Birth Story of Tobias

D and T started care with me in the first trimester of their first pregnancy. D was super excited about her pregnancy and planning her home birth.

At 38.6 weeks is when D entered her birthing time. T came home at 3am that morning from work. D had been asleep. Contractions woke D at 330am, that immediately started coming every 2 minutes, lasting 20-30 seconds and D was having some bloody show. T updated me with this info around 430am. I recommended eating, hydrating, bath, and rest and reviewed when I would come.

T sent a text at 635am saying contractions were now coming every 2 minutes lasting over a minute for an hour. We decided I would head their way at about 8am, however things changed. T texted at 7am saying D was starting to feel a lot of pressure and wanted to push.

My husband started rushing back home from his meeting, and I darted out the door to get to T and D and see what was up.

I arrived at 744am and found D laboring on her left side in bed. Since she was feeling so much pressure, I started vitals with an exam. D was 4cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station. I could feel a bulgy bag of water. I also noted cervical scaring on her cervix. I attempted to massage the scar tissue, but D felt it was too uncomfortable.

D moved to laboring on her knees in the bed. Contractions were coming every 2-2.5 minutes, 60-75 seconds in length. My birth assistant arrived and began to set up the pool.

I talked to D about trying open knee chest to get the baby away from putting so much pressure. I got her into position at 815am, and talked to her about staying in that position for about 40 minutes. I sent a text to D’s chiro, and she agreed to head that way as well to adjust her.

D was such a trooper through those long 40 minutes! D said she was ready for me to work on her scar tissue at this point. A few minutes passed 9am, I did D’s exam and massaged the scar tissue. D was 5cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station. I massaged on the scar tissue through a contraction, and the scar tissue broke up on my fingers. D’s cervix was very stretchy at this point.

D’s chiro Nora arrived at 915am to adjust her. She worked on her, and D felt some relief. D was beyond ready for the birth pool, which was now filled enough and ready. D got into the birth pool at 930am, and alternated laboring on her knees and semi reclining.

Contractions were coming every 2.5-3 minutes, lasting 60-75 seconds in length. D was moaning with contractions, and said there was so much pressure. Different members of the birth team alternated providing hip squeezes and counter pressure. I began giving D an herbal tincture to help with coping.

T soon got into the pool with D, and was able to help with counter pressure and massage to help D stay comfortable.

D wanted an exam at 1130am. I found her to be 7cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station. I found that part of her cervix felt more swollen than the other side. I recommended doing a set of ten lift and tucks with the rebozo to help baby sit more evenly on the cervix. T did the lift and tucks, and D handled them like a champ! She was so strong! Contractions were coming every 2-2.5 minutes, lasting 75 seconds long.

After the lift and tuck, D said there was “so much pressure” and that things felt different. she moved to laboring on her knees, listening well to her body. D asked for an exam at 1235pm. She was 8cm dilated, and baby at a +1 station. Her anterior portion of the cervix was more swollen than the posterior now, so we discussed doing captain morgan with slutty circles. D got into position on her knees, and beautifully did the position for three contractions on each leg.

The pressure was building, and D was moaning with contractions. We surrounded her with support and encouragement as she perfectly listened to her body to allow her body and baby to work together.

D had an anterior lip and baby at a +1 station at 125pm. D said it hurt too much for me to reduce her lip, so we encouraged D to blow through a few contractions until she couldn’t blow through them anymore.

D’s water broke a moment later, and the pressure changed. D began to bear down at the peaks for a few contractions, before spontaneously beginning to push at 140pm. She was now 10cm dilated, and baby was at a +2 station.

D was feeling tired, and we decided to try tug of war with the rebozo to give D some extra strength to get baby under the pubic bone. My apprentice A did tug of war with D with contractions, and it worked so well!

Right before 2pm, baby was at a +3. D was pushing so well! T assisted D in getting into a supported squat to help with pushing, while D and A continued to do tug of war.

D’s mom and sister were brought into the room for delivery as D wanted. The head was sitting on the perineum at 203pm, and began crowning a minute later. I talked D through the pressure she was feeling, and she delivered the head smoothly at 205pm. The baby had a nuchal cord, that I somersaulted the baby out of as he was born a minute later. He was here!