises with the scheduled c-section, Lindy and Leland still went through the gamut of emotions that accompany any birth, but to an even greater degree. They are taking things day by day and clinging to each other in the process. They have loving friends and family to keep them connected, and they are covered in prayer. Their faith continues to carry them through this difficult journey, but they believe in God’s goodness and look forward to when they can bring Levi home and really feel like things are “normal”.

(UPDATE: Levi is home and doing well. He was in the hospital for 79 days total, not that his parents are counting. He’s been home about 6 weeks at the time of this writing, and his parents are ecstatic to be sleep deprived and have an uncanny understanding of breastfeeding and pumping. Levi is growing and he is getting caught up on his milestones too. He does have another surgery, but the future looks very bright!)

Makenzie and Shane have welcomed their second baby girl, Kolsyn Grace, into their family on June 8. She was a hard-fought attempt at a VBAC that ended in a triumphant repeat c-section. Makenzie returned to the providers from her first birth, trusting them, and understanding they had the lowest rate of c-section and a high rate of VBACs. She wanted to feel as though she did all she could for a vaginal birth this time. And she definitely did.

On June 7 I got a text from Makenzie around 4:00 am saying, “Hey you. Been having strong contractions since 2:15 am. Every 5-7 min lasting 1 min.” This was good news, and we were excited to know her baby girl was on the way. They progressed in intensity, proximity, and duration quickly. Just 30 minutes later had contractions ranging from 3.5 to 4 minutes with heavy pressure in the vagina. They had a significant drive, so they were on the road shortly and we all met up around 6:00 am.

Makenzie was dilated 3-4 cm with consistently close and strong contractions. She walked the halls for a bit, pausing with each contraction to squat and sway.  Thirty minutes later she was sounding so different she got another check. She was a solid 4 cm. Once in her room she labored over the CUB on hands and knees for a bit, swaying her hips to hope her baby descend.

By 7:45 am Makenzie moved her labor into the shower. Country music played over her speaker, and votives kept the lighting dim. Citrus fresh and Lemon on a washcloth filled the shower with uplifting scents that kept Makenzie alert gave a sense of renewed energy and focus. She exited the shower at 9:35 and labored beside the bed.

She labored on hands and knees, but her lower back continued to hurt in that position, so we used a heating pad. By 10:45 am she was feeling different, and a check revealed she was dilated 5 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at-1. I did some belly lifting and “shook the apple tree” to help loosen her pelvic floor with the rebozo. Since her contractions had spaced out some, she used the breast pump to try and bring them close together again.

Eventually they returned to less than 5 minutes apart with the pump, so Makenzie did a dangle squat the the rebozo to bring her baby down. She rested some in bed, feeling tired by her efforts, and then about 30 minutes later her water broke. Makenzie was still 5 cm at that point, but her stretchy cervix would open to 6. It was 2:25. Her baby was out of the OP position but looking toward Makenzie’s left hip. She returned to the shower to do some lunges to encourage her baby’s rotation.

Her contractions intensified and got much closer at 3 minutes apart by 3:00 pm. She was 6 cm by 3:20 and ready to get an epidural. We also wondered if it might provide some pelvic relaxation her body and baby might need. The epidural did not go off without a hitch unfortunately, and eventually needed to go in a second time. Once she was comfortable an exam at 5:20 confirmed she was 6 cm, 90% and baby was at -1. Her midwife recommended Pitocin since the contractions had spaced out again. Makenzie was on board with it and eager to meet her baby.

We had Makenzie in a variety of positions to help baby descend and rotate. She did flying cowgirl and used the peanut on her side with her knees together and ankles around the peanut to open her pelvis in a different way. She received a visit from family that included big sister, but it proved a bit upsetting to see mom in the hospital, so the visit was cut short, and Makenzie returned her focus to labor.

Her baby’s heart rate began to show some decels which had her midwife wondering why. Makenzie’s cervix continued to dilate slowly but surely though, open to 7 cm by 7:40 pm. We moved the bed into the throne position to use gravity to encourage further dilation and the Pitocin was turned back on once baby had a break.

