tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16284451741740661922023-06-15T01:15:04.046-07:00MUSIC BIRTH STORIESMusic Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-20609980983738973822021-04-22T12:13:00.013-07:002021-04-22T14:10:42.961-07:00Lights, Plants, and Dreamcatchers<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">After supporting births for 17 years, and writing this blog for 12, I sit down today to write my final birth story as a doula. And I couldn't have asked for a better birth to end on, or a sweeter family to work with. I first met this couple in 2019 when I was their doula for their </span><a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2019/02/that-was-epic.html" style="text-align: left;" target="_blank">first birth.</a><span style="text-align: left;"> That birth was long and difficult, as first births often are. But this America Ninja Warrior had the physical and emotional strength to endure. For her sake, I really hoped this second baby would enter the world a little faster! :) </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">With her due date several days ago, I've been anxiously awaiting her call. I received a text around 6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 21st saying she was feeling crampy, but not really having contractions. Then I heard from her husband at 9:30 pm saying her contractions were regular, but that they didn't need help yet. I encouraged them to rest, but resting was not in their future. At 10:40 pm they asked me to head over, and I arrived at 11:00 pm to find mom laboring on her hands and knees, and moaning through her contractions. It was go time! </div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-79fCdB1WylY/YIG8qjfx9eI/AAAAAAAACOs/rOfBrMPy3X0REogwXDuUQ9YOiiIZGoaCACPcBGAYYCw/s2048/IMG_20210421_231340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-79fCdB1WylY/YIG8qjfx9eI/AAAAAAAACOs/rOfBrMPy3X0REogwXDuUQ9YOiiIZGoaCACPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_20210421_231340.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Labor was progressing quickly. The midwives were boiling water in order to get the birth pool filled. The room was decorated with lights, plants, dreamcatchers and birth affirmation cards. I got the music going, and coached mom through each contraction. She listened to her body, and used her breath to get her through each one.</div><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5SJ1bHLaDXg/YIG8qcQXmBI/AAAAAAAACN0/DOaMvXExzsIeh_7Qm-aMaG1O07U864i7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210421_233429.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5SJ1bHLaDXg/YIG8qcQXmBI/AAAAAAAACN0/DOaMvXExzsIeh_7Qm-aMaG1O07U864i7gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210421_233429.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cYLuN0S6FB8/YIG8r1VLqaI/AAAAAAAACOA/CZiGdhjqZwMuftkz3Z5yM-KfAz7YjZy5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210421_233445.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cYLuN0S6FB8/YIG8r1VLqaI/AAAAAAAACOA/CZiGdhjqZwMuftkz3Z5yM-KfAz7YjZy5wCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210421_233445.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">At 11:30 pm, mom was ready to get into the water. It brought some needed relief. I could see the intensity building and I encouraged mom to allow the changes to come. It can be overwhelming when labor progresses so quickly, and surrendering to the experience can be difficult. She got in control of her breathing, and by 11:50 pm she was starting to grunt during contractions. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDx3MEcyGM0/YIG8sapBItI/AAAAAAAACOE/Mol4_Gq_40kU8ruRzmre2fwpU27jAJXCACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210422_000117.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDx3MEcyGM0/YIG8sapBItI/AAAAAAAACOE/Mol4_Gq_40kU8ruRzmre2fwpU27jAJXCACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210422_000117.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">The midwife in this photo was sorority sisters with this mom back in college, and it was fun to see their relationship during this experience. Birth has a long history of women taking care of each other, and birth is more successful when women feel safe and supported. I first met this midwife when she was training to be a doula, and it was really great seeing her now as a competent and compassionate midwife. She has found her calling. The midwife below also started as a doula, and she and I became internet friends before she even moved to Boise. So basically, it was a really awesome group of people to be around, and I just love working alongside such amazing women. </p><p style="text-align: center;">Ok, back to the birth...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOEsahwH3xs/YIG8slEBszI/AAAAAAAACOI/3I2R8M4e9VA-pbLRKwkah9MWGWichleyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210422_000227.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QOEsahwH3xs/YIG8slEBszI/AAAAAAAACOI/3I2R8M4e9VA-pbLRKwkah9MWGWichleyQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210422_000227.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Pushing didn't take long this time. (Last time we were lunging and doing all sorts of things to encourage baby #1 out. Baby #2 didn't need any help at all!) This little one was a little tangled up in the umbilical cord, and quickly slipped into the world at 12:02 am. She needed a couple puffs of oxygen, as water birth babies tend to transition a little slower, but she couldn't have been cuter!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ4lf4S1sQQ/YIG8szhupHI/AAAAAAAACOM/rmFKMOrpkY8AfdBsCoTh5pXsF8ECjxKxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210422_000321.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JJ4lf4S1sQQ/YIG8szhupHI/AAAAAAAACOM/rmFKMOrpkY8AfdBsCoTh5pXsF8ECjxKxQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210422_000321.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">After a couple minutes of snuggling, it was time to get mom out of the water. She was bleeding a little too much and needed a couple shots of pitocin. She was also freezing! It wasn't an easy walk to the bedroom, but by 12:25 everything was under control and everyone was tucked in bed for the first nursing session. And just like last time, mom snacked on orange slices and La Croix.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVxL25h88Y4/YIG8tqR45KI/AAAAAAAACOQ/Q4VNvrA-b2UBDzcnKWLEWKcoAlMZIXRUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210422_001751.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mVxL25h88Y4/YIG8tqR45KI/AAAAAAAACOQ/Q4VNvrA-b2UBDzcnKWLEWKcoAlMZIXRUQCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210422_001751.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Dad snuck in a few minutes of snuggling, too! He was a great support during both births, and it was easy to see how much he loved his family. These two are such a great team. Running a business and raising a family together. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4nBewxLhy88/YIG8uNcgNNI/AAAAAAAACOU/sFbPreMAXl4xe-zZYVjJaTM1baMMT_60ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210422_002207.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4nBewxLhy88/YIG8uNcgNNI/AAAAAAAACOU/sFbPreMAXl4xe-zZYVjJaTM1baMMT_60ACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210422_002207.jpg" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;">Welcome Sylvia! Born Thursday, April 22nd at 12:02 am. Weighing 8 pounds, 2 ounces.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BQdSMFRbNk/YIG8uSCnPMI/AAAAAAAACOY/aiPSSMDEn5Q18b5940_YsPTz0VyzzcYXACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_20210422_010710.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8BQdSMFRbNk/YIG8uSCnPMI/AAAAAAAACOY/aiPSSMDEn5Q18b5940_YsPTz0VyzzcYXACLcBGAsYHQ/s320/IMG_20210422_010710.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Doula work has changed and shaped my life. It has been an unexplainable honor to be invited into almost 200 births. To be a trusted resource and ally. It has taught me so much about love, strength, endurance, resilience, pain, fear, and even heartbreak. It has given me a lifelong passion of supporting families. It has simultaneously filled me with excitement and joy, and taken everything I can give. It has made me who I am, and I will never forget the amazing lessons I have learned and the wonderful people I have served along the way. </div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-29874388637819924762020-06-10T15:59:00.002-07:002020-06-10T16:02:35.799-07:00Zero to Hero<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My latest client had her first baby a little over 3 months early. So I missed that birth! When she told me she was expecting again, neither of us knew what to expect this time around. As her pregnancy progressed, her cervix looked great and there were no warning signs of another premature birth. We moved forward with plans of having a full term, natural, music birth, delivery.</div>
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But this pregnancy had other plans! Gestational hypertension had her in and out of the hospital for the last several weeks. Yesterday it was decided that it was time to get off the roller coaster, and have the baby. Even though she was over 4 weeks away from her due date, her cervix was already 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. A great place to start for an induction!</div>
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Pitocin was started shortly after 4:00 pm, but the baby didn't love that. So the water was broken at 5:30 and the pitocin was turned off. Mom was contracting, but not really feeling any pain. Contractions were anywhere from 2 to 6 minutes apart. By 7:00 pm things were getting intense and I was asked to join them.</div>
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I arrived shortly before 8:00 pm. Thankfully they were delivering at the only hospital in the area that is allowing doulas! Covid-19 sure has made things difficult for doula support. When I arrived, mom was laying in the bed and breathing deeply through her contractions. Her husband was holding her hand and encouraging her through each breath. At 8:30 pm, she was 5 cm dilated, but baby was still high in the pelvis at -2 station. I suggested getting out of bed for a while to encourage the baby to drop into the pelvis.</div>
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Mom said that it was more comfortable out of bed. I got the music going and started rubbing moms back during each contraction. She continued with her deep breathing. </div>
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We worked with two great nurses, one who even braided my client's hair. :)<br />
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The other nurse made me chuckle when she said she thought this birth might go from "zero to hero". She was right! </div>
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After standing for about an hour, mom was tired, so we switched to the birth ball. Mom was starving, so she snacked a little bit. She started to really moan during her contractions, and an exam at 9:45 pm showed that mom was now 8 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and baby had moved to -1 station. </div>
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As all moms do at this point, mom really began to doubt herself. She told me to tell her it was too late for an epidural. :) I could tell things were progressing very quickly. The urge to push was building with each contraction, and before we knew it mom was complete and baby was +2 station! The nurses called the OB and told her to not to stop at stop signs, ha! We changed moms position and had her pant through each contraction. This gave mom a few minutes to find her focal point again after the intensity of going from active labor to pushing in about 20 minutes!</div>
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The OB arrived and it was go time! Mom said "This really better be it and not just a poop!" We assured her this was the real deal!</div>
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And at 10:14, this beautiful girl slipped into the world.</div>
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Even though she was more than 4 weeks away from her due date, this sweet baby cried and pinked up right away. </div>
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After the chaos and stress of having their first baby at 25 1/2 weeks, and being hospitalized for the last few weeks with this pregnancy, I was thrilled that this mama was able to have such a perfect birth. Just a few hours of hard labor, an un-medicated delivery, and an hour to breastfeed right after the baby was born. It couldn't have gone better, and this mama really deserved such a wonderful experience!</div>
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We all guessed this babe would weigh less than 5 pounds, but she was just a little over 5!</div>
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This proud papa is a nurse at the hospital we were at, and was able to take his daughter to the NICU for some premie monitoring for the night. Thankfully, she did great and was back with her mom before morning!</div>
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<span id="goog_1864935807">Welcome Audrey!</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1864935807">Born Tuesday, June 9th, 2020 at 10:14 pm</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1864935807">(35 weeks and 5 days)</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1864935807">Weighing 5 pounds, 2 ounces</span></div>
