Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Jayne and Dorian are parents AGAIN! I just love when I am contacted by someone who has already birthed with a doula and understands their benefit. As a military family, Dorian was stationed in Hampton Roads for a short time, just enough time to get pregnant and give birth before moving again! Jayne and I got along well, and even enjoyed an outdoor lunch for our prenatal visit. She assured me she knew how her labors began. They were always the same with a mucus plug and then contractions. While I trust a woman to know her body, I also reminded Jayne that every birth has the potential to be a different experience and to remain open to that possibility. She agreed but she also knew her well-established history.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Fast forward about a month and Jayne, who had welcomed her three other babies at, 40w6, 39w5, and 40w4, texted me with an update after her 39-week appointment. She was 70% effaced and 2.5 cm dilated, with a posterior cervix. Then later that night she texted about discharge that was bloody. It seemed a result of her exam to me, but Jayne suspected it might be the beginning of labor. Her parents had not yet arrived to watch the kids though, so it was unsettling to have to think through the alternative plan if they should need it. 

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

A couple of hours later, there was significant bloody discharge reminiscent of the start of her previous three labors. Her parents weren’t there yet and I was waiting or a call from a client getting induced. How would it all shape up? I put in a call to my backup doula just in case, and Jayne reached out to their neighbor who had offered to assist with the kids if needed. And then we waited and kind of hoped it wasn’t labor! She showered and was going to try to get some sleep.

Gallery Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

But Jayne knew her body. And she knew her pattern. And it was just as she said: bloody show in the evening and then contractions in the middle of the night was how all of her labors began. And by 12:15 am, Jayne and Dorian were on their way in to the hospital. At admission, Jayne was dilated 4-5 cm and 80% effaced. She completed the required 20-minutes of monitoring before laboring freely.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

When Jayne’s contractions kicked it up a notch, Dorian called for me to come. I was not yet summoned for the induction so I left knowing I would likely attend two births before heading back home. I was in Jayne’s room by 2:30 am to find Dorian applying counter pressure to her lower back like a pro.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Jayne was breathing calmly and quietly through her contractions, but she was working hard. Not every woman makes noise during labor. In fact, the calm and quiet ones can progress right under your nose. She was feeling waves of nausea and her contractions grew stronger before our eyes. In 30 minutes, she was expressing her concerns about whether she was mentally ready for this baby. She didn’t expect the baby to come for another week or more, but here she was. I assured her she would be able to do it and her doubt was a good sign that things were moving. She would meet her baby soon.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

By 3:11 Jayne was sighing through her contractions. This was as vocal as she got outside of talking. Dorian was her righthand man, always within arm’s reach and loving her with his touch and tender looks at her. 

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

“I think she’s coming. She’s getting in the pelvis,” Jayne said matter-of-factly. We called her nurse in, who then called the midwife. I trusted Jayne. After all she had already narrated her entire labor from the very beginnings. Why shouldn’t she know how it would finish? 

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Her midwife entered the room and confirmed with an exam that Jayne was dilated 9 cm. As the nurse scurried to setup the delivery cart, Jayne’s brain left her body. “What do I do?” “Where do I go?” It was as if in an instant she had birth amnesia and couldn’t recall anything about how to get her baby out. Gentle reassurance and direction to lay atop the CUB on her hands and knees helped her to focus on what her body was telling her to do. And with the next contraction she was pushing.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Dorian continued to press upon her lower back, even as Jayne pushed their baby out. She was 9 cm at 3:24, and baby was born at 3:26. It was one push on her hands and knees and tada! Baby Joannah SooMin Jang was born and passed into her mother’s arms. She was crying and vigorous from the start, earning a nice Apgar score and freedom from extra hands for at least an hour.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Jayne got settled onto the bed where she could properly snuggle baby Joannah between her breasts and get a look at her. She commented to us right away that she was surprised she didn’t get nasty at the end like she thought she would. Perhaps that’s the one thing she did not script currently in the whole birth. ;)

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Dorian and Jayne gave their fourth baby just as much awe and wonder as their first, never tiring at the miracle of new life and the way love multiplies for each new child born. Birth math is funny that way. There is no real way to calculate how labor will unfold, just as there is not formula for the way love grows to accommodate all your children. 

