Laura and Tyler have graduated to parent status with the arrival of their sweet Oliver Read on July 14! They were students in my 7-week series and the Spinning Babies parent class, so they were big on being as prepared as possible. But sometimes (oftentimes) babies have their own idea of how things will go, and Oliver was one of those babies.

Laura made it to her 39-week appointment wondering how much longer she had to go. Her baby was on the larger side, which in and of itself wasn’t a concern, but it meant an induction conversation might occur at her 40-week appointment. Laura wanted to try “all of the things” but I reminded her that labor was not something she could make happen and to spend her efforts more on pampering herself and enjoying time with Tyler before things changed in a big way.

And not 12 hours later, just past 8:00 am on July 13, I got a text from Laura saying, “today is the day!” I had just returned from being out of town 2 days before, so we were all very relieved for the timing. Plus, it meant that Laura managed to avoid an induction which was another bonus. Her contractions began around 2:00 am and had progressed to 3-4 minutes apart but were still short at 30-45 seconds. She ate breakfast and planned to labor at home as long as she could.

About 5 hours later an update from Laura had her contractions more frequent and intense but still short. She was hydrating, resting, and moving, and had the Spinning Babies know-how, but with 12 hours of little change in her contraction pattern it had her wondering if she might want to head in.

Laura spoke with her midwife just before 5:00 pm and she reminded her to eat and continue to hydrate and once the contractions were more consistent and intense to come in. At that point the contractions were 5 minutes apart and ranging from 50 seconds to 1:15 min. long.

And 3½ hours later she was ready to go to the hospital. She was confirmed dilated 3 cm just past 9:00 pm and they began the admissions process to stay and have a baby. Laura and Tyler labored several more hours through the early stuff, but by 3:00 am things had changed. Laura was dilated 5 cm and moving into active labor!

It was time to get moving so we had Laura lunge over the cub birthing chair while applying the heat pad to her back. Next, I did some belly sifting to help her baby move toward the left. And by 5:30 am Laura was doing the flying cowgirl. At 6:20 am she was dilated 5-6 cm, which wasn’t a big change. Her baby was lower though, and her cervix was 100% effaced, both good changes. She decided to have her water broken at that time in the hopes it would continue the forward momentum of her labor. She had already been at it for 28 hours, after all.

Tyler was so present to Laura. He kissed her between contractions and offered shoulder rubs and loving words of encouragement. He was an active partner as we helped Laura through various positions to further her labor and encourage their baby to navigate the pelvis. Around 7:00 am we sat the bed upright and tied the rebozo on the squat bar so Laura could use gravity and the rebozo during contractions but lay back upon the pillows between.

At 7:45 am Laura was ready for the shower. We set up some aromatherapy with valor and lavender on a washcloth, but it didn’t take but 25 minutes for Laura to realize the shower wasn’t helping. She got out and sat upon the birth ball facing Tyler. She was extremely tired and ready for relief. A cervical check helped bring clarity to her next steps: she was dilated 6 cm, although her baby was moving down. Laura was ready to get an epidural.

It worked well and soon she and Tyler had the chance to sleep. Her contractions spaced out, which can be a common result after an epidural, but pitocin was incorporated to bring them close again. And after just under an hour of a little bit of pitocin, Laura’s cervix dilated from 6 cm to 8.5-9cm! Her baby’s heart rate decelled which was the clue of rapid descent! Everyone was excited and we continued to use the peanut ball to change the angle of her pelvis to help the last bit of cervix slide away.

But her baby continued to have heart rate dips. They checked her cervix just before 12:00 and she was dilated 9 cm and her baby was at 0 station. They turned off the pitocin and gave her some fluids. And they proceeded with caution, knowing her baby didn’t love the big squeezes.

But three hours later, Laura still had a cervical lip. Her baby was a bit lower, so we tried a variety of positions to bring her to pushing. She did a right lunge over the peanut, then hands and knees. But when the doctor came in to do an exam, she was the same, and her baby’s heart rate kept dipping. He also confirmed that her baby’s head was asynclitic which can be a challenging position especially when coupled with a larger baby as well as being the first baby. He recommended a c-section but left open the possibility of a vaginal birth. He didn’t feel it was likely given the way Laura and Tyler’s baby was responding, so Laura and Tyler trusted the doctor’s recommendation and agreed to move forward with a c-section.

Laura and Tyler were at great peace with the decision and their excitement and relief over soon meeting their baby helped get them through the last few hoops required before going to the OR. The staff matched their excitement and were sure to keep the feeling of celebration in the space. It was a birth, after all!

Oliver Read was born at 4:26 pm wide-eyed and ready to take in the world! And he had amazing lashes, I might add! He weighed 8 lb. 1 oz., not quite as large as was expected. But his asynclitic presentation was definitely the culprit and made his and his mom’s journey much more involved. Oliver was in his mommy’s arms within minutes of coming out, and he had his daddy by his side through it all.

Laura did absolutely all she could to prepare for her birth, and at our postpartum visit she expressed to me how good she felt about the birth. Postpartum and breastfeeding were requiring her focus at the time, but she and Tyler were taking it day by day together, much as they took labor hour by hour together. It’s a beautiful thing to see new parents link arms and support each other through the early days. I’m so proud of them for that.

Christina and Stephanie are parents! And they are parents to a baby boy! I got to know them over the course of my 7-week childbirth class and Spinning Babies® parent class, investing a lot of time in preparing for their upcoming birth. Conversations with her providers prenatally had Christina and Steph aware that the likelihood of an induction was high. So, when the decision was made to be induced in the 40th week, they were comfortable with it.

Sometimes putting a date on the calendar helps kick the body into gear! This is not a proven fact but if you are a suspicious birth worker, it can ring true more than you’d think. Christina felt regular cramping four days prior to her induction date. She rested a lot that day and woke up the next morning with cramping that wasn’t constant or consistent, so she continued with her day once again, only to wake up the next morning with far more consistent cramps. With regular contractions 4.5 minutes apart, she and Steph decided to head to the hospital to get checked and see what was happening.

Walking about the triage room Christina thought her water might have broken. The preadmittance paperwork was started since it seemed she would be staying to have a baby. She was dilated 2 cm at 6:30 am but by 8:00 am she was dilated 3 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at -1 station.

