I arrived around 8 am to a laboring mama having contractions every 5 minutes. Sarah was still having conversations in between contractions. Every few minutes she would stop talking to concentrate and connect to her sweet baby girl, encouraging Sienna to embrace the journey ahead.
Murdock, having been through this before, was a natural care giver.
Papa did everything he could to help keep Mama comfortable. Milo, my 4 month old daughter, watched Sarah's every move. She was very in tune and embraced the energy.
Pregnant mamas, I cannot stress this enough. Create a sacred space that only you occupy. Use trinkets, stones, salts, incense and oils, inspirational quotes. Anything that speaks to you. Meditate at your alter daily. Imagine your perfect birth. Manifest it.
Some midwives determine stages of labor, not with vaginal checks, but with other signs. Some say each article of clothing taken off by the laboring mama suggests another centimeter of dilation.
dou·la
ˈdo͞olə/
noun
a woman who is trained to assist another woman during childbirth and who may provide support to the family after the baby is born.
But Nova was much more than that.
11:08am-transition-
Nova cleaning up after SROM (spontaneous rupture of membranes)
11:35 am, Sarah declares that "IT STINGS" just moments after entering the tub and less than 30 minutes after her water broke (which immediately brought on transition). Nova asked to touch Sarah (her labia wasn't even bulging 30 seconds before) to check progession and see where she was. The midwife was on her way. Immediately after, Sarah lets out a primal growl and gutteral push, bringing Sienna with it. Sienna was born with this single push.
We weren't expecting it at all.
First latch while we wait for the placenta to deliver.
The accidental unassisted home water birth of Sienna Moon from kindredphototgrapher on Vimeo.