Angels were felt during the birth of a beautiful rainbow baby boy, completing his family at Intermountain Medical Center in Murray. Kara had been feeling contractions since 2:30 but didn’t call to wake me since she wasn’t dilated enough to be admitted.
After laboring for four hours and only being at 2 cm, she opted for an epidural. But thankfully for her, her water broke shortly before the anesthesiologist administered the medicine.
When I arrived at around 8:30 am, Kara was in good spirits, getting the relief that comes from the epidural. Her friend and doula, Jan, tightly held Kara’s hand while Will, Kara’s husband, Kara’s mother Laura tried to rest.
Sleep seemed to elude Kara and so Jan kept her company, talking and stroking her arm and head. Then suddenly, Kara became emotional and called to her mother to join her. As Laura bent down her head, Kara told her that she felt the presence of her maternal grandfather, her angel baby Charlie and her soon-to-be-born baby Preston. A serene feeling filled the room as they cried and held each other close, basking in the love they felt from their angels.
Contractions were increasing in frequency, becoming 2 minutes apart. Kara noted that her bottom felt weird, and we all felt the anticipation build. To ease her anxieties, Kara turned to a playlist she had created entitled “Preston’s coming.” She joked about the songs she had chosen, which ranged from Shania Twain’s “Man, I feel like a Woman,” to songs by Lauren Daigle, Dolly Parton and Diana Ross’s “I’m Coming Out.”
While the songs soothed Kara, Jan took the time to apply essential oils that Kara had brought – Kara’s first choice an oil called “surrender,” which is a mix of wintergreen, thyme and spearmint. Kara was remembering past traumas and using the oils to help release them and to focus on her current task.
Nurse Michelle came in to help Kara change positions in the bed. She didn’t check her dilation right then because a Foley catheter (to help in dilation) was put in just an hour ago. Michelle told Kara she’d be back in an hour to check her then.
It was back to sit and wait, so Jan took out Kara’s list of desires for this birth. She called it “Preston’s Creation” list. She filled it with affirmations, reminders, things she wanted to do during labor, such as being grateful and laughing. Kara was amazing and most of those things happened, or she made happen, as was in her power.
Michelle came back around 10:40 am and checked her progress. Kara was 90 percent effaced and at a 3+. Baby was at a -1 station so he was definitely making his way down. While Michelle and Kara chatted, Michelle noticed a strong contraction and we all took in the unique shape of Kara’s belly as it went to work bringing baby closer to earth.
At 12:15 pm, Kara’s cervix was at a 5 and super thin, but not quite completely effaced. Kara felt like things were going to happen fairly quickly, but had to “stay pregnant for 30 more minutes” while Michelle ate lunch. While Michelle was gone, another nurse prepped the table at Midwife Dia Brooks came in to talk with Kara and everyone.
Dia is a very unique midwife in that she has Type 1 Diabetes, has a feeding tube and she’s also pregnant. But she indicated that none of that would get interfere with delivery.
Just a little after 1 pm, baby was at a +1 station and Kara’s cervix was finally complete, except for just a little lip. Kara began pushing with Dia’s help and Will’s and Jan’s support. Preston was born with a gush of water at 1:37 pm. Kara sobbed, love pouring from her to her baby and her husband. Both Will and Laura cut the cord.
Baby Preston’s first latch was so strong, Kara’s face was in disbelief. She had struggled with some of her other children and breastfeeding and was happy to think this time would be different. After a good long nursing session, Kara donned a shirt she had made especially for this occasion. It said “And then God made a woman.” Kara said she felt like she was giving birth for the first time. She felt every contraction and said she felt reborn as a mother.