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<span id="goog_1864935807">And the prettiest lips in town! </span></div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-53358476401846325282020-02-09T18:07:00.002-08:002020-02-09T18:07:23.704-08:00Double Water<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hanging out at 41.5 weeks, my latest client decided to have her membranes swept on Saturday morning. She was 3 cm, and the midwife could stretch her to almost 5 cm after the sweep. We kept in touch over text all day, but there wasn't much to report. At 7:30 pm she was having contractions every 45-60 minutes, and by 9:00 pm they were every 25 minutes. We didn't know what to expect, so we both decided to try to get to bed early and see where the night took us. :) </div>
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She called me at 12:30 am to say contractions were coming every 4-7 minutes, and that she was feeling a lot of pressure in her hips. It was go time! I arrived at their home shortly after 1:00 am. Mom was smiley and chatty. She had to breathe through each contraction, but was conversational in between. After just a handful of contractions we all headed to the birth center. </div>
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We arrived at the birth center at 1:40, and contractions were coming every 3 minutes. Each contraction was noticeably more intense, and mom's demeanor became more serious with each one. I got the relaxing music going, and dad and I took turns providing counter pressure on mom's hips. </div>
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At 2:20 mom was ready for a rest. By 2:30 she had the shakes, and at 2:45 an exam showed she was 8 cm and 90% effaced. By 3:00 am, mom was vocalizing and starting to show the signs of getting the urge to push. She continued to labor in bed until 3:50. At that time we decided to get up and see if a change in position would get things rolling more. The midwife did another exam and mom was complete. After just a few contractions upright, mom decided it was time for the tub!</div>
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Mom said she could feel her baby getting lower, but the urge to push wasn't taking over yet. The midwife offered to break her water to intensify the urge, but mom decided to keep things going how they were. At 4:30 I suggest a new position of side lunging, in the hopes that it would increase the urge push. I don't know if that's what did the trick or not, but one contraction in that position and mom was full on pushing her baby out!</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4MDMvQvAvF4/XkCJ6BKFRMI/AAAAAAAACFo/Eqg7S9CYAkUByUGqeAyET2z5XCI22qv9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200209_043806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4MDMvQvAvF4/XkCJ6BKFRMI/AAAAAAAACFo/Eqg7S9CYAkUByUGqeAyET2z5XCI22qv9QCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200209_043806.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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At 4:38 not only did this sweet little boy slip into the world, his amniotic sac remained in tact. So he was born in the water... in his amniotic water! A double water birth, and the only en caul water birth I've ever seen. </div>
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It was a good position to push in, but took some serious coordination to get the baby into mom's arms after. </div>
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Welcome Arthur!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Born Sunday, February 9th, 2020</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Weighing 8 pounds 14 ounces</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QYY2iVLCKYQ/XkCK8q_pwTI/AAAAAAAACGQ/aftSWJ4gFRYApMBvc16-oZYClGvjxYYdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200209_044505.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QYY2iVLCKYQ/XkCK8q_pwTI/AAAAAAAACGQ/aftSWJ4gFRYApMBvc16-oZYClGvjxYYdwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200209_044505.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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He was so calm and so alert, and so cute and squishy!</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wjFQ3x6j1A/XkCLhHysXuI/AAAAAAAACGo/TpdWI5btrkUYJTzN2yAbgenfdSl-jZfzACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20200209_050400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0wjFQ3x6j1A/XkCLhHysXuI/AAAAAAAACGo/TpdWI5btrkUYJTzN2yAbgenfdSl-jZfzACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20200209_050400.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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It was wonderful to support this mom during such a great birth experience, in a fraction of the time of her <a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2016/09/laughing-and-crowning-usually-dont-go.html" target="_blank">first birth several years ago.</a> This birth was shorter, but short births come with few breaks and lots of intensity! She was amazing during both of them!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-63434474467646356742019-11-26T16:44:00.001-08:002019-11-26T16:44:45.360-08:00Where Have You Been All My Life?<div style="text-align: center;">
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I got an unexpected surprise when my
client texted me at 11:30 pm on Sunday night saying her water had
broken! Sitting at 37 weeks, I never thought I would be attending a
birth this week! I encouraged her to try to sleep (ha!). In the
morning, contractions were still pretty mild and far apart. Around
11:00 they decided to head to the hospital and make sure everything was
ok.</div>
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Contractions
still weren't picking up, so around 3:00 pm, mom was given cytotec to
try to get things rolling. And it worked! Dad texted me at 4:2o to
head over, and I arrived at 5:00 pm. Mom was leaning over the bed and
moaning through each contraction. I couldn't believe how intense things
already were!</div>
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Around
5:20 I helped mom to the bathroom and she got the urge to push!
Several minutes later the nurse confirmed that she was complete and it
was ok to really go for it. By 5:45 we were in full pushing mode.</div>
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Dilation
occurred quickly, but pushing proved to be more of a challenge. We
pushed in every position we could think of, and it didn't seem like we
were making any progress. Mom not only had to find endless amounts of
energy, she also had to deal with a lot of anxiety and self-doubt. I
would tell her she was doing a great job, and she would respond with "I
am?"<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkOaks1uClI/Xd29KQcDgPI/AAAAAAAAooE/nzYtvDie3lANDnKmcoQj6YQIVVgkEseIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191125_182142_1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qkOaks1uClI/Xd29KQcDgPI/AAAAAAAAooE/nzYtvDie3lANDnKmcoQj6YQIVVgkEseIgCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191125_182142_1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Then
she would find times of inner strength and say things like "I'm ok" and
"I can do this." Her affirmation going into this birth was "All the
strength I need is within me." And that proved to be very true! This
mom was tough, and she pushed for hours!</div>
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We
tried so many different positions, and upright positions helped her the
most with focusing her energy to her baby. But they are also very
tiring and her legs were very tired and crampy. One charlie horse left
mom in agony! But she was a total champion and pushed in at least 10
different positions.<br />
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During
a time of strong discouragement, dad told her she was doing a great
job. She honestly asked "How do you know?" Then her sassy personality
came through and she yelled "you don't know!" to him. It was pretty
hilarious. I assured her that I knew she could do it! In between
contractions she would also say "this is so dumb!" </div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Efw05Vj_g2c/Xd2_PKl46ZI/AAAAAAAAoo8/sm5g46dFckIbnknFhL3OY2R57hEN6oT3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191125_221305.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Efw05Vj_g2c/Xd2_PKl46ZI/AAAAAAAAoo8/sm5g46dFckIbnknFhL3OY2R57hEN6oT3ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191125_221305.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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By
9:30 we needed more help. The doctor came in and turned on the lights
to get her adrenaline going and the nurse administered a low dose of
pitocin to make the contractions stronger and longer. We also changed
the music from relaxing to energetic. Mom turned on Rihanna, and this
doula had a very hard time not dancing. :) The lyrics "where have you
been all my life?" played loudly and I thought about all the years of
infertility this couple had gone through, and how they were so close to
finally meeting the baby they had been dreaming of. <br />
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And at 10:14 pm, this sweet little girl was finally born!</div>
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This couple did not know the gender of their baby, and mom instantly turned to her husband and said "you're screwed!". Ha!</div>
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(And PS, I super love this photo!)<br />
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Emotions
were strong and it was an amazing experience to see all the hours of
pushing, and years of waiting and dreaming come to this moment.<br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ojls_EODBGk/Xd29yJkDEHI/AAAAAAAAooo/gRB1t5n1OTgJjnQQFz1eFLUKZhBSgHQEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/IMG_20191125_225813.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ojls_EODBGk/Xd29yJkDEHI/AAAAAAAAooo/gRB1t5n1OTgJjnQQFz1eFLUKZhBSgHQEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/IMG_20191125_225813.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Dad
was hesitant to hold his baby, saying he wasn't ready or capable. He
was, of course, wrong! He immediately settled into fatherhood!</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Baby latched on quickly, and I snuck out of the room in complete wonderment that my Dec. 14th client delivered in November! </div>
<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-519701643874525502019-09-11T19:25:00.001-07:002019-09-11T19:25:28.228-07:00Forward and Backward<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Two and a half years ago I had the privilege of supporting this sweet family during the <a href="https://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2017/04/living-water.html?m=1&fbclid=IwAR3vrh6WS05Tn63ggobDbUb85-6PetAHrZZZ7UwGsRu_OCGrLAtuR8PO2ME" target="_blank">birth of their first child</a>. It was a long and difficult birth, and I was excited for her to experience the benefits of a second, shorter birth. On Monday my client was 3 cm and about 60% effaced, and decided to have her membranes swept at her weekly appointment. By Tuesday morning she was having contractions, but nothing very consistent or intense. We kept in touch throughout the day, and contractions seemed to come and go. As soon as it seemed like things were moving forward, they would take a step back again.</div>
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But at 7:00 pm she felt it was time to head down to the birth center and see where she was at. </div>
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I arrived at 7:30 and mom was being assessed by the midwife. We were all thrilled to find that mom was already 7 cm at 7:45. We chatted a bit, but things began to intensify quickly. </div>
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By 8:30 pm mom was ready to get in the tub. The water was really hot, but she enjoyed the relief. She had some nerves and turned on some uplifting, Christian music. I still remember them introducing me to the music of Lauren Daigle at their last birth! The lyrics "with heart and with soul, I will always love you" filled the room.</div>
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As the evening progressed, labor continued to intensify and back off. We filled the down time with pleasant conversation and our mutual love of all things Disney. Mom moved her body and rolled her hips, and did many positions to encourage an open pelvis. I provided counter pressure to help with back pain.</div>
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By 10:00 pm mom was vocalizing through her contractions and they were closer together. But progress still didn't seem to be coming. I reviewed some of the strategies we did during her previous birth, and we did some lunging and position changes in case this birth was going to be a little longer like the last one.</div>
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At 11:04 pm mom said she was starting to get the urge to push! The midwife did an exam and felt that the bag of water was probably causing that feeling, and not the baby. At 11:20 my client chose to have her water broken to try and speed things along. The opposite happened. Contractions spaced out and the urge to push was gone. At this point mom was 9.5 cm with just a little bit of a cervical lip. The midwife tried to push it out of the way, but it was too uncomfortable. </div>
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At 11:40 baby started having some heart decels, so we got mom out of the tub and found some different positions to make baby happier. </div>
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At 12:10 we moved mom to the birth stool to try to encourage descent and bring about the urge to push. At 1:00 am, we got mom on the bed in hands and knees position, and I did some rebozo sifting. Her husband leaned in close and said "Thank you for working so hard."</div>
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The midwife felt the baby to be a little crooked in the pelvis, so mom did several contractions on each side. All the moving/rotating did the trick, and suddenly at 1:40 am, the urge to push became very strong and progress came very quickly. The baby was at plus 2 station, and this time the midwife was able to push away that darn cervical lip that insisted on being present during both labors. </div>
