Wonderfully Made Midwifery, Rochester, MN (2025)

01/08/2025

Her 6th was particularly challenging with an OP presentation, which resulted in greater complications that began to make her subsequent pregnancies and births managed against her wishes of induction and epidural pain management. With baby number 9, she desperately desired something different, enough to go against mainstream medical recommendations and birth this baby in the comfort of her own home.

With weeks of prodromal labor, back labor, and an atypical contraction pattern, all signs were leading us to yet another OP positioned baby. Her biggest fear.

When I recommended a circuit of positions using the peanut ball to help her baby rotate her baby out of OP, you could feel the tension in her body. A similar but different approach was made with her 6th that ultimately led her down a path she didn't want. 'You can trust me. I believe this will work and you will meet your baby soon.' I said.

As we completed the last position in the circuit she said, 'She's rotating! I can feel her coming down'.

Most times, birth asks us to face our fears and to conquer them. To write a new story. To bring redemption and healing to our brokeness.

11/04/2024

'I just want you to know, I'm this close to tapping out' she said after finishing another contraction. 'We hear you. I know where you are at' I said, trying to bring comfort to her words. 'When is she coming though?' she said back. This is the hardest question for birth workers to answer as any stage of labor can take any length of time, especially for first time momma's like her. 'I wish I could give you a time, but I can't. What I do know, is you are making progress.'

After a nice shower and soak in her tub, she came downstairs and her voice started giving hints that her body was beginning to push. 'She's coming' she said with a wide look in her eyes. 'She's coming'.

With each surge, she brought her baby closer and closer. 'Can you just pull her out already' she asked, to which her husband laughed and said 'It's not like a claw machine, honey'. The husbands always say the most curious things in such intense moments.

As her baby was brought to her chest, she was immediately transformed into a mother. Everyday of nausea and vomiting of pregnancy she endured disappeared. Everyday of uncomfortability in her changing body slipped away from her mind. Every contraction that controlled her sensations was gone. She had received her prize. Her beautiful little girl.

10/30/2024

It felt like we were watching a love story that was getting richer and richer with every surge that came through her body. She had been 10cm for 3 hours now, still waiting for an urge to push that never came despite a slew of positional changes. Her and her husband found themselves in the shower together working through contraction after contraction. Not long, we started to hear those low sweet sounds that you only pick up on when you are in birthwork. Her body had started pushing.

As a birth team, we decided to wait patiently in the hallway as they continued to report progress of their baby coming further and further down. We felt the need to keep their focus on each other, with her husband encouraging her and guiding her pushes. We decided to trust the design women were created to do rather than managing and meddling in the oxytocin loop they were in together.

Soon, the hot water had run out and was turned off, but she continued her progress by squatting in the shower. Women quite commonly find the smallest space available to birth their babies, despite the beautiful birth space she had set up in her living room she had decorated weeks before.

As her babe came closer to being born, we stepped into her space to encourage her further. To conquer the impossible. Her husband's hands were the first to hold their sweet boy as she went from maiden to mother and brought her babe to her chest.

10/14/2024

With her first being born at 35 weeks, we were expecting an early baby. When she crossed into week 36, her body was making significant changes towards delivering early again. Day after day, she would have series of contractions that would lead into hopefulness of finally ending her pregnancy. And yet, no baby. This was prodromal labor.

By week 38, she was exhausted. Mentally and physically. She funnily commented that it 'feels like groundhogs day', just the same day, over and over again. She was ready for a change. A change in weather. A change in her contraction pattern. A change in holding her baby in her arms rather than in her belly.

After another morning of menontenous series of contractions, I came over to feel her belly with my hands. Prodromal labor, in my experience, is almost always due to malpositioning. Get the maternal body and baby aligned, and contractions will either stop or progress to active labor. With my hands, I could feel her baby's head sitting on top of her p***c bone not allowing babe to descend into her pelvis despite her body trying with countless surges.

After tying a scarf tightly around her belly, I asked her to go for a walk with her husband and to call when her contractions picked up in intensity. By the afternoon, she had called me back. She had progressed to active labor.

With a few walks together around her farm, stopping to breathe through contractions, we quickly went inside. I could see things were changing rapidly for her and saw the end insight with the sounds she was making. As she starts having pushing sensations she asks 'Do you think I'm even dilated?' Prodromal labor had convinced her she couldn't be having her baby, even now. In such intensity.

