Morgan’s Birth Adventure

I loved that I got to be part of both Morgans births! A few years ago as her doula at the hospital with her first son, and then again as the photographer for her home birth with her daughter!

Morgan called my sounding super chipper and happy at 530am saying labor was for sure started and she was doing great. I told her to let me know when things really picked up and I would head that way. Around 615am the midwife called me and said if I was going to come, to come fast things were picking up super fast! She also asked if i could assist her, as her back up probably wasnt going to make it in time. Her doula was on the was almost there, so I quickly headed out! As I was driving I got the text “ mom is pushing!”

I thought for sure I was going to miss this birth and super bummed I didn’t leave right when she called, even thought she said not to, I had a feeling it was going to be way faster than her first birth. Well my car on the highway hit empty so I debated just stopping and not running out of gas, because i was sure I had missed it! But something told me to just keep going and that I could probably make it! When I got to her house and walked in, I was excited to not hear baby crying!

Morgan was in the tub still laboring, but in very active labor, and somewhat pushing. Her doula Grace was reassuring her, and making sure she stayed hydrated. She was trying to wait and get a little bit of cervix to melt away before she went back to pushing.

Probably thirty mins later Morgan started pushing again, and we knew it was time for baby.

Baby started moving down, and started to crown, once babies head was born, it took a minute and so the midwife had her stand up out of the water to make sure shoulders could be born. Baby came out almost right away, into midwives arms, and as she went to have mom get out of the tub and hand her the baby she noticed the cord had broke.

It is incredibly rare for a cord to break, but it is also important to catch it quickly so baby doesn’t bleed out through it- which is why we always clamp cords after babies are born(at some point before they are cut!) and they heal up and the rest of the cord stump falls off.

The midwife quickly held cord and I got it clamped down while she held it to stop bleeding. We got mom out of the tub with help of her doula and dad. Dad did some skin to skin while we got mom situated and then baby snuggled in and nursing. Then some herbs were given for some postpartum bleeding as a first option and then Pitocin to make sure that everything was managed, and mom stayed home safe too!

When talking to Morgan at her postpartum visit she mentioned how she sees all these dreamy births and she felt she had high expectations for her birth…So I wanted to share her story, of when things do take turns, and how they are handled at home. How if I just left out this story and posted pictures her birth looks pretty dreamy too! But that the reality of birth is that its hard work, and that things happen.

Wonderfully it was all handled at home and 3-4 hours after baby is born she was tucked into her bed, with husband and baby and in the afternoon her mom brought over her son and they all just got to hangout and relax! That situation come up at homebirth and can be managed at home. That birth is intense and hard work. That talking through it can be helpful, her husband had a moment of panic, but we calmly let him know that this wasn’t normal but it was okay. Baby was fine, and mom was fine!! Birth is beautiful and wonderful, and always an adventure!!

I am so very glad to have gotten to work with such a wise and skilled midwife and helpful doula!

Midwife-Celeste at Gentle Mama midwifery Gentle Mama Holistic Midwifery HOME Michigan midwife

Doula -Grace at (4) With Grace and Compassion Doula Services LLC | Facebook

And I am always so blessed when I get hired to be there for clients as they embark on that adventure of bringing a child into the world!

ps thank you to Grace for such excellent clean up at the birth:)