A and T started care with me in the first trimester of their third pregnancy. They had their previous child at home with me. You can read about their first story here.
A’s pregnancy progressed along with no issues. Since A’s last baby came after her due date, we expected this little one to come late as well.
A sent a text around 1030pm on July 21st informing me that she thought her water had broken. Despite all the things we normally recommend to try, it still seemed so unsure. I discussed things for A to watch, and if labor does not start or still unsure in the morning, I would have her come over.
A sent a text in the morning stating that mild contractions had started around 11pm, that became regular and more intense around 6am. Her doula had arrived, but at 8am, things were intense, and she was ready for the team!
I arrived at 9am, and found A laboring peacefully on her bed in hands and knees. All vitals were great, and I did a cervical check. A was 8cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station. Based on how baby’s head felt on the cervix, I recommended A try open knee chest for 40 minutes to help her little guy move around.
After open knee chest, A moved to sitting on her birth ball, eating eggs, bacon, and toast in between contractions.
At 1045am, apprentice A taught T how to perform lift and tucks with A during ten contractions. Lift and tucks seem to make a shift in the labor pattern, and these proved to do the same for A, as her contractions became stronger, and she became more focused on them after the ten contractions. Her contractions were now coming every 3 minutes, and lasting 60+ seconds in length.
A got into the birth pool at 1122am, laboring on her knees. Things were intense, and A was focused on the labor dance, moaning with contractions and resting more in between.
A continued to move around the pool, sipping on fluids every couple of contractions. An hour later, we tried homeopathy to see if it would get us to the finish line, and began to do asymmetrical positions in the pool to give baby room to rotate on down.
As 1pm neared, A got out of the pool. Her instincts said she needed to walk, so she got out and started walking around the house. She was ready to be meeting her baby.
I did an exam around 130pm, and found A to be 9cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station with cervical swelling on the left side. I recommended side lying using the peanut ball to help with the one sided cervical swelling. We positioned her on one side with the peanut ball for 15 minutes, and then switched to the other side for 15 minutes.
A labored on the toilet at 215pm, feeling exhausted from the work. I reviewed some positions we may try with her if she was open to them, and began administering some other homeopathic remedies to help.
I did an exam at 239pm, and found great progress in the last hour. She was now 9.5cm/100% effaced/0 station with reduced cervical swelling. I suggested a practice push, and the cervix completely dilated and baby dropped to +3.
Active pushing began at 241pm. A had a water birth with her last little one, and was determined to have one with this little guy. She moved into the birth pool at 244pm. The first contraction in the pool, A pushed her little guy’s head out. Seconds later, he was here!
Welcome to the world, Joshua! Born earthside on July 22, 2019 at 246pm, weighing 8lbs 8ozs and 22in long. He was his mama’s biggest baby, and took her on a longer journey than expected, but his mama was powerfully strong through every step, trusting the journey.
Funny thing, this little guy was wrapped multiple times in his cord just like his big sister was! That was interesting to me!
#sacredjourneymidwifery
K and J started care with me in the first trimester of their third pregnancy. I have had the privilege of being their midwife for all their journey’s. You can read about their previous journey’s 
At five weeks, just with previous pregnancies, K began vomiting, her first time happening in her front yard where she sent me a humorous text to document. With previous pregnancies, medication worked. This pregnancy very quickly showed that nothing would work, and very quickly K was thrown into a viscious pregnancy complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum.
By the end of the first trimester, K had visited urgent care a few times for IV fluids for dehydration. Once the second trimester started, K started IV bag therapy, which seemed to help some at giving K some better days.
K came to her 38.1 week appointment, and we found she was having some edema, and her blood pressure had taken a leap for her, but still in the normal range. We discussed signs and symptoms of what to look for, blood pressure monitoring, and a homeopathy protocol to help prepare her body to want to go into labor.
Four days passed, and K sent me a text with abnormal blood pressures. I had her come in, and not pleased with her blood pressure or how her urine dipped, we began labor encouragement. K’s cervix was 3cm dilated, 50% effaced, and baby at a -2 station. I did a membrane sweep, and sent K with homeopathy. We discussed taking it easy and resting through out the day, focus on hydration and nourishment, and plan to come back later that afternoon for a follow up.