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Joannah weighed in at 7 lb. 14.5 oz. and measured 20 in. long. She had a head of dark hair and had a strong resemblance to her mom, which is only fair, if you ask me. It was such a joy to serve this couple. And while there is comfort in having birthed previously, it’s always humbling to see how each baby still may do things their own way. After all, inexact due date notwithstanding, this little one wasn’t “due” for another week. And Jayne and Dorian handled the change in expectations like pros. Parenting: the training ground for the unexpected.

Photo Credit: Lee Pettigrew Photography

Cierra and Tyler welcomed their second COVID baby on April 12, 2022. This second son served as a gentle reminder that not all babies will follow the same birthing pattern as their siblings, and not all pregnancies will run the same course. Cierra had a long labor with her first, due to a complicated position, and used an epidural to help with rest. She hoped to avoid it altogether this time, especially since she got it late in labor. She also went over a week beyond her due date the first time around so we all assumed she would do the same. It’s often the case, yes, but we were so wrong! 

Cierra texted me on Saturday, April 2, just past 5:00 am, nearly two weeks before her due date, to tell me she was bleeding and having contractions. She had managed to sleep some between and during, but it was getting more difficult. She called the midwife about an hour later who recommended they make their way to the hospital. They had quite a drive, and since this was the second baby, it was better to get to her safe place before things really took off. Later I would learn that she was awakened by her first born at 2:20 and she rocked him to sleep, went back to bed, only to wake up to contractions at 3:00 am.

In the car on the way, Cierra’s body continued to labor, and her contractions were steady at 5 minutes apart. Cierra arrived dilated 7 cm and I was by her side within 30 minutes. She breathed through each contraction as the minutes of the requisite 20-minute NST ticked by. Once the monitoring was done, Cierra made her way to the shower.

Cierra labored in the shower through just a couple of contractions and then was startled by the sensation of having to push. She got out and returned to labor upright on the bed. We tied a rebozo to the squat bar and she grabbed hold and breathed through the strongest contractions of her labor. She was feeling pain in her back so we applied counter pressure to try to ease it, knowing that ultimately birth was the best cure for it.

Twenty minutes later her water broke. It was 8:40, and Cierra labored standing in her husband’s arms and was pushing shortly therafter. Cierra climbed upon the bed and leaned over the cub where she followed her body’s instinct to bear down. She didn’t push long before welcoming her baby boy at 8:52 am! And he was so ready to sing his birthday song, he cried before his whole body was out! And his head was perfectly round since he spent such a short time low in his mom’s pelvis before being born. Sweet baby Christian Jase weighed 7 lb. 1 oz. and measured 19 in. long. (Although those stats would not be confirmed until after the magic hour he shared with his parents!)

Cierra leaned back and clutched her son to her chest. She had done it! And she labored with confidence and never even uttered a word of doubt to us. She hardly had time to, but she likely didn’t feel the doubt. Tyler was her solid partner and never wavered either, supporting her emotionally, and even physically at times, serving as her rock. And this makes my doula heart sing.

It was a privilege to bear witness to Cierra’s strength and Tyler’s steadfast support. It was also nice to see the staff give space and opportunity for Cierra’s birth to unfold unhindered. Cierra labored in whatever position she chose and birthed where and how she landed. Her midwife met her there, and the hospital support team was ready to help if needed but kept their distance. I love seeing this happen. And I hope to see it happen more.

Rachel reached out for the support of a doula because she had a strong desire for a VBAC after welcoming her first son by a c-section for breech presentation. She attended my refresher childbirth class and learned all she could about labor and birth since this would technically be her first experience with labor. 

Rachel’s labor started in the least likely way and that is with her water breaking first! Thankfully, her body got going with contractions very soon after. In fact, they were surprisingly close and strong! This made things confusing since her labor wasn’t following the “typical” pattern, which is laughable since we can’t really put labor (and babies!) in a box, can we? Rachel and Josh called the midwife sooner than she thought she would need to, foregoing laboring around her home in favor of driving to the hospital. It’s a good thing Josh’s mom arrived from Iowa just 12 hours before so they could leave for the hospital easily!!

They arrived at the hospital just past 7:00 am on March 26, and within the hour it was confirmed that Rachel’s cervix was very thin and dilated to 4 cm with her baby’s head well applied. She would be staying to have a baby! She was shocked by the intensity of her labor—she was hardly dilated at her previous appointment—so it had made rapid change. 

