One of my doula clients was due around February 11, so a couple days ago I figured I should go ahead and make their BIRTHday cake and freeze it, that way it would be ready when the time came. I also decided it might be a good idea to get my bags at least somewhat packed, so I would just have to throw in a few last minute items if I got the "I think I might be in labor" call when I happened to be busy with my two girls and my three daycare kiddos.
I guess my intuition served me well, as I helped welcome a precious baby boy to the world at 10:17 this morning, after being with mom and dad for about 12 of her 24 hours of labor. Simeon wasn't "due" to arrive until February 11, but I guess he didn't care about estimated dates and chose to come when he was ready -- TODAY! He is a little guy, weighing just 6 pounds, 9 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches long, but he is perfect all the same!
Yesterday was proving to be quite an interesting day for me. I started watching a new daycare kiddo -- an adorable 2.5 month old baby girl. Kellah, my own 13 month old daughter, wasn't too fond of this new girl, who was stealing my attention and taking up my arms. And so I was trying to soothe a frustrated and jealous little girl while still taking good care of my 3 year old daughter, my 20 month old daycare boy, and the new baby girl. On top of all that, we just sold our house and the inspection was scheduled for 2 pm. Since I couldn't realistically load up 4 small children and leave the premises, I hung out in the living room, with all 4 kiddos, while the buyers' realtor and inspector did their thing. As soon as they left, the appraiser and our realtor pulled up to make sure our house is worth our asking price -- it better be after all the work we have put into it these past 5.5 years!
In the midst of all these visitors, I got a call from my doula client letting me know she thought she might be in labor. Since she had an appointment scheduled for 1:30, she was going to wait and see what the doctor had to say about any progress she might be making in the labor department. I thought she might possibly be in labor based on the way she described her contractions, but then again she was a first time mom and not due until the 11th. So I figured she was just having a round of Braxton Hicks as her body and baby started gearing up for the big day ahead. Sure enough, she texted me after her appointment to say the doctor had confirmed my thoughts. We would just be patient and wait for the real deal, in a couple weeks.
Like I said, Simeon wasn't interested in waiting. He was ready to surprise us and show up a bit "early." Later in the evening, his mom texted me again saying that the contractions hadn't gone away, but had in fact gotten closer together and more intense. I suggested that she keep on eating and drinking, take a shower, and try to get some rest. If things didn't change, then we would know that labor had actually begun, and I would be more than happy to come to their house to help her in any way she and her husband needed.
I went to bed around 10:30, with my phone on the night stand, awaiting any future texts or calls. Strange, I never get emails or texts that late, but last night I kept getting some kind of update every 3o minutes! Needless to say, I was kind of on edge and wasn't getting any sleep. It would have been pointless anyway, as I got a text from my client around midnight letting me know contractions were consistently 5 minutes apart. I got up, put on my shoes, and let my sleeping husband know I was leaving for the birth.
When I arrived at my clients' home, she was having contractions every 3-4 minutes. At first she could talk in between contractions, but soon she wasn't getting a break as contractions came one after the other. When she mentioned she felt like she had peed her pants, I assumed her water was at least thinking about breaking. Then, a few contractions later, she started making those moaning sounds that indicate "baby time" is approaching. She showed some other signs of transition -- feeling nauseous, double-peaking contractions, and complaining of being hot. I suggested we might think about getting ready to head to the hospital. Her husband was more than happy to oblige and gathered a few personal items, warmed up the car, and loaded up the bags. Mom couldn't even get her coat on before having another contraction, an then another as she was putting on her ear muffs. Yep, I thought, we are definitely getting close to meeting this baby.
