One Tough, Little Cookie!

Tuesday the 8th was the final night of my latest Music Birth class series. Our class was shrinking due to births, and I was wondering if this particular couple would make it or not. But they were there! Only hitch.... pretty sure she was in early labor. She was already dilated to 4, so we were hoping early labor wouldn't take long. Well, early labor had something else in mind. We didn't meet up at the hospital until Wednesday evening, around 7:30. Her contractions were regular, but her cervix had only gone from 4 to 4+. And she found out she was strep B positive, and was getting her IV when I arrived. Not the most encouraging way to start things out.

I never know what to expect when I arrive. I knew this mom had a strong desire for a natural birth, but every now and then I get a mom who changes her mind really early on. But this mom was A-MAZ-ING. She had her relaxation music on, and was breathing deeply. I could see right away that this mom really knew what she was doing.

This is not a typical contraction pattern! This mom had contractions like this all the time! She could go anywhere from 4 to 6 minutes without a complete release from her contractions. And she was so in control and relaxed, that she almost appeared to be sleeping through it. And this went on for quite some time. I could tell that this mom just got it. While most moms worry about what kind of massage or other comfort measure to use, this mom understood that tuning into the music and using deep abdominal breathing was key. The massage of course helped, but she knew it was her responsibility to stay relaxed, and our responsibility to support that however we could.

At 12:15 am mom was still only dilated to 5 1/2, so the decision was made to break her water. It definitely helped take the contractions to the next level. And by 3:25 mom was pushing. At 4:44 am, February 10th, Rayna was born!

I know! She is soooo adorable!

Tipping the scale at 8 pounds and 2.6 ounces. She looked like she was ready to crawl away!

There is no doubt in my mind this guy is going to be a great dad. He was a wonderful coach and support to his wife. He was in tune, supportive, and patient the entire time.

What a great couple to pull an all nighter with! :) Thanks for sharing your birth!