K arrived at 650pm on July 2nd, 2019 for a second sweep. She had seen her chiropractor beforehand, and was ready to see if a second sweep would get things going. K was 4cm dilated, 50% effaced, and -2 station, with baby’s head much better applied to the cervix. I recommended K go for a walk and a swim if she wanted, and planned for her to come in the morning if nothing started, where we would try to find a way to get herbs in her and not have her throw them up.
I arrived at 1033pm, and found K laboring on the toilet, moaning with contractions, and stating she felt pressure in her butt. Her water broke a couple contractions later, and the pressure dramatically increased. We helped K move into the birth pool at 1045pm, where she positioned in a semi reclining position as she had birthed her last child.
S and M started care with me in the first trimester of S’s seventh pregnancy. I had the honor of being S’s midwife for her last baby as well, and I was happy to be getting to work with her again. You can read about that journey 
S requested us to come, and I arrived at 130pm. S was walking around the house, chatting between contractions. All vitals were great, and I found S to be 4cm dilated, 80% effaced, and baby at a -2 station.
After lift and tucks, contractions were coming every 3 minutes, lasting about a minute. S said they felt a little more intense. She alternated sitting on her bed and walking around her room while the birth pool was getting navigated. It took some work to get the hose connected, but apprentice A is super handy and helpful, and was able to save the day for S!
S got up from the bed, and got right into the birth pool, laboring on her knees. Contractions very quickly became very strong. S was focused strongly on her work.
Spontaneous pushing began at 429pm. Two pushes later the head was born at 432pm, followed by the body at 433pm. S birthed her baby peacefully in the water, just as she had with her previous baby.
K and Z started care with me in the first trimester of their second pregnancy. They had their first little guy with me, and I was happy to get the opportunity to work with them a second time. You can read about their first birth journey 
When K reached out to me, she was unsure of her due date as she had not had a cycle since having her first baby. She did not want an ultrasound, so it took some playing around with what information we could come up with, and we came up with a due date of August 21st.
K’s pregnancy progressed along with relative ease. This little guy stayed breech for a bit longer in the third trimester than was comfortable with K, but she got him to move by doing all the things!
I arrived at 1115am, and found K walking around the house. Her demeanor was normal, and by all appearances, she looked like she was in early labor. I did an exam, and found K to be 6cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a 0 station. I gave K the option of me taking my kids home and coming back or staying. K said she was fine with me running home, although her home wanted me to stay! We were all so happy to see how much work K had done with relative ease!
I arrived back at 1pm, and found K laboring on her hands and knees. Active labor was definitely upon us now, as K was much more serious with each of her birthing waves.
It was not long, and K told us she was beginning to feel some pressure with contractions. Her reactions were shifting with contractions, yet stayed so calm and focused on the job at hand.
K alternated between laboring on her knees and semi reclining, moving every few contractions. Apprentice A provided hip squeezes, which K said helped with the pressure in her hips.
K began to push spontaneously at the peaks of contractions at 235pm. K was so composed, as we encouraged her she was about to meet her baby.
Her water broke at 243pm, and the pressure to push could not be held back. With K’s first baby, she had to get out of the pool because baby sat on the perineum for a long time, and we had to try multiple positions to help get the little guy born! 
Little brother had different ideas! With the water bag gone, he said it was go time! S began to push at 244pm, and we could see the head on the perineum at 250pm. This little guy decided to be much more efficient on the perineum, crowning two minutes later, and following quickly coming earthside a minute later.
Welcome to the world, Magnus! Born earthside on August 26th, 2019 at 253pm, weighing in at 7lbs 14ozs, 19.75 inches long. This little guy was a pound and a half bigger than his big brother was at birth, and came so much more efficiently!
It was a privilege to get to support this awesome family for a second time. K labored with such strength and ease through her quick labor journey.
A continued to labor around her room for the next hour, chatting between contractions and working hard during. A asked to be checked at 1250pm, and I found her now 9cm.
A was working very hard, pushing powerfully with each contraction. We could see her pubic bone shifting and working as she pushed. It seemed like this baby was causing A to really work, so apprentice A tried tug of war for a couple of contractions to see if it helped get baby’s head under the pubic bone.
A moved to left side lying at 129pm as the head began to crown. The head was birthed in a sunny side up position at 130pm with the cord wrapped twice, followed by the rest of the body a few seconds later. This sweet baby decided to come out posterior!