Christina’s early labor was manageable, and she giggled and chatted through a lot of it. By the time 12:00 rolled around, we incorporated positions to help Christina manage the pain and maintain progress. She labored over the CUB on her hands and knees, she slow danced with Steph, and sat upright in the bed pulling the rebozo through contractions.

She thought she might want a Lemon Head and quickly spat it out into Steph’s hand. Now, that’s love! ;) They had a wonderful playlist for labor that kept the feeling in the room loving and encouraging. One of their preferred doctors was on call which helped immensely. They didn’t have to defend their choices or explain their reasons. They were involved in conversations with their team the entire way. And the feeling of trust went a long way.

The hospital midwife kept stopping in to visit. We had a feeling she really wanted to be part of the birth and maybe even catch. After all, she had met them when they first arrived and if you know Christina and Steph you probably love them. They are just that way. During one of the visits from the midwife, Christina felt a pop and a drop and exclaimed, “My water!” It broke right then and there. It was just before 1:30 pm.

The next stop was the shower, but Christina didn’t like it as much as she thought. She was in and out in just 15 minutes. She returned to hands and knees over the CUB but the nausea overcame her. “I don’t want to be a pain, but can we put the bed back up in a seat?” Christina asked. She was not being a pain, by the way. And we quickly returned the bed to the throne position so she could feel more in control.

Wet cloths and sips of water and cranberry juice and sprite helped her as her body heated up with active labor. The first F-bomb was dropped at 2:30 and we watched as Christina tugged and twisted the rebozo through the peaks of her contractions. She had crossed a threshold for sure and wanted an exam before making the decision for an epidural.

At 3:00 pm, Christina was dilated 5 cm, and 90% effaced with baby still at -1 station. She thought it best to move forward with an epidural and was happy to have made it to 5 cm before getting it, knowing it would be less likely to slow down her labor.

She was comfortable soon after and we continued to change her position to continue her baby’s descent and her dilation. There came a point where we noticed her baby’s heart rate drop, so we rolled her to her left side. But as the variables persisted, we rolled her to her right, and then back to her left. They got the delivery meds and delivery cart set up suspecting that her baby was close to being born and the dips in the heart rate were more an indication of labor’s rapid progress.

And at 5:30 pm, just 2.5 hours after she was 5 cm, Christina was dilated to 9 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station! We had her labor down in the closed knees position, then with the peanut ball between her ankles for more of the same. Right before 7:00 pm Christina labored down until she felt the steady pressure in her bottom like she had to poop. And at 7:00 she was pushing.

Once again, the closed knees position was effective as Christina made big changes after pushing twice like that. There were big changes that had her baby’s head in view and a few more people heading to the room for delivery. At 7:50 pm Christina felt her baby’s head with her hand and just two contractions later she had her baby in her arms!

Steph made the gender announcement since they had waited to find out, and it was a thrill to discover they had a boy! Elliott Oliver was born at 7:56 pm and looked a lot like Christina from the start. Steph noted that he even looked like her when her furrowed his brow. He was met with such love and joy. The look of glee on his mothers’ faces upon meeting him was so moving.

There might have been a couple of extra people who came to welcome the baby since Christina and Steph quickly became patient favorites. It was a true celebration of love and life in that space, and I couldn’t be happier for this loving couple and their new addition. They were partners in the truest sense, and it warmed my heart to witness their coming together in birth.

Desiree and Jackson welcomed their baby boy after epic induction. I remember when I first met Desiree and how much she wanted options and preferred not to be induced. She and Jackson attended my 7-week childbirth class to learn all they could about the process and their options so they would have tools to help navigate labor in the hospital setting. In the final weeks before her due date she began to feel some pressure about induction for various reasons. Her blood pressure began to creep up, and while she advocated for more time, by the following appointment, the decision was made to move forward with an induction.

With two weeks before her actual estimated due date, Desiree’s cervix would need some coaxing before any labor. Desiree went to the hospital on a Thursday evening, and they began ripening her cervix with cervadil overnight. She felt mild and inconsistent contractions and was able to have some breakfast before the next steps.

Just past noon they inserted a foley balloon and Desiree ate some lunch. She was having irregular contractions that required some focus, but she was able to breathe calmly through them. The balloon can be quite uncomfortable, and it was a good opportunity for Desiree to stay focused on her breath through the discomfort.

Since Desiree had done her homework, she requested an enema in the hopes it might stir up some labor. She was not eager to have her water broken especially since she tested positive for GBS and was leery of any potential timeline. The balloon remained in her cervix and produced consistent contractions every 2 ½ minutes that lasted 30 seconds. She stood and sat upon the toilet to find the most comfort, but she was starting to feel fatigue set in and she was not yet in active labor. Finally, by 4:00 pm the balloon came out and that alone helped a bit with the pain.

Desiree asked to use a breast pump to stir up contractions and hopefully some labor. But between the pump and the enema she felt contractions for a limited time that eventually dissipated. It was around 1:00 am on Saturday by this time and Desiree had already been at the hospital well over 24 hours. The road for her labor was looming large and long and it hadn’t even begun yet. Thankfully, she was able to advocate for a night of rest, or as much rest as possible before trying to start things up in the morning.

Desiree got some sleep and a full plate of breakfast. Pitocin was next. They started at the lowest dose and raised it incrementally over the course of the day. Desiree wasn’t sure whether to rest or move around. It was wise to rest until her body required more of her but that’s easier said than done when you’ve been staring at the same four walls for over two days!

Just prior to 3:00 pm an exam confirmed that Desiree’s cervix had still not changed much from when the balloon came out. She was feeling regular contractions every 2.5-3 minutes that lasted 60 seconds, but she could still talk and breathe calmly through them. After some discussion, Desiree and Jackson agreed that the most reasonable next step was to break her water and hope labor ensued. They did the AROM (artificial rupture of membranes) just before 5:30 pm on Saturday and Desiree was dilated 4 cm, 60% effaced, and her baby was at -3 station. And breaking the water was a game changer! Desiree’s contractions intensified almost immediately.

