T and J started care with me in the first trimester of their second pregnancy. T had previously had a home birth, but this was her first time with us.
T’s pregnancy progressed along fairly uneventfully. In the last weeks of pregnancy, her blood pressure became borderline high. Chiropractic care helped keep her blood pressure under control.
T requested a membrane sweep to see if she would go into labor at 38 weeks, but baby was not ready and it left her with an irritated uterus. At her last exam during the sweep, she was 3cm dilated, 50% effaced, and baby was at a -2 station.
On September 8, 2019, T sent me a text in the middle of the night to let me know her water had broken at 212am. She had woke to empty her bladder, and was surprised by her bag breaking on the side of her bed. T said baby was moving well and there was no contractions. We talked about T sleeping as long as she could sleep.
Contractions began at 330am. T could not rest any longer once they began. T was working through them at home. A little after 4am, we talked about T trying a bath to see how a bath made her feel.
I received a text that T was ready for us at 450am. She was out of the bath, and contractions were hard and coming every 2-4 minutes. I did not know that J was now texting, which would have probably alerted us all to move super fast.
I got things together, and headed out about 510am. I was taking an exit off the highway towards T and J when their photographer sent me a message saying she was feeling pushy. J called the wrong person, and so she relayed the message to me. I sped away to get their faster, but the fog in the country was a rough combo!
I pulled in, grabbed the two most urgent bags for imminent delivery, and ran to the door, only to find that the front door was locked and I could not get in. I knocked, while quickly shifting things around to find my phone. Just as I was about to call, J was calling to let me know the baby was here. He rapidly came and let me in.
I walked in and found T standing in the hot birth pool, holding her sweet baby in her arms while making a phone call simultaneously. I do not think I have ever had anyone start using their phone so fast. Tucker was crying nice and loud, making sure we all knew how he felt about his fast and furious journey!
Welcome to the world, Tucker! Born earthside on September 8th, 2019 at 530am, weighing 7lbs 10ozs and 20.75 inches long. He took his mama on such a quick labor journey. I told T she will have much different instructions on when to reach out to us in labor if their is a third baby!
#sacredjourneymidwifery
Photos taken by Stephanie Shirley Photography.
A labored standing for a couple of contractions. Her water broke spontaneously at 535pm, and she began to spontaneously bear down with contractions. The birth pool was almost ready, but baby Blaise was ready before the pool was!
The head was on the perineum at 539pm, and he slowly stretched A. With A’s previous delivery, this is where everything went a little rough, and I ultimately had to cut an episiotomy. With each contraction, he came a little more. I used oil and warm compresses to help the tender tissues stretch as he came more and more onto her perineum and into crowning. With one final powerful push, A birthed his head and the rest quickly followed at 544pm.
Welcome to the world, Blaise! Born earth side on September 8th, 2019 at 544pm, weighing 8lbs and 21 inches long. This sweet boy decided that rotating was not fun, and was born straight OP, just as he had been the last several weeks of pregnancy. His mama is amazing.
S and D started care with me in the first trimester of their fourth pregnancy. I had the privilege of being S’s midwife for her three previous pregnancies. You can read about those journey’s 
S came over at 8am on June 2nd for labor encouragement. Her cervix was 3cm dilated, 80% effaced, and baby at a -3. I swept her membranes, and sent her with an herbal tincture to take for a bit while she went and ate breakfast and went for a walk.
Contractions began that morning, but were all over the place. S had her doula stop by around 12pm to try lift and tucks, but nothing changed with them, and her doula did not think she was in labor.
S debated taking a nap, but decided around 2pm that a nap would not be happening, and she wanted to come see me for an exam and another sweep.
S same over about 230pm, and we repeated everything. Her cervix was now 4cm dilated, 80% effaced, and baby at a -2 station. Her contractions were coming every four minutes, and seemed mildly intense. We decided I should try some lift and tucks in my office before sending S home. After ten, S was getting antsy and moany with her contractions. Since she lives very close, I sent her home with instructions to update me after the next 3-5 contractions, as I anticipated she would need me very soon.
I arrived at 330pm, and found S pacing her bedroom. Active labor was definitely upon us, as S has a history of moving a lot when she is in the throes of active labor.
As 4pm neared, S was laboring in the bath tub, yelling with contractions. She was trembling from the throes of labor, and the water was giving some relief from the intensity of the labor.
After the exam, S hopped into the shower. With her next contraction, she did a calm moan to help work through it. After it had passed, S exclaimed, “I am trying to stay calm like one of those hypnobirthing people.” I love her. She is so fun and raw in labor.
S’s water broke at 433pm. She insisted on an exam, and was found to be 8cm and baby at a +2.
She dashed to her bedroom, where she asked to be checked at 444pm. She was 9cm, and baby at a +2. Please note this, because 20 seconds later, the baby was crowning. I was assisting my senior apprentice with delivery, but primarily having to hold S up to give her strength. The baby was born 30 seconds later.
Once I finished the home visits, I stopped by to check in on S. It was about 130pm when I arrived to check in. S was experiencing uncomfortable contractions every 4 minutes, lasting 45 seconds long. All vitals were fantastic. In fact, S’s blood pressure was the best it had been in weeks during labor, which was super interesting! I did an exam, and found her to be 4cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a -1 station. He was now ROT. I sent our fantastic chiro, Dr Nora, a text about coming to adjust S to see if fixing baby’s position would get things more active. I headed home, so that S and R could nap and work with their doula, with the plan I would try to meet back when Dr Nora would arrive.
