Birth Story of Ezra

H and J started prenatal care with me early in their third pregnancy.  H had previously had two easy hospital deliveries, and was now looking to experience a home birth.  We had worked together in the past at a few births as H is a doula, and I was looking forward to being her midwife. Pregnancy progressed fairly easy and uncomplicated.  In the middle of her 38th week, H started having some issues with headaches and vision issues.  Everything looked great  otherwise, but we decided together that we would go ahead and sweep membranes and see about working baby out to be safe.  At 38.5 weeks, I swept H’s membranes.  She was 3cm, 60% effaced and baby was at a 0 station. H went home and deep cleaned her house!  It made me smile.  She couldn’t labor with a messy house so she cleaned and vacuumed and had J steam mop the floors too!  I told her later when I walked in that I had never been in such a clean house for a delivery! I arrived at H’s house a little before 1pm to do a quick check up.  She was having some regular contractions, but they were still mild.  I did an exam and found her to be 5cm and 80% effaced.  I helped her wrap her belly with the moby wrap since her abdomen was pendulous and sent her to walk outside with her husband.  Slowly a couple birth team members trickled in.  H alternated doing some captain morgan’s and rocking on her ball to help baby move down with walking. In the 4pm hour, H started to get frustrated that things weren’t moving as fast.  She had had fast labors in the past so it was frustrating to see contractions stay at a stand still, not getting stronger and not progressing as quickly.  H decided she wanted to be alone for awhile.  J napped and H and big sister H went to the grocery store to get some ingredients to make energy balls for labor. I arrived back close to 7pm and things had picked up.  Contractions were now coming every 4 minutes, lasting a minute long.  H was rocking her hips, and leaning over the counter during contractions. H kept moving positions for the next hour.  From leaning over the counter, to bouncing on her ball to trying to lay on her side in the bed.  Her back was achy and crampy, and it was hard to find a good position that felt good. Close to 8pm, we did an exam.  H was now 6cm and 100% effaced.  Good changes were happening.  We were hopeful things would pick up for her soon, as her last baby was born less than an hour after she was 7cm.  This little guy had his own journey in mind though! H was ready to get in the birth pool.  She got in and sat, snacking on a banana, before getting on her knees and leaning over the birth pool.  She labored in the birth pool for an hour before deciding it was time to get out since the contractions had spaced. H got out, and we had her get in a knee chest position.  Her doula and the birth assistant used the rebozo to do the “booty shake” on her to help get the oxytocin going and jiggle the baby in a better position.  I then recommended H go out for a walk.  She went out with J and big sister and enjoyed the sunset. H came back inside for a little while, leaning over the counter during contractions.  Contractions picked up again, coming every 2-2.5 minutes, lasting 45 seconds.  H ate a little snack and went for another walk with J. As 11pm came, H asked to be checked.  I found her to be basically the same.  H felt pretty emotional.  Things were moving slower than she thought and going a whole different path than she expected.  J and I talked with her, and J prayed over her.  I left them in the room for H to get a nap and build back her energy. Half past midnight H got up and said she couldn’t sleep.  Contractions were coming every 5 minutes, and she couldn’t sleep well.  She snacked a bit while standing, doula providing counter pressure with contractions.  I suggested H go try standing in the shower to see if it helped with the back and hip pain. For the next couple hours, H really worked different positions to see if it helped get baby down and out!  She tried hands and knees and then would walk around the house.  She would rock on her ball, and then try slow dancing with J through contractions.  Contractions were now coming about every 3 minutes, lasting 75 seconds. Close to 3am, H stated she was starting to have an occasional pushy urge.  She decided she was ready to try the pool again, so we warmed it up and she got in the pool and kneeled. H moved to her left side in the pool for a few surges, then tried leaning over the pool.  H asked for a check at 3:40am, and she was 8cm and baby at a +1 station.  She stayed in the pool for a little while, then decided to get out.  She was tired, and decided to try laying in the bed and resting.  She started on her right side, then moved to her left.  She rotated her sides ever so often in the bed over the next 90 minutes.  H would sleep hard during her break, and moan softly through each contraction.  She would look at us and say “What should I do ladies?” and before we could answer she would be sleeping hard again.  I was happy to see her getting rest. About 615am, H got up and stood at her counter, eating a slice of toast.  She became emotional as the contractions kept rolling in and asked me to just break her water.  It appeared to me that we were definitely deep in transition and baby had to be close. H went to lay on her bed.  At 637am, I did an exam and found her to be completely dilated and baby at a +2 with a bulgy bag.  H requested I still break her bag, so I ruptured her forebag and she moved into hands and knees and began spontaneously pushing.  The urge quite present now to push. Six minutes later, the baby’s head was crowning, followed by the whole baby a minute later.  It was so fast.  I joked to H that I don’t often have a mama just “sleep” through transition, but I would recommend the way she went through transition. H was definitely thrown for quite the journey with this sweet boy.  How emotional and stretching it was for mama and me, as not only her midwife but as her friend helping her through the journey.  So honored to help this sweet couple welcome their third baby into the world! Welcome to the world Ezra!  Born earthside on March 20, 2015 at 6:49am, weighing in at 7lbs 14ozs, 19.25″ long.  Such a privilege to be part of your birthing day!