We arrived at the hospital, but the only parking spots open were for expectant mothers or OBGYN's, so after circling a bit and finally finding an open space, I parked the car, grabbed my bags, and ran to meet the couple at the door to the Birthing Center area of the hospital. For some reason they weren't being allowed in, as the doors were locked until 5:30 am. Thankfully, a family was in the waiting area and came to open the doors for us. We made our way to the Birthing Center and quickly got settled into the room. The nurse was super duper supportive and worked with us to make sure mom could move freely and didn't have to stay hooked up to the Electronic Fetal Monitor for more than 2o minutes! Mom was checked and to my surprise was only 3 cm dilated, but thankfully 100% effaced. I was expecting her to be a little farther along, based on the signs she was showing at home, not to mention that since we arrived at the hospital, her contractions weren't letting up but coming one after another. The nurse didn't let the low number phase her and praised mom for how well she was doing.
Soon, we had to change rooms and move all our stuff to the actual birthing "suite." Once there, mom was given an IV, checked on the EFM once more, and blood was drawn. I thought it funny that in the midst of contractions, she had to spell her name letter by letter, recite her birthday, and pick a pediatrician for her baby. Oh, and sign about 14 consent forms! Finally, we were left alone once more and she tried laboring on the bed, then the bath, then the toilet, then the birth ball, and the bed again. Contractions were intense, close together with little or no break at all. Mom was moaning every time, and I again I thought we were surely making great progress. After two hours, mom was getting discouraged and wanted to know where she was at in the labor process. She was checked again, only to discover she was "just" 5 cm! Not at all what I had expected.
We tried moving around, but that was extremely uncomfortable for mom. A trip from the bed to the bathroom, a few feet away, took almost an hour as we stopped to sit and rock on the birth ball with each contraction! The trek from the bathroom back to the bed took just as long! And still mom wasn't feel overwhelming pressure or the urge to push. The only thing that was working was constant counter pressure on her back, and my wrists were beginning to get sore. I kept reminding myself, "You tell the dads in class that mom doesn't get a break so neither do they." I was wishing I had taken my own advice and done some kind of wrist workout. About this time, there was a shift change. We met the new nurse, and once more we were blessed with someone who was totally supportive of mom wanting a natural birth. We would end up needing all the encouragement we could get!
The new nurse introduced herself and did another exam, discovering mom was now at 7 cm! We were oh so slowly making progress, but mom was getting very tired, as she had been up and experiencing contractions for over 12 hours at this point. I kept telling her she was so close to the end, that she was going to meet her baby soon. She wanted an exact time on that, but unfortunately, I don't know those details. And so I just reminded her over and over and over again that the end was near. I think she got tired of hearing me say the same thing every five minutes. She started to doubt if she could indeed have a med-free birth. I assured her she could, and was! As did the nurse -- even when mom begged for something in her IV to take the edge off. At that time, though, she was 9 cm!!!! Meds were no longer an option, and so we strongly encouraged mom to get in a more upright position to help her baby make his way through the pelvis.
Within the hour, mom finally felt pressure, and we encouraged her to begin pushing to the point of comfort. I was so proud of this mom as she was exhausted but kept on working with her body and baby. The doctor was amazing too, as she didn't perform the common episiotomy but rather helped mom stretch out as baby made his way through the birth canal. After "just" 2o minutes of pushing, I let mom know I could see baby's hair, then his entire head, and then -- wow! -- his whole body. The cord had been wrapped around his neck and stomach, but the doctor simply untangled little Simeon and handed him up to mom. She was a little overwhelmed with all that was going on and was shaking so much from pushing that she was scared she would drop her new baby. I gladly offered to hold the little guy and then talk to him the entire time they weighed and measured him. I couldn't get over how little he was -- just 6.5 pounds!
Dad was sitting behind mom, holding her up and couldn't make his way to his new son. Simeon got a super APGAR score of 8-9, sported a new striped hat, and had his first poop all while his parents got situated on the bed. Within minutes, they were ready to meet their baby boy. Mom kept saying, "I can't believe you're actually here." Several times during labor, she questioned, "Is there really a baby in there? I'm beginning to think there isn't!" Well, Simeon was indeed there and more than happy to meet his parents. He snuggled close to mom's chest and contentedly settled in with his family. Before I left, mom and baby were happily nursing away, like pros!