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The head came out smoothly and timely, but the body didn't follow. One of the shoulders was stuck under mom's pubic bone. Mom quickly moved from laying on her back, to hands and knees, then back to her back, then back to hands and knees. I am not certain, but I believe she flipped positions a total of 6 times. It was intense. It was stressful. The midwives worked quickly.</div>
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Finally the baby was born. (I think at 1:56-1:57, I'm not certain.) She was pretty shell shocked and required some assistance from the midwives. They encouraged mom and dad to talk to their baby. Mom looked me in the eyes and asked me if her baby was ok. And to be honest, I really didn't know if she was or not. All I could say was "the midwives are taking really good care of her". </div>
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Finally, at 1:59, baby girl let out her first cry, and I think we all breathed an enormous sigh of relief as our eyes filled with tears.</div>
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She was quickly placed into her mother's arms.</div>
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Welcome Juniper!</div>
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Born Wednesday, Sept. 11th, 2019</div>
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Weighing 8 pounds 9 ounces</div>
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Mom and dad were hoping to not have a Sept. 11th baby, but then the midwife pointed out that her birthday is the same forward and backward.</div>
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9-11-19 </div>
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I guess that won't be possible again for another hundred years or so! </div>
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It wasn't the second birth I was hoping for, for this sweet mama who really had to work hard to get her first daughter here. We did shave off about 12 hours, but this birth was definitely more difficult than we anticipated. But this mama was so strong. And those baby cheeks are so sweet!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-8143077800216597602019-08-20T14:06:00.001-07:002019-08-20T14:12:47.198-07:0041 Weeks and 6 Days!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Hanging out at 41 weeks, my latest client reluctantly agreed to an induction on Friday evening. After processing a change in birth plan and coming up with a new plan, she arrived at the hospital to discover that it was too full that evening, and her induction was put off until Monday morning! </div>
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But her baby had different plans. Her water broke around 10:30 am Sunday morning. Along with it was meconium, so off to the hospital they went. When she arrived she was 1 cm dilated and about 70% effaced. Baby was high and contractions were mild. Around 2:30 that afternoon, some pitocin was administered to try to get things moving. But bay didn't love the pitocin and labor wasn't progressing. So at 2:00 am on Monday, they decided to just turn off the pitocin and try to get some sleep. (An almost impossible task at the hospital!)</div>
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I heard from my client at 6:00 am Monday. They were about to start the pitocin again and she was worried about coping with pain due to her exhaustion. My back up doula met her at 8:00 am as I had a morning conflict. She texted me at 10:00 saying my client was now 4 cm and 90% effaced, and that she was thinking about getting an epidural soon. I felt bad for missing all the action! By 11:00 mom was comfortable with an epidural. I raced to the hospital as fast as I could. When I got there shortly before noon I was shocked to find out that my client was now 9 cm! I had missed almost everything!</div>
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Mom was in good spirits when I arrived. We chatted for a while and worked on positioning to help baby descend. Then mom tried to nap again. She had a great playlist going with tons of Josh Groban, my fave!</div>
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At 2:00 mom was checked and was complete! We reviewed pushing techniques for breathing and positioning. And by 3:15 mom was pushing!</div>
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Pushing is really exciting at the beginning, but that excitement can quickly wear off when moms discover how difficult it can be and how long it can last. This mom had the best epidural ever though. She had so much control over her legs and was able to utilize a ton of different positions. We did hands and knees, side lying, squatting, semi-reclined, you name it. </div>
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At 5:30 mom was exhausted and her tissues were really starting to swell, and progress was minimal. So we decided to rest for a while. She pushed her epidural button and went back to deep breathing. Mom was also starting to show signs of infection. Her skin was very warm and she started having uterine pain, so antibiotics were ordered. (Once the water breaks, women are at an increased risk of infection.)<br />
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Mom was also hungry and she daydreamed about eating a cheeseburger and chocolate milkshake once her baby was born.<br />
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Shortly after 6:00 pm we started pushing again. This mom was determined and we tried everything. All the positions and this time we added tug-of-war with a sheet to help her really focus her energy down. She was so freaking strong. This yoga master was amazing, yet the baby was still hardly moving.</div>
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There were several residents supporting the birth, and I really enjoyed working with them! They were so easy to talk to and asked me a lot of questions about positions and my take on things. It was such an awesome collaboration, I wish every birth room could be like that! There was one point it looked like mom would deliver on her hands and knees and the resident doctor was asking me to tell him about my experiences with that position! He had never seen a birth that way, but was so open to learning about it and supporting it. So awesome.</div>
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At 7:00 grandma arrived and brought with her encouragement and love.</div>
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At 7:30 a new OB came in to evaluate and felt that the baby was still too high to try a forcep or vacuum assist, and felt that a cesarean was the best option at this point. This news can be so disappointing after hours/days of laboring and pushing, but sometimes it is the only way. Mom said she was too tired to feel emotional about it. Dad wasn't. After his wife was wheeled in the OR, the emotions were strong. His father in law offered him a religious blessing and blessed him to feel Christ's love, peace, to be strong for his wife, and to feel the love from his heavenly and earthly parents. A feeling of peace entered the room.</div>
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Shortly thereafter though the nurse came into the room crying. She was so sad to tell the dad that he would not be allowed into the birth. Mom was not responding well enough to the anesthesia and would have to be put under for the cesarean. It was a new disappointment to deal with and emotions quickly returned. </div>
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Finally at 9:00 pm, sweet Mae was born. </div>
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During the cesarean, the doctors discovered a uterine abnormality that they believe swelled during the labor and prevented the vaginal birth. It's nice to have answers, but it's even nicer to finally hold your baby! I'm sure this mama is exhausted with sore muscles all over. She worked so hard!</div>
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Welcome Mae!</div>
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Born Monday August 19th, 2019</div>
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9:00 pm</div>
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Weighing 6 pounds 6 ounces</div>
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13 days past her due date</div>
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And look at all that hair!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-27934731500231215202019-05-13T10:40:00.000-07:002019-05-13T10:40:01.644-07:00Graduation-Mother's Day-Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My latest client is a repeat client who had her first baby a little less than 2 years ago. <a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2017/06/i-met-my-latest-client-several-years.html" target="_blank">Her first birth was AMAZING</a>, so I knew this birth would be great, too. On Thursday she was checked at her appointment and was already 3 cm dilated and 90% effaced. But she wanted her baby to stay inside for at least a few more days because she was graduating with her Bachelor of Arts Degree on Saturday!</div>
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She was able to march at graduation, but felt like she had pushed her body a little too far because the busy day brought on painful, but inconsistent contractions. She texted me Sunday morning say she had a gut feeling that her baby would be born that night or the next day. We kept in touch over text throughout the day. By afternoon, she was having contractions every 10-20 minutes. Nerves were starting to come as well, as mom remembered how difficult childbirth is! Mom wondered if she should go in and be checked, even though her contraction pattern wasn't active yet. </div>
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Around 6:30 pm, mom decided to head to the hospital and see if this was real labor or not. She was checked at 7:00 pm and was 5 cm and 100% effaced, and baby was at a minus 1 station. I arrived at 7:30 and found mom preparing to get into the tub. She was definitely nervous and doubting her ability to do this again. Normal emotions, but no fun.</div>
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Once in the tub, mom focused on her breathing and vocalizations. I turned on relaxing music, and reminded her to blow her contractions away and fully relax in between. After just a handful of relaxed contractions, mom began to tell us that she felt like something wasn't right, and that she would definitely be getting an epidural. I encouraged her to have her cervix checked before making a decision like that. She was talking like a woman in transition, and I wondered if her baby would be born too quickly to get an epidural anyway. Two contractions later she started grunting and I ran in the hall to alert the nurse.</div>
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Within seconds, several nurses appeared with a wheelchair and we quickly got mom into her birthing room at 8:30 pm. I could tell she was overwhelmed, and we had a quit chat about how it's OK to feel scared right before you give birth. I reminded her that we were all there to help her. At 8:40 the midwife confirmed that mom was 10 cm, baby was at plus 2 station, and it was time to have a baby. The midwife broke her water and...</div>
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two minutes later, this little girl slipped into her daddy's hands.</div>
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It was all so fast, I think it actually took mom a few minutes to process that she had given birth! </div>
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Baby girl nursed within 20 minutes of being born, and was so sweet holding onto her mom's finger.</div>
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Welcome Ivy Grace!</div>
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Born Sunday, May 12th 2019</div>
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Mother's Day</div>
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10 days before her due date</div>
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Weighing 7 pounds 7 ounces </div>
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This little girl is so loved by both her parents. She was delivered into her dad's hands, and then got to snuggle him skin to skin within the first hour of her life. </div>
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I love this photo. It reminds me of one I took at their <a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2017/06/i-met-my-latest-client-several-years.html" target="_blank">first birth</a> when mom watched dad hold their baby for the first time. So much love.</div>
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She may have doubted her ability to have a natural birth, but she totally proved herself wrong! We are usually much stronger than we give ourselves credit for. Within 36 hours, this amazing mama graduated college, celebrated Mother's Day, and rocked her natural birth!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-27554295014280453612019-03-31T15:46:00.005-07:002019-03-31T15:48:41.109-07:00Face Presentation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2017/10/sitting-at-41-weeks-and-2-days-my.html" target="_blank"> My latest client is a repeat client from Oct. 2017.</a> Her last baby came 9 days late, so we weren't expecting an early delivery this time around. Once 41 weeks hit, talk of induction was abounding, but this mama did not want to induce. She scheduled an induction for the very last day possible, and ended up giving birth the day before her time was up!</div>
