Those 9 to 5 birth days

Yesterday I was at the office doing prenatals. I got a call from one of our due-any-time ladies telling me her water just broke. It's baby #4 for her. She never had a labor start that way. She said she was having one contraction every 15 minutes. I offered to come out, or to send an apprentice. She told me she was fine, she'd call back if she needed me.

About a half hour later her husband calls me back. -You need to come now.

All right. The apprentice and I jumped in the car and drove out to her town as fast as I could. We arrived in about 30 minutes. Found her upstairs on a birth ball, really rocking hard labor. The apprentice set up efficiently and quickly as this mama started going, Uuuugggggggmph!

Really? So soon? I sat with her for a couple contractions. Yes indeed, she was pushing, with shorts on.

Her husband and I helped her get her shorts off and get onto the bed. Once there, she started pushing in earnest. She crowned this baby out so beautifully, with so much control. So often, a mama who has had a few babies will blast them out (or really have no choice in the matter). This baby just poured out slowly. It was such a lovely, peaceful birth. A sweet little girl born 29 minutes after we walked in the door.

The mama was a little shocked and overwhelmed. Previously, her shortest labor had been 9 hours. This labor was 1 1/2 hours! Being her 4 th baby though, the after-cramps were nearly worse than labor itself. The immediate postpartum period went well. I was home by 3:30pm.

So strange to attend a birth in the middle of the day, just as part of my day. As you all know, normally one comes home from a birth exhausted, hungry and with dirty hair. :) But I actually arrived home at the time I said I would be home (canceled a meeting to attend the birth). I was able to pick up my daughter at the appointed time from a play date, and get my MIL to the airport in time.
But when it finally came time to lay down for the night, I couldn't wait. I was suddenly exhausted. Even the most peaceful births bring on a bit of adrenalin, especially if I'm trying to set up and find gloves in a hurry. It caught up with me at bedtime and I was thrilled to be in my own bed, asleep in minutes.