Baby Surprise

So a few (many?) weeks ago I promised a birth story. It's brief, as mine are these days -- all in the interest of client confidentiality.

However, I love sharing the happy ones, especially if they stick in the back of someone's mind at a future birth and inspire them as they've inspired me.

The short version is this: my client, at 41+ weeks, began having contractions the night before she was to get induced. We all arrived at the hospital happy things started on their own. More joy as she was found to be well into labor (5-6 cm). This was not her first baby and she appeared to be on the fast track.

An hour later, she was 8 centimeters. Then pushy. But, whoops, still 8. So she worked hard to manage those intense contractions from a very low baby. More time -- hours, in fact -- still 8 centimeters. The confident promises of a baby by lunch were replaced by those birth platitudes: things take their own time, the baby is fine, she'll come when she's ready, don't look at the clock, we'll change positions...

And still 8 centimeters. The exhausted, discouraged mother got an epidural, a little sleep, went through more painful contractions as the epidural bolus wore off, then was complete.

Friends, in half an hour's time, she pushed out the biggest baby I've ever seen. 10 3/4 lbs. Fat rolls on his legs and neck. Cheers and tears all around.

Sometimes things DO come in their own time and for good reason. Patience is such an integral part of a good birth.