Brooke a friend of many years, came to us with the impending birth of her second child wanting stunning photographs to remember the journey. Her perfect little princess. Her first birth experience was a very long, tiring process, and she was hoping for a much gentler, hands-off experience.
With 2 failed stretch and sweeps, all involved were on edge for the planned induction in fear of her hands-off birth plan going out the window. With cervidil as the induction method, it didn't take long to kick start her body into the natural process of labour. A message just after 6:30 that contractions were 5-6mins apart shortly followed by a call from Brooke's mum (Michelle) that thing's had ramped up quickly and she was in the process of being transferred to the birth suite.
Arriving to the hospital around 8 with Brooke lying on the bed, using gas and air to get through the contractions, but maintaining her cheery personality in the breaks between. It didn't take long to hit transition.
With incredible support from Michelle and Pam, Brooke continued to soldier through each contraction that came over her body. Holding onto her Mum's hand, looking into her Mum's eyes begging her Mum to make the pain go away. As the doubt and fears crept in her Mum reminded her that she can do it and she is doing it, every contraction was bringing her little girl closer to her.
Birthing a baby is not easy! A quick labour or a long labour it takes everything inside of you to keep your energy enough to go through the process that is childbirth.
With midwives pushing for a toilet break, Brooke shuffled her way to the bathroom. The moment of sitting on the toilet, everything changed (in the birth world, the toilet is a throne with incredible powers of moving baby down). Her contractions came hard and fast and were back-to-back with no rest in between! It was at this stage she let out an almighty roar with the need to push as she balanced against her Mum. With great difficulty, she was moved back to the bed getting on all fours over the head of the bed. Within a few contractions baby was crowning. Brooke had worked so hard to get that baby down and so far, her body had done majority of the work for her with the added benefit of gravity.
As baby crowned the midwives allowed for a very hands-off approach. With baby's head out, the midwives gave gentle assistance in delivering the shoulder's where it was discovered baby had a nuchal cord (cord wrapped around baby's neck). This is a common occurrence and is no reason to panic unless baby's stats are outside normal range. The midwife gently reduced the cord from around baby. The next contraction built and baby suddenly shot out into the midwives arms and just like that baby was passed between the legs where Brooke lifted her newborn daughter to her chest and embraced the beauty that was birth.
Birth was followed by a magical golden hour filled with skin to skin, first breastfeed, tiny little baby detail's, weights and measurements and the cherished first hold for Michelle and Pam.
Unfortunately, children are not allowed on Labour and Delivery Wing and Brooke was unable to have her son Dillon meet his brand-new baby sister. I came back bright and early the following morning and got to be part of the whole journey of this little family expanding. It began with a 2-year-old not entirely sure how to react and finishing with a protective little brother that did not want to give his little sister back to his Mum. A bond I am sure will flourish in years to come!