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Her contractions began early Saturday morning, around 2:00 am. But by sunrise they had stalled out quite a bit. We kept in touch throughout the day. She contracted sporadically and lost her mucus plug around 5:00 pm on Saturday. But by bedtime things were pretty chill, so we both went to bed. She woke up with contractions every 10-15 minutes at 3:30 am, and by 7:00, it was time to head to the hospital.</div>
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I arrived at 8:00 am and found mom laboring in bed with dad offering support and encouragement. Mom was feeling "shaky and emotional", which is a pretty normal way to feel in labor! She was 6 cm, and we assumed things would progress really fast like last time. (Last time we arrived at the hospital at 6 cm, and her baby was born 68 minutes later.) </div>
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At 9:00 the OB arrived and mom was now 8 cm, 90% effaced and her baby was at zero station. There was a bulging bag of water, too. </div>
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We spent the next couple hours changing positions. I rubbed mom's back during contractions while dad pretended not to have a headache. (Poor guy suffers from chronic, cluster headaches. I kept telling him he could take a break, but he wouldn't leave his wife's side.) After a trip to use the restroom, mom literally crawled across the floor and back into the bed. Not a glamorous way to get around, but a great way to change positions and encourage good positioning!</div>
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At 11:30 we were all a little surprised that things weren't progressing. I kept wondering what would happen if the water broke. In an attempt to see if gravity could help us break the water, mom got out of bed and did some leaning and lunging on the edge of the bed, and at 11:40 her water leaked. It wasn't a gush, but there was definitely something. But it didn't change anything.</div>
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At 12:30 the OB came back in and mom was 9 cm, but there was still a bulging bag of waters. The OB offered to break the water to see if that would encourage the baby to descend more. She broke the water and exclaimed that the baby "came down miles", ha! </div>
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Things did intensify a bit, but I was surprised that the urge to push wasn't taking over yet. Dad and I held each of mom's hands while she moaned almost continuously. She was totally in the zone.</div>
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At 1:10 mom said she wanted to push, so she was checked again and was complete, and baby was almost at +2 station. I could tell the urge to push was still a little off, but mom worked hard and figured it out! </div>
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Several minutes later we were all surprised to see a little face
presenting instead of the crown of the baby's head. A face presentation
is rare, and often requires a cesarean. But with the skilled technique
of the OB and mom's incredible strength, this baby girl was born at
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Weighing 8 pounds 6 ounces</div>
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I was so happy my client was able to have the natural birth she desired and was able to go into labor before she needed to be induced! So often women feel like they will never go into labor, but they will. :) Even if it is 12 days late. </div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-91493958709658612652019-03-05T10:50:00.001-08:002019-03-05T10:50:25.667-08:0044 Hours<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My latest client started texting me Sunday morning saying she was having low back pain, and what felt like menstrual cramps. We kept in touch throughout the day, and I made sure to get a Sunday nap because I assumed we would be up all night! She went to the hospital at 7:00 pm, but was sent home with a sleeping pill because she was only dilated 1 cm. At 3:30 am her husband called saying they had been admitted to the hospital at 4 cm/80% effaced. </div>
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I arrived at 4:3o am and mom was still struggling with back pain. So we did lots of position changes and I provided back massage during contractions. At 6:15 an ultrasound confirmed that baby was posterior, so we continued working to get baby to rotate by moving often and utilizing hands and knees positioning. At 6:40 her husband turned to me and said "I'm so glad you are here!". :)</div>
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At 7:50 mom spent some time in the tub, but her contractions were so spaced out she decided to get out and move around more. She arrived at the hospital with contractions coming every 4-5 minutes, but now they were every 6-9 minutes. The nurse mentioned breaking the water or starting some pitocin, but my client wanted to keep working with her naturally progressing labor. We also discussed the possibility of going home for a while if the cervix wasn't changing.</div>
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At 10:20 mom endured 3 cervical exams before the nurse with the longest fingers confirmed that mom was now at 6 cm. To be honest, I was pretty surprised! I didn't think we would be making progress with so few contractions. So the option to go home was gone, but we still needed to speed up contractions.</div>
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Mom was motivated and energized. She walked up and down several flights of stairs, stopping to lunge during her contractions. Things started to pick up and mom said it was "a good pain". </div>
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The entire day mom was all smiles. She had originally planned on getting an epidural, but found that she could easily cope with her contractions, and that she preferred being able to move and work with her labor. </div>
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At 2:30 pm her OB stopped by to check on things. Mom was now 7 cm and 90% effaced. She offered to break mom's water, but mom wanted to let things progress the way they were. At 3:30 mom decided to get in bed and rest in between contractions, and they spaced out to 10 minutes apart!</div>
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Mom got out of bed at 4:15 pm and contractions picked up again. Her own mother attended the labor and offered lots of physical and emotional support throughout.</div>
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We hit the hallway again to keep things moving and stopped in the family waiting room to talk to all the expectant grandparents. Both sets of grandparents came from India for the birth. I loved learning more about their culture and awesome family values. I met them all about a week ago and answered many questions about birth in America and the support I would be giving their daughter. It was such a fun night!</div>
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At 5:30 pm mom was now 8 cm, but progress was coming slowly and night was quickly approaching. We were starting to worry about mom being able to maintain her energy throughout the night, so the decision was made to break the water, which would hopefully speed things up. Losing the water put extra pressure on the baby and we worked with the nurse to find positions that worked well for both mom and baby. </div>
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At 8:30 pm mom was still 8 cm. Contractions were getting more painful and closer together, but it was clear that the birth was still hours away. Mom opted for an epidural and a well deserved nap. After sleeping for a few hours, mom was at 9 cm, so some pitocin was started to help mom get through the final dilation. But baby didn't like the pitocin, so it wasn't on for long. </div>
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At 3:30 mom was finally dilated to 10 cm and it was time to push. I assumed that pushing would take several hours because everything had progressed slowly throughout the entire labor, and because she was a first time mom. But I was wrong! </div>
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Less than an hour later, this sweet little girl arrived!</div>
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She had so much thick, dark hair. So adorable!</div>
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What a journey! Approximately 44 hours from the first text to holding her baby!</div>
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Welcome sweet baby girl!</div>
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Born Tuesday, March 5th 2019 at 4:14 am</div>
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One day before her due date.</div>
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Weighing 6 pounds 2 ounces </div>
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<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-57319938589595778962019-02-18T19:12:00.001-08:002019-02-19T11:18:56.414-08:0023 Minutes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I got home from my last birth at 5:45 am on Saturday. At 8:38 I received a text from my next client saying she was having contractions. Selfishly, I was soooo tired and relieved when she told me that afternoon that things had died down. Sunday morning was the same thing. Contractions every 10-15 minutes with nothing by late afternoon. So when I heard from her again this morning saying that she was contracting again, I didn't really know what to think! </div>
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She texted me this afternoon at 2:30 saying her contractions were every 7-10 minutes, and at 3:30 her husband called to say they were every 3 minutes! So we all rushed to the birth center!</div>
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I arrived right at 4:00 and found mom laboring on the bathroom counter with her husband applying counter-pressure. He left to take care of logistics and get her playlist going, so I took over with counter-pressure. She did a couple contractions on the toilet and I could tell things were intensifying very quickly. </div>
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Mom made it to the tub at 4:17 and Maroon Five set the mood. She started vocalizing and grunting, and I knew she was close. I reminded her to slow her breathing down in between contractions.</div>
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Dad hopped in to offer more support and it was go time! I encouraged mom to focus her breath and vocalizations down to her baby.</div>
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And 23 minutes after I arrived, this little sweetie slipped into the world! Check out her cute little baby bum, all covered in vernix!</div>
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Mom was thrilled and exclaimed "I did it!". She then started singing to her baby.</div>
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Welcome Lexi!<br />
Born Monday February 18th, 2019<br />
Weighing 7 pounds 9 ounces<br />
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The room was filled with love songs. <i>Can't Help Falling in Love With You</i> and <i>At Last . </i>The perfect soundtrack for a mom who had to wait 10 days after her due date to finally go into labor!</div>
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Within 20 minutes the placenta was delivered and baby was nursing perfectly. This mom earned her stripes with her first birth being long and difficult. So the second time around, she really deserved a quick, day-time birth with no stitches! It couldn't have gone better (or faster!) and I am so happy for them.</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-92134342123973553522019-02-16T18:09:00.001-08:002019-02-17T13:20:48.130-08:00That Was Epic<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I spoke with my latest client on Thursday afternoon. She told me she had just had her membranes stripped. So at 41 weeks, I assumed it would be go time fairly quickly. Wasn't I surprised to wake up to texts on Friday morning from my other client at 39 1/2 weeks! She had been up most of the night with contractions coming every 5-10 minutes. </div>
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I arrived at her home at 8:30 am and found mom resting in bed. Shortly after I arrived she was a little restless, so we started mixing things up with the birth ball.</div>
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Her dog needed some love, too. :)</div>
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She spent some time reading through birth affirmations and choosing the ones she would like to focus on as labor progressed. She was doubting herself a bit, and fatigue was creeping in, so she decided to try to rest again. I ran home to grab some lunch because I thought mom was resting! But she wasn't. Shortly after I got home I received a text to meet them at the birth center.</div>
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We all arrived at the birth center shortly after noon, and the midwife confirmed that mom was in active labor and that her water was actually leaking. The midwife did an internal exam, but my client didn't want to know where she was. I could definitely tell that mom was well into active labor, and my main goal was to help her cope with the intensity of her contractions. Mom liked upright positions and she would lean over during contractions. I provided back massage and the hip squeeze during (I think) every contraction. This mama was so quiet and in control! It was actually hard to decipher when she was contracting!</div>
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Mom got in the tub at 2:45 pm. She instantly liked the water, but she did struggle to find a position she liked. She changed position often and focused on relaxing during her contractions. Contractions spaced out a bit, and she nodded off in between.</div>
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To stay energized, mom snacked on fresh oranges, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, and nuts. She did a great job of making sure she was nourished. At 4:15, mom's temperature was getting too high, so she got out of the tub and we set out to walk a bit.</div>