This was around when I got to the hospital in the hopes, we could keep that momentum going. Desiree was vocalizing with her contractions and according to her nurse she was sounding more laborish. Jackson’s mantra to Desiree was, “You’re going to get huge!” (Look up Ina May Gaskin.) And Desiree’s nurse started to get goose bumps to see Desiree’s body respond. The contractions had jumped to 2-2.5 minutes apart and required all of Desiree’s focus.

Jackson wiped her face with a wet cloth and placed a heating pad on her lower abdomen. We put Desiree in the flying cowgirl position using the peanut ball in the hopes her baby would descend even further. This is not an easy position to maintain but Desiree was such a trooper.

After about 30 minutes it was time for the shower. Yes, Desiree was getting pitocin, but remember the pitocin pump was on the iv pole that has wheels. The wireless monitor gave Desiree the freedom of the shower, not to mention some distance from the monitor and bed. Desiree labored under the water flow with Jackson right there telling her she was strong and how much he loved her. “You’re a freaking badass,” also came out. Some citrus essential oil on a washcloth in the shower helped to give Desiree the feeling of more energy and clarity.

Just past 8:00 pm Desiree got out of the shower and draped herself over the cub birthing chair upon the bed. Jackson did double hip squeezes on her lower back and then a short while later Desiree did alternating lunges. Her hands and knees position also gave us easy access to her back, so we placed a heating pad there. Desiree’s nurse contorted herself to adjust the monitor while Desiree lunged. She was extremely supportive of facilitating Desiree’s labor process and for that we were all so appreciative.

Around 9:00 pm Desiree told us she felt constant pressure “down there.” We were hopeful for significant cervical change, but an exam had her dilated at 5 cm, 50% effaced and her baby at -2 station. It was not the big change she was hoping for. The pitocin was at 18 mu with not a lot more to go, and Desiree was wondering how much longer she could endure labor without relief. She had been at it off and on for over 48 hours.

In an effort to minimize intrusion to her process, internal monitors were proposed so Desiree could avoid so many hands on her belly to find baby and contractions. She was comfortable with that and once they were inserted, she labored on her side a bit. She was feeling very tired. She rolled to her hands and knees on the cub again, then sat upon the birth ball beside the bed and rested her head on a pillow between.

By 11:00 pm, with the pitocin at 22 mu and her contractions stronger than ever, Desiree mentioned for the first time that she needed relief. Jackson encouraged her to soldier on longer though, as she labored on, even trying Froggy Walchers to help her baby come down. This is another very uncomfortable position! She straddled the peanut ball on the bed while Jackson squeezed her hips, and even lay in the left runner’s position.

But as the clock neared 1:00 am, Desiree knew the best thing to do was rest. And the surest way for that to happen was to move forward with an epidural. Making the decision was the hardest part. But once decided it didn’t take long for it to be in place and for Desiree to have relief. It was in by 1:00 am and she was comfortable and eating jello soon after. And by 2:00 am everyone got some sleep.

But as the clock neared 1:00 am, Desiree knew the best thing to do was rest. And the surest way for that to happen was to move forward with an epidural. Making the decision was the hardest part. But once decided it didn’t take long for it to be in place and for Desiree to have relief. It was in by 1:00 am and she was comfortable and eating jello soon after. And by 2:00 am everyone got some sleep.

The sleep was interrupted by a cervical check around 2:45 am, only to reveal that Desiree’s cervix was still 5 cm. it was much thinner at 90% and her baby was at -1 station, two very important points of encouragement. Her baby’s heart rate was showing some variables, so they did an amnio-infusion to float the cord in case the decels were positional. And her baby’s heart rate stabilized over time.

Pitocin was bumped up again, this time to 28 mu. There wasn’t much more left to go! But it seemed to be the magic amount for Desiree’s uterus because at 6:54 am Desiree was fully dilated! Her baby was at 0 station, so technically a bit high, but still much lower than the days preceding. Desiree was so relieved she cried, and the rest of us might have teared up a bit too.

They decided to have Desiree give pushing a whirl. I think there was a strong suspicion she would be an excellent pusher due to her natural strength and because she could finally actually push! And that’s exactly what happened! With a mirror to watch her progress, and her original OB and nurse back on shift, Desiree gave birth to her baby at 7:22 am after less than 30 minutes of pushing!!

They did not know the gender, so Jackson made the announcement that it was a boy, Bridger Rowan. He was latched in the first hour and weighed 7 lb. 12 oz. and measured 20 in. long. He was a good size for 2 weeks early.

Desiree was dilated 5 cm for 36 hours! Remember, she was admitted on Thursday night and didn’t welcome her son until Sunday morning. While that may sound like something no one would want, it goes to show how patient her providers were and how well Desiree and Jackson advocated for their options. They were informed and prepared and knew what to ask for, thanks in part to their childbirth education and having a doula to help them navigate hospital options. But Desiree stayed positive and patient the whole way through and that at the core is what had the biggest impact on her experience. The steadfast support of Jackson was another important part of it.

I wish I could say that once Bridger was born, Desiree’s preeclampsia was cured, but I can’t. She was admitted again a few days postpartum. At the time of our postpartum visit, they were home and recovering well, fine-tuning their diapering skills and interpreting Bridger’s various cries. They are joyfully and sleepily taking it day by day and I couldn’t be prouder of them.

Rachel and Lucas welcomed their third child, this time a BOY, on June 23! Rachel was familiar with the road of induction since she had been induced for her first two births due to high blood pressure. She hoped to avoid it but knew that it was a possibility again. She also had experienced a postpartum hemorrhage and hoped to avoid that this time. But Rachel trusted her providers and knew with good support and some strategies in place she would have every opportunity to welcome a third baby in an unmedicated birth.

Like third babies do, Rachel’s uterus was very busy preparing in the final weeks, producing bouts of contractions and general discomfort. She’s also a busy mom so it’s not easy to sit much and rest like one might do with a first pregnancy! Her body set the stage for labor in the last weeks though, and she was dilated 3-4 cm at her last prenatal appointment.

