Tarece felt her first contractions on 10/23 at around 6 am. She had had some crampy Braxton hicks type contractions the day before, but these were different. They were still mild-so she felt she could go into work.
At 10 am I received a call from her that she thought she may be in early labor. She seemed to think that the contractions were about seven minutes apart and mild- but while I spoke to her she had three contractions in about fourteen minutes. And she had to stop and breathe through them- leading me to believe this was indeed labor and could be more advanced than she thought. I suggested she leave for home- having someone either come pick her up or drive her there.
The next call came before noon. She was on her way home. One of her coworkers drove her while another drove her car home. She was telling me that Gerald had an interview later in the day- so she was trying to avoid causing that interview to not happen.
At 12:10 pm Tarece called me to tell me she was home and wanted me to head on over. She had told me she was having some bloody show now as well. I encouraged her that it may be rapid dilation that was occurring.
I arrived to their home at 12:30 pm. Tarece was swaying and breathing hard through each contraction. She asked me if I wanted to watch television or wanted anything to eat. I watched her for only a few minutes and suggested that we instead head to the hospital. For some reason I thought Gerald was supposed to be meeting us at the house before we left- but she said no he was meeting us at the hospital instead. On that note I grabbed a towel for her to sit on in case her water broke and I got her in my car.
It was 1 pm by the time we left for the hospital. She was working hard on the way to the hospital. I put on some music and we chatted between contractions. The frequency was now about every three to four minutes and lasting a full minute. At one time she felt nauseated but it passed without any incidence. You could tell Tarece was trying to not let go fully in fear that she would move through this labor before Gerald was able to get to her.
We got to her room at 2 pm. When I had called earlier and spoken to Kim she told me no rooms were available and Tarece may have to give birth on a gurney or in the recovery room. This had alarmed us both. Tarece wanted a water birth so badly this time. On the way to the hospital there had been talk about doing the next best thing- about not having a water birth, about Gerald not making it in time. I called Margaret to ask her thoughts- Tarece just wanted to go to the park and squat in the woods rather than not have a room at the hospital! Margaret told me there were not even any postpartum rooms to labor in- but said she thought the recovery room was available. So I convinced Tarece to head on in. We agreed if she was not far enough along, we could always walk around outside.
The nurse put her on the monitor and asked her all of the admissions questions. The exam by Kim, the midwife showed she was about 6 centimeters dilated. I knew she would be much more if she had felt she could let go and birth. But you could tell she was holding back in hopes that soon Gerald would be there.
At 3:10 pm we were unsure since Tarece was already in the tub as to whether she lost her plug or perhaps her forebag of fluid had released. Kim stepped in and did an exam around 4 pm. It showed she was now 7-8 centimeters dilated. I somehow had remembered her first birth with her going from 7-8 to complete in no time and had warned the nurses that she goes fast in the end. By 4:15 pm she was feeling a lot of pressure so the nurse checked her and found her to be 8 centimeters with a bulging bag. She felt that the pressure Tarece was feeling was the bag pressing against her cervix.
Tarece stood and held onto me and swayed for a few moments. I felt that once that bag was gone, the baby would be there. Gerald called and was on his way. With some directions, we figured out he was about 10 to 15 minutes away. I think Tarece had held this baby in as long as she could.
She went from lying on her side and sitting, to a full squat. I remembered last time with Hannah that once her feet hit the floor her body just opened up. When I saw her get in this full squat I felt the baby was coming. I told her to put her bottom into the water- and I put my fingers in between her labia as she pushed. I felt her son’s head right there. I stood and turned and pulled the emergency cord next to the toilet. And then I returned to my position next to the tub and placed my ungloved hand on her perineum. With the next push I felt a head in my hands. I could feel his ear where my fingers were. It was amazing!
Soon there were a few nurses in the doorway of the bathroom. The lights were still off. It was a dark bathroom with only light coming in from the room. I turned and looked at our nurse who was nodding her head and smiling. She said, “You are doing fine Teresa!”
With the next push, Tarece birthed her son. The nurse turned on the light- I untangled the cord from around him and we got Tarece out of the tub and walked her to the bed. It was totally amazing!
At 4:30 pm Nile Cordell Octavis was born with APGARs of 8 and then 9. He had been crying almost immediately after he was born. I called Gerald within minutes of getting her to the bed so he could hear his son’s first cries. We did not reveal the gender of the baby- we wanted him to discover that for himself. I met Gerald in the hallway. Soon he was holding his son and unwrapping the blankets to find out he had a son! Nile weighed in at 6 pounds 15 ounces- three ounces bigger than his sister. He was 19 inches long.
This was an amazing birth- an amazing story for us all- an amazing experience for us all. It was indeed a labor of love!
Teresa Howard, CLD, CLE, CPD, CCCE (CAPPA), CD (DONA), CHBE
Owner, A Labor of Love
Labor Doula, Lactation Educator & Birthing in Awareness Educator
Labor of Love Doula and Childbirth Services, Inc.
www.alaboroflove.org www.laborofloveshack.com
770.923.6914 770.241.2078