C and J started care with me in the first trimester of their fourth pregnancy.  This was the second pregnancy and birth I got to care for this sweet family. To read about their first home birth, and first VBA2C, read here. C had never made her due date with any of her boys.  We were all surprised when I saw C at 40 weeks in my office for an appointment.  C was in excellent spirits, but wanted to be holding her baby.  She requested for a membrane sweep since she had been feeling cramping with some contractions for a couple days.  Her cervix was 2-3cm dilated, 60% effaced and baby was at a -1 station.  We talked about hopefully seeing each other for a baby in the next 48 hours and C went home to walk. The next morning, C sent me a text stating she thought we would be having a Saint Paddy’s baby!  Contractions were coming about every 8-10 minutes apart.  I had a hair appointment near C’s house so I stopped in around lunch time to see how things were.  Vitals were good and C was now 4-5cm, 80% effaced.  C was going to nap and take a walk.  I would be back at 7pm to check in if C didn’t call me over sooner.

Big brothers helping set up the birth pool.

7pm was definitely the magical hour.  C has been texting me on my drive saying contractions were much stronger and different. coming every 7 minutes.  I found a much different picture when I walked in.  I found C in hands and knees position on her bed, breathing and working hard through contractions that were coming every 4 minutes.  We quickly started filling the birth pool and I did our initial vitals check.  C was now 6cm dilated, 100% effaced and baby at a 0 station. Soon after C got into the warm water of the birth pool that was still filling.  Water helped so much with the intensity.  The big brothers were so sweet to help sprinkle water on C as she contracted. The birth assistant soon arrived.  C was in labor land, alternating positions and gently moaning through contractions.  J was an amazing support for C through each contraction. As 8:30 came upon us, C said she was feeling pushy and wanted to be checked.  I found her to be 9cm and baby at a +1 station.  Contractions had spaced to 6 minutes apart, but nice and long and strong.  C took advantage of the break and rested in between. C alternated her position to leaning over the pool, and we could hear the pushiness she was feeling in her voice. C began spontaneously pushing a few minutes passed 9.  She moved into a semi reclining position.  A slightly funny, not so funny moment around this portion in labor involved peppermint oil.  C was nauseated and found peppermint oil to help with the nausea.  She went down to feel her baby’s head.  A few moments passed and she exclaimed, “There was still peppermint oil on my hand!”  Not the funnest thing to experience during pushing for sure! At 10pm on the dot, C’s water spontaneously ruptured.  I felt a cervical lip and held it back for one contraction.  That’s all C needed.  The head was visible on the perineum at 10:05. Crowning happened just three short minutes later.  We were happy and thankful this sweet boy was crowning!  With C’s last home birth, that sweet boy did not crown and decided when he wanted to be birthed he wanted to come out in one swift contraction, no crowning.  Sweet boy came at 10:09pm, into the water and into his mama’s awaiting arms.

Beautiful first moments!

Welcome to the world Hunter, born earthside on March 17, 2015 at 10:09 pm, weighing in at 8lbs 8ozs, 21″ long.  Such a blessing to serve this sweet family for a second time.  Mama rocked her 2VBA2C!  <3 Special note from mom: Funny story about the flower. I am absolutely horrible with plants. I kill most of them within days or weeks at the most. So 2 years ago, I was part of a Christmas gift exchange and I got this plant. I was so sure I would kill the thing. It is a bulb – it’s supposed to need winter every year in order to bloom. The dumb thing has appeared to die twice. Both times I stopped watering it and it just randomly starts growing again. This time, I forgot to mention it to Jonathan, who poured out some of his coffee grounds on it. The thing came back AGAIN and bloomed in the morning after Hunter’s birth :); It was super special 🙂