This week has been a little tense, with two moms over due, and both oot, I woke up each morning grateful for a full nights rest, yet still waiting. On Thursday my phone rings at 8:30 in the morning, “mama” is on the other side letting me know she is feeling a little “crampy” this morning. I ask mom’s to call when there is any change, so I can put my day in order and be able to leave in any moment. She lives about an hour and a half away, and her last labor and birth was only 3 hours start to finish, so I’m definitely organizing my day quickly.
12:26 PM I arrive at her house. Yes, I’m a little specific about the time, because those same numbers will appear again at the end of this story. Nothing really going on, I do a normal prenatal, and just hang out for a bit. Mom wanted to see how far she was dilated since there was some travel time between the two of us that might be the deciding factor as to if I went home or not. (I already knew I wasn’t going home). She was dilated 4 cm, I did a little cervical stretching at her request, sometimes this helps to bring on labor. We ate lunch, and had a nice quiet afternoon. Mom and hubby went for a walk, upon returning just as I hoped would happen, contx started on a regular path.
Mom was contracting about every 5 minutes, they appear to be moderate in strength to me in comparison to what they are going to be, but she seemed to be working through them with effort. We talked about using up all her coping skills on the little contx, and not having anything left for the harder ones. She said, “So what you’re saying is, I should put my big girl panties on and deal with it”. I said, yes. We both laughed, I really would NEVER say that to a laboring mom.
By 8:00 PM we had our whole birth team there, mom was lightly bouncing on her birth ball, and contx were about 3-5 minutes getting stronger and moving closer together. Dad filled the tub so it would be ready when she was, which might be in 20 minutes or not for an hour, it depended on how quickly labor progressed. She wanted to get in the birth tub, but I discouraged her from doing so just yet, it was still a little early, and I didn’t want her getting over-heated, also sometimes when you get in too early it can slow labor down.
10:00 PM contx were much stronger, coming every 2 minutes, and lasting 60 seconds or more. The tub seemed like a great place now. Getting into the water was very relaxing and just what mom needed. She was working very hard with these contx, and feeling very emotional. I asked her what was going on emotionally and she said she was just so full of joy. This was the perfect labor for her. The last one went very quick and was extremely intense, this one seemed much more gentle. Over the next 2 hours she moved from the tub to the toilet (only because I suggested she get out to empty her bladder, and she was very obedient). Dad was whispering in her ear, and affirming how beautiful she was. He was so gentle with his sweetheart, letting her rest on his arm in between contx.
12:10 AM she had a little skip in her breathing that told me baby was very close. She had a strong urge to push so she did, in fact pushing was involuntary, and she could not stop it. I see what I thought was the head emerging, and then as I look a little closer, I see it is not the head, do we have a breach baby? That was just a millisecond thought, I instantly realized it was her bag of waters. Her water had not broke yet, and was completely intact as baby was being born. This is called born in the “caul”. It is in fact good luck in every culture to be born in the caul. In medieval times it is considered an omen that the child was destined for greatness. Of course, we know that we are all destined for greatness!
12:26 AM mom pushed very gently and the head was out. It took both of my hands to break open the membrane (bag of water), it was VERY tough. With the next contx, a 9 lb 3 oz baby boy was born. Many tears of JOY and GRATITUDE were shed this early morning.