Not knowing what was left to come, Rachel requested an epidural. There was a delay since she had to receive enough fluids first, but by 9:00 am they were able to call anesthesia. In the meantime, Rachel labored in upright positions, including pulling the rebozo tied to the squat bar for leverage. Since she was laboring for a VBAC, the protocols required she remain on the monitor, but staying active helped her feel less tethered.

By 9:30 am the epidural was completed, and Rachel was feeling a bit more relaxed. Josh grabbed a quick bite to eat since we suspected he wouldn’t have a better chance considering how quickly Rachel’s labor was moving. And when he got back, he tried to take a power nap. We encouraged the same for Rachel, but I think her mind was too busy thinking. Rachel used the peanut ball to keep her pelvis open as she rotated from side to side. 

Votives and twinkle lights help to set the scene for serenity and calm. But Rachel felt a nagging pain on her left side and general pressure all over that continued. We suspected her body was moving along so her midwife came in to see what was happening. She did an exam and held up her open hand to Rachel who thought “5 fingers, so I must be 5 cm dilated.” But no! Her midwife meant, “High five because you are COMPLETE!”

They got busy setting up the delivery table, clearly not expecting Rachel to progress so rapidly! (I love when that happens!) And by 11:45 am Rachel gave her first push. She really liked the rebozo, so she pushed by doing the tug of war with it tied to the squat bar and her feet braced upon it. Josh was her partner in the tug of war and Rachel remembers this part of her labor fondly! 

She pushed in various positions. She pushed with her knees pointed in, then she pushed on the left side and the right side. Her baby was OT (occiput transverse), so he was needing some creative positioning to help him navigate the pelvis. We did a side-lying release and then Rachel went back to pushing on her right side with the peanut ball between her ankles and her knees pushed in to open her pelvic outlet. Then she did some pushing semi-reclined using the trusty rebozo for some tug of war pushing. 

By 3:00 pm, her baby had rotated from looking at 11:00 to looking at 9:00 so he had made some adjustments. But Rachel had been pushing over 3 hours, so it was a good time to evaluate. The next step was to add Pitocin to add some force to her contractions and maybe helped nudge her baby to rotate. This was a less invasive option than using a vacuum which was another possibility. The doctor stopped by to talk through options including a potential vacuum assist if Pitocin wasn’t enough. Rachel preferred to start with Pitocin and go from there and her doctor agreed. He said, “It’s best for you and your baby if you push him out and don’t get any help from me.” 

So the Pitocin was increased incrementally, and by 4:22 it was at 6 mu which was the magic level for Rachel. By 4:30 she reached down to feel her baby’s head with her own hand and a short time later, at 4:42 pm her son was born!! Isaac William was born about 5 hours after Rachel’s first push. Rachel’s vaginal birth was largely due to her stamina and her providers’ patience. It was a dream team for sure!

The first full song of Izzy’s life was “One Headlight”, but he came into the world to an awesome collection of songs. He was born into Rachel’s midwife’s hands with the doctor standing by, but not needed. She relished having her baby in her arms immediately after the birth and was singing to him just minutes afterward. It was so touching.

After an hour with his mom skin-to-skin, Izzy weighed in. And he was not small! He weighed 8 lb. 11 oz. and was 20.5 in. long, quite stocky. So, his OT positioning was made more challenging by his chunky size. But Rachel had the moxie to do what she had to do, and we are so proud of her for sticking with it!

Rachel discovered such strength in her body through this birth, but she also was able to realize her hope of a vaginal birth. Not only did she push out a big baby for many hours, but her labor also took off quickly. She spent more time in the second stage of her labor than the first! And that is saying something. VBACs are extra special but thankfully, with a supportive provider and good preparation, it’s an excellent option for most women who have had c-sections. Well done to everyone on Rachel’s team for believing in her and believing in vaginal birth.

When I first met Blair, she expressed to me the importance of feeling safe and calm in her labor. Her first birth left her feeling frantic and overwhelmed after arriving to the hospital late in dilation. Blair didn’t feel as if she had a voice, and she really wanted more agency and control this time. She also hoped that in her second birth she would have the opportunity to feel her way through labor and get to her birthplace with enough time to do so. She did her research from selecting a doula to even taking childbirth classes to give her a deeper level of preparation to welcome her second child.