Makenzie labored on her side and even on her hands and knees. And by 11:35 pm she was fully dilated, and her baby was at +1 station! She did a cycle of pushing and then labored down in the throne position. But her baby’s heart rate continued to decel in concerning ways. The midwife told Makenzie that her baby was telling everyone that she needed to be born a different way. It truly became a maternal sacrifice for Makenzie to let go of her VBAC to ensure her baby girl arrived safely. She did not hesitate to move forward with the c-section plan and in minutes Shane was suited up and they had the OR team ready.

Makenzie went back and Shane followed soon after, and they welcomed their sweet chunky girl at 12:26 am on June 8. Kolsyn weighed 8 lb. 12 oz. and was not coming out vaginally once they were able to see her position in relation to Makenzie’s pelvis. She was 21 in. long and cried right away to let everyone know she was fine.

Makenzie noticed she had squished ears on top like her big sister and she cried a cute little girl cry. Once the excitement of the birth died down and they got a chance to snuggle in the OR, Makenzie was moved to her postpartum room where she would remain until discharge home. They got to know their second baby and knew the path laid out before them to meet her was the safest and best one. There were no regrets knowing they had done all they could and jumped headlong into healing and loving their girls. I’m so proud of the way they remained united through labor and even through the difficult (and not as difficult as they thought) decision to move forward with a c-section again. Makenzie fought hard for labor, leaving no stone unturned. I’m so proud of her.

Amadly and Bryce met their daughter, Mila Lilliann, on June 4, after a long and patient journey. I got a text just before 9:00 am on June 3 that Amadly had been experiencing intermittent leaks since 2:00 am. She wasn’t sure if her water broke but thought it best to call her doctor, who recommended she go to the hospital and get checked to see what was going on. They confirmed that Amadly’s water did break and since it had been about 12 hours since it broke, she would be admitted. Thankfully, Amadly and Bryce stopped to get some food on their way to the hospital! This might be a long road.

Amadly had no contractions, and her cervix was not dilated. Pitocin was mentioned but she preferred to wait on that. Instead, she agreed to give oral Cytotec a try in the hopes it would ripen and help get things going. Amadly did her best to rest that night. But after several doses of the medication, by around 6:00 am the next morning her cervix was only dilated a fingertip. It was time to begin Pitocin. Amadly needed contractions if she was to have any chance for a vaginal birth. And by the time the Pitocin had begun, her water had been broken over 24 hours. We were hopeful her labor would eventually get going and were thankful for her patient doctor.

By 11:00 am, Amadly sent an update that her contractions were growing stronger and rhythmic, coming every 4-6 minutes. She was dilated 2 cm and her doctor broke the rest of her water. It was encouraging to know her cervix had dilated, and we were optimistic breaking her water all the way would continue forward momentum. Amadly continued to rest so she would have the energy necessary for active labor.

By 1:30 pm Amadly was breathing through her contractions that were coming more intensely. In fact, her contractions were requiring so much of her focus that she was at the point of requesting an epidural to help. The Pitocin was raised incrementally throughout the day. But the baby kept having decels with the contractions, so the Pitocin had to be turned down.

It became a dance between helping Amadly into positions that would encourage dilation, while also maintaining an effective level of Pitocin that baby could tolerate. It was a fine line and involved rolling to the left and the right, using the peanut ball and turning down Pitocin, and then starting it back up. By 6:20 pm, the pit had been turned down due to multiple decels, and Amadly was checked and 3 cm.

The nurses changed shifts bringing some different energy, and that nurse and I worked together to get Amadly’s baby out. It had been nearly 40 hours since her water broke and there wasn’t a lot of time left. We had her in runner’s position, and then upright in the throne position. And by 9:15 pm, her cervix was still 3 cm, but stretchy. So her nurse stretched it to 4-5 and did a membrane sweep that got her cervix to 4 cm.