Her surges quickly ended, leaving her with a baby in her arms this time. She got the change she was needing. A change from summer to fall. A change from pregnant to postpartum. A change for her baby being in her womb to earth side.

09/23/2024

After a discouraging prenatal appointment with her hospital based providers, she completely changed plans, and transferred care to me at 36 weeks along. With her first ending in a C-section, she was attempting what's called in the birth world a 'vaginal birth after cesarian' or VBAC.

At her initial visit, the details of her first delivery came out and had me welling up with tears. I felt like I was trying to keep myself together while holding space for her as she shared her story and we processed such immense trauma. She clearly needed somebody who knew her story and was on her side to support her through this pregnancy and delivery. I only wish she had contacted me sooner as we had much to catch up on in a short amount of time before she delivered.

During week 41, labor finally came. At 9pm, her doula called saying 'I have you on speaker phone, would you listen through one of her contractions'. As I listened, it was clear to me with one contraction that I needed to be out the door. This momma was cruising to the finish line as she had only started having active labor contractions an hour before.

When I arrived, she was roaring through her contractions in the comfort of the birth pool. She had entered her instinctual, primal state. A state best achieved when you feel safe and supported.

Within the hour, her newborn was on her chest. She had done it. She had conquered the impossible. Proving so many people wrong, including her hospital providers with their probability calculators, close family members with their fears, and even herself with an unknowning of what her body is capable of.

These are the births that feel good to the soul.

08/27/2024

'Hello I'm just calling to see ask where you are at and if you're close' he said over the phone. I had just hit the last gravel road before turning onto their long driveway. 'I'm two minutes away' I reported back, knowing full well that he is calling because his wife is probably feeling her baby starting to come down.

I quickly park and muscle my large suitcase across the lawn to their front door. 'I hope I didn't miss anything' I whispered to her husband who greeted me at the door. As I entered her bedroom, she is lying on her side and holding one leg towards her chest. She's pushing.

No words need to be said or questions to be asked. She knows what is happening. I know what is happening. She is instinctively following her body's cues with the spontaneous urge to push all while she continues to keep her breath.

Inhale. Exhale. Her baby's head is crowning and soon born. A pause is taken while we wait for another contraction. Such a surreal moment as a baby is seemingly between two worlds. Both internal and external.

With another contraction, her sweet little babe was born earth side. Just 20 mins upon me arriving, she was holding her newborn. 'You have really good timing' I told her with a chuckle.

08/19/2024

'Did I get you out of bed?" She asked over the phone. 'Just got into bed actually' I said. It was 9:30pm and I had just snuggled into my comforter. She called to give me a heads up that it seemed she was starting to have some labor but wasn't ready for me to make the drive yet. By 11pm, however, she had called back and I was on my way into the night.

I was with her for her 1st baby where she delivered downstairs on the couch in February during a snow storm. While I usually have an assistant with me, I couldn't find one who was not sick or willing to brave the road conditions. Very understandable but always a little intimidating to be alone as a birth worker.

With this delivery she was determined to have her baby upstairs in her bedroom. A couple hours went by without much progress, which, only because I was with her for her last, felt strange to me. Something I can't really even put to words but subtleties you pick up on after 600+ unmedicated births attended I suppose.

I asked her to do an abdominal lift and tuck (read my last birth story for details). After 2 contractions with this positioning, she said 'I really need to go to the bathroom' and she hurried downstairs. After another contraction, her husband rushed upstairs saying 'I think you better come down'. I knew the baby was coming.

Her waters had released while on the toilet and she immediately got on to her hands and knees on the bathroom floor and started pushing. Within 3 pushes, her baby boy was born at 2:30am in the smallest space in their home. 'There was no way I could make it back up the stairs' she chuckled.

Once settled on the couch and nursing her newborn, we were processing her last couple hours together, she said 'You probably prefer babies to be born in the daytime hours'. 'No, not necessarily actually' I replied back, 'the nights are always so peaceful and I feel like I'm apart of this secret event that just happened because nobody else knows you had a baby except for us at this moment'. It would be much too early to inform family or friends.

(Continued in the comments)

08/04/2024

Her contractions had been keeping her awake since 3am, coming no closer than 10 mins apart for the next 14 hours. Mild and manageable but definitely annoying and wanting active labor to kick in already so she could meet her baby. At 5pm her waters released, and still no increase to the contraction pattern. Strange for a 4th time mom for sure.

