Home birth #4 complete. About a week ago my midwife called to say one of our mamas was in labor. It wasn't the one I was expecting. But the one due at the end of the month. But according to dates she was 37 weeks so she was a go (and according to sonogram dates she was 40 weeks). This first time mom labored like a champ...ALL day. She dilated slowly and stayed in control. Took some time in the tub. Ate a few bites of fruit. Drank gatorade off and on. Tried different positions. Walked. All the right things. But nearing the 24 hour mark she still wasn't complete. And she was tired. My midwife discussed the options with the mama and dad. And they agreed if things didn't change in the next hour we'd proceed to the hospital. The last thing you want is a mama who is too tired to push. Nothing changed. So we went to the hospital. Well, I didn't. I went home. To many midwives (or apprentices) in a hospital can make the staff a little uncomfortable. The mama was given a low dose of pitocin and her contractions were a bit more effective. Still it took several hours to go from a 7 to complete. Then she pushed and pushed and pushed. Just before sun-up her sweet baby made her debut. 30 hours after labor began. This mama and her husband were troopers. They managed to achieve their goal of a natural birth (without pain meds) even through all of that.
I learn so much from each birth. This one was a little harder on me. In the moment we couldn't see anything else that would help this mama along. In hindsight, maybe some nipple stimulation to get the oxytocin (natural pitocin) flowing would have helped? But it seemed like her contractions were consistent and effective. Maybe, maybe not? I was so disappointed to labor so closely with this woman and not be there for the delivery. It's like I missed out on the prize.
Oh, and one more unusual thing about this birth. The electricity went out in the house for about two hours. We were in the dark and it was cold. I put the mother-in-law and sister-in-law in charge of figuring out a solution. He he he.... They found some orange extension cords dragged them to the neighbors (who were not home) and helped themselves to their outside outlets. It let us power a room heater and a lamp in the birth room. Everyone else remained in the dark and the cold. I loved their ingenuity!
Oh and one more thing. I took my neonatal resuscitation program course. I should get my card in the next week or two. Very interesting!
1 comment:
Bummer that you missed out on the prize :( What a trooper that mama was! (I think I say that about all of your birth stories :) Glad mom & baby are doing good. That part about the electricity & the extension cords from the neighbors' house cracked me up!!
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