We shifted Amadly to a reclined position, placing a blanket and pillow under her right leg for asymmetry, and then we helped her to the left runner’s position by 9:45 to help stabilize her baby’s heart rate. The next step was the game changer. We helped Amadly into the flying cowgirl position in the hopes it would open her pelvis and allow baby to descend. Her baby responded with decels through each contraction that popped back up after. After about 15 minutes in this position, and several sequences of decels, her nurse checked her cervix at 10:12 pm. And we were all thrilled to learn she was almost completely dilated!!

More people got involved, bringing the hospitalist OB to the room to fill the gap until Amadly’s doctor got there. The heart rate continued to dip off and on, but baby always recovered after about 3 contractions. This had been her pattern for the past day or so. Amadly breathed oxygen through a mask to give her baby a boost, and they also turned down the Pitocin. And Amadly pushed!

She pushed so well. Every push brought her baby down, and her doctor arrived around 10:20 pm with plenty of time to cheer her on with us. With Bryce by her side, and several other people as well, Amadly brought Mila into the world at 11:09 pm on June 4, 2022. She only pushed for an hour, which felt fair after how long she had been waiting, even to the point of having a c-section discussion just in case.

Mila weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. and was 21 in. long. She had Apgar’s of 7/9 and came around quickly to enjoy skin to skin with her mom. She latched for the first time at 11:40 that night, and Amadly and Bryce were smitten. And we kept talking through the amazing timeline which just goes to show how important it is for baby to be in the right position to come out!

It was a team effort for sure, but Amadly and Bryce’s openness to try new things and to even consider a c-section, validate how much their hearts wanted to meet their baby girl safely. And in the end, she was born vaginally and just perfect. I am so proud of Amadly’s courage and her confidence to advocate for her choices, all while balancing them with her doctor’s recommendations. And we are all extremely grateful for her doctor who was patient and not alarmist too. Amadly was blessed with an excellent team!

Meredith and Omari welcomed their son, Orion, on May 23, nearly a month earlier than expected. Their journey was the epitome of letting go and changing plans, a very good training ground for parenting, as it turns out.  Some serious itching and concerning lab results, confirmed that Meredith had developed a complication that would necessitate an early induction. Regular NST’s kept close watch on their son while in utero, until ultimately homed in on May 21. I reminded Meredith that inductions can be a long and gradual process. Her provider said the same. And on the day of admission to the hospital, her nurse and midwife echoed the same. Meredith told me she was all about the realistic expectations!

We were in communication during the ripening phase of the labor. The plan was laid out with her midwife. They would begin ripening with Cytotec using several doses throughout the night and into the day. Meredith was grateful to still have the option of eating in the early part of the process. After all, she wasn’t even in labor yet and she was hungry. By the following night she was dilated 1 cm, so after dinner and a shower the plan was to use a foley bulb to manually open her cervix further. Sometime that night Meredith experienced the stereotypical movie moment of having her water break in a gush! And it was reassuring to know that her body seemed to be picking up on the plan of labor.

Pitocin was initiated to help generate contractions, and we all continued to expect a slow and gradual process. But Meredith was breathing through contractions that were more difficult than expected for her dilation. She began to use her breathe and movement to work with her body. At 11:00 that morning there was still a fore bag of fluid in front of her baby’s head, so the midwife broke that to continue the forward momentum of labor. Meredith’s cervix was hard to gauge, and with contractions more painful than expected at that stage, Meredith decided an epidural would help with relaxation. She had also been staring at the same four walls for well over 24 hours at that point.

Meredith was surrounded by her best friend, cousin, and husband, and even had her in-laws and dad, and stepmom in her room from time to time. There was no lack of love for Meredith, Omari, or Orion, and it was heartwarming. But Meredith reached a point where she desired silence and solitude, so she requested most of her visitors leave so she might rest and focus. Her labor was working on getting going, but they thought an IUPC would help gauge whether the contractions were even strong enough. And on top of that, the epidural was less than perfect, and Meredith struggled with the catheter Ultimately her nurse removed it but Meredith still felt that pressure.