With an induction on the calendar, Rachel tried to do “all of the things” to jump start labor beforehand, but none of it worked, although it might have helped lay some groundwork. The day of the induction there were no beds at the first call—a hurry up and wait experience that is typical of inductions--but a few hours later there was a call that a bed was ready, so Rachel and Lucas made their way in.

Rachel was dilated 4-5 cm with regular (but far apart) contractions at 9 minutes. Her midwife did a membrane sweep in the hopes it might move her into active labor along with the breast pump. The contractions got stronger and closer but remained irregular. A few hours later around noon Rachel was dilated 5 cm, but her labor wasn’t really coordinated yet. The plan was to break her water closer to 1:00 and hope that worked. Pitocin at a low dose was another option but Rachel hoped to avoid pitocin and go the most natural way with induction.

Rachel stayed quite active as she waited, even doing full low squats. She continued to chat pleasantly with us, hardly acting as though she was in labor. And when her midwife returned at 1:00 she broke her water. Rachel was still 5 cm, same as an hour before, but we expected her body would take off with active labor and big changes soon.

Rachel squatted and leaned over the Cub birthing chair and kept moving around to see if her body would get going with active labor. She even did lunges over the Cub on the bed in case her baby’s head might interface more directly with the cervix to dilate it and bring on stronger contractions. She was willing to do anything suggested and even some things she thought of on her own. She listened to her body and was not afraid to move it.

Rachel shared with us that her contractions were definitely stronger soon after her water was broken, but by all accounts, she was managing them well. It seemed a good time to have her try the shower so we dimmed the lights, added votives so she could focus on her body’s signals. Rachel stood on the shower, sat on the bench seat, and even lunged with her foot upon it. Her chatting lessened as she was drawn more inside herself for the last bit of labor. She might not have known it at the time, but the 20 minutes Rachel spent in the shower when she thought it felt “so good”, was when she went through transition!

In fact, Rachel had the wherewithal to tell Lucas and I towards the end of the 20 minutes, “It’s not long now. We’ll want to notify the midwife soon.” That’s when we let the nurse know and helped her out of the shower and back toward the bed after a quick potty stop. Her midwife arrived a few minutes later at 2:42 pm and confirmed at 2:47 that “baby is right here.” In fact, as Rachel recalls, her midwife said, “You’re a 10!” And Rachel responded with, “That means I can push?” She felt him descending as she breathed through two contractions. And then her midwife gently suggested Rachel push.

“Babe, I need chapstick,” was Rachel’s response before her first push. Lucas had it there in a flash. Rachel pushed through one contraction. Then Lucas applied chapstick to her lips, and with the next contraction Rachel reached her hand down to help ease her baby out as she growled her push. Rachel received her baby from her midwife’s hands, meeting Eli Melech Charles at 2:55 pm.

Eli tried to cry when he was halfway out! And once his body was born, he cried out in a high-pitched squeal. Rachel got a good look at her boy and noticed in a short time that he had the same toes as his sister. I love how parents see family resemblances in their newborn babies.

Rachel did not tear and as a result her midwife was finished soon after the placenta was out. There was plenty of time for a big hug! It was such a beautiful birth and a very gentle induction. And when I saw Rachel recently for our postpartum visit, she was still riding the high of the birth. She said it was perfect and everything she would have wanted. And as her doula, I can say the same about her as a client!

Christina and Sam welcomed their second daughter, Tatum Ellis, on June 11! After giving birth to her first daughter, Stevie, Christina had a good idea of her goals in this birth as well as postpartum. Having journeyed through a challenging first experience, Christina knew to remain open-minded and to use what worked last time. And I really think this freed her up to have a very positive birth experience.

Her body made some gradual changes as her due date approached. An exam around 38 weeks showed she was already 2 cm dilated. This was exciting news since she received the call that same day that the induction was scheduled for the weekend. But when Christina called at the appointed time, they told her there were no beds available. She waited through the night and finally the following morning she got the call to come in. Inductions can be a lot of hurry up and wait!

Around 11:30 am Sam sent an update that the foley bulb had been placed but just an hour later it came out  and Christina was 3 cm dilated. Christina wanted to delay (or even avoid) pitocin so she used a breast pump first for a bit. She also tried to rest as long as she could as she waited for labor. Eventually they began Pitocin at 3:00 pm and raised it slowly in the hopes her body would respond with labor contractions.

By 5:00 she was contracting every 3 minutes but still able to talk through them. But since this was her second baby it seemed a good time to head in. I arrived to find Christina  coping well and Sam a steadfast support to her. There was an exam soon after I arrived at 6:45 pm. Christina was about the same: 3 cm, 50% effaced, and her baby as at -3 station. It was time to use some techniques to help bring baby down. So I used the rebozo to “shake the apple tree” and did the jiggle from Spinning Babies to help get her baby situated.

Just past shift change at 7:15 pm we helped Christina into the flying cowgirl with the peanut ball. She took all of the maneuvers and positions in stride knowing they were all to help bring Tatum earthside. A cherry popsicle was a godsend and so was my jumbo heating pad as her hips ached from labor.

Christina lay on her right side for some contractions and then moved to her hands and knees at 8:30. After a bathroom trip she wanted to sit upright  in the bed to use gravity to brig her baby down. She preferred that position since it helped her feel like she could better cope with her contractions. It also gave Sam a good opportunity to rub her feet.

Christina was feeling her labor take a turn and was curious about her progress. But at 9:30 pm she was dilated 3-4 cm, and not farther like she had hoped. Her cervix was softer but it had a good deal of effacement left before big dilation could happen.  Christina decided to get  an epidural at that point since her labor was taking longer to get established than she expected and the night loomed long.

She was comfortable by 11:00 pm and did her best to sleep. Pitocin was still flowing at 8 mu and at 1:00 am an exam confirmed she was  dilated 4 cm, 70% effaced, and her baby was still high at -3. They broke her water at that point since Christina was on board with it. And we all hoped it would put her into active labor.

We used the peanut ball to keep her hips asymmetric and kept her body rotating from side to side as well. Sam got some sleep and Christina tried, but it can be hard to rest when you are meeting your baby soon. Plus busy hospitals aren’t very conducive to sleep. We sat Christina up in the bed in the throne position again and she was soon feeling nauseous and shaking. We were excited because this was an encouraging sign of progress! Even with an epidural, the body knows. They set up the delivery table taking this as a strong sign baby was coming soon!

