Natural Hospital Birth | Plano, Texas

Birth stories can be inspirational and educational. We love sharing stories that our clients want shared to our blog. Here’s a great, fast, birth story about a natural hospital birth (client was using Hypnobabies) from our doula’s perspective*.

Evening

I receive a text from Deb asking about some bleeding and she also mentions that she may be constipated. We text back and forth until Deb says she will text me if things get more consistent. In the mean time, she plans to rest and listen to her Hypnobabies tracks..

I don’t know first hand what happens between this time and when I next hear from Deb’s husband about 3 hours later, but I am told that he went to sleep and at some point Deb decided she was uncomfortable enough to call her OB and get some advice about coming in. Dr. MacDonald was the OB on call and he was fine with her coming in or staying home. As the contractions get more uncomfortable, Deb wakes up her husband and has him get her parents to come over for childcare duty. She tells me that at this point she was stilll not 100% sure this is labor, but she wants her parents there just in case.

Middle of the Night

Only about 3 hours after my last conversation with Deb, I get a call from Deb’s husband, who is calm and tells me that Deb is contracting every 3 minutes, but still not sure this is labor. They have just arrived at the hospital. I am surprised they have gone to the hospital because I had not heard from them, and Deb’s plan was to stay home and have me labor with them there - but then I hear Deb have a contraction and quickly realize this was a good choice. Deb may not believe she is in labor but in our less than 1 minute chat, I can tell things are moving. I immediately head their way. En route, I get another call from Deb’s husband. He tells me their room number and that Deb is 7 cm! I am exactly 2 miles out at that time and let him know that I will be there in about 5 mins. When I walk in the room. Deb is on her side gripping the bed handle. She is clearly in transition and already sounding slightly pushy.

About an hour later, her water breaks. The hospitalist does a quick exam and says Deb is complete. There are now several nurses in the room and Deb is starting to really push with each contraction. Her hypno tracks are on in the background and her body is pushing and everyone lets her do it. Her husband is helping her breathe while I rub her back and we are all ready for delivery. As the head comes down to the perineum, Dr. MacDonald arrives. Deb is moved into the hospital birthing position and two (maybe three) pushes later has a baby!

However, the placenta takes a little bit to deliver. Deb is given some cytotec and all seems well. Dr. MacDonald shakes everyone’s hand but as he walks out the nurse alerts him to some bleeding and he gloves back up to check it out. What follows is about 20 minutes of pelvic exams, concerns over a postpartum hemorrhage and trying to get out clots and remove any extra retained placenta. It was very uncomfortable for Deb and we did all the things to make it better. Finally, this is done, all is well and Deb is comfortable…plus baby nurses like a champ and spends 30 mins on the breast before taking a break for her checkup and snuggles with her dad.

*At client’s request, names have been changed in this story.