Then at 5:45 pm something crazy happened. Whether it was the perfect level of Pitocin, or the fact that the crowd of loved ones had cleared, an exam revealed that Meredith’s cervix was dilated 9.5 cm! Meredith sobbed, “I’m just so happy!” as everyone mobilized for second stage. The delivery cart was prepared, and the midwife gowned up and everyone got excited for pushing. The time stamps for her dilation were quite remarkable: Meredith was dilated 3 cm at 2:00 pm, 5 cm at 4:00 pm, and then 10 cm at 6:00 pm! She just flew! The energy in the room shifted and we were gearing up for a birthday party.

There was no rushing pushing, as there was no rushing labor. So, we gave your mom time to let her body dilate completely and move you down so when she did push it would be for less time. Just before 6:45 pm pushing began. Baby was at +2 station, so he seemed to be in position. But when Meredith pushed her baby’s heart rate dipped. They applied an FSE to get a precise read on his heart rate and turned off the Pitocin to give him a break. After enough time had passed, they resumed pushing and turned the Pitocin back to half. Meredith pushed in a variety of positions, including knees closed, to open her pelvic outlet. But her baby’s heart rate continued to dip in a concerning way. And he wasn’t descending as much as he should have after pushing so long.

Meredith’s doctor assessed whether he might be able to assist with an instrumental delivery, but the baby wasn’t low enough for it to be a safe option. A c-section was recommended, and Meredith’s baby seemed to punctuate the decision. There was time to consider and discuss, but Meredith was ready to meet her baby and didn’t want to possibly induce more risk for her baby. He had already displayed signs he was not tolerating pushing very well.

Once the team was assembled, Meredith went back and after Omari was dressed in his paper garb and they were ready, he was admitted to the OR to take his seat beside his wife. Their son, Orion Zadd Robertson was born at 10:09 pm on May 23, 2022. He weighed 6 lb. 5 oz. and 19 in. long. He was perfect and adorable according to his parents, of course, but the birth professionals in the room agreed. He is particularly cute!

In her postpartum room, Meredith’s demeanor was elated and relieved. She was excited and grateful. Omari was in the nursery with Orion since he needed a little more attention initially. But they were soon reunited as a family of three. I have deep admiration for Meredith and the way she loosened hold on the birth she imagined and embraced the birth her son needed. Love was at the center and surrounded this journey from start to finish, there is no doubt.

Camron and Bryce welcomed their son, Theodore Scout, on May 12, 2022. Labor is always surprising, I suppose, but the start of this labor was a blindside. During Camron’s routine prenatal appointment her water broke during an exam, and just like that, her plans for the next couple of days were decided. She called me with the news, and I could hear the shock in her voice. She was also excited though, and eager to meet her baby who had lingered a few beyond her due date already. So, all in all it wasn’t the worst thing to have happened.

After going home to gather the necessaries, grab a bite to eat, and tearfully kiss their dogs goodbye, Camron got settled in the hospital where the plan was outlined. Her cervix seemed ripe enough to warrant starting with Pitocin, so they began around 1:30 that afternoon and raised it gradually over time. After several hours, Camron’s contractions were 1 ½ to 3 minutes apart, ranging from 45-90 seconds long. They weren’t too painful yet, but Camron said they were changing rapidly.

And just 90 minutes later, Camron was having a much more difficult time breathing through them. Bryce sent out the signal flare text, saying, “I think it’s time for the big guns (you).” This made me laugh but made it more than clear it was time to head in! I arrived 30 minutes later at 7:30 pm. Camron was laboring on the birth ball with Bryce sitting very near. I noticed his hand was on her leg during the contraction, and I soon realized he was touching her in some way through virtually every single contraction. They were lasting a full minute and coming as close as 2 minutes, leaving Camron with about the same amount of time in a break as during a contraction. This is a challenging pattern to sustain and required very intense focus from Camron.

We had her nurse grab a wireless monitor so Camron could labor in the shower. Being on Pitocin required that she remain on the monitor for the duration of her labor. Bryce put his hand on Camron’s lower back and said sweet things like, “You’re pretty.” I just loved that and knew his small gestures would be the big things that carried Camron through her long labor.

