A and J started care with me in the first trimester of their sixth pregnancy. This was their second baby that I got to be their midwife. You can read about their first birth with me here.
A came to group prenatal on June 11th, and wanted to try some herbal tea and a sweep to see if it would get her labor going. She was ready to meet her baby, and was hoping to avoid having her baby around my surgery and needing a back up midwife.
When A arrived, she was already having some regular contractions. A drank the herbal tea during the group prenatal. At 3pm, when the event was over, we did vitals and a membrane sweep. A was 2-3cm dilated, 70% effaced, and baby was at a -2 station. She was feeling contractions about every 5 minutes, lasting 50 seconds in length. A went home, and we discussed when to call me to come.
A couple hours later, A requested for me to come. Her contractions were frequent and long, and she felt like she wanted me to be there. I, as well as the birth team, arrived about 545pm.
A was walking around the house, having to pause and breathe with contractions every 3 minutes, lasting 90 seconds. I suggested letting me do a set of ten lift and tucks with the rebozo, and A agreed.
After the lift and tuck, A felt that she was feeling more in her back and she was ready to get into the pool to labor.
A got out of the pool to use the toilet around 730pm. Since it had been almost 5 hours since our last exam, A agreed to an exam while out of the pool. I found her to be 4cm dilated, 80% effaced, and baby at a -2 station with a bulgy bag of water. I swept A’s membranes again. She decided to labor for a few contractions on the toilet.
At 8pm, A got back into the birth pool. She commented that her contractions just felt stronger on the toilet for some reason this labor. She periodically applied clary sage essential oil during her labor.
A got back out of the pool around 840pm to move to the toilet. She had been praying over the last 90 minutes for her water to break, but then realized she had been taking a large amount of collagen daily in pregnancy and may have a bag of steel. She asked me questions about breaking her water, which I answered. Contractions were 3-4 minutes apart, lasting 60-90 seconds, and palpated strong.
A walked around her bedroom, while waiting for T to come back. She snacked on a granola bar while we chatted.
T walked into the room around 915pm, and A began setting out a chux pad on the bed to lay on. I asked her what she was thinking, and she said it was time to break her water. She felt she could have a baby quickly if the bag was gone, and she was ready to get the show on the road.
I broke her water at 920pm. We had expected there to be a large amount of fluid, and it had not let us down. A was 6cm dilated, 90% effaced, and baby was at a -2 station.
A got right back into the pool to continue her labor journey. As 10pm neared, A began grunting at peaks. She felt baby was close, and he might come at any moment.
A got out of the pool shortly after 1030pm. She said the contractions just weren’t strong enough, and she didn’t think the baby was meant to come in the pool. She labored on the toilet. She began to actively push while on the toilet at 1033pm. A felt like he was right there, and I found him to be at a +3 at 1040pm. I began to gently coach A to squat over the toilet versus sit so that we could catch the baby.
The baby’s head was born at 1042pm, followed by the rest of his body a minute later while A squatted over the toilet. He was here!
Welcome to the world Seth, born on June 11, 2017 at 1043pm, weighing in at 8lbs 4ozs, 20″ long. Repeat clients are so special, and I am so blessed that I got to walk this journey with A and T for a second time. A did a perfect job at bringing her baby earthside in the way he needed to come.
#sacredjourneymidwifery