RED LIPPED MOTHER

This incredible birth was WORK.

My client, Greta, had a powerful delivery. There is no other way to put it.

She is the definition of strong and her strength is to be admired. The amount of perseverance she had was amazing. I really haven’t seen a birth quite like this one.

For weeks we texted the following:

“You in labor?”

“UGH. NOOOPE. -_- “

Then, the arrival of Jasper came.

Greta texts me Sunday morning saying, “We think we are having this baby today!”

AND BOY, DID THEY.

I arrived at 11:30am to find Greta focused on working through early contractions. The forgiving ebbs and flows were in the beginning stages.

To get labor moving, they took a walk outside. She had been in early labor since 4 that morning.

During their stroll, Karl supported her. Allowing her to just be how she felt she needed to be.

These two are the funniest couple I have had the pleasure of working with. They're highly compatible. They would crack jokes when necessary or he would just hold her gaze when her bodily movement showed she needed silence.

He would joke that they were terrorizing the kids on the playground and the bicyclists that were racing near them. After about twenty minutes of exercising, we returned to the house. The contractions became stronger.

Once inside, the jokes stopped.

There are many different ways to labor.

A majorly effective way is simply emotional support.

Sometimes emotional support can far outweigh physical or medicinal measures.

Just being felt and heard can ease someone in labor. Being respected and cherished during this incredible time adheres to women.

Every labor experience and client are different.

Specific requests and quirks at each birth has always been a favorite aspect of this time spent with them. I enjoy seeing what they like and dislike. What they uniquely feel is important.

Most moms have specifications on what they want when their baby arrives. Greta wanted the correct size mittens and dinosaur beanie for Jasper when he was born. They brought the newborn size and a size up. When Greta was laboring in the corner, I caught Karl desperately trying to figure out which size was bigger since they looked so similar. It was precious. Seeing partners do everything in their power to make the woman they love happy is awesome. They tend to feel helpless since the mother of their children go through so much. They will do anything they can to make them feel supported and loved. She also wanted her custom-made Winslet birds she ordered weeks before ready to meet their new friend, Jasper. Like seriouslyyyy!?

After some hours going through steps to further Jasper’s descent, it was time to see where he was.

The contractions were coming harder but Jasper was not down like he was supposed to be yet.

Greta’s support team started implementing techniques to help progress forward.

Belly binding to help lift weight off the stomach helps with relief.

Also, squatting during contractions opens the pelvis.

Transition started happening. All of the sudden, clothes begin to hurt. The simple feeling of fabric grazing your skin feels like fire. Your sense of decency is just that. A sense. It changes to a sense of urgency. The panic sets in. The doubt burns in your mind. The frustration. The overwhelming force of life surging through you that doesn’t ask for permission to bring itself forth. It overwhelms your biology because it is your biology.

Mothers begin to express these frustrations and power.

“No. no. no. no. no.”

“I can’t.”

“It won’t stop.”

“I can’t do this.”

Karl would respond with,

“You are a superhero.”

When we thought Jasper was almost down, once again, he was not. We went on one more walk outside to allow Greta’s body to be free in movement. With each step, she pleaded for her sweet boy to move down.

"Come OUT Jasper"

"We want to see you, baby."

We stepped inside to check her one last time.

Jasper was ready.

It was time to move to the water.

Jasper was coming. Fast. Greta was focused and Karl was doing anything he could to help both of them.

She charged through the waves. Her body took over and she felt her baby and smiled.

When she felt the top of Jasper's head, Karl asked if he could catch their son.

And with a pin drop, her body no longer needed her.

Jasper was born.

The tears that flowed down Karl's face brought my own to fall.

Later, I came to find out that he was terrified Japer was not alive when he was born.

When he realized his son was all life, it brought everything out in him.

Spattered in their blood from the delivery, he brought their son to her.

This is my favorite part.

The world halting.

The pain disappears.

The shock is intoxicating.

The feeling of that human on your chest after carrying their heart in your body for almost 10 months. You both are familiar and foreign all at the same time. That rush of energy that fills the room.

Then they all met for the very first time.

Karl undressed for skin to skin connection.

They found out Jasper weighed a little over 10 pounds.

It became evident as to why her labor was so intense.

Jasper came into the world that Sunday. He had the proper dinosaur beanie, no need for mittens and met his very first friend. Winslet the bird.

Congratulations, Kreidner family.

E P I L O U G E

Greta’s birth went extremely well. However, due to some complications with delivering the placenta, (also known forever more as “evil Placenta Twin” as it was also at least 10 pounds) Greta and family transferred over to Baylor for some procedures. I am happy to report that they are back home, enjoying the new love in the house.

Custom Winslet Birds: https://www.facebook.com/winsletsbyjen/

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