The Birth of Victoria Magnolia

The Birth Story of Victoria
I waited for what seemed an eternity for my mom and sister to fly in from New York. Since Victoria was my second birth, I had been having some early labor symptoms for weeks and thought the baby would come any day. At 40 weeks Mom and Olivia finally came to town, relieving me of a lot of fears.
What if I go over 41 weeks and Mom and Olivia have to go back to New York? Who would take care of me and help with Annabelle?
I went Monday to our family Chiropractor, hoping an adjustment would encourage labor, as Mom and Olivia would only be in town for 10 days. I got some painful contractions and the baby visibly dropped lower.
Tuesday morning at 10am I had an appointment with my Midwife, who is also a dear friend. I requested to have my cervix checked, a membrane sweep, separating the water bag from the cervix and cervical pressure points encouraging labor.
We also discussed taking a safe amount of castor oil to induce labor, which is something women have done since ancient times, and the risks, which is diarrhea and vomiting.
On the way home, I bought a bottle of castor oil and carefully followed the instructions. After a day of lunch on the ocean, dance parties, breast pump stimulation and eating all my daughter’s ice cream popsicles, I went to bed at 11pm giving up.

“Im not going to do anything to make the baby come, let’s just enjoy the day tomorrow with Annabelle.” I told my sister.
I woke up at 2am with labor pains. I felt like I needed to start moving my hips a bit, so I went into the living room so I wouldn’t disturb my daughter and husband sleeping in the bedroom.
I put on my favorite worship songs and rolled on the birthing ball and breathed with each contraction. They were not too intense, but I recognized this was real labor. I decided to start timing the contractions and they were 7 minutes a part, 5 minutes a part, 2 minuets a part within the hour.
I called my doula, Callie to let her know and within the next few contractions my midwives. “you’re having contractions 2 minutes apart?” Margo exclaimed on the phone, “we are all on our way”.
My doula arrived first “Welcome to my birth!” I told her between contractions. My living room was ornamented with dozens of flowers, lavender in the diffuser and affirmation cards from my blessing way just two days before. I wore my beaded necklace made by my friends. I felt like a queen, and often thought of the queens of old birthing 9 or more children during this birth.

