baby girl
Can you believe it? I am actually doing doula-type things again! I attended the birth of a baby girl this morning.
A little background. This was the couple's third child. The first labor was extremely long (38 hours) and resulted in a very exhausted mom and a baby boy. I did not attend this birth but she did have a doula with her during the birth. Baby was posterior and she vomited with almost every contraction. After 32 hours of labor she requested an epidural. Some six hours later her baby was born.
I attended this couple with baby number 2. After her first experience we weren't sure quite what to expect. I assured her it would not be as long as her first labor, as second babies tend to come quicker. We were all shocked when her labor began around 3:15am and her daughter was born at 5:25am.
None of us could really begin to imagine how this labor would progress. Yesterday I was thinking about the couple all day. They were certainly on my radar as I accompanied my son on his class picnic yesterday. I took my phone with me on the field trip and nearly jumped out of my skin when it rang (It was my husband, not my clients.). Then last night as I was getting ready for bed I was thinking of them again. I just had that feeling. I then chastised myself for not going to bed sooner. The phone rang around 11:30 it was M saying that C's water had just broke. "We like to try and do this differently every time" was the dad's comment. She was not having any contractions yet so they told me to stay home for a while. I tried to read a bit more until the shot of adrenelin and excitement wore down. After about 20 minutes, I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.
Next phone call came at 2:30. Dad says not to rush, but the contractions have started and they now want some company. I wash my face, get dressed and am out the door a little before 3am. I put my birth cd(Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco) in my car cd player and head off into the night. I arrive and find mom chatty and walking around. I observe her for about 10 minutes and the contractions start to pick up. "Oh, I remember this, I really didn't like this..." I assure her she is doing great. After about 20 minutes, her contractions are coming every 5 minutes and lasting 45 seconds to a minute. She begins to feel nauseous. She was nauseous and vomiting in both her other labors. She looks just like she did at her last labor, I call the dad and we decide to head off to the hospital.
We arrive in triage and she appears to be in active labor. She is vocalizing and vomiting with each contraction. The nurse checks her and finds her to be dilated to 3. We are all a little taken aback by this! This is not labor number 2! We gather her things and make our way to her labor room. Per her request, there is a room with a tub available. We settle into the room and not long after, she announces she is feeling pushy. Midwife checks her and finds her still at 3 but now 80% effaced. We talk her into getting into the tub. This mom really does not like to move during labor, but she is willing to try and get to the tub. Once in the tub, she seems to relax more, but is still vomiting with each contraction. She stays in the tub for about 30 minutes, but cant' seem to get comfortable and wants to get out and be checked again. The thought of having to move again is hard for her to comprehend, but she is willing and we help her back to the bed. The midwife checks her again and she is now 7 centimeters. A big change! And in a short amount of time! We ask if she wants to get back into the tub, but she cannot fathom moving again. She feels exhausted and wants it to all be over. We convice her to get on her hands and knees. Within a few seconds of getting her into this next position, she says she has to push and her body does so voluntarily. The baby's head is out within the first two pushes. One more big push and her daughter is born!
Exciting.
Thrilling.
Wonderful.
A little background. This was the couple's third child. The first labor was extremely long (38 hours) and resulted in a very exhausted mom and a baby boy. I did not attend this birth but she did have a doula with her during the birth. Baby was posterior and she vomited with almost every contraction. After 32 hours of labor she requested an epidural. Some six hours later her baby was born.
I attended this couple with baby number 2. After her first experience we weren't sure quite what to expect. I assured her it would not be as long as her first labor, as second babies tend to come quicker. We were all shocked when her labor began around 3:15am and her daughter was born at 5:25am.
None of us could really begin to imagine how this labor would progress. Yesterday I was thinking about the couple all day. They were certainly on my radar as I accompanied my son on his class picnic yesterday. I took my phone with me on the field trip and nearly jumped out of my skin when it rang (It was my husband, not my clients.). Then last night as I was getting ready for bed I was thinking of them again. I just had that feeling. I then chastised myself for not going to bed sooner. The phone rang around 11:30 it was M saying that C's water had just broke. "We like to try and do this differently every time" was the dad's comment. She was not having any contractions yet so they told me to stay home for a while. I tried to read a bit more until the shot of adrenelin and excitement wore down. After about 20 minutes, I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.
Next phone call came at 2:30. Dad says not to rush, but the contractions have started and they now want some company. I wash my face, get dressed and am out the door a little before 3am. I put my birth cd(Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco) in my car cd player and head off into the night. I arrive and find mom chatty and walking around. I observe her for about 10 minutes and the contractions start to pick up. "Oh, I remember this, I really didn't like this..." I assure her she is doing great. After about 20 minutes, her contractions are coming every 5 minutes and lasting 45 seconds to a minute. She begins to feel nauseous. She was nauseous and vomiting in both her other labors. She looks just like she did at her last labor, I call the dad and we decide to head off to the hospital.
We arrive in triage and she appears to be in active labor. She is vocalizing and vomiting with each contraction. The nurse checks her and finds her to be dilated to 3. We are all a little taken aback by this! This is not labor number 2! We gather her things and make our way to her labor room. Per her request, there is a room with a tub available. We settle into the room and not long after, she announces she is feeling pushy. Midwife checks her and finds her still at 3 but now 80% effaced. We talk her into getting into the tub. This mom really does not like to move during labor, but she is willing to try and get to the tub. Once in the tub, she seems to relax more, but is still vomiting with each contraction. She stays in the tub for about 30 minutes, but cant' seem to get comfortable and wants to get out and be checked again. The thought of having to move again is hard for her to comprehend, but she is willing and we help her back to the bed. The midwife checks her again and she is now 7 centimeters. A big change! And in a short amount of time! We ask if she wants to get back into the tub, but she cannot fathom moving again. She feels exhausted and wants it to all be over. We convice her to get on her hands and knees. Within a few seconds of getting her into this next position, she says she has to push and her body does so voluntarily. The baby's head is out within the first two pushes. One more big push and her daughter is born!
Exciting.
Thrilling.
Wonderful.
posted by T$ at
12:24 PM
3 Comments