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In an effort to bring on more contractions and comfort, we walked around the birth center and tried a ton of different positions: leaning, lunging, squatting and sitting on the birth ball. </div>
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At 5:20 mom was checked again and the midwife told us she was making progress. Mom was tired though, so she stayed in bed to rest for a while. Her husband offered great support and at 6:45 she told him he was the "best husband ever". </div>
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Mom got back in the tub at 7:00 pm and by 8;00 she was telling us how discouraged she was feeling. It did seem like she should be pushing soon. She had been vocalizing through her contractions for hours, but the contractions were still about 5 minutes apart, and from my perspective, they didn't appear to be intensifying. </div>
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Mom spent a lot of time laboring on the toilet. Many women like to labor there. It opens up the pelvis and has the added bonus of the muscle memory of a place we relax our pelvic floor. </div>
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At 9:00 pm mom told us she wanted to transfer to the hospital. She was tired and discouraged. I encouraged her to have her cervix checked again and find out where she was so she could make an informed decision. She agreed that was a good idea, and she was 9 cm! She was still feeling anxious and doubting her ability, but it was enough to make her want to continue with her plans for an out of hospital birth.</div>
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Along with her team of midwives, we set out on a joint mission of doing anything and everything we could think of to finish this labor safely and successfully. We did a technique called side-lying release, used the rebozo, did lunges on the edge of the tub, and squatted. </div>
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I need to preface this next part by telling you how incredibly strong this woman is. As in, she's been on America Ninja Warrior. She has the best biceps I've literally ever seen. After talking to her about her athletic training throughout her pregnancy, I knew in my heart that she already had all the tools she needed to get through a natural birth. She knows how to push herself physically and set goals, and keep going even when it's hard. But I could always tell there was a small part of her that doubted that she would be tough enough for birth. There always seemed to be a bit of anxiety. </div>
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Mom battled her anxiety on and off throughout her entire labor. But at 10:00 pm, her warrior came out. We turned on her positive focus music (favorite music that always makes you feel good) and the look in her eye completely changed. As the Beach Boys and Neil Diamond serenaded us, mom led herself through what could really be described as athletic conditioning. She rotated herself through lunges, squats, walking and leaning. Her anxiety was gone and all that was left was an intense focus that always leads to the finish line. She became the warrior birther I always saw in her.</div>
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Though all these activities can be incredibly tiring during labor, sometimes they are absolutely necessary when it comes to getting stubborn babies through the birth canal. And it was exactly what this labor needed. By 11:50 pm mom was starting to feel the urge to push.</div>
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We had made it to pushing, but there was still a lot of work left to do. Mom had to continue changing positions often and trying different pushing techniques. Dad offered lots of encouragement and kept reminding mom how strong she was. They were such a great team throughout the entire process.</div>
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Mom went back and forth between ending each contraction by saying the "F" word or just sayings "guys" in a tone to let us know that things were tough. Mom snacked on honey to stay energized, but pushing went on for hours.</div>
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Finally, at 3:20 am, the baby's head was starting to crown and mom was able to reach down and feel her daughter for the first time. Once that happened, mom pushed with a renewed strength and determination. And at 3:29 am, it was all worth it.</div>
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I am swooning over their first family photo. The look on mom's face and dad holding his daughter's hand for the first time is about as sweet as it gets. After greeting her daughter, mom took a deep breath, smiled and said: "That was epic!"</div>
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Welcome Hazel!</div>
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Born Saturday, February 16th, 2019<br />
Weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces </div>
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It was a long, tough birth. But I have a feeling this little girl was worth the effort. :)</div>
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(And as a side note, the first time she was checked she was 6 cm. Second time 8 cm, and third time 9 cm.) </div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-52743311698713303932019-01-26T13:37:00.003-08:002019-01-26T13:37:30.529-08:00A Difficult InductionMy latest client texted me Thursday afternoon letting me know that she was in the hospital being induced! A combination of labs and high pressure made the induction necessary, even though she was just 37 1/2 weeks. Her bishop score was about as low as it could be, so the OB prescribed cytotec to ripen the cervix. Ripening can take a long time, especially with a first time mom with a closed cervix. So I prepped them for a long road ahead, and was really surprised when they called me about 12 hours later to join them at the hospital!<br />
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During the night, contractions had started and her water had broken. She also had the added bonus of vomiting profusely for a while. I arrived at 3:30 am and found mom laboring in the tub. She was vocalizing through her contractions. She got out of the tub at 4:15 and we tried some different positions to help baby rotate. Over the next few hours we tried many different positions and techniques for pain management and progress. At 5:30 am she turned to me and said "it's getting more intense and I'm not loving it." Totally cracked me up. <br />
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At 6:30 am the nurse went over some options, explaining that the OB would be in soon and would want to check her and probably start pitocin. At 7:20 the OB arrived and checked my client, and after all that she had been through, she wasn't even quite 1 cm dilated. Her baby was high in the pelvis and her cervix was 50% effaced. <br />
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We kept walking and leaning and breathing and massaging as the morning continued. We listened to music, walked the halls, and used the rebozo. The baby's heart rate was near impossible to find, and my poor client was constantly being poked and prodded as the nurse unsuccessfully searched for a good place to put the monitor on. Pitocin was started and things were intensifying quickly. At 10:00 a doctor was called in to do an ultrasound to help locate the heart, but even that was fruitless. What finally did make the difference was an adhesive monitor. <br />
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Mom was coping through her contractions beautifully and was starting to even have bloody show. I was feeling so encouraged about her progress! The heart rate was finally being monitored but mom's back pain continued to sky rocket. We tried everything to get that baby to rotate! She opted for some nitrous, but it brought back her nausea, so that was a no-go. <br />
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At 11:20 mom asked for her cervix to be checked again. By this time the cervix had come forward and fully effaced, and baby had descended and engaged in the pelvis, but she was still only dilated 1 cm. Very discouraging after almost 24 hours of hard work! Mom needed a break, and she got one. By noon she had an epidural, and we all said "good night".<br />
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At 2:15 mom was 5 cm and baby had descended further into the pelvis! I couldn't believe it! Things were finally going smoothly. But it didn't last long. Shortly before 5:00 pm the baby started to have issues with his heart rate and mom's cervix began to swell. The decision was made to deliver the baby via cesarean. <br />
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Some tears were shed. It's an emotional crossroad when a mom has to say goodbye to her birth plan in order to say hello to her baby. Of course the main goal is to always get to the baby, but a woman's experience and goals are meaningful, too. Inductions make those goals harder to reach, but sometimes factors beyond our control make inductions necessary. Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-67026525975193235092018-12-28T21:20:00.000-08:002018-12-28T22:07:23.074-08:00Pumpkin Pie<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My latest client was so nice to wait until after Christmas to have her baby. :) (Although I would have been happy to support her any day!) It took a couple membrane sweeps and castor oil "labor cocktails" but contractions finally picked up shortly after 4:00 pm. </div>
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I arrived at 5:40 and found mom laboring on her hands and knees while dad did the hip squeeze. Mom was still chatty and smiley, but that didn't last long. By 6:10, things were getting intense. We added an ice pack to her back and did some rebozo shifting in between contractions.</div>
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We moved upstairs at 6:20 while her other kids prepared to go over to grandma's house. This little cutie didn't want to leave her mom's side.</div>
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I attended this cutie's birth about 2 1/2 years ago. <a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2016/05/do-over.html" target="_blank">Click here to see her birth story.</a></div>
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Once the girls were off with grandma, some emotions set in, which is really normal as transitions hits. Dad was such an awesome supporter. He always had the right thing to say, and he was working pretty hard carrying boiling water up the stairs to fill up the birth tub faster! </div>
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At 6:55, mom said she was starting to feel pressure during her contractions, and at 7:20 she said she thought it was going to be soon. (Spoiler alert, she was right!)</div>
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We rushed mom to the tub, and dad hopped in too. He kept squeezing her hips, and her two little dogs were very interested in what was happening. :)</div>
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Daisy Pumpkin Pie was born at 7:34 pm on Friday December 28th, 2018. 13 days after her due date. Weighing 9 pounds, 5 oz.</div>
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Her head was born in the water with mom on her hands and knees. But her shoulders didn't like that, so mom stood and placed one leg up on the birth pool to open up her pelvis. That provided just the space she needed.</div>
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The midwife asked my client if she had eaten dinner, and her response was she had eaten a piece of pumpkin pie that afternoon. Thus, the nickname Pumpkin Pie was born. And isn't this the cutest little sweater, all ready and laid out on the car-seat just for Pumpkin Pie to wear on her first outing?</div>
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Mom and baby were nursing in bed shortly after 8:00 pm. Such a beautiful, home birth and so fun to support this family again.</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-48318017524879663722018-10-07T08:42:00.001-07:002018-10-07T08:44:16.325-07:00A Quick Induction<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On Friday evening, my client went in to have a foley balloon inserted into her cervix. This is a non-pharmaceutical method of starting labor by encouraging the cervix to ripen and dilate. However, while her balloon was being inserted, her water broke! So instead of going home to give the balloon some time to work, she spent the night in the hospital, trying to sleep. Too bad sleep is a hard a hard thing to get in the hospital. </div>
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Pitocin was started at 6:45 am, and we kept in touch over text throughout the morning. By 10:00, things were starting to get uncomfortable for mom, so I made my way over. </div>
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When I arrived mom was resting in the bed, feeling uncomfortable and anxious about the day. I suggested walking and modified-squatting to help labor pick up and to encourage baby to descend, so we hit the halls at 11:20. We spent the majority of her labor walking in between contractions, and leaning over and swaying during contractions. Her husband and I took turns massaging her hips and back, and encouraging her all along the way. </div>
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We made frequent stops in front of the room so the nurse could listen to the baby. By 1:00 I could tell that we had crossed into hard active labor. Contractions were lasting much longer and mom was having to cope through them more. That being said, I had no idea how long it would take. Inductions can literally take days, so I always prepare my clients for the long haul!<br />