Just before 9:00 pm, Camron draped her body over the CUB for some time on hands and knees. The Pitocin was up to 10 mu by then, and her contractions were steadily chugging along. A warm pack on her lower back helped with the pain she felt there, and after a bit of time passed, she lay down on her side with the peanut ball between her legs. She breathed deeply through contractions and Bryce continued his affirmations, saying, “You’re so beautiful.”

Camron felt nauseous as her labor intensified so we used some peppermint oil. “They are getting so much worse,” she exclaimed, just past 10:00 pm, making the night ahead feel even longer than it already was. Just before 11:00, her doctor stopped in for a check and confirmed Camron was dilated 3-4 cm, 100% effaced, and her baby was at -2 station. She also confirmed there was a fore bag in front of baby’s head. With Camron’s agreement, she broke the fore bag as a way to capitulate the progress of labor.

Camron moved her labor right to the shower after that and she took advantage of 40 minutes of dulled pain, as she relaxed her body and sank into each contraction. She emerged from the shower doubting her ability to go much longer and requested a cervical check soon after. By 12:30 am, Camron was dilated 6 cm, 100% effaced, and her baby had moved down t -1 to 0 station! She had done a lot over the course of that hour, and after considering her options, she decided to continue laboring without pain medications.

Camron labored sitting with her legs in a butterfly pose, then she stood and swayed in Bryce’s arms. She used a footstool to lunge through contractions that didn’t feel as if they were giving her any breaks at all. We reminded her to focus on the breaks, no matter how short they seemed, and Bryce said, “Work on the reset, best friend.) it was so sweet how they called each other best friend and bestie! Just before 2:00 am, Camron felt a lot more pressure, so she returned to her hands and knees over the CUB.

Camron labored standing up again and felt a lot of pressure like she might need to push. By 3:35 am it felt better when she pushed with the peaks of her contractions, so we wondered if perhaps it was time. She continued to labor down like that until 3:50, at which point her nurse did an exam and shocked us all when she said, “You are the same.” The strategy changed after that, from following your body to not pushing at all costs. The doctor did an exam a short while later and felt that Camron’s cervix had begun to swell. It was imperative she didn’t push at that point, and it was soon clear to Camron that the only way she wouldn’t push would be to numb the sensation with an epidural. It was a wise decision and within 30 minutes, Camron was comfortable, and even more importantly, she wasn’t pushing.

Camron rested while she could, and we changed her position from time to time, in the hopes her baby’s head would be a bit less forceful against her cervix, and she would continue to dilate to complete. The nurses changed shift with the new day, welcoming the team that would be assembled for the birthday party. Pitocin was reinstated gradually, and they balanced it with baby’s response. There were some decels in the heart rate, but nothing to extreme to change the plan.

Camron’s body shook as labor charged ahead and her nurses set up the delivery table in anticipation by 10:20 that morning. The new doctor on call stopped by and assured Camron that all was well, especially since she was just in active labor that morning, they would continue moving forward with delivery. She had technically been ruptured for 24 hours, but it was a relief to know there was no deadline to Camron’s labor.

And just 90 minutes later, by 12:40, all that remained of Camron’s cervix was an anterior lip! We were all ecstatic at the news especially since she had waited so long to hear it! Eight hours earlier she was swollen down to 4 cm again. A combination of Pitocin and some key positions (exaggerated runners and knees in and toes out with the peanut ball), Camron was fully dilated at +1 by 2:00 pm. She gave a practice push at 2:05 and pushed so well she continued. Her doctor came 30 minutes later, and in just under one hour of pushing, Theodore Scout was born at 2:59 pm! Theo weighed 7 lb. 9 oz. and measured 20.5 in. long.

It was clear why he had some decels…Theo’s cord was twice wrapped around his neck. Camron heeded the guidance of her doctor and pushed gradually at the end, resulting in an intact perineum which would greatly improve her postpartum experience. Theo cried well right away, and after the cord slowed it pulse, Bryce cut it. There were tears of joy and so much joy and relief rolled together in Theo’s birth. Considering the labor became an accidental surprise, Camron and Bryce were a committed and strong partnership through it all. And with that as the foundation, it helps you weather pretty much anything.

