NOTE: This blog post contains a photo of the actual moment of birth. If that makes you uneasy, please do not continue to read. Negative comments will be deleted.
Katie did not have a doula at her first birth and decided to get some extra support the second time around in hopes that she could reach all of her birth goals and she did! Everything went exactly as she'd planned it and it was really great to see how well her birth plan was respected by her providers.
Katie did not have a doula at her first birth and decided to get some extra support the second time around in hopes that she could reach all of her birth goals and she did! Everything went exactly as she'd planned it and it was really great to see how well her birth plan was respected by her providers.
~Suzanne
Katie uses nitrous, counterpressure and a birth ball to cope with her contractions.
Baby #2 ♥️ What a difference an informed and empowered birth can be!!!
Started having contractions for two weeks prior to delivery. The week prior to delivery I had a membrane sweep and was at 2 cm. Contractions picked up but didn’t lead anywhere the rest of the week.
The following week I went in for my midwife appointment after having nonstop mild contractions for 24 hours to learn I was at 4 cm with a bulging water bag. We did another membrane sweep during this exam and baby was at a -2 station as well.
After that appointment ended at 11 am, the contractions just increased in intensity and got closer together as well. At this point I sent Suzanne, my doula, a screen shot of my contractions for the past 50 minutes and they where about 4-8 minutes apart. She suggested eating some lunch and once we see all 5 minute contractions, head on in to the hospital. Well, this happened pretty quickly. I walked around the house and did some laundry and dishes to keep busy while going through each wave and knowing they were for sure getting stronger. My husband came home from work just as I was ready to walk out door.
Started having contractions for two weeks prior to delivery. The week prior to delivery I had a membrane sweep and was at 2 cm. Contractions picked up but didn’t lead anywhere the rest of the week.
The following week I went in for my midwife appointment after having nonstop mild contractions for 24 hours to learn I was at 4 cm with a bulging water bag. We did another membrane sweep during this exam and baby was at a -2 station as well.
After that appointment ended at 11 am, the contractions just increased in intensity and got closer together as well. At this point I sent Suzanne, my doula, a screen shot of my contractions for the past 50 minutes and they where about 4-8 minutes apart. She suggested eating some lunch and once we see all 5 minute contractions, head on in to the hospital. Well, this happened pretty quickly. I walked around the house and did some laundry and dishes to keep busy while going through each wave and knowing they were for sure getting stronger. My husband came home from work just as I was ready to walk out door.
Katie enters transition
We were at triage by 2:30 and was already to 6 cm and contracting every 90 seconds. Once I was admitted to a room I got to go over my birth plan with the midwife on call. Thanks to Suzanne’s help, I was able to write up a plan that was reasonable and what I wanted and to my utmost shock I got to have the labor I wanted to the T. Nothing varied. It was so nice to have my mom and husband be able to be here as support along with Suzanne who helped guide me through the labor. I had requested to use the nitrous-gas machine while laboring and it was available!
Suzanne had joined us at about this time and I was still breathing and moving around the room through contractions. I used the nitrous for maybe an hour or so off and on, but was I coming to transition I found it made me more nauseous then helpful. During these contractions Suzanne helped with counter pressure and encouraging words. Once I was tired and ready to lay down for a bit she continued to remind me to breathe deep and slow, tell me I am do this, I am having a baby. All very reassuring things I needed to hear. As things came on very strong I noticed the baby warmer and more nurses were coming in the room.
I remember us talking about how these are all signs baby is about to be here and I’m getting to the finish line. So that was a another wonderful thing to know with being told in the moment and that really helped me stay focused. At this point the midwife asked if I wanted to have my water broken because it was bulging and probably the last thing to keep me from pushing this baby out. As I said yes, I felt a strong push sensation and Suzanne and the nurse encouraged me to push hard, as I was about break my water on my own. It was such a cool experience to feel it burst. To also hear the support from Suzanne and the nurses that I did it was great and so reassuring.
We were at triage by 2:30 and was already to 6 cm and contracting every 90 seconds. Once I was admitted to a room I got to go over my birth plan with the midwife on call. Thanks to Suzanne’s help, I was able to write up a plan that was reasonable and what I wanted and to my utmost shock I got to have the labor I wanted to the T. Nothing varied. It was so nice to have my mom and husband be able to be here as support along with Suzanne who helped guide me through the labor. I had requested to use the nitrous-gas machine while laboring and it was available!
Suzanne had joined us at about this time and I was still breathing and moving around the room through contractions. I used the nitrous for maybe an hour or so off and on, but was I coming to transition I found it made me more nauseous then helpful. During these contractions Suzanne helped with counter pressure and encouraging words. Once I was tired and ready to lay down for a bit she continued to remind me to breathe deep and slow, tell me I am do this, I am having a baby. All very reassuring things I needed to hear. As things came on very strong I noticed the baby warmer and more nurses were coming in the room.
I remember us talking about how these are all signs baby is about to be here and I’m getting to the finish line. So that was a another wonderful thing to know with being told in the moment and that really helped me stay focused. At this point the midwife asked if I wanted to have my water broken because it was bulging and probably the last thing to keep me from pushing this baby out. As I said yes, I felt a strong push sensation and Suzanne and the nurse encouraged me to push hard, as I was about break my water on my own. It was such a cool experience to feel it burst. To also hear the support from Suzanne and the nurses that I did it was great and so reassuring.
The moment of birth is so fleeting ... but also, it's as if time stands still
I help baby Thomas latch after birth From there the contractions intensified again. I was hardly responding at this point. I was laying on my side and Suzanne gave me her hand to squeeze, reminded me to breath deep and slow for baby to get the oxygen he was needing. His heart rate was dropping slightly (cord ended up being wrapped twice around his neck) After a few awkward pushes from my side, Suzanne asked for the squat bar and sheet to give me something to pull against. Once I got that, and the bed dropped under my hips it made such a difference in what I could feel and push. By this point, my grunts and groans and cries had really taken over. No more slow breathing. This was another thing I was glad to remember from our earlier meetings, that once you start making those noises, it’s a very strong sign you're near the end and that’s how your coping with the pain. This was another spot where I really appreciated having Suzanne, because without telling me what to do, she was making the calmer more effective noises near me. I was able to imitate them and make my pushing much more effective. I pushed about about 30 minutes and those were some of the most painful intense pushes I could have imagined. A few times I kept thinking, "Why didn’t I get an epidural? This hurts so much more!" but before I knew it, between Suzanne encouraging me and reminding me how to hold my breath and push, really allowed me to get through this delivery all natural. I had a baby boy on my chest in no time. They even told me to reach for my baby twice before I realized that they where telling me he is here! I truly can’t thank Suzanne enough for helping me reach this goal of a unmediated labored and delivery. It was completely opposite of my first labor and I was so proud of myself for being able to have this baby come into the world the way I had been planning for months.
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