Off to a birth!!

dorothyh · 04-02-2007, 07:52 PM

My client has been having contractions all weekend, on and off. Today she woke up at 5:00 AM, and noticed they were more regular...they continued all day, and as the sun has set about an hour ago, they contractions have picked up in intensity.

She went to see her midwife this afternoon and she was 3 cm. 80% effaced, -1 station.

Send me good labor vibes, my fellow doulas!! I'll post the birth story when I get back.

MindOverLaborDoulas · 04-02-2007, 09:19 PM

earthgirl · 04-02-2007, 09:21 PM

CvilleDoula · 04-02-2007, 09:31 PM

OH exciting!!! I'll be thinking of you, momma and baby.

GOOD LUCK!

Jilian · 04-02-2007, 09:54 PM

I hope the birth goes well! It is great when moms start labor a few cms dilated. I can't wait to hear how the birth went!

doula Michele · 04-02-2007, 11:49 PM

I am getting so jealous, everyone is at a birth.... I don't have one till the 20th or so!

Hope it all goes well

JoyousLiz · 04-03-2007, 12:26 AM

Yay! I can't wait to hear back. I have been covered in paperwork, so I totally want to live through you

douladot · 04-03-2007, 06:25 AM

Hope it goes great, Dorothy! Let us know how it went!

Tarstar · 04-03-2007, 07:00 AM

Can't wait to hear the birth story!

~Tranquility~Doula · 04-03-2007, 08:49 AM

I hope you're home sleeping now! I can't wait to hear about it!

dorothyh · 04-03-2007, 05:46 PM

UPDATE:

I headed over to their house around 8:15 PM. Dad calls at 8:30, says she got in the tub and they spaced out, could I take my time coming over. I go to local B & N by their house, call, and tell him to let me know when they want me to come, that I'm at the B&N for now. I have coffee and some browsing. They call at 9:30, they are ready for me to come. When I get there, she is talking, laughing, has to do some breathing to get through contrax,contractions lasting 35 seconds - it's still early. I advise her to try to get some rest in between contractions if she can...so G and T go and rest in their room; I hang out in their extra room and get a little rest myself. At 11:30 PM, G gets up, contrax have definitely picked up, now 45 seconds long. She wants another bath, so back in the tub. At midnight in the tub her membranes rupture.

Off to hospital, we get there at 1:00 AM. She's on intermittant EFM for 20 min, laying on her side, (the nurse told her it was ok to stand, sit on the ball, etc. but mom elected to lay on her side) then off the monitor (that was the ONLY time she had the belts on!!)

Midwife Grace does internal - mom is 6 cm. 80% -1. Yay!!!

G wants to try jacuzzi, so it's into the jacuzzi! Grace asks if I have any lavender; she wants to add it to the bath. We set up bath with LED lights, music. G is sitting on birth ball while jacuzzi is getting set up.

Then off to the jacuzzi. G LOVES LOVES LOVES jacuzzi. And it is a nice big one too. She stays in from 1:45 - 3:15, and she starts to feel pushy. Grace checks - 8 cm. 100%, +1. She asks if G wants to stay in water a little longer. G stays in a little, but decides she wants to try something else. So out of the water and back to the room.

G. is on the ball again. She gets checked and there is a lip left and Grace asks if G wants her to push it out of the way and G declines. Now G is on her side, and Grace tells her to follow her body, if she wants to push with the urge that is fine.

It was the most peaceful pushing stage I've ever seen. No counting, no breath-holding, no "C" position, no dr or nurse in the vagina pushing or moving or stretching, just mom pushing with the urge, and quiet encouragement and support. The nurse checked the heartrate occasionally, but the belts were never put back on. Eventually you could see the baby's hair, and then peacefully, at 5:25 AM, baby Abigail was born, 8 bs. 6 oz.

And the cord was not cut until 6 minutes after the birth!! And the parents were there, holding her and singing "Good King Wenceslas" to the baby, all the stanzas (MANY stanzas), right after she was born, followed by "Happy Birthday". Maybe that's why the cord wasn't cut - no one wanted to interrupt the singing lol

It was an awesome, awesome birth. And I am so blessed to have been a part of it.

And how cool that Becky and I had births practically at the same time!!!!

JoyousLiz · 04-03-2007, 06:55 PM

That is amazing! I love the how the birth went! Thank you so much for sharing!

doula_leslie · 04-03-2007, 07:44 PM

Wonderful story- thanks for sharing!

birthisnatural · 04-03-2007, 08:19 PM

Awesome!!!!

betterbirths · 04-03-2007, 09:04 PM

Congrats. I get goose bumps evertime I read a birth story.