My client had an induction scheduled for this morning. Yesterday she had a "balloon" placed in her cervix to help things along. She had some sporadic contractions, but nothing significant. So we all went to bed wondering what the night would bring. The night only brought sleep, but that's ok! She arrived at the hospital at 7:00 am, and her doctor joined her around 8:30. She was dilated to 6 cm, and her water broke while her doctor was sweeping her membranes! Instead of using pitocin, they decided to see if labor would pick up on it's own.
I arrived shortly before 10:00. Mom had her music going and we chatted a bit since contractions weren't very intense. She looked through my affirmation cards and chose the phrases she wanted to focus on as things progressed.
Just as we were talking about going for a walk to encourage more contractions, they picked up all on their own. By 10:40 mom was clearly in active labor.
She already knew that her baby was posterior, and once active labor hit, back labor came with it. She leaned over the bed to encourage her baby to rotate and I rubbed her back to help with her discomfort.
Her oldest daughter arrived, and was a great helper the entire time. It really melted my heart to see her serving and supporting her mom.
She also received great support from her husband.
At 11:20 mom got in the tub. She was very focused and was coping great. But things were intensifying quickly, so she got out of the tub at 11:45 to try the nitrous.
At 11:50 the nurse checked her and she was still 6 cm. Which wasn't surprising since sometimes the labor has to catch up to the cervix when we force the cervix to dilate, as was done with the balloon last night. But mom wasn't happy with the news and at 12:20 she requested an epidural. The nurse hooked up the iv, but she and I both wondered if the baby would arrive before the meds! Her contractions were getting more and more powerful, and things can change very quickly!
The urge to push started at 12:25 and mom was fully pushing by 12:40.
Her daughter watched as things grew more and more intense. I asked her if she was excited. She said she was, but I think she had a lot of emotions along with excitement. I wish I had a picture of her right after the birth, but she was hugging me and sobbing! It was the sweetest thing ever. What an amazing experience to watch a sibling be born.
This mom wasn't planning on a natural birth, but at 1:07 pm, her son slipped into the world!
It was really fun to see her cradle her baby as she held him for the first time. She stayed in this position for several minutes, just soaking him in.
Big sister even got to the cut the cord. She was such an amazing helper and brought such a sweet spirit into the deliver room. It was a beautiful birth, and baby was nursing by 1:30!
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