Arizona Midwife | Arizona Homebirth Midwife | Red Rock Midwifery

This week, one of the births I attended was a mama’s second baby; the first had been born in a hospital two years ago, and this one, obviously at home. I love all my clients, but I always feel even more overjoyed for the parents that get to experience this vast difference in birthing (perhaps because I was one of those mamas, years ago). It has little to do with me, except that somehow I have helped fill the need and vision that these parents had for their second birth.

This birth was one of the interesting early labor ones. By that I mean it was not really straightforward, and the mama and I were in phone contact (as well as a few home visits!) over the course of 4 DAYS. She really wasn’t in labor yet, but the rushes were strong enough every now and then to mess with her mind. Plus, her first labor was induced after about a day of similar contractions! So, I just kept reminding her that this pattern was normal for her and that THIS time we were going to let her body and baby do it on it’s own time. With mama and baby doing well, there was and is no reason to rush things. Just keeping mama happy and rested and encouraged that this IS how it goes sometimes! Especially when we do not have a pitocin drip at our disposal!

I knew from several of these early home visits that baby was in a posterior, or baby’s back against mama’s back position. Probably the reason for all the annoying contractions, and not an ideal position for baby to be born in. Well, this baby would prove us wrong! In any case, most of the time it just takes some patience–so after reviewing some helpful labor positions when having contractions, we left baby to do what baby would.

So, after 4 days, once this mama really hit labor, it was 2 hours from start to finish. I figured it would go like that-I call it going from “nothin’ to somethin’”, and it can go really fast. When I arrived, mama was silently working pretty hard and getting to be a bit grunty. I set up my supplies and her birth area (which was their main living room, right between the couch and TV) and sat with her. Never having done a vaginal exam on her (as there was no need, there really wasn’t any confusion in my mind about where she “was” in her labor), I figured her to be almost complete by about now. Sure enough, she started pushing about 10 minutes later.

Mama pushed beautifully on hands and knees for about an hour, which I considered to be longish in relationship to the rest of her labor. Hmm, I though….what have we got here? Big baby? Nah. Tight cord? Nope, heart tones have sounded fabulous. Hmmm. As baby started to crown, it did look distinctly different to me. As more of the head came, aha! Baby was presenting in a posterior position! This little babe never did rotate, and a quick 2 hour labor with no back pain for mom to boot! Watching this baby be born was wonderful, and I think this is probably only the second posterior birth I have ever seen. The other might have been in water, and this one on land was a lot more exciting. I wish someone had gotten some pictures!

Needless to say, parents and baby were pretty happy with the way their birth went for them. Although just a facilitator, I was honored, as always to be in attendance and help where I could. Welcome to the world, little one! And an extra gold start to this mama who accomplished an extra-amazing feat!