I arrived back that evening around 8pm, when Dr Nora came to adjust S. What a blessing to have such a lovely chiropractor to make after hours calls like this! S’s contractions were coming every 4 minutes, lasting 60 seconds in length. S ate some soup after Dr Nora left. Once she was ready, I did an exam. Contractions were more intense now, and we were happy to find that S was now 5cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a -1 station. His little head was better applied to the cervix now, but I was feeling some caput. Baby was now in an LOT position.
S was ready to meet her baby, and talked to use about drinking castor oil. She had already done various herbs, oils, and homeopathy, and wanted to try something different. After reviewing risks and benefits, S decided to try it mixed with orange juice, and chugged it around midnight.
10am came, and I had to give the news that the cervix was the same, and their was a tremendous amount of caput now on the head. My recommendation was to transport. Since S’s water had been broken over 24 hours, transfer options were so limited on where we could go and get pitocin and an epidural. I had been in touch with my CNM friend, and we moved forward transporting to her. However, she soon found out her back up was not available, and the on call would demand a cesarean. We were back at square one. After looking at options, J had a connection at Texas Children’s, and we opted to transport there.
S was in her l&d room at 1230pm. Her exam in triage was the same as home. Her epidural was administered at 1pm, which was a blessing to get some relief from the painful contractions she had been experiencing for over 24 hours.
S was checked at 230pm while they placed an IUPC and catheter. She was 5cm, 90%, and baby at a -2. S was able to get some rest. J stepped out to her home which was very close for a shower and mini nap while I was there.
At 630pm, S was exhausted and feeling conflicted. She did not want to put her baby in danger, but also did not want an unnecessary cesarean. S decided she wanted me to sneak an exam so she knew honestly if she had made any progress.
S was so encouraged. Shift change was happening at 7pm, and she was going to ask the new OB to do an exam, and hopefully start pushing.
S pushed with so much power. You never would have known she had an epidural or that it was her first baby. She pushed with everything within her, and when the nurse or doctor would do an exam while pushing, you could see his head emerging under the pubic bone. The vagina spot light was brought down an hour into pushing, and we were all so happy that this was finally happening!!
The OB came in at 1120pm, assessed the pushing, and had a heart to heart with S. She had been pushing with power for over three hours. The OB told her that her recommendation was a cesarean as the baby was not continuing to descend with pushing. S cried, saying “I will push better.” We all could not tell her enough how good, powerful, and effective her pushes were.
It was very emotional. S was not just my client, she was my apprentice, and she was my friend. This is emotional to walk with anyone, but we both cried over the broken journey and the gratitude that after 44 hours, she was finally going to meet her sweet baby.
It was found that Emre had a super short cord, and we guess that he turned so much trying to accommodate the space he had with the short cord, but did not have the length in his cord to help with the further descent needed for a vaginal delivery.
We arrived, and found M walking around her house laboring. After doing initial vitals, M said she wanted to try some working positions. Apprentice A did a series of lift and tucks with the rebozo to help this little one sit more on the cervix, and to make the contractions stronger. M had a history of bigger babies, and it was helpful to be sure they stayed optimally positioned to make it easier. After working for a couple hours, M decided to lay down around 1am, so the birth team decided to lay down as well and try to catch a nap.
The switch flipped, and active labor contractions began at 830am. After the walk, M spent a lot of time laboring in the kitchen, where we began another round of lift and tucks. M was feeling shaky and tired, and sat on the birth ball in between, trying to build back energy. M ate some breakfast, and did excellent with hydration. As intense as the contractions began to look that morning, we were all convinced that this little one was going to be born by lunch time, but again, this baby has her own idea of what her journey would be like.
Hours passed with contractions coming every 3-4 minutes, lasting over a minute in length, and strong in intensity. M alternated between laying in her bed where she felt she could relax some, to sitting on her ball. She was having a hard time finding strength to want to labor while standing. Contractions seemed to be stronger when standing, and a bit weaker when sitting or laying down.
We started talking about a cervical exam that afternoon, as it had been several hours since we had done one, and all of us had expected to see M with a baby in her arms at this point. M agreed to an exam a little after 3pm. I found baby to be in an anterior position, and M to be 9.5cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby at a +2 station. Almost at the finish line!
And almost at the finish line we stayed! M felt some pressure at the peaks, but her contractions began to space to as far as 10 minutes apart, but very strong when they came. We tried to do a push holding back the cervical lip, but M did not feel okay with it. So we labored on, waiting for the baby to tell M it was time.
M pushed and pushed. For an hour and a half, she worked on pushing with all her might. As we saw more of the baby’s head, you could see the baby twisting and turning and trying to find the best route to get out of the pelvis. Mom and baby worked so hard together to get the baby out. M did well at moving positions, and using gravity to help get baby down and out. Finally, for mama’s sake, sweet baby girl was born at 728pm, with me helping M get the rest of her out once M used every bit of her strength to get the head and shoulders out.
Due to M’s history of postpartum hemorrhage, and our perfect working plan the last delivery, we immediately moved into controlling the yet to happen hemorrhage with getting the IV fluids started, and using prophylactic medications to get on top of bleeding. Once again, our plan worked beautifully.