S and J started care with me at the end of the first trimester of their seventh pregnancy. They had their last baby at home with me, and you can read about that journey here.
Traditionally, S’s babies liked to come at 41-42 weeks. However, S was experiencing a lot more discomfort this time around. At 39.4 weeks, she had been up since the middle of the night with an irritable uterus. We talked a couple times that day, and S decided she wanted to come over and see if a mini labor encouragement would do anything to get her into labor.
S arrived in the middle of the afternoon for labor encouragement. She drank some strong herbal tea, then we did an exam. S was 2cm dilated, 50% effaced, and baby a -3 station. While doing the membrane sweep, S had a contraction which changed her cervix to 3cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a -3 station.
I recommended staying hydrated and some activity, and let me know how things go.
Early labor contractions began at 4pm while S was on a walk. S continued to stay busy through out the evening. At 745pm, contractions were every 2 minutes and were a lot stronger. S spent the next hour really questioning herself and what she was experiencing. After talking to us midwives and her husband, S asked us to come.
We arrived at 930pm, and found S laboring around her bedroom, clearly in transition. She apologized for calling us over if this was a false alarm, which I quickly told her this was not a false alarm. She continued to question if she was in active labor the entire time.
S asked to be checked when we arrived, and we found her to be 6cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station.
After the exam, S alternated walking around her room and sitting on the toilet. She was feeling a lot of sacral pressure with her contractions. We continued to finish filling the birth pool so that it would soon be ready for S.
We told S she could get in the pool at 951pm, where she proceeded to question us if it was really time to get into the pool. J told her it was definitely time to get into the pool, and she readily got into the pool, alternating between semi reclining and laboring on her knees.
Things moved fast. As 10pm came, S began to moan and state she was feeling some pressure. S began to spontaneously push at 1006pm kneeling in the birth pool, and her precious baby girl was earthside a minute later.
Welcome to the world, Theadora! Born earthside on October 1st, 2019 at 1007pm, weighing in at 8lbs 2ozs, 20.75in long. Her mama was so powerful through her fast labor. Theadora is so loved by her six older siblings.
#sacredjourneymidwifery
