An Unmedicated Induction: San Antonio Birth Photography
When I got the call from my client that her midwife recommended she transfer to the hospital for an induction, I could hear the disappointment in her voice. Having only ever birthed out-of-hospital, this was going to be a big change of plans. But she took it in stride, and I met up with her and her birth team later that night when the Pitocin started to amp things up. This client was laboring so well and confidently when I joined them. It’s so special to watch someone labor who trusts her body and ability to birth. She was 6cm when I joined her, but after less than two hours, she started talking about needing to push. The nurse said she was only 8cm, so it “wasn’t time to push yet.” A few minutes after she left the room, I looked down to see baby’s head. I told my client’s doula to call the nurse as my client delivered the head into her own hand. Within the next minute, a nurse assisted in catching baby, and the OB walked in about 5-10 minutes later.
This birth was a great reminder to trust women…Trust if they say they’re in pain. Trust if they say something doesn’t feel right. Trust if they say the baby is coming now. I am so proud of this client and the work she did to birth on her own terms. The tricky thing about giving birth in the hospital is that at least half of your birth team will be someone who doesn’t know you. There’s a very good chance that your nurse, baby nurse, on-call OB, charge nurse, etc. will have just met you for the first time that day. So that’s why it’s so important to make sure that you, your partner, your doula, etc. are educated and prepared to advocate for your birth preferences and help bridge communication gaps. When things start to unfold quickly, it is so beneficial to have someone in the room that can recall and communicate your birth choices to each member of your birth team!
If you’re in the San Antonio, New Braunfels, Boerne, or Bulverde area and considering doula support or birth photography, please head to my contact page to schedule a no-obligation consultation call.
