Mothering Earth

February 14th 2005 at 8:00 am I began my morning running along the coast Highway 101 and as I looked out over the Pacific I received a vision of Shanna in labor. 8:30 am I got home and jumped in the shower and I had another vision of Shanna in labor. At 8:44 am I received a page with a message from her saying she was in labor and that she and Jason were on their way to the hospital.
When I arrived at 9:30 the nurse was in the process of putting in her IV. She looked up to acknowledge my presence and she smiled. I instantly thought that she looked like the Birthing Goddess-having the full confidence in her birthing process. I gave Jason a hug and set my bag down. A contraction started and she leaned back closing her eyes-the room respectfully fell silent. She breathed through it and then opened her eyes looking as serene as ever. She looked at the clock and she noted that I got there fast. I smiled-yes I had been awaiting this birth and I knew I was supposed to be here.

“How is your progress?” I asked.
“The nurse just checked me and I am at four centimeters . . .” she closed her eyes and rode through another contraction and when she was done continued talking.

“We just got here, the contractions are about two minutes apart. I want to have him by noon,” she said as she looked at the clock. I noted the spacing of the contractions since I had been here, about 7 minutes apart, keeping an eye on the clock when they started. Shanna’s mother smiled and talked to Shanna for a while. She sat down in the chair with a pen and paper to record the contractions and the changes to Shanna’s birth. Every time Shanna would have a contraction, the talking would cease and Jason would move into her space and lovingly support her. Jason was such a silent but strong presence at Shanna’s side-I noticed that she drew strength from him when she needed it. He was her rock when she sought to be grounded. I watched the two of them silently together and reflected on the fact that there was actually a time when fathers were not a part of this experience.
“The contractions woke me up at four this morning. I got into the shower and Jenesse (her daughter) sensed something was up-so she got up with me,” Shanna started to tell me and another contraction came on. She winced and I could tell that something was bothering her.

“My back is really hurting,” she stated as she started rubbing her low back. I suggested that she move off of her back. We got her up off of the bed and she sat on the stool until we could get the nurse to bring in the Birthing Ball. This change of labor position brought relief. She closed her eyes as Jason moved in closer to her to provide support. I instinctively applied counter pressure onto her sacrum (lower back). The contraction was over and I asked if that had helped with her back pain.

“Yes-that really helped a lot,” she said with relief. After a while of contractions Jason and I had our routine of offering her sips of water and chap-stick between each contraction. Before the next contraction came I looked at Jason as I sat squatted behind Shanna.

“Jason, maybe you could position yourself directly in front of Shanna so she can lean
into you during contractions and be supported. That way I will be able to apply more pressure,” I suggested and she went into another contraction. Jason moved at my suggestion and we supported Shanna as she continued with breathing deeply. The nurse came into check on her and Shanna relayed how she felt. The nurse moved over to the machines to see how steady the contractions were reading. She encouraged Shanna, telling her how wonderfully she was doing and to keep breathing. Shanna smiled as she closed her eyes to allow the shifting of the labor to ride through her body and she leaned into Jason. I continued to apply counter pressure with each contraction and it seemed to help. Her mother remarked how well she was doing and was recording it all down. After an hour of this rhythm the contractions were becoming stronger and
stronger. Shanna’s silence started to transition into strong moans. The baby was moving down and getting ready as her body complied. She handled it beautifully-as if she had done this a thousand times before. I couldn’t get over the “knowing” that she had about what was happening. She did not allow this experience to overwhelm her. She was dancing with the Birthing Goddess. The contractions continued to get stronger and stronger. The nurse came
in and looked at the machine read outs and suggested that we get Shanna on the bed so that she can check her.
“You are seven centimeters,” the nurse declared proudly, “You are doing so well Shanna. That ball really helped move things along. You are so close hang in there-I am going to call the doctor.” She left the room and Shanna started another contraction. I looked at the clock-it was 10:25am.
“You said noon, right Shanna?” I said to her smiling and she looked at me knowing that this was the reality now. She rolled onto her side to cling to Jason during the contractions now and I torqued my body around so I could continue applying counter-pressure to her lower back. The contractions seemed to roll altogether at this point and she did all she could to cope. I
softly reminded her to breathe and bring oxygen down to her baby. She did so and rode out the contractions. The nurse came in.

