Brodie’s Story: A Posterior Delivery & A 4 Hour Labor After Weeks of Prodromal Labor
Hi Brodie, tell us your birth stories!
Hi, I’m Brodie and I’m a mom to 2 beautiful little girls, 16 months apart! I always knew I wanted to be a mom, I nannied for years and desperately was wondering when my day would come. When we got pregnant with our first daughter in November of 2020, we were with an OB through Hurley. I also was looking to work for Walsh Chiropractic as their receptionist, and found out his wife was a midwife at Hurley who’s practice was full at the time but I developed an extremely close knit friendship with during my time there and my pregnancy. We found out that I was pregnant with twins at an early ultrasound, I believe I ended up being 7w5d (my IUD caused some ovulation issues so we didn’t know my date of my last period). When we went back for our next ultrasound at 12 weeks, there was only one baby. As tough as it was I was so grateful that one held on! Flash forward to my 37 week checkup and I was 4 cm. I had planned to labor and progress as much as possible at home, and the fact that she was frank breech I wanted my boss to try and flip her with chiropractic techniques before my due date(which he did!!!). I went in for the 40 week checkup at 10 am and I was 6.5 cm and contracting regularly. I have an very high pain tolerance so I had no idea anything was going on, but off we went! We got to Hurley around 3 pm and my midwife bestie was there and offered to be with me through the delivery! This is where it got interesting. My OB wasn’t there, just texting the midwife asking for updates, ordering more pitocin, etc. My babe was posterior and cord wrapped 3x, which caused her heart rate to drop anytime she was moving downward. At 9 cm my midwife grabbed me and told me my OB was telling her she was 20 minutes away and if I didn’t get to 10 in that time, I’d be sent for a c section. She told me an epidural would calm both of us down a bit and get me to 10, so I decided to go for it. That epidural was placed, they turned it on and it was turned off about 4 minutes later. Sweet babe came out sunny side up, with her placenta in tow, the cord wrapped 3x and tight between her legs and PERFECT.
When I found out 8 months later I was expecting again, I wasn’t going to do it with anyone but my midwives. The whole pregnancy was easier, I did my own GBS swab, my own cervical checks, and made every choice in the hospital. I had prodromal labor for 3 weeks leading up to my daughter's birth and was a good 5 cm for that whole time. Finally at 39+1 my midwife called me and said “hey, I know you don’t feel much pain but I just have a gut feeling. I’m here today, do you wanna come have me check and see how we’re doing?”
ABSOLUTELY. So I showered, ate, bathed my big girl, packed my bags, and got to the hospital about 3 pm. We went to triage and my midwife checked me quick. She started to giggle and goes, “girl, 7.5 cm and your mucus plug is gone…. I’m glad I called you”. I labored in the shower, I ate food, bounced on a ball, FaceTimed my family and then 4 hours from arrival my littlest one was on my chest. I felt so much more validated and in control the second time around, like it was MY birth finally. No timeline, no unnecessary pressure, and everything I wanted!
What 3 words best describe birth for you?
Love, light, and meaning.
What surprised you most about your conception, pregnancy, and/or birth journey?
How different each pregnancy is! I gained 75 pounds with my first pregnancy, then only 17 pounds with my second. The human body’s ability to change and adapt is INCREDIBLE
What tips or advice would you like to give other mamas?
Listen to your gut. In every way, every minute. It’s YOUR birth. Don’t get caught up in the doctor’s schedules or preferences. Find the right person to accompany you for your labor and delivery. They are out there!
Do you have any postpartum advice for mothers?
Don’t let people kiss your babies. I was relaxed on this one and almost lost our baby from RSV at 3 weeks. If you’re uncomfortable with people visiting right away, SAY SO. Trust me, the only thing that matters is you and that baby.
What does being a mother mean to you?
Everything. It’s what I was born to do, it’s what I love to do. Life began when I became a mom.
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