I arrived an hour after, she was still her chatty, enthusiastic self, high spirited. After checking vital signs and feeling baby's position by palpating her abdomen, we came up with a plan to help baby decensed into the inlet of the pelvis by doing abdominal lift and tucks. This is where you lift the mommas pregnant belly, caringly tuck her belly inward towards her spine, while she curls her pelvis to make her back flat.

'When it hits, it's gonna hit' I said, implying that as soon as baby gets into that perfect position, you will be meeting your baby shortly. After just 1 abdominal lift and tuck, she said 'that felt good, like a pressure was lifted'. After another, you could tell she was riding a higher intensity than before and she noted, 'I can feel baby moving down, there is more pressure now'. She completed a 3rd, saying 'it feels like I could almost start bearing down, can I get in the tub now?'

She slipped into the warm water to give her the relaxation she needed as her labor was coming FAST now. Her contractions were regular, coming at her every 4 mins, she was quickly approaching transition. 'I don't think I want to do this anymore' she said. 'This is the way we have babies, this is the only way, you know you can do this' I spoke over her as I remembered thinking her exact words while I was laboring with my own baby in January.

Her 10lb 2oz babe was born just minutes later as she stood at the side of her bed. She had her baby in her arms within an hour of starting the abdominal lift and tucks. 'How did you know, Cheyenne?' she asked. 'How did you know what position would help me meet my baby?'

(Continued in the comments.....)

07/28/2024

She called at 4:30am, saying that 'I've been up since 3am feeling the baby move downward. It was making me upset because I couldn't sleep, but I just realized that I think I'm in labor'. This was a well seasoned mom, having her sixth baby, who has had precipitous birth almost every time. While she sure didn't sound in labor over the phone, I knew she knew her body well. We never even spoke of a contraction pattern or how intense they were coming. All I needed to know, was if she wanted me to come over, which she did.

Even walking in the door, she again seemed her normal, cheerful self, making jokes and giving updates. If she were to walk into the hospital in this demeanor, she surely would have been sent home as she was showing no signs of the intensity going through her body. However, knowing her story with her previous labors, knowing her personally through prenatal appointments, and listening and trusting her innate wisdom, she was indeed in labor. I didn't need a cervical exam to confirm, however, she requested to know. Sure enough, 7cm dilated. Amazing.

As the transition phase began to set in, her husband began reading the Bible out loud to his bride. The scriptures can be very encouraging and uplifting to the soul while in the midst of a heavy trial. The one he decided to pick was Genesis 3:16 'And in your child rearing there will be an increase in pain', he said. With a long pause and a smirk on his face, he followed up by saying 'Does that help'? We all gave a little chuckle. The husbands always have a funny way of releasing some of their nervousness.

Shortly after, baby was caught by her fathers hands, and tucked into her mother's arms all while her siblings lay sleeping upstairs, surely to be awakened shortly by the newest one's sweet sounds of life. The last homebirth to have taken place in their old farm house was over 100 years ago. Remarkable how things come back around with time.

07/08/2024

“I feel like I’m broken,” she said through tears of frustration. This first-time mom was approaching her third night of contractions and very little sleep. She was working hard to bring her baby earth-side and this baby was stubbornly in a posterior position (known as “sunny-side up” by most), which is often associated with immense back labor and slow progression. Despite her best efforts, this mom was hitting an emotional and physical wall due to the pain but mainly exhaustion. After great consideration and discussion, she decided to go to the hospital for rest and pain management with the help of an epidural. These decisions never come lightly or easily for homebirth clients, but it is a decision that I as a midwife honor and support. It is NOT a sign of brokenness or failure. Epidurals can be a very helpful tool in the right situations. This hard-working mom was able to access some much-needed rest and we were able to use some wonderful positions to help baby turn into an optimal position for birth.

As her long labor progressed, she was then faced with an even more challenging delivery due to complications that were outside her control. While this mom showed immense resilience and grace, the challenges of her birth story left her with emotional and physical pain that would take time to heal.

As a part of that healing, (my birth assistant) and I were inspired to recreate the birth space she had envisioned. We wanted to create a redemptive space where she could connect with her baby and bond even deeper. A space to grieve what was lost, while holding what was given. To make something beautiful out of something that was traumatic. To capture strength when it can feel so weak.

Birth is challenging and much is out of our control, but there is beauty to be found in each unique story. For those reading this who have experienced a birth that did not go as planned, I see you. You are not broken. It takes immense strength to birth our babies, no matter how they choose to come.

