THE BIRTH OF BABY DUKE

Hope your ready for a long post here folks! I think you'll find that its well worth it, and honestly a perfect lesson you can NOT plan your birth. I photographed this gorgeous momma a couple months ago with her maternity session. Here is the link to that: http://kathleengallowayphotography.blogspot.com/2013/08/ivy.html

 Ivy had planned for a home birth. This was her 3rd! Her previous births were quick (and in hospitals) so she warned me when it was go time that I needed to get there fast. Poor thing was overdue so I had my phone by me at all times. When she called Friday night I hoped in the car and jammed over because her contractions were already 2-3 min apart! When I arrived the midwife had told me there was a bit of a snag. Baby was coming down face first, and at a tilt. Because baby was coming out face first and not the top of the head first she got stuck at a 4cm. Ivy labored at home several hours trying to get baby to move in to the right position where he would be deliverable. It was a no go. So we all hoped in the car and a hospital transport happened. When we arrived to the hospital she was given a couple of options. Her decision came down to going on pitocin to get the contractions stronger in hopes that it would help her to dilate further and to allow baby to come in to position. I have to say this. This wasn't how she planned. She wanted a home birth. Free of wires and any meds. She was ending up in the hospital. Hooked up to monitors and being given Pitocin. But Ivy seriously handled it awesome. She never broke down. She continuously took all of the info in with a straight forward attitude. It was pretty amazing. So, fast forward Ivy was able to walk the halls, bounce on her ball and labor all natural, all the while being hooked up to pitocin which made her contractions SO much stronger then they would have normally been. Finally it was go time. With a few pushes little Duke entered the world. And face first at that:) In Ivy's words "We make plans, and God laughs"