J and J started care with me in the first trimester of their fourth pregnancy. I had been their midwife for their previous two babies, and was looking forward to helping them for a third time. You can read about their previous journey’s here and here.
J had a history of truly big babies, and she liked the plan we had previously done at starting labor encouraging at 37 weeks. For her 37th week, she started a homeopathic protocol to try and start the softening and opening process on her cervix, before we started membrane sweeps and herbs at 38 weeks.
On February 7th, 2020 at 38.1 weeks, J came for her weekly appointment and first membrane sweep. I found her cervix to be 2cm dilated, 50% effaced, and baby at a -4 station. The plan was made for her to plan to come twice the following day, as it always seems to help kick her into labor when she comes twice.
On February 8th, 2020, J came over at 11am and 4pm for membrane sweeps. Her sweep at 11am made her feel pretty crampy, and she was hopeful the 4pm sweep would kick her into labor. In between the sweeps, she went over to see the chiropractor for an adjustment to help things move along smoothly.
J was 3cm dilated, 60% effaced, and baby at a -2 station when I did a final sweep at 4pm, and J was on her way home by 445pm, hoping that she would be calling sometime late this evening/early morning needing our support.
J felt labor really started at 5pm while they were driving home. She sent me pictures of bloody show making sure it was normal at 623pm. She said contractions were very strong, but she had not timed them. I encouraged her to time 3-4 contractions so we knew what things were looking like, and know best when to come.
At 640pm, she sent a timer that showed contractions were coming every 2 minutes, lasting 45 seconds. She had asked her friend to come on over, but did not think the birth team needed to come yet. Her opinion on that rapidly changed, when she called at 655pm, wanting my opinion. She was vocal during contractions, and I told her we would all be on our way. I live about an hour from J, but was ready to go, and promptly walked out the door.
While I was driving, I got a text from J’s husband stating that J was feeling a lot of pressure like she wanted to push. I was still 30 minutes out, and did not want J to deliver alone if possible since she had a previous sticky baby. He later called, where I was able to instruct him to get J off the toilet until the first member of the birth team arrived to help decrease the pressure she was feeling.
I arrived at 750pm, and quickly got into the house where I found J laboring hard on the toilet, moaning and grunting loudly with contractions. After helping her focus, J moved quickly to her bedroom at 8pm where she wanted to push and birth her baby.
J was sitting on the edge of her bed, leaning against J and spontaneously pushing at 801pm. She listened to her body with perfection, and at 803pm, her baby’s head still intact in his bag of water was crowning. With the full pressure of the next contraction, J birthed her baby as her bag of water ruptured. After an incredibly fast and furious labor journey, her baby was here!
Welcome to the world, Paul! Born earthside on February 8th, 2020 at 804pm, weighing in at 9lbs, 20in long. J had told me the last couple weeks of pregnancy that Paul means “small” and she had been praying that his name would be fitting for his size at birth, which ended up being true. Although 9lbs seems big to a lot of women, this was actually small for J! She had gotten her wish for this little guy.
It is always a blessing to get to support repeat clients, and I am so honored to have helped this couple for a third time.
#sacredjourneymidwifery
Photos taken by Nurturing Image Photogrpahy.
Birth gown provided by Dressed to Deliver.