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Grandma stopped by at 1:45 with food and encouragement. Mom was too far into labor to eat at this point though, but dad go to eat!</div>
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Mom became tired at 2:00 and climbed into bed to rest. We put a peanut ball between her legs and played relaxing music. At 2:20 she said she had to push. I was taken off guard! She was coping way too well to be ready to push! The nurse checked her and she was 8 cm. At 2:40 she was 10 cm and her baby was already at +2 station! <br />
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Mom started out pushing on her hands and knees, but her baby's heart rate indicated that it wasn't a good position for baby. <br />
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13 minutes later, this sweet chunk entered the world!<br />
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She pinked up so fast and had the most beautiful skin! </div>
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She also had a very robust cry! </div>
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This mama was so strong! A medication-free induction is not an easy task!</div>
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Holding hands with mommy for the first time... so sweet!</div>
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Nursing by 3:40</div>
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Welcome Arya!</div>
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Born Saturday, October 6th, 2018 at 2:53 pm</div>
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8 days after her due date</div>
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9 pounds 5 ounces</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-76829872618645966152018-09-02T12:30:00.001-07:002018-09-02T12:36:21.107-07:00The Long and Winding Road...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I heard from my latest client early Friday evening, saying she was having mild contractions with a weird pattern. Since she was past her due date, I hoped it was early labor! We arrived at the birth center Saturday morning around 7:00 am and her contractions were coming every 4 minutes. I assumed she was well into active labor.</div>
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Mom settled into her birthing space and picked out some birth affirmations to focus on throughout the day. Her contractions were intense, but she was focusing through them and staying relaxed. </div>
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Her own mom came to offer support, as well as gum and food. :) She brought a really positive and caring presence with her, and it was a joy to see how much this mother-daughter duo loves each other.</div>
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After walking around and changing positions all morning, mom got into the tub shortly before 9:00 am. </div>
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She listened to relaxing music and did a great job of breathing during her contractions and resting in between.<br />
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Contractions began to really space out, so we encouraged mom to get some rest. But after her nap, contractions were further apart and milder. She debated going home, but didn't feel comfortable leaving. So she remained at the birth center and rested as much as possible.</div>
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The midwife checked her cervix at 1:30 pm, and we were happy to hear that she was 6 cm dilated and 80% effaced! <br />
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In an attempt to get things going again, we went for a walk at 2:00. It was such a beautiful day outside! <br />
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We spent some time visiting and snacking. It was a really nice afternoon together! This was my first birth at the Boise River Birth Center, and I loved the facility. It really felt like we were hanging out at someone's house. So very comfortable.</div>
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Mom was still having contractions about every 8-10 minutes, so she did some lunging on the stairs to help her baby rotate into a better position. He was posterior for most of the afternoon, so dad and I offered a lot of counter pressure on mom's low back!</div>
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Mom got back in the tub at 4:00 pm. She liked it, but her baby didn't. Her baby's heart rate was too high, so we spent the next hour hydrating mom and monitoring baby. Baby stabilized quickly, but mom was struggling emotionally. Along with worrying about her baby, she was starting to doubt herself. This is so common, and is an obstacle that most birthing women have to overcome at some point during their labor. Labor can be difficult and intimidating, and women need to be reminded that they are strong and capable!<br />
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Mom decided to use some nitrous to help her relax. The midwife checked her cervix again and she was 7-8 cm. Baby still had some rotating to do, too.</div>
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At 6:20 mom's water broke, and we all hoped it would be the needed catalyst to bring mom's contractions closer together. It originally seemed like it would be, but after about 45 minutes, contractions were spacing out again. At 8:45 mom was still about 7-8 cm, but her baby had fully rotated into the desired position for delivery. So it was good news, but progress was still coming pretty slowly for this tired mama.<br />
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At 9:10 pm, mom got back into the tub and received lots of encouragement from her husband, mom, myself, and the midwives. We were all rooting for her and knew she could do it! We combined all the comfort measures! The tub, the nitrous, deep breathing, music, imagery, and prayer. </div>
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After about 30 minutes of non-stop nitrous, mom was feeling pretty good! She told us she was high as a kite, and she kept bursting out in laughter. It was hilarious, and it was nice to see her smile again! Her attitude shifted and she began telling us that she could do it and that she was going to be ok. Yes!</div>
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At 11:30 pm a noticeable change came over mom and I could tell we were getting close. She instinctively started moving into positions that opened her pelvis more and she began moaning through her contractions. By 11:50, she could reach in and feel her baby's head, and by midnight she was full on pushing! </div>
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And then this happened....</div>
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(Photos are too graphic to share on the blog, but let me just say that watching this mama deliver her baby with her own hands was so beautiful and amazing!) </div>
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Water birth babies transition a little slower, and I loved watching this baby slowly transition in his mother's chest. </div>
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Welcome Soren</div>
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Born Sunday, September 2nd at 12:23 am</div>
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6 days after his due date<br />
Tipping the scale at 9 pounds! <br />
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This dad was a total dude-la. Very attentive and supportive!<br />
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Baby was nursing by 1:10 am, and these parents were ready for some snuggles!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-36216783166992593532018-08-14T08:40:00.000-07:002018-08-14T08:40:09.054-07:00Tough Mama<div style="text-align: center;">
I received a text from my client last night at 10:30 pm saying her water had broken. I was surprised to hear from her a week before her due date, and I never know what to think when the water breaks before labor starts! Sometimes things go quickly, and sometimes it can take up to a day or two before labor really gets going. So we texted a bit and then I went to bed, not knowing what the night would bring. </div>
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Like any doula, I slept lightly and checked me phone throughout the night. It rang at 5:3o am and I arrived at the hospital at 6:30 am. Little did I know, my client was checked at 6:05 and was already 7 cm, and at 6:25 she was complete!!</div>
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Of course I had no idea how far along things were when I arrived, so I was pretty alarmed to hear mom pushing as I walked in the door! Her husband was reminding her to breath deeply. I did the hip-squeeze during contractions and tried to keep her cool with a cool cloth in between contractions. </div>
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This mama was so tough! Not only did she have a natural birth, but she did it with a severe knee injury that will require surgery! I couldn't believe she was on her hands and knees the entire time. She was all, "I'm just toughing it out"! </div>
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Her toughness paid off when her baby slipped into the world less than an hour after I arrived! </div>
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Welcome Ashlynn!</div>
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Born Tuesday, August. 14th at 7:17 am</div>
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Holding daddy's hand for the first time.</div>
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By 8:00 am, this new mama and baby were snuggling and nursing. :)</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-28827948277038746842018-07-06T14:54:00.001-07:002018-07-06T14:54:13.979-07:00A Daughter's Love<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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.</div>
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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. </div>
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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.</div>
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She also received great support from her husband.</div>
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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.</div>
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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!</div>
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The urge to push started at 12:25 and mom was fully pushing by 12:40.</div>
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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.</div>
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This mom wasn't planning on a natural birth, but at 1:07 pm, her son slipped into the world!</div>
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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.</div>
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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!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-54459079523594638332018-06-23T11:36:00.000-07:002018-06-23T11:49:39.983-07:00Best. Vernix. Ever.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I received a text from my client yesterday at 5:00 pm saying she thought she might be in early labor, but she wasn't sure yet, and was going to rest. I had just arrived at Roaring Springs with my kiddos and figured I'd get called into work in the middle of the night. With her last birth, almost 3 years ago, she didn't need for almost 10 hours after she alerted me that she thought she was in labor. So I really thought I wouldn't hear from her for hours!</div>
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But at 6:40 her husband contacted me, saying they were ready for me to head over! I ran around like a crazy woman to gather my kids, raced home, got dressed, and raced to her house! It sounded like things were progressing really quickly, and with this being her fifth baby, I was worried I might miss it!</div>
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I arrived at 7:45 pm and found mom laboring in the tub with the support of her husband and midwife. She was really calm, and her newly remodeled bathroom was amazing! It was begging for a homebirth! I cued up her relaxation playlist and got myself organized.</div>
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At 8:15, her 9 year old daughter came in to join us. She was such a sweetheart all night, as you will see in the upcoming photos.</div>
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Mom was starting to struggle to relax in the tub and felt like her limbs were going numb. She decided she needed a change of pace, so we went for a walk on their gorgeous property at 9:00 pm. Mom enjoyed the cool breeze, and the sunset was beautiful.</div>
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At 9:30 mom got back in the tub and I put her daughter on fan duty to help keep her cool. Dad rubbed moms feet and I rubbed her head and neck and encouraged her to breath deeply and find her focal point.</div>
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Things appeared to intensify and mom's vocalizations grew louder and longer. We all thought the baby would be born any second! So the midwives and I were pretty perplexed at 10:45 when the urge to push had still not come. Mom decided to get out of the tub and have her cervix checked to see where she was.<br />
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I had to snap a quick photo of these cute rocks that lined the counter in the bathroom. This mom is so loved by her children!<br />
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At 11:00 pm the midwife checked mom's cervix, and we were all surprised
