F and J started care with me in the first trimester of their fourth pregnancy. This was F’s third pregnancy with me. You can read about her previous journeys here and here.
F’s pregnancy progressed better than any of her others due to therapy for her diastsis recti separation which helped strengthen her core and pelvic floor and being more aggressive with management of her anemia. She felt much better through out this pregnancy.
At 545pm a week before her due date, F sent a text telling me contractions were 5 minutes apart, lasting 50 seconds. She felt this was probably labor, but wanted to try a shower and see what happens. F has a history of precipitous labor, and of course this was the worst night of the week for me as I have my two younger kiddos and my husband is at church. As F is also my friend and client, I reminded her that the hubby wasn’t home and if she waited too long to call things, I can dart her way with the kids, but to drop them off will double my time. She said she wanted to see what the shower did first.
J called me at 6pm. He was working on the opposite side of Houston, and was going to take about 90 minutes to get home. We agreed to keep each other in the loop as we were both a little anxious knowing F could deliver pretty quickly!
F sent a text at 617pm stating “This is it.” I immediately called her to get what she wanted me to do. She said she felt that we had time for me to drop my kids off, so I rushed out the door to drop them off an head her way.
I alerted my apprentices to start heading that way. One of my apprentices lived fairly close to F, and the other was somewhat in the area, so both arrived shortly after 7pm.
Apprentice A at first sent me a text saying that F was doing well, and that she should hold out the rest of my drive. However, things quickly changed! At 716pm, A sent a text saying F was grunty and felt pushy with the last two contractions. Oh crap! Of course she did!! I drove was quickly as I could to get there.
Apprentice S sent a text at 723pm stating F’s water had just broken. I knew it was going to be very hard for her to hold things back now. I told my apprentices to encourage F to blow as much as she could through contractions, and that I was about 10 minutes away.
733pm, J walked in the door as F could no longer hold back the urge to push. Baby was at a +3 station and coming quickly.
F was laying on her left side as baby began to crown a minute later, following quickly by the birth of the baby’s head. I walked in the door as the baby came quickly into A’s waiting hands. This sweet little guy was here in quite the fast and furious journey!
Welcome to the world, Keegan! Born earthside on November 7th, 2018 at 735pm, weighing in at 8lb 2ozs, 19.75″ long.
His journey was quite healing for F, after the very rough journey her last little one gave her. We were thankful that things went so smoothly this time.
It was such a blessing to work with this wonderful family a third time!
#sacredjourneymidwifery