I was surprised when she texted around 8:00 am on March 21 that her water had broken since that’s not how labor usually begins. It had me wondering if things might take off like a shot for her but was surprised and humbled when they didn’t. Blair decided to go in to see her midwife and get checked for some peace of mind, and she was reassured that her water had broken, and she was dilated to 5 cm. Since the contractions were on the mild side, they chose to return home and wait for labor to pick up. It turned out to be a lovely afternoon spent as their last hours as a family of three. 

A couple of hours later, Blair’s contractions had intensified. She did some walking and continued to breathe and move in ways that felt more comfortable. She would update with changes but after a few more hours passed with no word, I thought to text. The timing was just right as Blair was just about to send an update. She had a very big contraction and a gush of liquid, which left her feeling a lot of pressure. Once her mom got to the house they would be leaving for the hospital.  We planned to meet there.

I arrived behind them just past 5:00 that evening. Blair was on the bed with the monitor around her belly for the required 20-minute NST. It was a temporary inconvenience, and she would soon be free to labor unattached. She was dilated 6 cm but was more importantly 100% effaced. Her baby boy was at -1 station. Blair labored over the CUB birthing chair once the monitors were removed, and she had a particularly strong contraction at 5:40 pm that left her shaky and nauseous. Peppermint essential helped with the nausea, but Blair’s contractions were very quickly relentless, coming back-to-back, leaving little chance to catch her breath. We placed a cold washcloth on her neck, seeing that her cheeks had grown flush. And John lovingly encouraged Blair, telling her she was so strong and that he was proud of her. He gently placed his hand upon her back, demonstrating in a simple way that he was right there.

We readied the shower for her, but just getting off the bed caused a contraction that had Blair lean into John for support. We walked with her to the bathroom, pausing for a contraction or two along the way. Blair was vocalizing with each contraction after laboring quietly, so we knew she had turned a corner. Blair was in the shower at 6:15 pm but after a contraction on her knees, she made her way back out. The pressure she felt was very close to pushing and she knew her baby was close.

Blair returned to the bed and was dilated 9.5 cm with an anterior lip. She labored through those last few dilating contractions on her side upon the bed, holding onto to John who never took his gaze off her. He reminded her of her strength, we all did. And we encouraged her to follow her body and push when it felt right. 

As she lay on her side, her body moved her into second stage, and she pushed her baby down into view rather quickly. And it didn’t take long before he was in the world. Benjamin Miles was born at 6:49 pm! When Blair birthed her son, he was placed into her arms and her response was so pure and sweet. She was baffled and shocked, and immediately overcome with the outpouring of tears of love saying, “Our son!” and “I love having him here!” John met her exclamations with a smile and a kiss, and so much love. We watched them take in their son, touching him and talking to him. And it was such a sweet welcome.

Blair confessed that she didn’t think she could do it, and of course we all knew she could, and she did. And John took his son’s hand in his, as he stroked Blair’s hair as she continued to tearfully process what she had done. 

When the cord had slowed its pulse about 6 minutes later, John cut it and as Blair held her son’s hand, he placed his first had upon his head. He leaned in and looked at his son’s face and they continued to let their experience sink in. And when he was ready, Benjamin latched for his first feed and even got some skin to skin with daddy too, all in his first hour of life.

Benjamin looked rather big against Blair’s small frame, so we were all very curious to learn his weight. And he did not disappoint at 9 lb. 2 oz.! Benjamin weighed nearly 1 ½ pounds more than his sister did at birth! And you would never even know it until he came out. Blair labored him into the world with strength, control, and patience. 

Looking at how it unfolded, I think Blair would say she got her wish. Labor was gradual in its onset, giving her the time and space to get her head ready and to spend time with her sweet family. And when the time was right, she proceeded to the hospital where her midwife was waiting for her. She labored just under two hours at the hospital before meeting her son, and for a second baby, that’s good, considering her active labor wasn’t much longer than that! I will always remember the love that was threaded through this birth, between Blair and John, with their firstborn earlier that day, and ultimately with the tearful elation with which they greeted their son. It was so beautiful.

Meredith and Brett welcomed their first child, a son, on March 14, 2022. Meredith found out her baby was breech and OP around 32 weeks and made it her mission to encourage her baby to turn! Then attended my Spinning Babies® Parent Class to learn tips for encouraging their little guy to rotate. And rotate he did, into the OA position before labor. Yay!