(Continued in the comments)

07/01/2024

I sometimes like to invite myself over for dinner to my clients homes a few weeks before delivery to bond with them in a different way over a meal, have the couple meet my birth assistant, get a sense of their birth space but also so I do not accidently show up at the wrong house in the middle of the night (it has happened before unfortunately).

While we were enjoying dinner, her family was poking fun about the loud noises she had made during her last delivery more than 10 years prior. 'We were thinking of notifying the neighbors that we are having a homebirth and not to mind the screaming coming from our home' her husband said with a little chuckle in his voice. Luckily she smiled with him. She always had a good sense of humor during our prenatal visits together.

Her 10 year old son had gone back and forth the whole pregnancy trying to decide how involved he wanted to be with this whole process. He had the confidence to cut the cord at one point but decided at the end of his mother's pregnancy he wanted to be as far away as possible.

Her day to labor had come. She was working through contractions almost silently when I had arrived but clearly going through hard labor. 'This is far from screaming' I said as I gave her counter pressure on her sacrum to help with the discomfort.

As I had set up my birth tray, taking from things she had gathered together for me to work with, I noticed some noise cancelling ear muffs laying on top. 'Are these for your son?' I said with a smile.

She soon slipped into the tub. As her waters released, she was pushing with her next contractions. Now the louder noises were heard as her baby crowned and was born.

As she got settled on the couch with her newborn never leaving her, you could hear her son coming from his sleep downstairs. As he heard the news of his brother being born he said 'I'm so glad I slept through all of that. This is the best day of my life'

06/13/2024

Several specific songs or artists will remind me of certain births I've attended. Today as I listened to Chris Stapleton, I immediately thought of a beautiful water birth in Lake City . The sun was shining through their big windows right into her birth space. Her partner was in control of the music and landed on Chris Stapleton's new music to fill the space.

I once listened to the same 8 minute instrumental loop of 'So Will I' for 24 hours straight laboring with a powerful momma who was determined to have her 1st baby at home despite family and social pressures. would know exactly who I'm thinking of.

Rock music isn't typically the vibe chosen by women in hard labor, but and I jammed out with a momma listening to Rainbow Kitten Surprise as her band of choice. I now find myself listening to RKS when I'm in a certain mood since that birth.

While it wasn't music, the background noise of choice for another momma was Hell's Kitchen for 18 hours which has more swear words one can imagine thankfully *bleeped* out. Does this ring a bell

And then of course several hours I have spent in complete silence, only to make breathing noises with the mommas while another contraction comes and goes and then back to silence.

Lots of verbal encouragement and enthusiasm is common during the pushing phase as we are nearing the end of such an intense journey. However, I remember one particular birth back when I worked in Washington where we had entered the pushing phase and this momma said 'Will you guys please be quiet. I need to focus.' To which we all nodded silently as if to say 'Of course, whatever you need'. And 20 minutes later, the only sounds to be heard were the sweet first breaths of her little girl. Nothing more was needed.

06/07/2024

Come talk about homebirth with us! We will be discussing safety, supplies and skills brought to the home setting, what prenatal and postpartum care looks like, and spending plenty of time answering any questions you may have!

05/30/2024

She had been having contractions in the evenings for days now. With each night, she thought 'surely this will be the night I will have my baby', but would wake in the mornings still pregnant. She was having prodromal labor which can be telling of a malpositioned baby.

Finally one evening at 11pm, I was called to come over as she was in active labor now. When I arrived, she would bring herself to a squat with every contraction. 'She's doing more squats than I've done in years and she's in labor. That's embarrassing.' I thought to myself.

As labor continued to progress, the pain in her back also increased immensely. Specific instructions by her were given to her husband to help with counter pressure above her sacrum. 'Has she had back pain like this with her other labors?' I asked her husband to which he responded, 'no'. 'Another sign of an OP baby (sunny side up)' I said to myself.

Within a couple hours, her waters released. 'You know what comes next' I said to her husband both with little grins on our faces. Several pushes later however, she asked 'why is my baby not coming yet?' With this being her sixth delivery, her pushing phase is usually only minutes long. I knew this baby was still hung up in the OP position I suspected earlier.

I asked her to perform a set of positions to help baby rotate out of the OP position, and once complete, baby came within 2 pushes.

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I often pray for wisdom on my drives to a laboring client's home and I'm so grateful for the wisdom that He gives. I think much of the wisdom in birth has been lost when we lean heavily on interventions and technology and stop looking at labor patterns and what the mother is experiencing.