My two midwives Margo and Angie came and set up unpacking oxygen, monitors, supplies and their birth kits.
My birth tub was missing the stopper, which we found after the birth on the floor by the piano. My sister and I had blown up the birth tub the night before and made a make shift stopper with a plastic container and lots of tape. “My fault for not doing the trial run” I said, and accepted I might not be able to use the tub for pain relief.
My contractions, although close together, were manageable still and slowly building intensity. I was concerned I had called the midwives too soon.
As the thought crossed my mind, the contractions quickly built in intensity from that point on and I leaned on my doula and squatted and danced with each wave. I was brought whatever I asked for. Water, Cold cloths, no lights.
The midwives started filling up the birthing tub. It was pure bliss getting into the hot water. I didn’t have another contraction for what seemed like a blissful eternity. Had the warm water slowed them down? I enjoyed the rest and then the storm came.
I squatted in the tub to bring on the intensity and pushing. I knew the reward that was coming and I knew I had transitioned, so it was close.
After many painful contractions, my midwife asked if I would like to be checked to see how far I had dilated. The contractions were right on top of each other and as I was being checked I threw up, and my water bag broke.
The contractions turned into what I felt I couldn’t bare. A freight train on fire running through my body. “I can do this, I can do this.” “thankyou for the break” In between contractions.
“Yes you can.” “You did this before, you can do it again.” “You are so strong, Rebecca.” I was surrounded by women who believed in me and respected me.
I was able to go within, visualize my breath and make a strong, low “ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh” like a warrior. With the next contraction I I slapped the sides of the birth tub and shook thrashing like a wild animal.
I felt the “ring of fire” and the midwives shouted to stop pushing for a slow birthing of the head. In 2-3 contractions I slowly birthed the head.
“I need the baby out.” The baby felt heavy still in my uterus despite squatting in the birth tub.
I attempted to push the shoulders out roaring 3-4 times holding my breath and pushing down. I was confused as to why the baby wasn’t coming out, I did this before with little effort.
I sensed urgency in Angie’s voice instructing me to push without making any noise. “I need help”, I said.
I was instructed to get on all fours and they attempted the “McRoberts Maneuver”. I was instructed not to push and the midwives worked together working the steps of “H-E-L-P-E-R-R” for Shoulder dystocia. At the time, I didn’t not know exactly what was happening, just that I needed help.
I was instructed to lean over our footrest and put one leg up and they used their skilled hands to rotate the shoulders. Still no movement. I grabbed a washcloth and bit on it enduring. “Father, creator, please help them get the baby out. Please save my baby.”
Although at the time I didn’t know exactly what was happening, I knew it was urgent. I remember thinking the baby would never get out. I was going to be the one. The one whose baby died.
“We have some movement.” Angie said as she successfully pulled the baby’s arm out of my birth canal, which was behind her back, using the “Gaskin Method.” I felt hope. A few moments later she was out.
Angie and Margo cleared her airway. And helped her with her first breaths.
“We called Emergency responders, so they will be coming.” Angie said. Calling for help is the first step in following the protocol for shoulder dystocia in “H-E-L-P-E-R-R”
“Come to mommy sweet baby.” I begged stroking her, kneeling on the ground next to Margo and Angie.
Mom and Livy crying and pleading to God to breathe life into her.
We heard some little sounds and tiny breaths. “She’s breathing.” Angie said.
EMS arrived. Later I learned Callie, my doula, had met them out front letting them know her heart beat was strong, taking control of the situation.
We brought my husband and Annabelle in. My husband was awake most of the night, but Annabelle slept through it all. We let Tony know he may have to go to the hospital with baby. We both agree birth is the place to be surrounded by women for our family and I feel comfortable with him being comfortable. I feel fully supported and love by my husband not seeing me push a baby out.
“She’s okay, she’s here and that’s all that matters.” He later said as I tried to process the birth.
I was given the choice to do a hospital transfer where baby would be monitored for two days, or to refuse treatment.
Since she was born and breathed within the safe window of time, where there wouldn’t be any cause for concern and would be monitored at home with me, we decided to stay home. Im really glad we made this choice since it took Victoria a day or two to learn to nurse, and Im not sure if I would have been supported in my own BF schedule at the hospital.
Baby was brought to my chest. Daddy gave Annabelle a present. We all ate chocolate and banana bread. The midwives did the newborn exam and my exam. My baby girl’s shoulders were 15 inches, 9lbs 8oz.
Shoulder dystocia cannot be prevented or predicted.
Despite the “Gaskin Method” being performed on me, I NEEDED NO STITCHES or episiotomy! (two hands up to their elbows in my uterus, dislodging and pulling out an arm).
It took me a few days, talking about my birth, reading all about shoulder dystocia and some tears to feel okay about my birth, and not replay it over and over.
I am beyond thankful to my expert midwives who worked together to save my baby’s life. The "Gaskin method" was taught by Ina May, the frontier of midwifery, and is the only medical procedure named after a midwife. Some obstetricians use forceps, quickly perform episiotomy without evaluating if one is even necessary (since shoulder dystocia is the shoulders stuck behind the pelvis bone, not birth canal), are not skilled or practiced in these methods, or they are performed on the mother’s back. Often the infant’s collar bone is broken, and if necessary, my midwives would have done whatever necessary to save us.

I thank my midwives for giving me the most gentle, safe and skilled care possible, and took time to talk with me answering questions I might have to help me process the birth. They did not perform unnecessary procedures and no long term damage such as rupturing my uterus or infection, which are both risks with shoulder dystocia.

Thank you God, My Creator to you be the glory. Thank you for the wisdom and skill of my midwives and using them. I am indebted to them for life.

Read more about Shoulder Dystocia https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3279180/

My beautiful Midwives www.midwifelove.com