Rebecca and Luke welcomed their son, on May 9, and learned just how resilient they are! I met them earlier in the pregnancy, and they hired me as their doula in addition to enrolling in both my 7-week Birth Essentials class, and my Spinning Babies® Parent class. They did all they could to prepare for their son’s arrival. And it’s a good thing they did too, because their little boy had his own idea about how he wanted things to go, and Rebecca and Luke trusted that.

I got a text from Rebecca on May 6 saying “we’ve just left the doctor and we have some news. They need to schedule me for a c-section on Monday.” Their baby was measuring small, and he was breech. This was the first they had known he was breech and it was Rebecca’s 37th week. (For those who might wonder, an external cephalic version was not recommended by her doctor since baby was already small. They did not want to elevate risk.) The change in plans left me, and I’m sure Rebecca and Luke, gob smacked and a bit stunned. So many questions! But first, we needed to have our prenatal visit. It was already scheduled for that day, so we shuffled it a bit to accommodate the sudden need for last minute pre-op bloodwork and COVID testing.

Luke sheepishly admitted they didn’t really pay close attention to the part in class where we talked about c-sections, and it appeared they didn’t read that part of the workbook either. So we went over their options, the procedure, what to expect, and answered any questions they had. By the end of our meeting, I could see that Rebecca and Luke were breathing easier and feeling a bit more comfortable with the new path their birth had taken. Their baby’s well-being was paramount and knowing what to expect helped them to adjust their thinking for how things would go. I would see them Monday morning, shortly after they arrived for check-in.

The caveat to a scheduled birth was the ability to take care of details including arranging for family to arrive in time to help. So, by Monday morning, Rebecca and Luke were as ready as they would ever be to welcome their son. I admired their openness and flexibility, knowing letting go of so much had to have been a challenge. They were already showing great attributes as parents!

We passed the time as Rebecca waited, and I learned that James would be the first grandbaby on Luke’s side and the second on Rebecca’s. They were able to enjoy a nice big dinner the night before and a snack right before the midnight deadline to fast. There were some nerves, but in general a sense of excitement on soon meeting their baby boy.

The doctor came in to confirm baby was still in the breech presentation, and he was. He was measuring smaller than 1% on Friday so he was definitely a little guy. As the minutes passed that last half hour before the c-section, the anesthesiologist came in to talk to the expectant parents, as did the CRNA. Final surgical prep details were accomplished, including giving Luke his paper suit, and then it was time for Rebecca to walk back to the OR. Luke waited a bit longer before he was called back.

I was not in the OR, but this is how Rebecca described it to me:

Oh boy, so the OR time was difficult for me up until Luke came in the room. Everyone was amazing and so nice, but I was so nervous and terrified that I cried the entire time until he was born. Then it was great! Luke talked to me the whole time and let me know everything that happened with James. He cried almost immediately which was a great sign. We were so nervous about how big James would be, and he ended up being over 5 pounds which was a huge relief. I don’t think they held him above the curtain, so the first time I saw him was from a photo that Luke took. Luke took several good photos to show me what was going on when I couldn’t see. James did have to go to their little NICU right after he was born, so Luke stayed with James while I went to my recovery room. James was born on May 9, at 2:17 pm weighing 5 lb. 2 oz. and measuring 18 in.

I was waiting for Rebecca when she returned from the OR and was able to be with her in that first hour or so as she recovered from surgery. Since James was so small, he had trouble regulating his temperature and would end up being sent to the NICU on May 11 and remained there until Saturday, when Rebecca and Luke were finally able to take him home, a little past Rebecca’s discharge date.

This sweet couple were so accepting of the change in plans. They trusted the providers they had chosen and were stronger in the midst of such surprising developments because they had each other. When it comes down to it, a united front can be a huge asset as parents, which is yet another example of what wonderful parents Rebecca and Luke already are. I was so honored to serve this sweet couple. And at the time of this writing James is growing and growing!

Jessie and Travis are parents! They welcomed their baby girl, Ginny Josephine, on May 5 at 11:42 am. Jessie’s body made some gradual changes in the final weeks as her due date came and went. She was dilated 3cm and 90% effaced at 41 weeks, which was a very good starting point for an induction that was scheduled for the following Monday. However, Jessie hoped she wouldn’t need it!