I am excited to get the BIRTHday cake out of the freezer, frost it, and deliver it to the family tomorrow. I would also love to hold little Simeon again! I desperately want another baby -- twin boys if truth be known -- but for now I will have to settle for helping my doula clients welcome their babies to the world! It's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it :)
I guess my intuition served me well, as I helped welcome a precious baby boy to the world at 10:17 this morning, after being with mom and dad for about 12 of her 24 hours of labor. Simeon wasn't "due" to arrive until February 11, but I guess he didn't care about estimated dates and chose to come when he was ready -- TODAY! He is a little guy, weighing just 6 pounds, 9 ounces and measuring 19.5 inches long, but he is perfect all the same!
Yesterday was proving to be quite an interesting day for me. I started watching a new daycare kiddo -- an adorable 2.5 month old baby girl. Kellah, my own 13 month old daughter, wasn't too fond of this new girl, who was stealing my attention and taking up my arms. And so I was trying to soothe a frustrated and jealous little girl while still taking good care of my 3 year old daughter, my 20 month old daycare boy, and the new baby girl. On top of all that, we just sold our house and the inspection was scheduled for 2 pm. Since I couldn't realistically load up 4 small children and leave the premises, I hung out in the living room, with all 4 kiddos, while the buyers' realtor and inspector did their thing. As soon as they left, the appraiser and our realtor pulled up to make sure our house is worth our asking price -- it better be after all the work we have put into it these past 5.5 years!
In the midst of all these visitors, I got a call from my doula client letting me know she thought she might be in labor. Since she had an appointment scheduled for 1:30, she was going to wait and see what the doctor had to say about any progress she might be making in the labor department. I thought she might possibly be in labor based on the way she described her contractions, but then again she was a first time mom and not due until the 11th. So I figured she was just having a round of Braxton Hicks as her body and baby started gearing up for the big day ahead. Sure enough, she texted me after her appointment to say the doctor had confirmed my thoughts. We would just be patient and wait for the real deal, in a couple weeks.
Like I said, Simeon wasn't interested in waiting. He was ready to surprise us and show up a bit "early." Later in the evening, his mom texted me again saying that the contractions hadn't gone away, but had in fact gotten closer together and more intense. I suggested that she keep on eating and drinking, take a shower, and try to get some rest. If things didn't change, then we would know that labor had actually begun, and I would be more than happy to come to their house to help her in any way she and her husband needed.
I went to bed around 10:30, with my phone on the night stand, awaiting any future texts or calls. Strange, I never get emails or texts that late, but last night I kept getting some kind of update every 3o minutes! Needless to say, I was kind of on edge and wasn't getting any sleep. It would have been pointless anyway, as I got a text from my client around midnight letting me know contractions were consistently 5 minutes apart. I got up, put on my shoes, and let my sleeping husband know I was leaving for the birth.
When I arrived at my clients' home, she was having contractions every 3-4 minutes. At first she could talk in between contractions, but soon she wasn't getting a break as contractions came one after the other. When she mentioned she felt like she had peed her pants, I assumed her water was at least thinking about breaking. Then, a few contractions later, she started making those moaning sounds that indicate "baby time" is approaching. She showed some other signs of transition -- feeling nauseous, double-peaking contractions, and complaining of being hot. I suggested we might think about getting ready to head to the hospital. Her husband was more than happy to oblige and gathered a few personal items, warmed up the car, and loaded up the bags. Mom couldn't even get her coat on before having another contraction, an then another as she was putting on her ear muffs. Yep, I thought, we are definitely getting close to meeting this baby.
We arrived at the hospital, but the only parking spots open were for expectant mothers or OBGYN's, so after circling a bit and finally finding an open space, I parked the car, grabbed my bags, and ran to meet the couple at the door to the Birthing Center area of the hospital. For some reason they weren't being allowed in, as the doors were locked until 5:30 am. Thankfully, a family was in the waiting area and came to open the doors for us. We made our way to the Birthing Center and quickly got settled into the room. The nurse was super duper supportive and worked with us to make sure mom could move freely and didn't have to stay hooked up to the Electronic Fetal Monitor for more than 2o minutes! Mom was checked and to my surprise was only 3 cm dilated, but thankfully 100% effaced. I was expecting her to be a little farther along, based on the signs she was showing at home, not to mention that since we arrived at the hospital, her contractions weren't letting up but coming one after another. The nurse didn't let the low number phase her and praised mom for how well she was doing.
