A Little Divine Intervention

Early October, 2022, my client arrived in my backyard on a Monday evening to practice yoga.  She was happy to be pregnant and open to the experience and wanted to learn everything she could about birth and postpartum.  In addition to being her doula, I was her teacher. I taught her and her husband a few classes: childbirth preparation, breastfeeding and newborn care. She continued to practice yoga with me each week.  Her dedication to a healthy pregnancy and education was clear. A couple of weeks ago, she came to my comfort in labor class distracted.   That day she learned at a doctor’s appointment that she might be induced the following week because of a complication with her pregnancy called preeclampsia.  She wasn’t quite 37 weeks pregnant.

I know induction was not ideal for her.  She and her husband had a bunch of questions about induction for preeclampsia and were interested in gathering all the information available to make this decision.  I asked around and sent them responses. Everyone said basically the same thing: the baby needed to come out. 

A few days later, she was back at the doctor and the decision was made based on her lab results.  Induction was inevitable.  At 1:15pm she texted me that she needed to goto Labor & Delivery. An hour later, she was admitted and the induction began. Her cervix was dilated 1.5 centimeters.  They started her induction with a cervix softener, Cytotec and a foley balloon.  Around 8pm she texted me that her contractions had started but they were not too sensational.  She thought that the nurses would begin Pitocin which is the synthetic oxytocin (the contraction producing hormone) at 8am and suggested that I wait until morning to join her at the hospital.

In the middle of the night, she called me, distressed, saying she was 4 centimeters dilated and they wanted to start the Pitocin soon. She questioned the safety of Pitocin and told me she did not want it. I assured her that what she felt was normal and in most inductions, Pitocin is standard. I suggested that she ask them to begin with a small amount and wait patiently as they increased the dosage.  I knew it was stressful. I suggested that we take a few deep breaths.  While we were on the phone breathing  together, her water broke.  We hung up quickly.    She texted me shortly after that she’d still like me to come in at 8am.

About an hour later, at 4:45am she texted me again “Hi.  Can you actually come now :)”  Contractions had picked up and she was ready for my support.  I didn’t see the text so her husband called.  I hopped out of bed, grabbed my doula bag and drove to the hospital.

I arrived about 5:45am, and found her in bed contracting.  I suggested moving to the birth ball. I massaged her shoulders and breathed with her. For the next couple of hours, she labored continuously and handled the contractions with focus and breath. In between one of her contractions, she told me that they did not give her Pitocin.  I smiled.  It was divine intervention. She didn’t want it. And her body didn’t need it.   It went into labor without it which is highly unusual for an induced labor.

Before the nurse shift change, my client had her checked her cervix.   She was 90% effaced and 7 cm dilated.  Contractions continued and they were getting closer together, longer and more intense. An hour later, she claimed “this is crazy”. The pressure felt made her feel shaky and nauseous.  I suggested she lay on her side and we started talking about pain relief.  She didn’t want an epidural and so she decided on a dose of Fentanyl.

At 8:15am her nurse administered the medicine through the IV and it immediately helped take the edge off.  She relaxed in between the contractions and even fell asleep for a few short minutes.   She was exhausted and so was her husband.  He took a nap on the pullout couch and thanked me later for the rest.

The medicine was exactly what she needed to soften and relax.  She told me, “this is so much better.”  We placed a peanut ball in between her legs.  She didn’t like it.   We found another motion which worked better.  I moved one leg a like a bicycle which provided relief briefly. The intensity of the contractions increased and even with a second dose of Fentanyl, she was in extreme sensation.   At 10:30am she said “this is too much” which I know are words from a laboring mama who is almost done!

And she was almost there.  Fifteen minutes later, at 10:45am, her nurse checked her again and she was complete: 10 centimeters dilate and 100% effaced.   We set up for pushing.  She looked at me with wide eyes filled with concern and overwhelm.   I reminded her of her power.  She nodded and rolled to her side and started pushing.

Shortly after, she moved in to a semi-included position which was more effective.  With each contraction, she took a breath of air, dropped her chin to her chest, and pushed to a count of ten. She did this three rounds and then rested.  It took a few contractions for her to figure out the hang of pushing but she was a quick learner.  Her baby was moving down.

At 11:50am, the nurse called the doctor and instructed my client not to push, which was hard!  We needed the doctor. Despite the sensation, my client was polite and patient. Three rounds of contractions passed before the doctor arrived.   He wore a flat rimmed hat and a Jackson Hole T-shirt. He’d told us he’d been at a local ski shop buying new bindings for his DPS skis.  Classic Park City doc.

My client continued to push. With each round of contractions, she was closer to meeting her baby. The end was very intense.  As she felt the baby’s head, her husband set up to help deliver.  At 12:20pm on March 18th, my client gave one last push and her baby was born!

The doctor called out  “Boy!”  since the gender was a surprise.   The nurse placed the baby straight on his mama’s chest. He cried announcing his arrival.  That moment hearing a newborn cry is the miracle of all miracles.  A new soul joining us. 

The baby’s coloring looked good and he was alert. Right from birth, he was a beautiful baby.  Tears streamed down my client’s  face.  I imagined that she felt relief, gratitude, and wonder.   She did it!  As they gazed down at their son. I watched the transformation of two adults turn into parents.

The baby needed an oxygen treatment that was completed in the delivery room.  He tolerated it very well and he returned to his mother’s chest thirty minutes later.  It wasn’t long before he was rooting around, looking for his mother’s breast and latched on for his first time.

I was so proud of my client’s strength and resilience.  The factors leading up to this birth were stressful and she took them in stride.   When the day came, she knew what she did and did not want in for the birth.  Some things are not in our control, however, I believe the universe provided her with just what she wished for.

I bid them farewell and drove home around 2pm feeling like I’d been on a redeye flight.  My daughter and I went out to lunch and I kept thinking about the birth and how another little baby began his beautiful life journey.  And here I was in the restaurant like nothing was different. Once again, I witnessed an Omazing birth.