Just before 5:00 am Christina had a lip on the right side but she was 100% effaced and her baby had moved down to 0 station! Christina labored down another 1 ½ hours so that lip could melt away and her baby could descend even further. She spent a lot of time on her right side along with a heating pad on her back and hip and peppermint close by for nausea.

And feeling lots of pressure at 6:25 am, the doctor checked to discover Christina’s baby was “right there”! She began pushing at 6:32 and her baby girl arrived at 6:36, after just one or two contractions! Tatum Ellis was welcomed with such love and joy! Christina scooped her up and in that moment the long induction journey was already the last thing on her mind. It was all worth it to have her second baby girl in her arms.

And even though her baby came in just a couple of pushes there were no stitches needed! Kudos to Christina for having control as she pushed and the benefit of warm compresses and oil from the doctor. Tatum weighed in at 7 lb. 3 oz.

Tatum was a very chill baby who hardly cried. But her nursery nurse was content with hearing breath sounds and seeing her pink up before her eyes. She snuggled with her mom right away and before long Christina was presented with a pancakes, sausage, and egg breakfast!

This couple was a joy to serve. They partnered beautifully and kept a sense of humor through the entire process. Christina knew an induction wouldn’t be an easier way, but she was prepared and knew her options every step of the journey. She had agency and was respected and supported. And that makes for a strong start to motherhood.

Katie and Stu welcomed their first child, a girl, on June 6! Katie knew an induction would be her likely road to motherhood since she herself had high blood pressure. But she had a strong desire to give birth without pain medications. Friends’ induction stories can be daunting, but it doesn’t have to be a scary proposition. Katie and Stu attended both my Spinning Babies® Parent Class and 7-week Birth Essentials Class Series to prepare as thoroughly as possible. They also chose providers who had a reputation for supporting unmedicated births and had great statistics, and most importantly of all, had midwives on the obgyn team.

Katie’s body was gearing up in the final weeks with contractions that would come and go. She didn’t get in her head too much about her readiness, but instead continued with her days knowing she would meet her baby girl soon. She thought perhaps her water broke but went in to get checked and it hadn’t. But when some lab results were a bit concerning, her midwife recommended she be induced. It wasn’t what Katie wanted, but she also knew she wasn’t comfortable treading a fine line between potential risks to baby either. The timing of the induction was fortuitous though because her body dilated from nothing to 4 cm in the final days prior, putting her in a much more favorable position for the induction to work well.

Katie and Stu got comfortable at the hospital, settling into the room, and officially admitting Katie as a patient. Since her cervix was already so ready, the induction began with Pitocin overnight. Even though it was increased every 30 minutes, Katie managed to sleep quite well that night until around 7:00 am when hospital staff shift change heralds the new day for everyone.

Katie got set up with the wireless monitor right away because she knew she wanted freedom of movement and hydrotherapy. She did a lot of walking that day, becoming somewhat of a fixture on the unit making the rounds, so to speak. By 1:00 pm she was dilated 5-6 cm, 60% effaced, but her baby was still high at -3 station. And she was still very comfortable. Her contractions were not very strong.

We went for a walk at 1:45 pm and Katie maintained such a brisk pace it was hard to keep up with her. And she returned to the room to squat on the bed around 2:24 pm. The Pitocin was at the max level of 20 mu, but her body was still just slightly crampy. It was time to incorporate a big Spinning Babies® move, the flying cowgirl. Katie lay in that position on her left and then her right and soon felt more pressure low in the front of her abdomen. A heating pad helped relieve some hip pain she was feeling as well.

Katie maintained her composure as things began to change and alerted us when she noticed something, i.e. discharge. We went walking again from 3:20-3:40 pm and when we returned to the room it felt like the right time to labor in the shower. Some lavender on the washcloth really helped Katie to relax and tune in to her body. She was so tuned in that she forgot to take off her glasses before getting in the shower. And THIS was the first real sign that she was moving into active labor!

She changed into her contacts and continued to labor under the hot water, leaning against the wall of the shower to tune out the rest of the space. She requested Stu turn on music, and beautifully inspiring Christian songs filled the room with encouragement. It was just before 4:00 pm and Katie felt like her pain was growing. “It is Well with My Soul” played more than once and soon after “Your Labor is Not in Vain” came on, a perfect song for labor.

I updated Katie’s nurse of the subtle changes along the way. So, when Katie began to sigh under her breath through the peaks it was definitely notable. Stu was her constant companion, always right there to give a kiss between contractions, rub her back, apply counter pressure, offer a sip of water, and even play music. I just love watching how connected couples are in labor. It is a beautiful preview of how united they may be as parents.

Katie got out of the shower at 4:20 and felt a lot more discomfort in her lower back. She asked Stu to press on her back, but she felt like she needed something different. So we set up the CUB chair on the bed so she could labor on her hands and knees. Katie felt a lot of pressure in her back and hips, so Stu and I worked together pushing on each hip simultaneously.

Katie’s contractions were 3 minutes apart and much stronger than just a short time earlier. So, when the midwife stopped by to see how she was doing she was curious to know her progress. Katie was dilated 7 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was low at 0 station! And during contractions Katie’s cervix opened to 8 cm. She had made BIG changes in a very short time! Her midwife looked her in the face and asked if she wanted to have her water broken and Katie said after pondering a few seconds, “Let’s do it.” That was her attitude the whole time, really! So, they did!

Katie returned to her hands and knees after her water was broken around 4:45 pm and by 5:00 she was making some pushy sounds at the peaks of her contractions. They grew as she continued to breathe through them and at some point, she moved off of her hands and knees back down upon the bed.

Her midwife remained as the room began to quietly fill with some additional people. By 5:17 the birth team was assembled, and everyone was waiting for one more person to arrive. “I can’t believe she isn’t out!” Katie exclaimed, to which we reassured her it would not be long at all. We supported her legs, so she didn’t have to hold them up, and her baby crowned gently. In fact, she was born just 13 minutes after Katie said she couldn’t believe she wasn’t out.