And thank goodness she didn’t! I got a text the following morning around 6:35 am telling me that Jessie’s contractions had started and were already getting stronger. This was very good news! I reminded her to hydrate and eat as she was able to, and to rest until she couldn’t do anything but breathe and focus through her contractions.

But Travis took over the texting and ten minutes later clarified that Jessie already couldn’t talk through them and they had begun around 2:30, paused at 3:30 and then returned with a vengeance at 5:30 that morning. The plan was to take a shower to see if it might relax her and touch base after.

Two hours later, Travis texted that Jessie’s water just broke. She was also in a lot of pain and just threw up. My drive to them was 30 minutes and it sounded like it was time to head to the hospital. But Jessie was having to focus so much through her contractions that she couldn’t move! It was time to go. They called the midwife and were on their way a few minutes later.

We arrived at the hospital at the same time and Jessie had made huge progress in those 3 ½ hours because she was dilated 8 cm! Her baby was at -1 station, but likely wouldn’t take much longer. So, her nurse got busy taking care of the admissions process while Travis and I offered comfort to Jessie. Travis rubbed her legs and I praised her for her breathing and low tones through the surges.

With her baby looking wonderful on the NST, Jessie was freed from the monitors and headed to the shower for the last bit of dilation. She was under the warm water by 9:50 pm, surrounded by votives and lavender. She did lunges on the bench, first on her right, then on her left.

She got out of the shower at 10:15 feeling pressure and was dilated 9 cm with baby at 0. There was still more work to do to bring her baby down and melt that last bit of cervix away. Jessie dangled in a squat using the rebozo and Travis was right there to support her, literally squatting behind her. I loved watching this couple labor together. They were a beautiful partnership.

After working with the rebozo, Jessie returned to the shower. She labored 20 more minutes under the warm water and felt the desire to push grow stronger and stronger. We could hear her sounding really pushy just 10 minutes later at 10:32. Jessie was beginning to bear down involuntarily.

She got back out at 10:55 pm to get checked but there was still a lip of cervix in the front. Her nurse drew labs (just in time!) and Jessie leaned over the CUB on her hands and knees, hoping her baby’s head might help push that lip of cervix back. I placed a washcloth with lavender and valor near Jessie’s head and she breathed it in and relaxed into the growing pressure to push.

We put a heating pad on her back as well and it gave her a distraction and some relief. As her desire to push grew stronger, I reminded Jessie that she would eventually feel a burning sensation and to let us know if she did. That would be her cue that baby was ready. And just a contraction or two later, Jessie said, “It burns!” We lifted up the sheet that was covering her backside and sure enough, there was a baby’s head!

Her nurse called for the midwife who arrived just in time to get dressed in the paper suit and don gloves to catch. Jessie pushed her baby out gradually with great control and welcomed her 8 lb. 4 oz. baby girl at 11:42 am just in time for lunch! Her midwife passed baby Ginny through her mom’s legs where Travis and Jessie lifted her up together. Jessie gathered up her baby in her arms and held her there, taking it all in. The tears flowed between she and Travis, and the smiles were infectious. They had done it!

Since she came out so quickly, she didn’t get much of a squeeze, so Ginny had more fluid in her lungs and wasn’t able to get really strong cries out initially. She took a stop at the warmer for some chest pt and once she cleared some fluids and mucus she was back in her mother’s arms. She sucked her fingers and rooted around, interested in latching. She found her way and was feeding with her first hour in this world.

Ginny Josephine is named for her maternal grandma and her paternal grandma, both who passed away. And when she looked at us, she had a wisdom in her eyes, like she knew more than we realize. Perhaps her great grandmas were in her eyes too.

Jessie’s birth unfolded in a very straightforward way. Her body was ready. Her mind was ready. Her heart was ready. And her baby was ready. And that makes for the perfect sort of timing. It was a beautifully orchestrated natural birth, just as Jessie had hoped. And it was a joyful birth, even during contractions. I caught some smiles even then. Good ol’ oxytocin!