C and C had their first baby with me in March 2013.  It was a tough labor, but C rocked it!  She loved her home birth experience so much, that she was talking and planning her second home birth long before she was pregnant.  To read C’s first home birth story, click here. I was one of the first to get a picture of the positive pregnancy test.  C’s pregnancy was wonderful.  Early in the third trimester, it started to become clear that this little one was going to be bigger than his big brother. C was anxious to have her baby by her due date for a few reasons.  After many discussion, C and I made plans to try a few things once she was 39 weeks with the understanding that nothing can coax a baby out if baby is not ready. The day after Christmas, C came to my office for a membrane sweep.  Cervix was 3cm, 60% effaced and baby at a -1 station.  I swept her membranes and worked on cervical scar tissue.  I gave C homeopathy and the protocol for labor encouragement.  The homeopathy protocol works by day 6 if the body is ready.  Baby felt 8.8-9#.   Big brother was born at 8.8#. Three days later, I saw C at 39.5.  She had acupuncture that morning to encourage labor, and on day four of the homeopathy.  C decided to do one more sweep.  Cervix was now 4cm, 70% effaced and baby still at a -1.  Baby felt 9+#. Early new years eve morning, C’s guess date, C text me saying that she thought today was the day.  Knowing C, she had though labor was starting multiple times and I teased her about wishful thinking as she had hoped to deliver by her guess date.  After chatting awhile, C decided around 630am that she wanted me to come to the house and do an assessment.  I got up and left soon after to head her way. I pulled in around 7:20.  C’s inlaws were there to take her toddler to their house.  I observed C for a couple moments and could tell that she was indeed in labor.  Her contractions were much more serious than they had been they last couple times she thought she was in labor.  I did an initial assessment and found C to be 6cm, 90% effaced and baby at a -1 station.  I unloaded my van of birth supplies and got in touch with my birth assistant to head this way. The flurry of activity slowed contractions a little.  C sat on the birth ball, chatting with me.  She went to the kitchen and put some lactation cookies in the oven to snack on.  Her doula arrived around 9, and the contractions began to pick up a little, coming every 4 minutes, lasting 45 seconds.  We sat together, chatting and watching Call the Midwife.  I would tease her about her tax deduction count down.  🙂 C decided she wanted to go for a walk to get things a little more active.  C and her doula went with her to walk the neighborhood.  Birth assistant arrived and we began setting things up for delivery. 10:45 C asked me to do an exam.  She was now 7cm, 100% effaced and baby still enjoying the -1 station.  C was shocked at how well she was managing this labor compared to last time.  Labor wasn’t very painful and she was chatty.  We joked for that it was all the raw milk she drank in pregnancy that helped her pain threshold. After the check, I asked C to try to do what I call “the wild captain morgan.”  I had her side lunge and do some big hip circles.  We joked around and I helped her get the oxytocin flowing when I reminded her what Ina May says about the mouth.  Hehehe As noon came upon us, contractions were now every 3 minutes, lasting 90 seconds.  She got on her hands and knees, leaning on the ball and rocked and gently moaned through some contractions. She felt like things were changing and asked me to check again close to 12:20.  She was now 8cm dilated. We warmed the birth pool as she was feeling like it was time to get in.  She drank a glass of milk to help with the heartburn.  At 12:30, she sank into the comfort of the warm birth pool. As 1:30 neared, things were getting real.  Transition was rearing its head now.  Contractions were on top of each other.  C was feeling emotional and weepy.  We each comforted her, reminding her how amazing she was doing and baby was coming soon. A few minutes passed and C tried to assess herself.  She felt a ring of cervix and the bulging of the amniotic sac.  As 2pm neared, I did an exam since she was feeling pushy.  She was 9cm and baby was now at a 0 station. C got into the tub with C soon after, allowing C to get into a semi reclining position with the help of her husband.  Pressure was building. At 3pm, C had an anterior lip and baby was at a +1.  The lip was very stretchy and seemed to reduce itself during contractions.  During C’s last birth, the anterior lip was quite a problem and C’s urge to push was quite strong.  She gave it a few more minutes before beginning to push. C moved her position every few minutes.  First kneeling, then sitting, then semi reclining, seeing what felt best to push in.  At 3:30 her waters spontaneously ruptured. C got onto her left side to help with the stubborn lip, and blew through a few contractions.  She was feeling tired, and after talking, decided she wanted to get out of the tub.  I asked C a few times if she was sure.  Her one regret from her first birth was that he was not born in the water.  She was certain she needed out of the tub.  We all realized later what a blessing it was she was out of the tub! I helped C out of the tub a little after 4pm and moved her to the toilet to help her empty her bladder and to change the pressure for a couple contractions.  At 4:21, C was in her bed, reclining against C.  C agreed to my help of reducing the lip.  In one contraction the lip was reduced, and baby was at a +3 station. Things moved quite swiftly from there.  At 4:25 we could see some of baby’s head sitting at the perineum, followed by crowning at 4:28 and the head being birthed at 4:30.  Then things got interesting.  I immediately noticed baby’s head turtling, which is an indicator that baby is stuck.  I strongly encouraged C to push, as I tried to help the shoulder release.  It was clear that this was not going to be an easy delivery.  I attempted to corkscrew the shoulders, but baby would go right back to the starting position.  I immediately announced for everyone to help move her into hands and knees.  Hands and knees did the trick.  3.5 minutes after the head birthed, the baby followed.  I worked on baby for 30 seconds and by two minutes after birth her was pink, breathing spontaneously and crying.  I normally do delayed cord clamping with my patients, but this birth it wasn’t going to happen.  I noticed C was bleeding heavy, and she was having a hard time trying to move with the cord still attached so the decision was made to cut the cord since baby was doing great and let dad do skin to skin while we assessed mom.  C was ecstatic, over the moon that she had her baby, and continued to chat with us as I got her bleeding slowed down.  Since baby was stuck, C had a second degree tear that I stitched for as she drank in her baby, doula helping her with latching. Funny thing.  The night before I had posted my 2014 stats and C made a comment about wanting to sneak in for 2014 and end my year with a bang.  Oh boy did she ever!  She made things quite interesting at delivery and immediate postpartum.  🙂 Welcome to the world sweet boy Baylee, born earth side on December 31, 2014 at 4:33pm, weighing in at 9 pounds 4 ounces, 21″ long.  He is so loved by his big brother Samuel! I am so blessed and honored to have served this family for a second time.