The Birth of Ezekiel… from our Doula, Alicia

Laura and Corey’s birth Story began on
Wednesday, June 8, 2011, at 38 weeks and 4 days into their pregnancy. Laura’s
water broke about 7:40 that morning, and she called her doula, Alicia at 7:43
to let her know that today was the day. They texted back and forth about an
eating plan for the day and ideas for keeping active, and at 10:25, Laura
texted: “Felt the first contractions. Not regular and not intense. Walking
and on our way to the store now.”

At 12:43, Laura called again, and Alicia gave
her some suggestions for augmenting labor. They had just talked to Jack, their
midwife, who said he wanted her to be in labor by 3:00. He was also calling his
back-up midwife, since he wouldn’t be able to be at the birth. At 1:52, Laura
texted  Alicia that they she had
had 4 contractions in the last hour, and when they spoke on the phone at 2:30,
they had picked up quickly, and were now about 8 minutes apart. Laura felt that
she was ready for Alicia to join them.

After getting stuck in traffic and behind an
accident, Alicia arrived at 4:15. Laura was contracting about every 6 minutes,
and talking and laughing in between them. Laura, Corey, and Alicia chatted for
awhile about the excitement of the day to come. At 5:30, Alicia suggested
taking a walk around the neighborhood. After a 45-minute walk, which included
some hills about which Laura had been skeptical, her contractions increased
substantially in intensity and frequency; they were now coming every 3 to 5
minutes. Alicia made Laura a smoothie while she and Corey moved between slow
dancing, and kneeling on hands and knees over the birth ball. Corey and Alicia
commented on how she seemed to be much more serious during these contractions,
and how that was a good thing. Laura moved into the bed for awhile, and decided
about 7:20 that she was ready to head to the hospital.

Alicia followed them, and they all arrived at
Northeast Georgia Medical Center about 7:40. As the hospital policy allowed
only one “guest” in triage, Alicia waited in the waiting room while
Laura and Corey went in for assessment. When the nurse checked Laura, she was 4
centimeters dilated and 90% effaced.

They were admitted into room 10, with Anna as
their nurse, and Alicia was able to join them again at 8:30. After it took two
nurses to get her IV inserted, nurse Sarah said, “You have access. Should
you want anything for pain, just ask,” to which Laura replied, “I
have Alicia for pain.”

Laura, Corey, and Alicia continued to labor on
their own, walking the halls and moving through contractions. Laura got into
the shower about 11:30, which turned into a bath about half an hour later. Anna
checked her in the tub about 12:30, and she was 5-6 centimeters dilated, 90%
effaced, and the baby was at about a -1 station.

Laura stuck to her plan of keeping moving and
made frequent changes between walking, moving on the birth ball, dancing,
kneeling, and squatting. Alice arrived at 1:20 a.m., and after staying for a
little while, moved to the waiting room. Laura was checked again at 3:20, and
was 6 centimeters. The decision was made to to begin pitocin. Laura’s IV had
come out, and after two more nurse attempts, was replaced at 4:20 and the
medication was begun. Corey and Alicia continued to support her with massage
and encouragement.

At 5:30, Laura vomited, and when Corey became a
little green, Alicia took over as bucket-holder, which they joked about later.
The new nurse, Tyra, came on shift at 7:00, and when she checked Laura at 7:40,
she was 7 1/2 centimeters. Alicia went to grab some breakfast with Alice
shortly thereafter, and Jack came in for a quick visit.

Laura was working even harder through her
contractions, and at this point had gone mostly within herself. Her eyes were
closed most of the time, and during a contraction she would move and repeat,
“Shhhh, shhh, shhhh….” Corey and Alicia talked with each other
about not knowing if she was telling them to not say anything or if it was
simply a coping technique.

At 10:45, Laura’s cervix had not changed, and
about 15 minutes later, she and Corey made the decision to have an epidural.
While she was waiting, she opted for a dose of Fentanyl. When the epidural was
placed at noon, Kim stated, “You need to be ready to push by 2:00 or we’re
going for a c-section.” While Laura got some much-needed rest, so did
Corey and Alicia. A new nurse, Holly, came on duty at 3:00. Five other births
kept Kim away until 3:30, and when she returned to check Laura, she was
completely dilated. The room was set up for delivery, and Laura began pushing
about 3:50. The majority of pushing was with only Corey, Holly, and Alicia in
the room, with worship music playing softly in the background and the others
encouraging Laura quietly. Laura pushed beautifully and made steady progress.
About 5:30, Laura had a round of heavy nausea, and as Holly called for Kim,
Laura started throwing up. As she vomited, the baby’s head moved from about a
golf-ball size being seen, to his entire head being born. Kim ran in the room
just in time to catch him. Ezekiel Richard Jacobs made his way into this world
at 5:40 p.m. on Thursday, June 9, 2011, weighing in at 7 pounds and 14 ounces,
and measuring 20 inches long. His head circumference was 14 1/2 inches, his
chest was 12 3/4 inches, and his Apgars were 8 and 9.

Little Zeke latched on and nursed like a champ.
After Alicia noticed that he was showing some signs of minor respiratory
distress, he was taken to the warmer for deep suction, but was soon back with
his mommy and daddy for cuddles. When Alicia left about 7:30p.m., she left
behind a beautiful new baby, and a happy new family of three.

 

WELCOME TO THE WORLD, SWEET BABY
EZEKIEL!!

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