Birth Story of Bradley

E and L began care with me in the end of their third trimester.  They were unhappy with their care and decided they would try and switch to have the home birth they had wanted the entire pregnancy. February 4, E began to have some contractions that felt different, that stayed close every 2-5 minutes, lasting under a minute.  That night she slept and got some good rest, and woke to the contractions keeping their pattern.  Around 11am, I stopped by E’s house to check in on her and baby.  She was 4cm dilated, 90% effaced and baby was at a 0 station.  I swept her membranes per her consent, and immediately contractions picked up, becoming stronger and more consistent. I left for my home, but no sooner I got home than E called me back.  Things were really picking up and she was ready for me to come back. I arrived at 1330 and found E sitting on her birth ball, concentrating during contractions that were coming every 3 minutes, lasting a minute long.  Her cervix was now 6cm dilated, 100% effaced and baby at a 0 station.  Progress was made.  E moved into hands and knees to get through the next few contractions. For the next hour we worked on filling the birth pool.  E alternated her position, changing things as positions felt good.  Leaning over a counter, then knee chest.  E asked for her hips to be squeezed during a few contractions. The pool was ready at 1500 and E got in and sank into the warm water. Nausea started to come on to her, so we pulled out the peppermint oil to help nausea subside. Over the next couple hours, E alternated positions in the pool.  Rocking through each contraction.  They seemed to be coming every 2.5-3 minutes, lasting 70-80 seconds. At 1730 I did a cervical check and found E to be 7cm dilated, 100% effaced and baby at a +1 station.  Her cervix was tight and seemed to have some scar tissue on it.  E agreed to let me massage on it during a contraction. E soon got out of the tub and moved to the shower to try something different.  The intensity of the contractions changed, and E became more vocal with each contraction.  From the shower she moved to the bed and laid on her left side for while. 1847 E asked to be examined and she was now 8cm dilated.  She felt encouraged by the progress.  She soon moved to the toilet and sat there for a few contractions.  We warmed the birth pool while she labored on the toilet. At 1932 E got back into the birth pool, laboring on her knees.  As 2000 was nearing, E stated she was feeling a lot more pressure.  Thirty minutes later, E asked to be examined since she felt like pushing.  There had been no cervical change. E was upset about no change despite what she was feeling.  I gave her some rescue remedy to help comfort her.  We encouraged her that she was doing amazing and she would be holding that baby soon. Quarter to 9, E decided to get out of the tub so she could rest on the bed.  At 2050 E began to spontaneously push, exclaiming there was so much pressure.  Two minutes later, baby’s head was seen on the perineum.  At 2054, E’s water broke as baby began to crown, followed by the birth of her sweet baby at 2055.  When he was ready to be born, he was ready! Welcome to the world sweet boy, born earthside on February 5, 2015 at 2055, weighing in at 8lbs, 8ozs, 20″ in length.  Sweet boy is so loved by his sweet family and big sister.  It was a privilege to serve this family in their birth journey.