Introducing Baby S

This is the story about my experience at M's second birth which she has graciously allowed me to share. Her first baby was born 10 days late, induced, no drugs and 10 pounds! M was planning to birth at the freestanding birth center here in Colorado. Once a mom is 2 weeks overdue they have to transfer care to an OB, so we were all hoping that Baby S decided to come sooner than his brother.

Baby was due on February 3rd and that date came a went with no signs of labor. I was on call and spent a portion of each day reading about birth and adding various things to my doula bag. I got a text from M at 9:00 am on the 11th saying that she had been working through contractions regularly since 6:30. They were about every 10 minutes and she was handling them fine. I got everything prepped, went to the store to stock up on some stuff and came home to wait.

About 9:00 that night I got another update; things had slowed down in the afternoon but were now revving up again. I went to bed a while later and woke up at 2:00 to a phone call. M's water had just broken. The midwives told her to come on in and she asked me to come over to her house and watch their son until her mom got there. I was out the door in about 10 minutes and got to M's house not much later.

Her mom arrived about 20 minutes later and I was on the road to the birth center. The weather was perfect, the roads were clear, and the trip down there was a breeze. I arrived about 3:00 and M's friend, L, was already there. The room they had her in was TINY! There was a bed, a birth tub, and a small dresser. One stool pretty much took up all the floor space and once they brought in a birth ball it was ridiculous. Since it was so crowded in the room the midwives had us move our bags into the hallway.

After an initial exam we set to work helping M. She varied positions as best she could with the accommodations. The coconut oil I brought was great for rubbing her back and the cold packs I made were great for M's neck. L was kind enough to take pictures and she was helpful in making sure that we always had a cold pack and/or cold washcloths.

M was feeling nauseous and I was able to put some peppermint oil on the handles of the cold pack to help with that and it freshened the room for everyone.

Doula in action

M did amazing and progressed rather quickly. It was helpful to her if we moaned with her and so we did. I'm sure it sounded quite funny to those outside. lol M was able to get in the tub and was pronounced ready to push. However, she wasn't able to do so for long because Baby S didn't like that too much. She was moved to a birthing stool, but it quickly became clear that a transfer was in order as Baby S was continuing to have variables in his heart-rate.

I was very impressed with the way everyone involved handled the transfer. Everyone at the birth center was calm, but there was a sense of urgency as bright overhead lights were turned on, oxygen and terbutaline administered, and an IV placed. L and I went over to the hospital as soon as the paramedics arrived so that we would be there when M got there. Even after having to park on the opposite side of the hospital we walked up to her room just as the paramedics were leaving.

I had assumed from the way that the midwives and M were talking at the birth center that she would be having a c-section and I did some work clearing my own feelings about that on my way over to the hospital. I was confused when it seemed like nobody was helping her. Why weren't they giving her drugs and prepping her? An OB came in and said he wanted her to push and TWO MINUTES later Baby S was earth side! We can only assume that the position M was in on the stretcher (hands and knees) and the jostling of the ambulance remedied whatever the problem was and got Baby S into a better position.

6:40am
9 pounds even

Even though the baby was safely here and adorable to boot, my job wasn't done. I asked the nurse where the heated blankets were and tried to pile them on M to help her uncontrollable shivering. I wanted to give her juice but she wasn't allowed until the placenta was delivered. That took longer than "normal" and she was seconds away from going down to the OR to have it removed when it decided to come on out. Whew!

After M had some juice and the baby was weighed, he nursed for the first time and took right to it! I went into the bathroom with M while she took a shower to hand her stuff and make sure she didn't get woozy, but the shakes were over and she was on a birth high! I left them after they all ate breakfast and M was settled in bed with Baby S. It was such a beautiful day to have a baby!