Amalia (pronounced Ama-lee-ya) was born at 5:30 pm to the joy of her parents. After an hour on her mom’s chest, we learned her stats. She weighed 7 lb. 14 oz. and measured 20.75 in. long. In the first moments she had her first poop and pee on mom, helping out her nursery nurse by checking those boxes right away.

In the afterglow of the birth, once the placenta was out and baby was on the breast, we realized the total sum of Katie’s active labor was just 2.5 hours, with 20 minutes of that spent pushing. Katie held her baby with confidence looking down at her and holding her as though this was not her first time. She and Stu were in love with their daughter from the start and I watched their connection as a couple grow into connected parents doting over all of their daughter’s perfect parts and mannerisms.

I was proud of the way Katie navigated this induction, keeping in mind that she had choices. It didn’t hurt that her nurses were excellently supportive, and her providers were on board with offering as many options (within the construct of a Pitocin induction) as they could. An induction can still be a journey of wonder and awe, and self-discovery. It can show your strength you’re your connection to your partner and your baby too. Every single birth provides this opportunity! It's one of the things I love most about what I do.

Welcome to the world, Maxson David Delano, born in the final minutes of June 2! This is my second time to serve as Jerica’s doula, so I was familiar with her understated way of laboring. But this was her third baby, and they have a reputation of being unpredictable. And this birth was a scheduled induction for postdates which also adds an extra layer of uncertainty on top of the already unpredictable nature of spontaneous labor.

It was a very busy day for birth but the staff worked diligently to get Jerica settled into a room as soon as one was available. She was dilated 2 cm, 60% effaced, and baby was -2. Jerica’s veins were a tricky stick, so getting an iv established required more than one try by more than one nurse, but eventually it was successfully established by an anesthesiologist. Working as a team they made it happen.

And over 6 hours after arrival, Jerica received her first dose of Cytotec. And then she waited. Jerica requested the breast pump to use in the hopes it would get things going as she waited for the next dose of Cytotec. Four hours later came the second dose, just past 6:00 pm. Jerica had some mild contractions that were close and short, but she could talk through them and knew they weren’t to the level of significant cervical change yet.  She sent David home to help settle the kids for bed.

By 9:00 pm, Jerica’s contractions were super close but still not very strong. She felt some pain in her lower back as well and considered walking around. I gave her some suggestions to ease the back pain and wondered if baby’s position was the cause. But within 30 minutes Jerica felt a shift in intensity that had me feel I should head to the hospital. She was worried I was coming too soon and preferred I want until she got checked so I waited.

At 10:20 pm she was checked and confirmed dilated 4 cm, still 60% effaced, and baby was still at -2 station. But even though the numbers didn’t seem like significant change had occurred, Jerica continued to feel pain in her back and thought they were getting more intense. She suspected it would be time to come soon so we felt it best I just head in. I left at 10:45 pm and arrived around 11:15.

Jerica was moaning through contractions that were close together. Of course, they had been close for hours, but had very recently turned the corner to active. She was standing by the bed, braced against it as she breathed through contractions. Her labor had taken hold in the 30 minutes since our call. She breathed and focused through each contraction and found the breaks shorter than the actual contractions.

Jerica felt like she had to use the bathroom, so she took a pit stop with David by her side. (Yes, I know this could mean a baby is coming but not even Jerica thought that was the case.) So, I went about setting up votives around the room to enhance the ambiance and didn’t hear her when she told David she was pushing, and then dismissed herself with “that’s can’t be right.” Jerica made her way out of the bathroom and back to the bed to lay on her side awhile. She requested David play her Hypnobabies scripts on the speaker, so he set that up as well. Then as she lay there, she said she felt her baby was coming but she wasn’t ready. Her nurse was casually setting up the delivery cart unaware that Jerica felt her baby coming, so we alerted her that Jerica felt the baby.

The nurse called for the doctor who was not in the building, so they had the hospitalist OB come in for delivery. Jerica was startled that she was actually pushing already, and she felt very overwhelmed. “I’m not ready,” became her mantra. And I met it with, “But your baby is ready. It’s okay to be overwhelmed by what you are feeling. It went so quickly!” The doctor came rushing in and got the deets from Jerica’s nurse. She hurriedly dressed in her paper suit and pulled the delivery cart up to the bed.

She lay on her side, and we supported her upper leg. The doctor watched as Jerica’s amniotic sac was born. She offered to break it but Jerica preferred she didn’t. With the next contraction, the sac was laying upon the bed like a water balloon cinched at the base. And it gently released fluid on its own. “I can’t do it,” Jerica insisted, right as she WAS doing it. We could see Jerica’s baby crowning in that moment and the doctor had David come to the end of the bed to help do the delivery! Jerica continued to tell us she wasn’t ready, but she pushed as if she most definitely was! The doctor patiently waited as Jerica pushed instinctively, following her body’s urges as she was ready. And once her baby’s head and shoulder was born, the doctor gestured for David to move in closer. The final push brought their baby into David’s hands, who was then instructed to place the baby onto Jerica’s belly. He was a bit shocked himself, so he paused for a moment of wonder before passing their newborn baby to his wife.

Maxon weighed in at 8 lb. 13 oz., the heaviest of his brothers, and measured 21 in. long. As Jerica processed the birth in that first hour or so, she told us she was scared and not ready. And she didn’t think she would make it for a long labor. So, her baby ended up coming the way she needed him to! David confessed that he felt like he might pass out right before the bag of waters was born, but he managed to stay upright. And Jerica tried to piece together when she was in transition. It must have happened on that bed and probably just lasted a couple of minutes!

It just goes to show that cervical dilation has no bearing on labor duration ever, but especially after the first baby. And Jerica’s intuition was far more compelling than any exam she received that day. I am so proud of her for advocating for what she needed in the waiting hours, and in the 90 minutes of active labor. She birthed with composure and grace just as I remembered from the birth of her second. And like before, she didn’t even look like she had given birth. Needless to say, Jerica is quite remarkable in more ways than one!