Soon, we had to change rooms and move all our stuff to the actual birthing "suite." Once there, mom was given an IV, checked on the EFM once more, and blood was drawn. I thought it funny that in the midst of contractions, she had to spell her name letter by letter, recite her birthday, and pick a pediatrician for her baby. Oh, and sign about 14 consent forms! Finally, we were left alone once more and she tried laboring on the bed, then the bath, then the toilet, then the birth ball, and the bed again. Contractions were intense, close together with little or no break at all. Mom was moaning every time, and I again I thought we were surely making great progress. After two hours, mom was getting discouraged and wanted to know where she was at in the labor process. She was checked again, only to discover she was "just" 5 cm! Not at all what I had expected.
We tried moving around, but that was extremely uncomfortable for mom. A trip from the bed to the bathroom, a few feet away, took almost an hour as we stopped to sit and rock on the birth ball with each contraction! The trek from the bathroom back to the bed took just as long! And still mom wasn't feel overwhelming pressure or the urge to push. The only thing that was working was constant counter pressure on her back, and my wrists were beginning to get sore. I kept reminding myself, "You tell the dads in class that mom doesn't get a break so neither do they." I was wishing I had taken my own advice and done some kind of wrist workout. About this time, there was a shift change. We met the new nurse, and once more we were blessed with someone who was totally supportive of mom wanting a natural birth. We would end up needing all the encouragement we could get!
The new nurse introduced herself and did another exam, discovering mom was now at 7 cm! We were oh so slowly making progress, but mom was getting very tired, as she had been up and experiencing contractions for over 12 hours at this point. I kept telling her she was so close to the end, that she was going to meet her baby soon. She wanted an exact time on that, but unfortunately, I don't know those details. And so I just reminded her over and over and over again that the end was near. I think she got tired of hearing me say the same thing every five minutes. She started to doubt if she could indeed have a med-free birth. I assured her she could, and was! As did the nurse -- even when mom begged for something in her IV to take the edge off. At that time, though, she was 9 cm!!!! Meds were no longer an option, and so we strongly encouraged mom to get in a more upright position to help her baby make his way through the pelvis.
Within the hour, mom finally felt pressure, and we encouraged her to begin pushing to the point of comfort. I was so proud of this mom as she was exhausted but kept on working with her body and baby. The doctor was amazing too, as she didn't perform the common episiotomy but rather helped mom stretch out as baby made his way through the birth canal. After "just" 2o minutes of pushing, I let mom know I could see baby's hair, then his entire head, and then -- wow! -- his whole body. The cord had been wrapped around his neck and stomach, but the doctor simply untangled little Simeon and handed him up to mom. She was a little overwhelmed with all that was going on and was shaking so much from pushing that she was scared she would drop her new baby. I gladly offered to hold the little guy and then talk to him the entire time they weighed and measured him. I couldn't get over how little he was -- just 6.5 pounds!
Dad was sitting behind mom, holding her up and couldn't make his way to his new son. Simeon got a super APGAR score of 8-9, sported a new striped hat, and had his first poop all while his parents got situated on the bed. Within minutes, they were ready to meet their baby boy. Mom kept saying, "I can't believe you're actually here." Several times during labor, she questioned, "Is there really a baby in there? I'm beginning to think there isn't!" Well, Simeon was indeed there and more than happy to meet his parents. He snuggled close to mom's chest and contentedly settled in with his family. Before I left, mom and baby were happily nursing away, like pros!
I am excited to get the BIRTHday cake out of the freezer, frost it, and deliver it to the family tomorrow. I would also love to hold little Simeon again! I desperately want another baby -- twin boys if truth be known -- but for now I will have to settle for helping my doula clients welcome their babies to the world! It's a hard job, but somebody's got to do it :)