Sometimes a style or pattern emerges once a person has birthed a couple of times. That is certainly the case in this story. For each of her three births the lead up period was 3 to 4 weeks of prodromal labour!
Three to Four Weeks! Let that sink in.
By this third birth, when the regular but mild cramping started up the first time, she knew it wasn’t the beginning of baby meeting labour, but she messaged me to let me know the lead up to the lead up had begun.
We had 26 more days to wait for this prodromal labour to turn into early labour.
It takes mental strength, emotional support and faith to walk this path with grace.
Which is exactly what she did all three times.
And then 20 hours before we met this baby, she very excitedly updated that for the first time in her birth experiences, she had some blood show! This felt like a real actual sign that the contractions earlier in the day were more serious, that maybe, just maybe we would meet this baby sooner than later.
That afternoon her Midwife confirmed that the work her body had been doing, had been productive as she was now dilated to 4 cm.
All the good things. She went home to rest and be ready.
But then the contractions started to become more consistent, so she spent some time getting things ready in the house for her older children. Always the Mama.
And then those surges got a little closer together, more rhythmic. She started needing to focus on her breathe at the top of the contractions.
But it didn’t feel like it was time yet. “I feel normal between them!”
So they went for a walk and did some movements to encourage this baby to find the way. She tried to rest. To no avail.
It had been 10 hours of this and the contractions were getting stronger, longer and more frequent. Finally she felt it was time to call her Midwife and to come up with an action plan.
The Midwife felt it was a good time to head to the Birth Centre and at the same time she had 3 contractions in the space of 8 minutes!
Definitely time.
When we met up at the Birth Centre we had a little celebratory/sentimental hug. We were so excited to be meeting this baby, and at the same time maybe a little bit sad that this would be our last time birthing together?
Our relationship, built up over the course of 3 birth journeys, is special, steeped in a knowing kind of trust.
As is often the case with third births, this birther was grounded and focused, knowing her body would lead the way as it had done twice before. She needed to breathe through each surge, but with calmness and intention.
We did some pelvic tilt and lifts because the Midwife was able to tell us the baby’s head was a little bit off centre. The labour intensified, and the pressure changed.
Just like she had in each of her previous births, she went into deep squats during the contractions, instinctively helping the baby move down. Moving and breathing with the flow of this baby’s path. The gentle way that she laboured this baby was dreamy to watch. The energy was light and warm and full of love.
We had been there almost 3 hours and it was clear the intensity had increased, so we encouraged her to get into the tub for some relief and to be ready. She was hesitant because she didn’t want to slow things down. She had worked hard to get here! And some part of her still thought maybe this wasn’t really it?
I reminded her she could get out if she felt the labour slowing down.
That water felt so good. It did not slow things down.
He was there by her side for her to hold onto as the waves of power surged through her. We provided counter pressure, validation and support. She used it all to stay inside her power as the labour shifted again.
The Midwives and their team were circled around us, birth guardians that they are. The room was thick with positive birth energy as we all leaned in to her need.
And then just 30 minutes after she got into the tub we could see and hear her moving her baby down at the height of each wave. So much pressure! So much strength. So calm.
And then her waters broke!
She turned and moved and found herself rising up to hold onto me as her baby came down.
Only 6 minutes after her waters broke she was holding her third daughter in her arms.
To say this was a gorgeous birth is an understatement. Yes, it was intense, and yes she worked so very hard through those weeks of lead up and then through the 15 hours of progressive labour.
And still it was a beautiful, peaceful and intuitive birth experience.
She had wrapped herself in her body’s knowledge and trusted the path. Letting go and immersing herself fully into the experience.
A perfect wrap up for this birthing couple’s journey to a completed family.