Erica and Charles became parents on April 28 when they welcomed their son, Curtis Vance, into the world. Erica made a very comfy home for her son because the weeks ticked by and her body showed no signs of imminent labor. Still, she had a strong feeling her dates were off and her baby had more growing to do, so she did not get discouraged as the time passed. But when an induction was scheduled at 42 weeks she was curious how that would go since her suspicions about her baby not quite being ready might have some merit.

The waiting continued because Erica did not get a call for a ready bed when originally expected. It wasn’t until the following morning that she was told to head in. Around 7:30 am an exam showed that Erica was dilated 1 cm and 50% effaced. The plan was Cytotec every 4 hours throughout the day to see if her cervix would respond. They also kept an eye on her baby’s heart rate which had some concerning patterns.

Then at 3:30 pm Erica’s water broke. It was a very good sign that her body was on board with the plan for labor. Erica moved her labor into the shower as the contractions began to require more of her focus. She struggled to relax between them while in the shower and wanted to labor back on the bed where she could sit upright and also recline. Erica also chose to get some i.v. Stadol to help her relax and settle in to labor. After all, she had every reason to expect it would be a long process and she wanted to keep her head in the right place. Charles squeezed Erica’s body in different places to distract her from the pain of the contractions. She breathed deeply and calmly as he did so, and managed to labor well like this for a while.

Erica considered her reasons for not wanting an epidural originally, and realized the reasons were no longer relevant. She desired movement but had chosen to get medicine to help her rest and relax so she was relegated to the bed. And her birth had already gone down a very different path with the induction, helping Erica to recognize the value of an epidural on her new journey. With contractions coming strong every 2 minutes, Erica was ready for relief.  Epidural in place, she was comfortable by 10:30 pm.

Shortly after 11:00 pm they began Pitocin since Erica’s contractions had spaced apart, a fairly common labor response after an epidural. It was at a low level (4.0 mu) but her baby’s heart rate started to dip again so it was bumped back down. We were sure to do all sorts of positions to give her baby every opportunity to descend and help to dilate Erica’s cervix. Erica lay on her right side with the peanut ball between her ankles. And just before midnight she was dilated 5-6 cm, 90% effaced, and baby’s head was at 0 station. Yay! She was in labor!

By 12:20 am we rolled Erica to her left side and kept the peanut between her ankles. She was able to get some sleep around 12:45 am, and with baby’s heart rate looking good her nurse bumped the Pitocin up a little to 6.0 mu. After 30 minutes or so it was pushed to 8.0 mu. Erica felt some pain or pressure in her left hip which had us wonder if something significant was happening in her labor. She pressed her pca button and we rolled her back to her right, this time with the peanut ball between her knees. There was some bloody show – a great sign of progress in dilation!

And by 3:15 am Erica was completely dilated and her baby was at +1/+2! She labored down a bit as her nurse set up the delivery table and notified the midwife. And at 4:45 Erica gave her first pushes. Her contractions had spaced to 5 minutes apart, so the pushes were spaced as well. Erica gave a good effort pushing on her hands and knees (yes, with an epidural), but it made more sense to labor down. She was not pain-free as the discomfort on her left side intensified. So we tried moving onto her right side to help manage the pain by using gravity to spread her epidural to the left, and we also put her right leg in a stirrup to have a bigger impact. Erica was breathing through these contractions at this point. The epidural was not providing full relief anymore. She pushed the pca button but that pain in her bottom was growing. So the best plan was to just have a baby! Erica resumed pushing with her midwife at 6:26 am. And it didn’t take long, thanks to gravity, laboring down, and strong pushes. Erica brought her son into the world at 6:50 am right before shift change, much to her nurse’s delight!

She was not pain-free as the discomfort on her left side intensified. So we tried moving onto her right side to help manage the pain by using gravity to spread her epidural to the left, and we also put her right leg in a stirrup to have a bigger impact. Erica was breathing through these contractions at this point. The epidural was not providing full relief anymore. She pushed the pca button but that pain in her bottom was growing. So the best plan was to just have a baby! Erica resumed pushing with her midwife at 6:26 am. And it didn’t take long, thanks to gravity, laboring down, and strong pushes. Erica brought her son into the world at 6:50 am right before shift change, much to her nurse’s delight!

Curtis was latched at barely an hour old and snuggled with his mom for a good long while before we learned his stats. He weighed 8 lb. 5 oz. The adoring looks exchanged between Erica and Charles were so sweet and heartwarming. And judging by the amount of vernix all over Curtis’ body, even the nursery staff suspected he might have been less than 42 weeks. His mom was right!

This birth meandered for sure, but at the center of it all Erica and Charles were united in their decisions. And as their midwife said, “Erica went from 1 cm to baby in 24 hours, and that’s pretty awesome!” We’ve since had our postpartum visit and I can report that Erica is going above and beyond to ensure Curtis continues to grow and thrive. I am so proud of Erica and Charles and the way they have grown into Curtis’ parents!

Katie and Matt welcomed their son on April 11 which also happened to be their dating anniversary. It’s as if their son knew that was an important day. Katie and Matt were students in my Birth Essentials 7-week series, investing many hours in preparing for birth. Katie is a researcher and a seeker of information, so she was always interested in options and best practices. But when her low-risk pregnancy ended up going for the long haul, the possibility of an induction became the reality. Katie had to let go of a lot of how she imagined her birth might go and was worried it might veer in a direction she feared. We had a chat the day before she went in so try to quell her fears and encourage her. Katie was nervous but she was also excited to know she would be meeting her son.

The original plan was to get admitted to the hospital on the evening of April 9, Easter Sunday. However, there were no available beds when they first called. The delay was short-lived though, and Katie was admitted by 7:30 that night. Her cervix was not showing imminent signs of labor so it would need a bit of coaxing (aka ripening). The doctor recommended Cytotec since Katie was dilated somewhere between 0-1 cm depending on who you ask. Katie wisely took some iv medication to aid with rest that night and got a solid 5 hours. Benadryl for the win!

Later the following morning, with modest dilation of 1 cm, the midwife on call thought a Cook Balloon was the best next step along with Pitocin.  A membrane sweep was also done in the hope of releasing some prostaglandins to aid in the process. The cramps from the balloon were very uncomfortable but Katie soldiered on all afternoon and evening. The balloon was out just before 11:00 pm and she was dilated 5-6 cm with a good amount of bloody show. Pitocin was going to start at 11:45 pm.