Meredith’s water broke around 5:00 pm on March 13. She and Brett were watching a movie, Murder on the Nile, when it happened. Meredith texted me right afterward, and I recommended she do some of the positions we had gone over in the Spinning Babies class to help optimize baby’s position for birth, and hopefully to also encourage contractions. Meredith didn’t feel anything immediately, but she soon detected period-like cramps. It was wonderful that her body responded relatively soon after her water broke, and we were very encouraged she would continue to move into labor. The contractions began erratically and were short, so Meredith tried to rest and not pay too much attention to them until she had to.

Then around 10:00 pm Meredith texted to say she was unable to lay down anymore because the contractions were much stronger and more frequent when she did so. I gave her some suggestions to facilitate rest between them as well as getting in the shower to help and she planned to try them. The Miles Circuit was also recommended, and Meredith had already done it earlier that day! I was pleased to know she was being diligent about helping her baby and her body as her labor developed.

Many hours passed which led me to believe perhaps Meredith’s contractions had died down. But quite the contrary. Brett texted just before 3:00 am to say that Meredith was having a pretty hard time with contractions that were 3 minutes apart, but not lasting a minute yet. She was nauseous and had made good use of the shower. From the sound of things, it was probably time to call the midwife and see if it might be time to head to the hospital. 

Brett conveyed what he saw quite well. Meredith was moaning through contractions and acting differently. She didn’t feel she got any relief between the contractions; they were coming so close. They agreed to call the midwife who recommended they head in once Meredith got something in her stomach. They would update once they arrived, and I would meet them there. Brett ran two red lights to get to the hospital as soon as possible and it was a good thing he did. They waited at the front door for what felt like forever, and then a janitor opened it for them. Thank goodness.

It turned out that although this was their first journey through childbirth, Meredith and Brett did an excellent job of minimizing and ignoring early labor! By the time Meredith got upstairs on the unit and was checked in triage and she was 9 cm dilated! She would not be getting the epidural she thought she might need, and instead relied on her support team and comfort measures to finish the birth.

Meredith breathed deeply as her body opened to complete, and her involuntary urge to bear down grew stronger. It had been a particularly crazy delivery night, and the resident midwife was standing in for Meredith’s midwife until she was available. Everyone swirled around her taking care of their tasks to get her admitted and ready for delivery. The table was set up lickity split and one of Meredith’s doctors arrived in time for the delivery. Her midwife got there a bit after.

Meredith pushed well and her baby moved down nicely every single time. Her baby’s heart rate dipped as she pushed so she breathed oxygen from the mask given to her. Brett was so encouraging, speaking words of affirmation and strength to her as she worked hard to birth their baby. And when he was born, everyone was elated and so excited for this couple. Meredith cried and Brett touched his son in awe of what had just happened. Grant Nelson was born at 5:38 am on March 14, 2022, after an hour of pushing. (See? They still have plenty of time before baby, even though Meredith arrived 9 cm!)

I love watching new parents get to know their baby. They marveled over Grant’s features and Brett placed his finger in his son’s hand and was rewarded with a tight grip. As things settled and Grant had his first go at laid back breastfeeding, Meredith was able to think about what had transpired. It was kind of crazy and wild, and confusing how it didn’t fall into the typical labor pattern that we discussed. But when Meredith listened to her body, things happened. And she got to the hospital in plenty of time to welcome her son. She even managed to squeeze out the possibility for a chance at an epidural which turned out to be a very good thing. Meredith wasn’t sure she would or could labor and birth without pain medications, but she surprised herself and did! And she was very proud of herself and amazed at her body too. And she should be!!  

Gabrielle and Brett welcomed their son, Silas Archer on March 9, 2022. We met during a Spinning Babies class, or rather we were reunited there. I met Gabby years earlier when I attended MOPS. She would work in the nursery taking care of my daughter who is now 16 years old! It was fortuitous timing because I also happened to have an opening for February, so our journey together began in the last weeks of Gabby’s pregnancy.

Gabrielle went past her due date and remained patient as her body moved closer to delivery. She trusted her body and baby would know best when to come, unless she managed to remain pregnant past 41 weeks. All the hopes and prayers didn’t seem to convince Silas it was time to come out, so the induction day looked like the reality as Gabby’s cervix remained at 1 cm and her baby remained very cozy. She trusted that God’s timing was best and embraced the induction with open hands. Then at her final NST before the induction, her midwife was concerned with what she saw and felt it safest to move to induction that very day rather than wait one more. She went home to regroup and eat and returned to the hospital that evening for induction of labor.

