This was the second birth I attended with Dawn and Jim. Their first daughter, Olivia, was born in a birth center with midwives. Ruby was born at home with my services. This couple lives two hours away from me but because Jim is a family practice doctor, we all felt comfortable with this distance for Ruby’s birth. With this pregnancy, we enlisted the aid of another midwife in Tucson where they live. She was not working as a midwife currently, but for this particular situation she agreed to be the “doula with equipment” just in case the baby arrived before I did.
Late on afternoon, I get the call that Dawn is in labor. They have called the doula who was sleeping, having been up all night and day with her other work.
When I arrive, the doula says Dawn has been very active and mobile, moving from room to room. She spent a lot of time in the bathroom with her head on the cool tile counter. As second stage began, she did a little pushing in the bedroom, but could not find a comfortable position. After a short time, Dawn says she wants to get in the bath and we can tell she means NOW, so we quickly fill the tub. Dawn is pacing from bedroom to bathroom and when the tub is barely half full, she gets in. She is kneeling with her head in the outside rim of the tub and her butt next to the wall when I see the unmistakable signs of the baby’s head beginning to emerge. I quickly strip off my sock, roll up my pant leg and put one foot in the water as I get in position to receive the baby, and Dawn gets out of the tub!
She goes in front of the toilet with her husband jammed in the corner next to her. There is very little room and I have to literally push her a bit to get around and quickly sit down and catch this nine pound, six ounce boy. My first toilet birth, where I was the one on the toilet.
Jim is Irish and they had planned to name the baby Patrick if it was a boy. He took his cue and arrived on St. Patrick’s Day.
Dawn is always ravenous after birth and has wonderful homemade bread and soup ready. Within the hour she is up and we all enjoy a sumptuous feast with Patrick Michael contentedly feasting himself at his mother’s breast.
