I met with E and J at 35 weeks along in their pregnancy.\u00a0 They had moved back to the area recently and although E had a provider, they were unhappy and were midwife hunting.\u00a0 It was essential for E to feel connected to her provider as J was not going to be present at their birth due to his job in the military.\u00a0 We connected and E came in for her first appointment the next week. E had two previous births and both baby’s came around their due date, so it was fully anticipated that we would have a beginning August baby.\u00a0 Due date came and went, and before we knew it we were 41 weeks pregnant!\u00a0 E had done three acupuncture session, herbs, oils, chiropractics… practically everything to encourage Miss Lucy to come earthside, but Lucy had other plans. E’s sister M was also expecting and due three weeks after E.\u00a0 It came as a surprise when M went into labor and had her baby first. E supported her sister as a doula being 41+ weeks pregnant. As we neared 42 weeks, things became emotional to say the least.\u00a0 We had to have a lot of talks we didn’t want to have due to the laws.\u00a0 E decided to do a membrane sweep on a Thursday.\u00a0 Followed with another Friday, in hopes that this would bring on labor.\u00a0 A membrane sweep was easy to do as E was 3cm dilated.\u00a0 She returned Friday morning and she was 4cm.\u00a0 Crampy, bloody show.\u00a0 So we were hopeful that this meant baby.\u00a0 We were now on a time table to have a baby before Monday. E decided she would like to call in my preferred acupuncturist for labor encouragement as well as another membrane sweep that evening.\u00a0 I arrived that evening to do the sweep and found E to be 4-5 cm dilated, 70% effaced and baby at a -1 station.\u00a0 Frank, the acupuncturist, soon arrived and began his treatment.\u00a0 E responded well and began contracting every 5-7 minutes, and soon contractions were a minute long.\u00a0 By midnight, contractions were every 3-4 minutes, lasting 70 seconds long and E stated she was confident she was in active labor and it was good to call the birth team.\u00a0 No one knew that Lucy planned to take her time. For the next few hours, E alternated resting with walking.\u00a0 A couple hours into labor, she decided she wanted her hep lock put in.\u00a0 E had hemorrhaged in the past and liked to have a hep lock in so she could receive fluids should she need them after the baby was born.\u00a0 An hour later, she took it out. \u00a0 \ud83d\ude42\u00a0 At 330 in the morning, we did a cervical check and found E to be 6\/70\/0.\u00a0 Contractions still were coming about every 3 minutes, lasting 70 seconds long. We had some adventures with the water hose that E bought for her water birth.\u00a0 No one realized the intensity the hose had when you put it down, so the bed room got a good spray several times through out the night and next day. Soon it was morning.\u00a0 E drank some CALM powder to give her energy and help her blood pressure, and began to use the breast pump to encourage stronger contractions.\u00a0 She continued alternating resting with walking. At 11, we did an exam and found E to be 7\/90\/-1.\u00a0 After a lot of discussion and prayer, E decided she would like her water artificially broken to see if this would make labor progress more quickly.\u00a0 Contractions were about every 5 minutes, and E wanted to have a baby. Contractions soon became more intense, and E got into the birth pool.\u00a0 Things became serious.\u00a0 She liked it quiet.\u00a0 I gave her some herbs and homeopathics to bring contractions closer together. It is so lovely how beautifully God orchestrated Lucy’s arrival earth side.\u00a0 Due to the timing of Lucy’s birth, J was given early release to fly back to Houston to be here with E.\u00a0 It was such an array of emotions watching a husband and wife be united after separation for several weeks, and the emotions around the fact that J wasn’t so suppose to be here.\u00a0 God is so good. It was obvious E’s uterus was becoming fatigued.\u00a0 We were definitely in transition, but contractions were very spaced, coming every 7-9 minutes.\u00a0 E rested in between and commented repeatedly that the contractions were so very intense.\u00a0 She couldn’t handle it if they were any closer. In the 3 o’clock hour, E stated she felt like she was going to need to push soon.\u00a0 Just as the clock turned 4, E began to push with contractions.\u00a0 Soon the head was visible with pushing.\u00a0 E made the whole room bust into laughter when I applied counter pressure to her perineum with the commentary she made.\u00a0 <3 After a long day of labor, baby Lucy was born in the water at 4:18 in the afternoon on Saturday, August 17, 2013.\u00a0 Mama and papa rejoiced over their sweet baby girl. Lucy nursed like a champ.\u00a0 Mama was quite exhausted from the long labor.\u00a0 They cuddled in bed, nursing.\u00a0 And then enjoyed their bonding in the herbal bath. Such a privilege to have been part of sweet Lucy’s birth.\u00a0 Welcome to the world you not so tiny baby girl!\u00a0 Weighing in at 10.4#, 22″ long.\u00a0 Your mama is so amazing.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I met with E and J at 35 weeks along in their pregnancy.\u00a0 They had moved back to the area recently and although E had a provider, they were unhappy and were midwife hunting.\u00a0 It was essential for E to feel connected to her provider as J was not going to be present at their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":35,"featured_media":1086,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n