First step was to ripen her cervix, so a balloon was inserted. Gabby’s body responded with contractions soon after and they were consistent at 3-5 minutes apart. It was 9:45 pm when she updated me, and the plan was to sleep as much as possible. By the next morning, with the balloon removed, Gabby was dilated 5 cm, 70% effaced, and her baby was still at -3 station. This was great change and set the stage for a good beginning. Pitocin was added to the equation around 9:00 that morning.

It didn’t take long for regular, strong contractions to take hold. Gabby sent for my support around 1:30 that afternoon, since she could no longer talk through her contractions.  She had an exam right before I got there and she was moving forward nicely, dilated 6 cm, 80% effaced, and her baby was lower at -1 to 0 station. The Pitocin was at 10 mu.

Gabrielle leaned over the CUB on her hands and knees to cope with her contractions. Her midwife stopped in for a visit and praised her for all her hard work. She felt the contractions strong in her back, so a warm pack helped alleviate that pain somewhat along with her hands and knees position. Gabby even lunged through her contractions, knowing it would help her baby continue downward. The next position for labor was sitting upright in the bed as if in a throne. We tied my rebozo on the squat bar and Gabrielle pulled on it through contractions and leaned over the bar as well.

By 4:00 she was dilated 6/7 cm and her baby was at +1 station. With things progressing so nicely, and her desire to get in the shower, Gabby’s midwife recommended turning the Pitocin off and seeing if her body took off without it. She labored for 45 minutes under the flow of warm water as her labor playlist filled echoed in the bathroom. Some aromatherapy helped keep her space calming as well as helping with nausea too.

Gabby exited the shower still contracting regularly, so she returned to her hands and knees over the cub on the bed. It was 5:00 pm and she was considering her options. It was time for an exam so she would have all her information before deciding. And to our surprise, Gabby was still dilated the same, although she was 100% effaced and her baby was at 0 station. She was ready to get an epidural, and by 5:40 pm it was complete.

An hour later, Gabby was dilated 7 cm. But her midwife inserted an IUPC to get a more accurate read on the contractions in the event they might need to reintroduce Pitocin. Gabrielle labored with her knees around the peanut ball on one side, and then the other. Next, we placed the peanut under one leg to keep her pelvis asymmetric. And then at 8:35 pm she had just an anterior lip of cervix! It wasn’t long before she would be pushing.

Gabrielle gave her first intentional push at 9:30 pm and we quickly saw her baby’s head. She even reached down to feel for herself which is always an exciting moment. And she continued to push with such gusto that her baby’s heart rate showed some reaction to the strong squeezes from the pushing contractions. It didn’t take long though, because at 10:06 pm, after just over 30 minutes of pushing, Silas Archer was born! Fun fact: He was born to the song “Here Comes the Son,” by the Beatles! And this is the second time I recall a client welcoming a baby boy to that very song!) His cord was wrapped around his neck one time, which helped to explain the dips in his heart rate. But it did not have any impact on his Apgar score since he cried out right away. 

Silas was met with tears and smiles, and so much love. His parents took in the details of his body—his hairy arms, the fact that he looked like his mom and seemed to favor his maternal grandpa too. He sneezed a bit at first which was the cutest thing. And in general, he was content to lay against his mom.

Gabby labored hard with Pitocin, and with the support of her husband, always felt strong, and loved. This is so important in birth. And it was a huge benefit for Gabby and her birth experience. 

Christene and Rickey are parents! They welcomed their sweet baby girl, Azalea Faith, on March 5, after an adventurous induction. This baby was conceived with IVF after wanting a child for so long, so this would be an especially momentous experience for Christene and Rickey. As her due date neared, Christene had some higher-than-normal blood pressures that had her providers concerned. Then she woke up with some bleeding that had her go in to get checked out. With multiple issues going on, she agreed with her providers that an induction was the safest route rather than waiting to see if things might get worse. There was a lot of waiting involved but eventually she got into a room.

The first step was to do cervical ripening with a balloon. Christene was already dilated 1-2 cm so that was a start. She felt contractions soon after the balloon but focused on breathing through them. After a few hours had passed Pitocin was started. Christene felt a lot of cramps in her back, but I reminded her of the importance of sleep, especially with an induction that would likely take some time. I recommended some positions that might give her back a break (hands and knees) and Christene said she’d give them a try.