“The doctor is on the way down from Temecula-he should be here soon,” she said. She stayed to monitor her labor. Shanna started breathing fast and began to push.
“No Shanna, don’t push yet-keep breathing!” the nurse instructed,” I am going to check you again to see if you are ready to push-we want you dilated and that cervix gone”. Shanna braved through being checked while having a contraction and my sympathy went to her. This is not an easy thing to endure.

“Okay you are 9 1/2 centimeters and there is a little cervical lip left. You are almost there. Your bag of waters is going to break soon. You are doing well. Just don’t push and blow if you feel the urge to push” the nurse instructed and Shanna went into another contraction. Jason leaned in close to her and encouraged her.
“Where is the doctor?” Shanna asked out of breath.
“He is on his way,” the nurse said, “Shanna I am not telling you to wait until he gets here. I want you fully dilated and then this baby will be born whether the doctor is here or not”. At this point her water broke finally. I was on her right side holding up her leg and Jason was on her left side. Shanna’s sister and Kathy, Jason’s mom, walked in the room. Kathy walked up and stood behind Jason looking over at Shanna.

There was a lot of love in her eyes as she asked, “Would you like a cool rag for your forehead?”. Shanna nodded gratefully in between contractions. Kathy moved to the sink and ran cold water on a wash cloth. She applied the cool wash cloth on Shanna’s forehead and I reminded Shanna to keep breathing as she went through another contraction. The nurse was busy preparing for the delivery of the baby. All of the sudden everyone in the room cheered as the doctor walked in. And I remember thinking that this doctor hasn’t done anything, Shanna was the one laboring, she deserved the cheering.

“You are doing so well Shanna. Looks like you are having your baby right now!” he stated as he put on his gloves. He proceeded to stretch her perineum and talked to her as he did.

“I don’t want you to tear-I am trying to stretch you out a little so you won’t tear,” he said. Shanna was breathing through a contraction and trying not to push.

“You can start pushing if you want,” the doctor said after he checked her. I glanced up at the clock, 11:06am. She began to push and everyone encouraged her.

“That’s it-that’s the way. You are doing so well!” I said encouraging her.

“I can’t do this!” she exclaimed.

“Yes you can-you are doing it,” I said strongly. I knew she could and I knew she felt like she couldn’t. She closed her eyes and pushed again. She was drawing on her inner strength and Jason’s to get through this. 11:08am Mason’s head was crowning.

“Good job Shanna! You should teach all women how to give birth!” her doctor said encouragingly. She pushed and Mason began to emerge. I looked across at Jason and he looked at me. He smiled and I knew just how precious this moment was for them. I smiled back and turned to Shanna.

“Here he comes Shanna,” I said excited, “Keep breathing honey. You are doing it! Keep pushing!” She groaned and pushed. She worked so hard to get him out. The doctor worked with her perineum to deliver the head slowly. Everyone exclaimed at how big he was.

“Oh Shanna-keep pushing he almost here,” I said focusing on her. 11:16 am with all her might she gave a good push and Mason’s body was born. Everyone exclaimed at the amount of hair he had. Shanna laid back on her pillow with relief.

“Oh my god-he is so big,” she said. The doctor showed Mason to Shanna and remarked how big and healthy he looked. Shanna was so relieved; this was a good hard labor. The nurse came to my side and stated that they needed to deliver the placenta. She asked if I could continue holding her leg up. Jason followed the nurse to clean up Mason while Kathy took his place on the other side of Shanna to help her deliver the placenta. Kathy smiled and was very supportive of Shanna.

“It won’t be hard,” Kathy said gently. This reassured Shanna and within minutes the placenta delivered nicely. We put her legs down and she relaxed. The high of Mason’s entry into this Earth was very intoxicating. Shanna looked at me and smiled.

“You did it. You did so beautifully!” I stated. I was in total awe of her. Mason was a healthy 8 pounds 7 oz baby. His apgar scores were wonderfully high. At five minutes it was 8,9 and at ten minutes it was 8,9.The doctor worked to stitch the minor tear Shanna had and Kathy talked to her to distract her.

One by one everyone slowly left the labor room, until it was Jason, Shanna, Mason and I. We talked for a while and then Shanna asked if I wanted to hold him. I was honored by this as Jason handed over to me their son. I looked down at this precious soul who had just come through from the other side. “Welcome little one. We are so glad you are here”, I thought as I looked at him sleeping. I was so grateful to experience this birth. Shanna and Jason are such dear people to me and this day will always mark the physical beginning of my Midwifery path.”

-Melissa Kuolt-Zeman