Katie’s contractions were erratic initially, some were mild, and some were very strong. She was feeling the emotional and physical exhaustion that comes with a long ripening and induction process and thought an epidural would be a good decision. Katie wanted to time it right so as to hopefully not slow down her momentum. Matt was her steady support through it all, right there backing up every decision she made. His loving care for her was so endearing.

Katie moved forward with an epidural and was feeling relief after 2:00 am. Her contractions continued ranging from 2-4 minutes apart, so they didn’t slow down much at all. Her body was overcome with labor shakes, so it was clear her body had succumbed to labor. And an hour later Katie was dilated 8 cm! It seemed that her timing for the epidural was perfect.

Katie was laboring in various positions using the peanut ball, on one side and then the other. Next she labored upright in the throne position so as to encourage her son to move further down in her pelvis. Katie and Matt’s attitudes were so wonderful, and they maintained their sense of humor through the rigorous process. They had grown so “close” to the hospital equipment that they had named some of them. The blood pressure cuff was Puff Daddy, the pulse oximeter was ET, and the IV tower was deemed Carsoganus.

Katie was fully dilated by 5:25 am! Her midwife broke her water and then we had her lay on her right side with her top leg draped on the rolling side table beside the bed. There was a lot of creative use of hospital equipment to help her baby out and it worked so well because Katie gave her first push at 6:18 am. She was a very good pusher because that first push made it clear that no further laboring down was necessary. The praise and worship playlist was started and Katie was pushing full force.

The doctor arrived at 6:45 am and after just over an hour of pushing, Gabriel was born at 7:39 am on April 11 to the joyful cries of his parents. Love bubbled over as Katie held her son outside for the first time.

Gabriel weighed 6 lb. 14 oz. and was 20.25 in long. He was perfect and clearly would have stayed in his mom even longer if he hadn’t been evicted. He was born healthy and strong, which was always the most important goal to his parents. When they were settled and had a chance to bring her baby to the breast, I gathered my things to let these new parents soak in their baby boy and hopefully get some food and rest too. Katie explained to me that her birth became a spiritual experience of surrender. She was reminded that she couldn’t control things and the best plan was to let go and let God. It was a beautiful culmination of preparation, trust, and anticipation and I am so grateful to have been able to watch it unfold.

Regina got used to nightly contractions. As she lay down to bed, her uterus went to work getting ready. The texts to me were frequent, and so much so that I reminded Regina that it was best to ignore and minimize the late pregnancy/pre-labor contractions unless or until they were consistently getting longer and stronger at 5 minutes apart or closer.

A week went by and then a text: I’m in labor. 5 cm. It was a startling text but Regina was in triage and calmly waiting until she was moved to her proper labor and delivery room. She assured me she was still comfortable, and it was not an emergency. But I knew with her history that her cervix could open right up at any time, so I got there within the hour.

When I arrived, she caught me up on the timetable. She woke at 7:00 am to contractions that were strong but spaced. She spoke with the midwife, made arrangements for the care of her girls, and then proceeded to the hospital. The midwife tried to break her water at 11:35 am to keep momentum going but it was not confirmed whether she was successful. So, I encouraged Regina to try various positions as she waited for her labor to move into active. She rested over the CUB on the bed, and I applied a heating pad to her back. She updated friends and family by phone since her contractions were not yet requiring all her focus.

Her midwife returned and hinted that her baby might be OP so we were more strategic with positioning. Regina found lavender relaxing, so she leaned in to smell the lavender doused cotton ball taped to her wrist. She labored in the throne position and placed one foot on the squat bar and then the other. And by 2:00 pm her contractions had moved closer at a steady 3 minutes apart.

Regina felt a lot of pressure during one bathroom trip so I recommended she might give the shower a try. With dim lights (votives) and the lavender on a washcloth, Regina spent time in the shower and soon felt like her contractions weren’t as close. (They were.)

At 2:45 pm another midwife came in to do a check since Regina’s midwife was otherwise engaged, and announced she was dilated 8 cm, 90% effaced, and her baby was at 0 station. These were big numbers! Regina felt a lot of pressure and told us so. “Is it too late for the epidural?” she asked. And while it technically wasn’t, it likely would have been too much trouble for too little relief. We stepped up the support and helped Regina move into different positions to help her progress and pain management.

Her midwife joined us right before 3:00 pm and Regina insisted, “She’s coming! I can’t hold it.” She moved to her hands and knees at 3:20 but did not like it, so she rolled to her side. It was not comfortable either, but then again at that point in labor not much is. Regina breathed through the last contractions before second stage and at 3:47 pm her midwife checked and confirmed, “Your baby is right here at +2.”

“I need a break,” Regina stammered. It was 4:00 and she had been working much of the day on this baby. We validated her hard work and assured her she would have a break very soon. I reminded her to push right into the pain and not to back away from it. Regina continued, but she struggled with pushing into the pain.

There was a forebag remaining, so her midwife broke it after Regina consented. We were hopeful her baby would come right on down and out, but she didn’t. Regina pull pushed with the rebozo, and thirty minutes later she pushed in the traditional way. But her baby wasn’t coming. Regina had hit a major wall and she didn’t feel she could persist. She was tired and over it all. The doctor came in and discussed options including assisting with the delivery, and a c-section was even brought up as a last resort. “That! I want that.” Regina insisted that was what she wanted to do, and we were all confused and shocked. She was adamant! What do you do? 

Meeting big sister!

It was a relief to everyone but most of all to Regina to have her baby safely in her arms. Regina birthed her without a tear and had her daughter on the breast with little effort. Eliana weighed 6 lb. and was 19.5 in. long. Ultimately, Regina had to get to the point of being ready to have her baby. There was the final bit of work to be done and in the moment it felt impossible. But then she did it. Regina is a woman who gets things done! And I was so proud of her that day. She is back into her busy life now and we are trying to get her postpartum visit scheduled nearly a month out. (She’s that busy!) But I am confident she is adjusting to being a single mom of three surprisingly well. I also know that she has a village of support which makes a big difference. It was an honor to witness her strength in birth.