Well, I got my chance last night. I was just missing a siren and flashing lights. That really would have made it fun! I had quite the exciting doula experience last night with my November client. My client is the lovely wife of the wonderful guy that is helping me create this website. I think it’s appropriate that after 10 years of being in the birthing field and not having a website, that my first blog ever is dedicated to them and the birth of their 4th son. (And thank you for getting me started on my website!)
It was the only time in 120 births that I had to drive my client myself to the hospital. With 3 kids at home, and the grandparents not yet there, we had no choice but to get in the car without Dad and go. Contractions were 2 minutes apart, her membranes had just ruptured, and she felt a bit “pushy”. As much as I love the idea of a home birth, there wasn’t a midwife around so I thought we better get moving to the hospital asap. “Keep blowing and try not to bear down” I kept saying as I was driving. Read: doula adrenaline rush. Thank goodness it was only a 5 minute drive to the hospital.
You want to see labor and delivery nurses fly? Walk into triage with a laboring mother hanging from your sweatshirt, with sweat and desperation on her face, and shout out, “We need help! She’s pushing!” Nurses: 0-60 in 2 seconds.
Once the triage nurse checked her cervix and figured out that the baby was 2 cm. from crowning, things moved even quicker. Those hospital beds really can move fast! Down the hall to the back elevators and up to Labor and Delivery we went. And in a matter of a couple of minutes, literally 2 minutes, there was a team of nurses waiting for us with a prepped room and a doctor putting on her gloves.
Dad made it to the hospital just in time to see the top of his baby’s head emerge into this world. And in less than 10 min. from parking the car, a baby was nursing at his mother’s breast. Doula takes a cleansing breath.
My client had a history of a cesarean and 2 very long, but successful VBACS. So, this birth was anticipated to be another long labor. Instead it was a quick 3VBAC with no IV, no constant monitoring, and no interventions. Hallelujah! Birth works!