Welcome Earth-Side Simon

Dec. 11th
I was sitting down for the evening, just starting to work on a Christmas project when my email tone sounded on my cell phone. I saw that it was B&J. They had been contacting me off and on for the past few days because of an excited uterus that would start loving on bub every afternoon around 3pm and keep mama up and active all night long, only to taper off in the wee hours of morning.

I replied with some suggestions to see if we could help mama to have a good night's rest. But B noted, things felt different this time. I headed over at their request around 11:30pm, arriving at their place right around 1:15 (traffic kept me at bay).

When I walked in, J, you were sitting on the couch, looking pretty dismayed and tired. We talked about the fact that your waves were spacing out and that you were ready to be done. After talking about your options (bed, tub, walk, rest, or natural encouragers) you opted to start a cohosh regimen to get your waves back up to where they had been previously. I gave you acupressure on your feet/ankles, and back in the tub you went. You felt much pressure, and some hip discomfort, and were rather disappointed that your Hypnobabies were not giving you a pain-free birth.

You continued to listen to the CDs, though, and I knew that, if you weren't listening to it and working so well with your waves, which were about 3 minutes apart at this time, you would have been a lot more uncomfortable.

B hopped in the tub and gave you one amazing back massage, alternately applying a hip lift, a round ligament release, and a lower back/sacral massage. I continued to press gently on your shoulders while brushing your hair out of your face, as I reiterated your hypnosis cues. We breathed together and you moved with your baby.

Around 5 in the morning, though, the waves began spacing out again. You checked yourself and felt baby very low, with a little bit of constipated feeling, bulging forbag, and about 6cm. I recommended that, if your uterus was calling it quits for the time, perhaps you should try to rest. So, B and I tucked J in on the couch with pillows and blankets all around. Your pup stayed your diligent doula-dog, and the three of us fell asleep within minutes. We awoke around 3 minutes later, again around 10 minutes later, and the next time, not for 20 minutes.

Your waves were releasing you for the time being.

I bid you both adieu, knowing that next time would be it.

For another week, you continued regular chiropractic care and acupuncture. Every evening, you started the same pattern, and every early morning, your waves dissipated.

December 21st
Around 10pm, B again contacted me to let me know that things were picking up and feeling different. I could hear J in the background making noise, and, knowing how far along you already were, we talked about the plan. J's waves were definitely different than what you had been experiencing nightly, so you promised to call me as soon as things got longer, stronger, and 'differenter'. I already knew that you would not have a very uncomfortable labor, and you were already experiencing waves about 3 minutes apart.

We hung up and I told my husband I would love to get a few hours' sleep in so that I was well rested for you both and would, ideally, hear from you at 4amish. You called me at 4:20ish to let me know you were ready for me to head over.

When I arrived, you were in the tub again and were moving your hips in a languid sway. We talked about how low the waves felt and how much pressure you felt. You had been feeling waves in your right hip again, so we did some position changes and you worked a little on the ball. You didn't feel right on the ball, so back in the tub you went.

During one bathroom break, you felt and thought you were around 8cm. You began acting a little transitionish, saying that you were tired and either wanted to sleep or hold your baby.

We talked about options for getting things into high gear, knowing you had labored all night for a few centimeters, and you and B opted for an early morning walk. As we walked through the neighborhood, I applied counterpressure to your lower back while you hung on B and he swayed with you, reminding you of your cue words.

As the neighborhood woke and left for work, B, J, and I arrived back at the front door, and, immediately, J got back into the tub. Around 9am, you noted something felt different and went to the bathroom. There, you checked yourself and noted you felt around a 9 and there was a large bulging bag of water in your vagina, giving you a strong feeling of constipated fullness.

You asked what I would do at this point. I stated my choices weren't J's, and your choices had to be your own. Your waves began spacing out again and I wondered if your labor would stop again as it was morning. After waiting another 30 minutes, you again asked what I would do if I were you.

I conceded that, knowing you felt far along, I would probably break my own water to take away that full pressure and see if it would hasten birth. After talking with B, J asked B to break it for her.

J, you climbed back into the birthing pool and alternated from all fours to a modified Captain Morgan Frog Squat. Noting that your baby was probably still asynclitic to posterior, I recommended going with your bodies urge to stay in this position, but alternate sides.

You continued this for about an hour, again, with B in the tub giving his amazing back rub and me applying cool washcloths to your forehead and providing your Hypno-cue words. Your waves were much longer and bringing sweat to your brow, and you began nipple stimulation to hasten the last centimeter.

You checked yourself again around 11am and felt nothing but a small lip of cervix left. I talked with you about pushing it back manually during waves, trying different positions to move it away, or simply waiting for it to move on its own. You felt baby 'just inside' your vagina, so you chose to move it yourself.

A few waves later, you felt babe move back up and away from your hand. With the next wave, he settled lower and 'different'. And, with the next wave after, the lip disappeared.

You began doubting your ability to bring your babe earth-side at this point and said 'I can't do this' between every wave. We talked about your fear of pushing. We talked about your bodies ability and the fact that you could keep him in and keep doing what you have been doing for weeks, or you could cross that finish line.

You made a conscious decision to move him into the world and, after one final 'I CAN'T do this!', your eyes became saucers as babes head moved beyond your perineum. Still in a Captain Morgan Frog Squat, you began laughing your babies shoulder's and body free of your own.

B's hands met your own and you both drew Simon out of the water and into your arms. Immediately, he let out a lusty mewl and began looking around at his mama and daddy.

His color was amazing from the start, and you moved to the floor by the couch to try to nurse and birth the placenta. For the next few moments, you reveled in your newborn while B cleaned up the kitchen and I clean you up. We waited for the placenta and I monitored your beautiful babies breathing and heart tones. About 30 minutes after birth, you felt the need to use the toilet, so we moved to the bathroom where you released your placenta.

At that point, you moved to the bed where you were able to sit on clean linens, nurse your newborn boy, and B was able to join you.

I had you drink some electrolytes and showed you how to do fundal massage, but your bleeding was minimal and your bub cleared out his own mucous and began to nurse in earnest.

About 2 hours after birth, B cut your son's cord (long) and I guided him through the newborn exams. B also monitored J's BP and bleeding and I got the herbal sitz bath ready. Around an hour after the sitz bath, I left a new family tucked into bed with pizza and Gatorade. Radiant mama, proud papa, and a beautifully chubby bub.

You did it mama!

Beautiful 1 hour old Simon

Welcome to the world, Simon!
7lbs 2 ozs
20 inches long
1:39pm