to hear she was only at 5 cm. Mom was very discouraged, and had a hard
time focusing. She even said she wanted to go to the hospital and get
an epidural. We talked about what that would look like and how it would
probably be at least 2 hours before she had epidural relief. I pulled
up the <a href="http://musicbirth.blogspot.com/2014/10/monday-miracles.html" target="_blank">blog post from her last birth</a> and saw that last time she had her
baby just 3 hours after she was 5 cm. That still sounded like a really
long time to her, but she was able to find her focus again and remain
laboring at home.<br />
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She labored in/on the bed for a while, and snacked on honey and grapes
in between contractions. Getting some calories and rest in between
contractions helped immensely! She changed positions often to help encourage her baby to descend and rotate.</div>
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At 12:15 she wanted to get back into the tub. Her vocalizations grew louder again (a good sign of progress), and she said she was starting to feel more pressure (another good sign!).<br />
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At 1:04 am her water broke and it was go time!<br />
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Welcome Isaiah!</div>
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Born Saturday, June 23rd at 1:11 am<br />
Weighing 8 pounds 10 ounces </div>
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Covered in the thickest, yellowest vernix ever!<br />
Seriously, it was amazing.<br />
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Big sister helped keep him warm by pouring water down his back, and she even cut the cord!</div>
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It was so fun to support this family, and watch them support each other.</div>
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By 1:45, mom and baby were tucked into bed. He was so alert, and so strong! We couldn't believe how much he was lifting his head and looking around. He was definitely hungry, too! </div>
<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-82673470619917422722018-05-24T09:52:00.000-07:002018-05-24T09:56:27.413-07:00Third Baby, First Natural Birth<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I checked my phone early Wednesday morning and found a text from my latest client saying she had been up for several hours with contractions coming every 7-8 minutes. I was surprised to hear from her before her due date since her first two children were both born at 42 weeks! She had a regularly scheduled OB appointment at 9:00 am, and was discouraged to find out she was only dilated half a centimeter! She went home to rest and see how the day went.</div>
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We kept in touch over text, and contractions stayed between 6 and 8 minutes for the majority of the day. Things began to pick up in the early evening, and at 6:30 her husband called me and asked me to join them at their home. While I was preparing to come, he called again and asked me to meet them at the hospital. Things were progressing quickly and getting very intense. Mom began to doubt herself, and told her husband she felt like a failure. :(</div>
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I met my clients in triage at 7:45 pm. Mom was dilated to a 6 and was very pleased with her progress! She moaned through her contractions, and I could tell we were moving into transition!</div>
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Mom's back was hurting, so once we got into the labor room we tried some different positioning to help baby rotate. She walked and leaned and rolled her hips.</div>
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She cooled off with her misting fan and that arrived in the mail today!</div>
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At 8:30 the tub was ready and mom quickly got in, seeking relief from the hot water. </div>
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At 8:45 her water broke and the urge to push came with it. </div>
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At 9:00 mom moved to the bed in a hands and knees position. We all felt like that baby was going to slide out really quickly! We were wrong. Mom still had a bit of a cervical lip to work through. That basically means she is 9.5 cm. :) </div>
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When babies don't descend, we change positions frequently. And when nerves get high, we get out the nitrous. Mom breathed in the nitrous in between contractions, and moved to the birth stool at 9:30 pm. Her own mom arrived to offer love and support. </div>
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Mom pushed so hard! She doubted herself and worried she wouldn't be able to do it. Everyone feels that way right before they do it!</div>
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Most natural birthers do not picture themselves giving birth on their backs. But when you've tried every position and haven't given birth, moving onto your back usually does the trick! It helps utilize the space in the back of the pelvis. And once mom moved into this position, we began to see a lot more progress. At 10:05 we grabbed a mirror so mom could see for herself, and before we knew it, her baby was born! </div>
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I love these photos so much! Look at that chubby face! This baby did not rotate, and was born "sunny-side up", meaning his face was born first instead of the crown of his head. These babies are harder to push out, and this mama worked very hard to get him out! </div>
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NICU was called in because there was meconium, but this baby pinked up right away. He was very alert and doing so well. His poor mama still had some tough work to do, though.</div>
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After-birth was no fun. Mom had some heavy bleeding, due to a very tired uterus. She also needed some repair, so dad got to spend some time with his new son. Baby was so calm and alert. The minute he was finally passed back to mom (11:00pm), he instantly started nursing. </div>
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Welcome Nicholas!</div>
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Born Wednesday, May 23rd at 10:19 pm</div>
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Two days before his due date.</div>
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Weighing in at 8 pounds and 3 ounces </div>
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This mama was so proud of herself when all was said and done, and she should be! She worked so hard, and displayed so much strength and endurance!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-57430895186347772802018-03-20T17:30:00.001-07:002018-03-20T17:30:21.878-07:00Spring Into Action<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
My latest client may be the most patient person I've ever met. Approaching 42 weeks, she tried every natural method to jump-start labor, but never complained when none of them worked. She was somewhat disappointed when the time came to transfer to the hospital for a medical induction, but she kept her chin and spirits up. She checked in on Monday morning at 7:00 am, 15 days after her official "due date". Pitocin was started around 9:00, and we kept in touch over text throughout the day. Every time I heard from her she said things were easy, which isn't what you want in labor because things have to get hard to get babies here! After upping the pitocin all day, she and her midwife decided to break the bag of waters at 7:00 pm to see if that would kick things up a notch. </div>
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Things changed almost immediately and by 9:00 pm I was on my way to the hospital to provide labor support. When I arrived I found mom and dad walking and swaying, and listening to Michael Jackson. Their playlist was awesome and we enjoyed listening to some great tunes while labor continued to pick up. Mom was all smiles when I arrived, but I could see that things were steadily intensifying.</div>
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Before things got too intense, I encouraged mom to read through my birth affirmations cards and choose a few to focus on throughout her labor. Dad provided counter pressure on her back and hips.</div>
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By midnight things were really going and mom was totally in the zone. She got in the tub at 1:00 am and was really happy to be in the water. I reminded her of her breathing techniques, but overall she was totally in the zone and required very little outside support from any of us. </div>
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The nurse checked her cervix at 3:10 am and she was dilated 8 cm and baby was at +1! Awesome progress! The urge to push came as she was sitting on the toilet, so the nurse quickly alerted the midwife. We all felt like baby was coming fast! (We were wrong, ha!)</div>
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Mom rested in bed and we realized that it was now the first day of spring. Mom really liked the idea of her baby coming on the first day of spring, and dad cracked a joke about labor lasting another day. She flipped him off and it was hilarious. All jokes aside, these two were an amazing team.</div>
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At 4:15 mom was pushing and baby was at +3 station. She started out in a hands-and-knees position, and then went to side lying. We changed positions often to help encourage the baby to descend. It took a while to figure out pushing (as it often does, especially for first time moms), but the biggest obstacle was how infrequently her contractions were coming. There was usually a 5-6 minute wait in between contractions. Mom would sleep in between, but it made it hard to make much progress. At 5:15 the midwife decided to start turning up the pitocin again. (It had been turned down a couple hours earlier since mom was progressing so well.)</div>
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At 6:40 we got out the squat bar and tied a sheet around it so mom could do a "tug-of-war" with it. This helps focus the energy of the push. It worked and after a few pushes we could start to see some crowning during the push. But progress was still slow and at 7:15 the midwife said she might perform and episiotomy if things didn't start to progress quicker. I don't know if that's what made the difference or not, but after that conversation we finally saw the progress we had been waiting hours for!</div>
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Pushing is an interesting thing because unlike other techniques like relaxation and imagery, you can't really practice it beforehand. Also, some women won't really need to push at all, while others will push with all their might for hours. This mama had to PUSH!</div>
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Once the head was out, the rest of the body slid out very quickly and baby started crying instantly.</div>
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I am so obsessed with this photo! Mom's smile says it all. Can you believe that just minutes after giving birth mom exclaimed "I would do it a billion times". That my friends, is the power of natural childbirth. The endorphin high. The rush of oxytocin. The moment that doesn't just make it all feel worth it, but makes it feel like nothing else could ever compare.</div>
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Welcome baby girl, Margot!</div>
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Born on the first day of Spring</div>
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Tuesday, March 20th, 2018 at 7:50 am</div>
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16 days AFTER her due date</div>
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Weighing in at an impressive 10 pounds 6 ounces</div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1NaZnW8hIXY/WrF6VFUr_0I/AAAAAAAABqs/swklfLAzLLc-msNYhSL7MbYJQzOhUQwbgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180320_080342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1NaZnW8hIXY/WrF6VFUr_0I/AAAAAAAABqs/swklfLAzLLc-msNYhSL7MbYJQzOhUQwbgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20180320_080342.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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I'll spare you the photo, but this "little" girl had the biggest placenta I have ever seen! </div>
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She is so loved by her parents, and took to nursing within minutes.</div>
<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-53798613369760466382018-03-04T19:00:00.001-08:002018-03-04T19:00:01.996-08:00Unplanned Home Birth<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I received a
text around 7:30 am this morning informing me that my client’s water had just
broken. I responded like I usually
do. I told her to be patient, as it
often takes hours, even days, before active labor kicks in. Her midwife lived close-by, so she stopped by
the house to listen to baby’s heartrate since there was meconium in the
water. The heartrate sounded good and
mom was having mild contractions. Off to
a good start!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Things
quickly progressed. By 8:30 contractions
were strong and mom was even throwing up.
At 9:00, her husband called to give me the update and asked me to head
over to their home. As luck would have
it, I was literally loading up my son to head to play group, so I dropped him
off quickly and headed over. I received
a text on my drive saying that mom was already feeling the urge to push, so
they weren’t going to go to the birth center after all, but that the midwives
were heading to their home for a home birth!
