Some clients need you more than others. This particular client had only spoken with me on the phone to set up our initial meet and greet, and we joked that when I finally received a call from her, I’d know it was time to have a baby. Then, I saw her name pop up on my lock screen at 3am.
This baby was well “overdue” compared to his brother and sister, coming weeks after he was expected (those third babies can be a bit of a wild card). When this client called me, contractions were still mild and not too close together, but given that this was her third and I was an hour away, I decided to head on over. When I arrived, I said my hellos to the family and set up my equipment, took a long listen to baby with my doppler, and took vitals so that my client could get settled in the tub. I asked if I could check her cervix and very quickly in between her contractions, I found her to be fully dilated.
After the stimulation from the exam, things really started to get going. My client called out urgently to her husband to fill the tub, and I called my birth assistant (who was about thirty minutes away) and continued to set up my oxygen tank and resuscitation equipment. I could hear her start to get pushy and I rushed in the bathroom to listen to baby in between her contractions while also trying to chart. At that point, I knew my birth assistant wasn’t going to make it.
My client told me the head was born, and I told her she would push out her baby with the next contraction. The tub was only about a third full, but baby boy descended into what little water there was and as I brought him up and out of it, I realized he was tangled in his cord. After a moment of unraveling, I quickly passed him to his mother, who was kneeling in the tub. After some light stimulation, he cried pretty immediately, and we all took a sigh of relief.
We helped mom to the bed where we patiently waited on the placenta. By this time, big brother and big sister had joined us. I felt the cord to see if it was done pulsing (read more about delayed cord clamping here), and asked them if they wanted to feel it, too. They both poked at it, and I encouraged them to pinch it with their fingers so they could really feel their brother’s heartbeat (which they did!). They were both so sweet, and very curious and involved–they even helped me cut the cord!
Everyone was so excited to welcome this baby into their family after weeks of waiting. I was obviously really happy they chose home birth, but even more so because of how quickly this little guy came! This was the first time I had ever delivered a baby completely solo–this little guy sure likes to keep everyone on their toes!