The pain grew to be so intense for Christene that she decided to get an epidural. She was still rather early in the labor process and knew she had a long road ahead of her. Sleep became her plan and she hoped she might dilate as she slept. (So did her doctors!) By 3:20 am a cervical exam revealed that Christene was dilated 5 cm and her baby was at -2 station. Thought largely from the balloon, it was very encouraging to hear such a number. They broke her water next in the hopes it would catapult the process. But four hours later, at 7:15 am she was still dilated 5 cm. So, Cervadil was inserted to continue to ripen and encourage cervical change.

To make sure her contractions were strong enough, they inserted an IUPC to measure them. Christene was laboring in all sorts of positions with the peanut ball thanks to her nurse and doula (). She leaned over the CUB birthing chair around 11:30 am and soon felt nauseous from all the moving. Peppermint essential oil helped, but it also didn’t hurt that she was able to drape herself over the CUB and rest a bit from all the activity.

Shortly after noon they inserted a FSE to make sure baby was handling the contractions okay. There were some concerning dips, so they wanted to cover all their bases. A cervical exam showed Christene to still be dilated to a 5 and her baby was still high at -2 station. There were murmurs of a possible c-section, but they were willing to give it more time. Technically Christene was not yet in labor, and they wanted to give her body every chance for it. But she also developed a slight fever that they kept an eye on. This was not helping matters and only had them more concerned.

We continued to rotate Christine from one side to the other using the peanut ball strategically to encourage her baby’s descent. We even did the flying cowgirl position, all while the Pitocin was raised bit by bit. Christene was such a good sport through it all. I know she worried about the possibility of a c-section, and she had voiced to me that was the one thing she didn’t want. But as the hours passed it looked more and more like the way her baby would be born. And as the hours passed, Christene seemed more at peace with it.

Just past 2:30 pm we used some lavender aromatherapy to help with relaxation. Christene felt more pain on her left side, so she pressed the PCA button. We couldn’t move her to the other side to remedy it because her baby’s heart rate would dip in a worrisome way. They cautiously increased Pitocin to bring stronger contractions while constantly watching for baby’s response. This can be a stressful situation for parents, but Christene and Rickey tried their best to stay focused on the end result—their baby in their arms. And they did not know the gender so that was an added element of surprise!

We dimmed the lights and finally we heard Christene snoring. At last! She was getting some sleep. A short time later though, the doctor came in to have a chat. There were concerns about her baby’s lack of variability on the strip, so it was looking more and more like a c-section. Christene and Ricky asked to wait until the next exam which was expected in a few hours, and they would make a decision at that time. 

When 8:00 rolled around, the doctor checked and discovered Christene was dilated to 6 cm, was 90% effaced, and her baby was a little lower at -1 station. These were changes and were a glimmer of hope for proceeding forward for a vaginal birth. They would reassess in a couple of hours and go from there. In the meantime, we continued to move Christene from one side to the other, as her baby tolerated.

At 10:10 pm it was the moment of truth. The exam results were in: Christine was still dilated to 6 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was still at -1 station. Looking at the past 30 hours and what had transpired—concerning decels in baby’s heart rate and lack of variability, her high position, and Christine’s body’s lack of cervical change—it felt right to Christene and Rickey to proceed with a c-section. They had worked hard to meet their baby and wanted to be cautious.

Within the hour Christene was wheeled back, and Rickey waited in the PACU to join her. When they were reunited in the OR, moments later they welcomed their baby into the world. And to Rickey’s dismay and excitement it was a girl! He had confessed how worried he would be if it was a girl and that’s exactly what he got! He would have a baby girl to protect always. Azalea Faith was her name and seemed the perfect name for their journey to meet her. It took a lot of faith, and she was born on the dawn of spring when the azaleas bloom so lovely, at 11:31 pm.

Azalea was not a little one. She tipped the scales at 9 lb. 6 oz. which made Christene and Rickey feel a little better about the c-section. But mostly they were just relieved she was earthside safe and sound. She has the most amazing head of hair. It’s so full it looks like a toupee! They are settling in nicely at home at the time of this writing. They wear parenthood well and adore their daughter to pieces. They only wish they could get a bit more sleep. Sounds like things are going well then, right?

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.