C and A started care with me in the first trimester of their third pregnancy.  This was to be their third time under my care.  You can read about their previous two journeys here and here.

C’s pregnancy progressed along perfectly.  C was anxious for this little one’s birthing time, as her previous two journey’s were quite different from each other, and she was unsure what this journey would bring.

On January 18th, 2019, a few days before her estimated due date, C was unable to sleep from contractions.  She messaged me her contraction log.  While I was up feeding my own baby, C messaged at 116am that her water had broken.  Knowing how fast things moved along with her last journey after her water had broken, I began to prepare to head her way.  When I was about ready to go, A sent a text saying “red alert!” which is a little inside joke from the last journey where he kept texting that to the doula, but not texting anything to me.   I let him know that I was on the way, and would be there soon.

I arrived right before 2am, and found C standing at her bed side, her doula providing counter pressure with contractions.  Contractions were coming every 3 minutes, lasting 45 seconds.

C requested a cervical check after initial vitals for her and baby were taken.  I found her cervix to be 7cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a -1 station.

C continued to move around her bedroom while waiting for the birth pool to finish filling.  Right before 3am, she got into the pool, laboring on her knees.

Big brother H could not sleep, and was wide awake for the journey. He watched some shows on the tablet for some of the time, but then realized that something was not right with mom and dad, and became a little upset wanting their attention.  He was such a sweet boy through out his mama’s labor.

C was beginning to moan, sounding primal through her contractions.  H came over to love on his mama through contractions.  It was very precious.

D got into the tub, and C moved her position slightly to lean on him.  H was upset that he could not get to his mom and dad.  I told them it was fine for H to get into the birth pool if they were okay with it.  C said she wanted him to be happy.  So H got in the pool in the buff, but he insisted he needed his goggles before getting in.  Once those were located, he was one happy kid, swimming all around the birth pool while his mom finished her journey in transition.

H was cracking us all up by swimming under the water under his mom’s butt to see what was going on.  He was getting quite the front row viewing of his baby brother’s entrance earth side.  He was very unphased by things.  He continued to love on his mama by rubbing on her like the doula was, as C began to push at 344am.

Things moved quickly from here.  The head was crowning at 345am, followed by the birth of the head at 346am, and the baby came a minute later at 347am.  He was here!

Welcome to the world, Rijkaar!  Born earthside on January 18th, 2019 at 347am, weighing in at 8lbs 6ozs, 20in in length.  The journey was perfect, and made even more special by H’s presence and the un-orchestrated moments he brought to the journey.  H was so in love with his baby brother brother the moment he came up from the water.

It was such a blessing to support this family for a third time.  Working with repeat clients is always something I treasure.  #sacredjourneymidwifery