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">I drove as
fast as I could, and pulled up to their home at 9:40.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There was an ambulance and firetruck in the
driveway.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It was also trash and recycle
day, so I quickly moved some cans around so I could find a place to park and
then I tiptoed into the house.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">I walked
through the crowd of EMTs and firemen to find mom on her hands and knees on the
bed, with her husband rubbing her back.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Baby wasn’t crowning yet, but mom was
definitely pushing. Her voice was high
and tense, so I reminded her to bring her vocals lower and focus her energy
down to her baby. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She was working SO hard. I stepped away to see if I could find a
washcloth to put cold water on and cool her off. But as I stepped away I could see the baby’s
head was almost out! So I changed my
plans and grabbed my camera so I could capture the birth! (I do have photos of the actual birth but did
not include them here, but will get them to you.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At 10:06 her baby was born! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After a little maneuvering, mom was
able to hold her baby for the first time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KDapkbz4hGU/WpywS8FU5hI/AAAAAAAABpk/s6B0gLbWcckM2f_Qk3vRI2OC6_og_Em7QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180302_100602.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KDapkbz4hGU/WpywS8FU5hI/AAAAAAAABpk/s6B0gLbWcckM2f_Qk3vRI2OC6_og_Em7QCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20180302_100602.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dad got to cut the cord! He also said he “wasn’t going to look”, but I
did see him look one time when the baby’s head was out. </span><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-UYUaFRg4E/Wpyw770uZ4I/AAAAAAAABqI/kd6MJaILZfkfKC6sMVbWFXyHKox5rg_awCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_20180302_101555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h-UYUaFRg4E/Wpyw770uZ4I/AAAAAAAABqI/kd6MJaILZfkfKC6sMVbWFXyHKox5rg_awCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_20180302_101555.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Welcome baby girl!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Born Friday, March 2<sup>nd</sup>,
2018 at 10:06 am<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">9 days after her due date<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Weighing 8 pounds 1 ounce, and 22
inches long<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Dad got a few snuggles while mom got
cleaned up and ready to breastfeed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By 10:40, baby was nursing
perfectly! About 3 hours from start to
finish! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-15995461501277721642018-01-17T19:53:00.002-08:002018-01-18T08:32:32.715-08:00Are You in Labor?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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My latest client was surprised to find herself at 41 weeks since her first baby came right before her due date. She opted to have her membranes stripped at her midwife appointment yesterday, and was surprised again to discover she was already dilated 4 cm and 50% effaced! I checked in with her at bedtime, and not much was happening, so we both went to bed. </div>
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She woke up around 4:00 am with some cramping, and by dawn she was in a consistent, early labor pattern. We kept in touch over text all morning, and met at the birth center at 1:15 pm. Mom asked to be checked, and she was 7-8 cm, and 80% effaced! But the weird thing was, she wasn't acting like she was in labor! Not even breathing heavily through her contractions. Most of the time, I couldn't even tell if she was having a contraction or not! But she kept reassuring us, saying she was having them, lol!</div>
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Mom was getting lots of snuggles from her firstborn, until grandma came to take over. Snuggling is a great way to get those labor hormones going!</div>
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To help mom focus and get into her "labor brain", I had her read some birth affirmations, and pick a few that she wanted to focus on throughout her birth.</div>
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Around 3:00 pm, mom started telling me how she had enjoyed reading my book, and we discussed some of the perspectives she appreciated while reading it. Of course, it was fun to talk (especially about my book, ha!), but I kept wondering when things were going to get intense for this mama! After another cervical check, the midwife recommended doing some lunges to help the baby get into a better position. I rubbed her back during contractions, but for the most part, mom was acting like she wasn't in labor!</div>
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Mom was ready to get into the tub at 4:00. She was still really chatty, and honestly, we were having a great afternoon talking. But I could feel in my bones that change was on the horizon, so I suggested 15 minutes of silence to help mom get into the zone. We made it to 4:20, when her husband starting snoring and we started giggling. :) </div>
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At 4:40 her sister-in-law arrived, and so did the intensity!</div>
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Mom kept saying things like "this is not pleasant", and "I am not enjoying this". <br />
I offered encouragement, cool clothes, and fanning to help keep mom reassured and as comfortable as possible. </div>
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At 4:53 mom started feeling the urge to push. She didn't push for long, but she had to push hard!</div>
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And at 4:59 pm, her second daughter was born!</div>
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Welcome Lily!</div>
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Born Wednesday, January 17th, at 4:59 pm<br />
Weighing in at 8 pounds, 9 ounces </div>
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8 days after her due date<br />
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Dad got to cut the cord and sneak in a few snuggles. </div>
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By 5:35, this sweet family was tucked into bed, and baby was nursing like a pro!</div>
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<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-57793568747546876912017-12-26T15:33:00.002-08:002017-12-26T15:33:38.877-08:00A Birthday of Her Own<div style="text-align: center;">
It took 14 years of working as a doula to finally get called to a birth on Christmas day! My client's water broke at 5:40 am Christmas morning, so much to my sons' excitement, I allowed them to wake up early and get our family festivities going! Around 10:00 am my client checked in with me because they was meconium (baby's first bowel movement) in the water, so she went to the birth center for some monitoring. Baby was doing great, so mom was sent home to rest and enjoy her day. We kept in touch over text, and her contractions were mild and infrequent for the majority of the day, giving her a chance to catch a final nap.</div>
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She asked me to meet her at the birth center at 8:15 pm. When she arrived she was feeling emotional, as many moms do once labor gets going. She was also sad to be leaving her firstborn for the first time over night. Her labor pattern was still somewhat sporadic, so I pulled out my affirmation cards so she could go over them and choose a few that stood out to her. We hung them on the bed frame so she could refer back to them as needed.</div>
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At 9:15 contractions started coming more frequently and they were more intense. Mom was resting in the bed in between contractions, and her husband provided back massage during. At 9:30 the midwife offered to check her cervix and see where we were. Mom was 5 cm, 50% effaced, and baby was a minus 2 station. </div>
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Mom was definitely in labor, but we had a ways to go. I suggested some
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These two were such a great team! Always fun to see a couple working together and sneaking in some laughs in between contractions. </div>
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By 11:00 pm things were much more intense, and at 11:45 she asked to get in the tub. She began vocalizing and changing positions frequently and instinctively. </div>
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At midnight mom was struggling and wanted some help with visualizations. We discussed a few options, and to be honest, I don't know what she landed on, but she was able to find her focus and continue coping. Her vocalizations became much louder around 12:30, and her husband hummed in between her contractions.</div>
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At 12:40 mom started telling us she was feeling nervous, which is totally understandable and common. I reminded her to trust her body, because it had known what to do all day. Mom was cold, (which isn't common!) so the midwife kept adding boiling water into the tub. </div>
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At 12:50 mom began vomiting, which really adds to the fun of labor. I always feel so bad when this happens! At 1:10 mom was struggling to get back into the zone and found herself feeling really emotional again. Her vocals were getting lower and stronger during her contractions, and I knew she would be pushing soon. Then at 1:35 something really cool happened. Mom started talking to her baby. Saying things like "I got you, and it's going to be ok." It was such a sweet thing to hear and witness. Mom (finally) became really hot so I started fanning her off, and dad continued to give physical support in the tub. </div>
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And suddenly her baby was born! It was like her little chat with her baby magically made the baby appear! </div>
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Welcome Eliza Florence!</div>
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Born Tuesday, December 26th, 2017</div>
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At 1:41 am, 3 days before her due date</div>
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We all thought we might have a Christmas baby, but this sweet girl deserved a day all her own!</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-16147255775224515802017-12-19T20:10:00.000-08:002017-12-20T09:01:28.578-08:00Sunrise<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Yesterday my client had her weekly appointment with her midwife. I decided to join her since I figured they would start talking induction options now that she was almost 41 weeks. The midwife suggested a non-stress test. If only it hadn't been stressful! Baby's heart rate was not cooperating, and within a couple hours, mom was sent to the hospital for further testing. </div>
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Hoping for an out-of-hospital VBAC, this wasn't the path my client wanted. But she kept her chin up, and remembered some inspiring words from her friend, reminding her of God's timing, comparing it to how the sunrise always comes when it's time. By early evening, mom was admitted to the hospital for an induction due to low amniotic fluid.</div>
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At 8 pm her midwife checked her cervix and she was dilated to 1 cm. The midwife was able to insert a foley bulb to encourage the cervix to ripen and dilate through the night. Mom was given a sleep aid, which didn't work, but at least the bulb did! By 8 am, mom was dilated to 4 cm and pitocin was started shortly after.</div>
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Mom and I kept in touch over text all morning. She spent time walking and watching tv. I arrived shortly before 1:00 and mom was just about to get in the tub.</div>
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I turned on some relaxing music and helped mom breath through her contractions. We experimented with a couple positions because it was difficult to trace the baby's heart rate. The nurse was in and out constantly, but mom was able to stay focused and relaxed. After an hour in the tub, it was too hard to tell if the monitor was picking up mom or baby's heart beat, so we got mom out of the tub to reassess.</div>
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At 2:10 the midwife arrived and checked mom's cervix, and she was complete! Amazing progress! Baby was at zero station, so we did a modified hands and knees position over the birth ball to encourage descent, and hopefully offer mom some comfort through massage. </div>
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The midwife wondered if the low amniotic fluid was contributing to the heart rate issues, and wanted to give an amnio-infusion to try and give the baby a little more cushion. To do so she needed to break the bag of water. She did this at 2:35, and then found that there was meconium in the water. The baby was starting to have more dramatic heart decels, so instead of breathing the baby down, it was time to start pushing!</div>
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Mom was a great pusher, and within 20 minutes, baby went from 0 station to +3. Pushing is so much work, and I always encourage my clients to rest and relax in between contractions. </div>
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Mom rotated from side to side often during pushing. This helps baby rotate into a better position, and can also help when the heart rate is dropping. </div>
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It's hard to watch the woman you love struggle through labor, and this dad was definitely emotional. But he was a great support, holding mom's leg and cheering her on the entire time.</div>
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At 3:30, the baby's heart rate finally decided to cooperate, and we could even see the head during contractions. Mom was starting to get frustrated with the slow progress, but she was making great progress!</div>
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Baby was so close, and at 3:52 mom pleaded "Just pull it out!" Three minutes later, she had a baby!</div>
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They didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl, and mom was first to notice! She only held him for a second before he was taken over to the NICU nurses. He was pretty quiet, and we all waited anxiously for that first cry.</div>
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After a few minutes with the nurses, he was taken back to his mom for some much needed snuggling!</div>
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There were tears of joy and relief.</div>
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Welcome baby boy Declan</div>
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Born Tuesday, December 19th 2017</div>
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at 3:55 pm</div>
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6 days after his due date</div>
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Weighing 7 pounds and 9.9 ounces</div>
Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1628445174174066192.post-40238840985935614042017-12-17T14:44:00.001-08:002017-12-17T14:44:10.553-08:00Long Warm-Up, Fast Ending<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We finally had our first snow on Friday night, and I woke up Saturday morning to texts from 2 clients saying they had been up with contractions! (Everyone thinks it's the full moon that puts women into labor, but it's totally storms!) Thankfully, (for my sake) only one client went into labor. We kept in touch over text all day Saturday. Her contractions were coming about every 10 minutes and she seemed to be in a good, early labor pattern. </div>
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I wasn't sure if I should go to bed on Saturday night or not, but when my client said she was going to get some sleep, I decided to do the same. She called at 3:00 am saying she had woken up with around 1:00 am, taken a shower, and that the contractions were now coming every 3-5 minutes. So I hopped out of bed and raced over. As I was pulling into her neighborhood she called to say they had stopped! I still went in to visit and see how things were going. I really wanted to stay and watch her through a couple contractions, but no contractions came. After about 30 minutes we all decided to go back to bed. Since her last labor was a long, multi day event, she was starting to worry that this labor would be the same. I tried to assure her that early labor stops and starts, and a long warm up usually leads to a fast active labor and birth.</div>
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On my way to church I checked in to see how things were going. Contractions were now about 7 minutes apart. At noon, mom and dad decided to head down to the birth center to be checked. Things picked up on the drive. Mom was checked upon arrival and was about 4 centimeters, but stretched to 6. Baby was also really low and engaged. Shortly after being checked, mom's water broke at 12:30 and things really picked up!</div>
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I raced to the birth center and arrived at 1:08. I found mom in the tub with dad providing support. She was vocalizing during contractions, but very calm and focused in between. I didn't think we were as close as we were!</div>
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The midwife was running downstairs to get some boiling water because we hadn't even had time to fill up the tub. She was about 3 steps down when baby's head slipped out. :) </div>
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Welcome Emily Noelle!</div>
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Born Sunday, December 17th, at 1:20 pm</div>
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One day after her due date</div>
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She was all tangled up!</div>
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Baby girl was so calm and alert, and it was sweet to see her parents getting to know her. I love her little hand reaching out to grab both of her parents'. </div>
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By 1:54, she was nursing perfectly. </div>
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It was definitely a slow and steady start, but the race to the finish line was short and sweet. :)</div>
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<br />Music Birthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15359530758524648290noreply@blogger.com0