About 59% of OP babies are delivered via c-section. That presentation is incredibly hard to deliver vaginally and causes immense back pain for women during labor. As birth workers, we should be identifying signs of OP presentation early and finding ways to help baby rotate out of that position.

05/17/2024

I had the privilege of caring for her during her last pregnancy, to which she swore would be the last. But of course, God always has different plans in mind, and shocked them with another not particularly planned pregnancy.

She was a boy mom. Her 3 boys have always kept her busy, especially the younger who has been able to run at only 10 months of age. To have a girl was a wish and a dream that would maybe help even things out a bit, maybe mellow some of the energy in a house full of testosterone.

Labor started early Monday morning. By 6am, her contractions were getting stronger and closer together. One by one, her boys woke from their sleep, came downstairs to peak on mom, and then went about their morning. Except for the youngest, who came down to hold moms hand as she worked through contractions. If Dad was holding Mom's hand, he would replace it with his own. Sometimes, little boys know exactly what their momma's need.

With two pushes, her baby was delivered in the tub and brought right up to her chest, covered in the most vernix I have seen in a long time.

It was a girl.

04/26/2024

I was covering for a fellow midwife going through some family grief who was in need of a week or so to not be on call 24/7. I gladly abliged as this community of birth workers is so precious to me.

On Monday afternoon, her client phones reporting 'the contractions just don't seem to be going anywhere, but I'm still having them and I'm just not really sure whatelse to do'. To which I replied, 'well let me just pop over quick and see what I can do'.

While I had only met her once before and chatted a few times over the phone, I was greeted with a hug while she was comfortable only wearing a purple sports bra and athletic shorts. I'm humbled by how quickly we can go from complete strangers to having a strong bond that few have in their livelihoods but is quite common in mine.

I finished my quick visit with the 3 sisters of Balance stretches (a set of exercises by ) that promote alignment for the pelvis and baby. 'Let me know if anything changes' I said as I headed out the door to go to Bible study that evening.

Not even an hour after I had left, her mother called me back saying things are much more intense now and I should come back. I always know it's more serious when the laboring woman can't talk to me over the phone and a spouse or family member does the talking for them.

'I don't know if can do this' she said, as her final few contractions were on their way, clearly going through transition. 'You can do this. You are safe. Your baby is safe. This is the only way' I encouraged, feeling emmense empathy as I was saying those same words just a few months ago through my own labor.

Within 3 pushes, her new baby boy was on her chest, making sweet noises as we all got to experience his voice for the first time. 'I really didn't think I could do it' she said, tearfully embracing her newborn with such joy and empowerment radiating off of her.

04/05/2024

Yes, it's that simple! If you are a previous or current client of Wonderfully Made Midwifery, go write a google review for my practice, send me a screenshot, and I will mail you a free T-shirt!

03/27/2024

It's no secret in birthwork, that changes in weather, especially winter storms, bring the babies. So of course, my senses were heightened this weekend when my husband told me the forecast. And sure enough, my client who has gone past her due date by weeks with all of her kids, got the pleasure of welcoming a new one a couple days before her due date this monday morning.

'Oh, well she started losing her mucous plug and usually when that happens things progress quickly' her husband reported to me over the phone. 'he knows his wife well' I noted in my brain as I quickly left my home, eager not to miss this birth.

When I arrived, I was humbled by the lack of space this family of 5, soon to be 6, shared among themselves. Bunks beds held their three girls in what was the living room. Down a steep, small spiral staircase was just enough space for a stove and small dining table on one side and bathtub on the other which doubled as the kitchen sink.

'When she clenches her fists, that's when I know it's a 10/10 contraction', he said to me as his wife labored silently in the bedroom. Not 20 minutes later, her fists started clenching. The end was coming. After standing up, the waters released with the help of gravity. And with a few strong pushes, a new brother was brought into her arms, right on the living room floor.

I think it's easy to get lost in the aesthetic that social media has created homebirth to be with spotless, organized homes, twinkling lights, water births and beautiful nurseries for the new babe portrayed in pictures. However, these are not the things that make homebirth beautiful.

Homebirths are so beautiful when a mom is laboring peacefully, comfortablely, and in her own space, trusting her body and the One who designed it. When a husband knows his wife so well, he can pick up on the little things and know when to support her in only ways he can. When the kids get to meet their new sibling within minutes of just being born and squeel with delight. When midwives are using wisdom to know how to support normal physiological birth. These are the things that are seen and felt more deeply than aesthetic.

Wonderfully Made Midwifery

01/08/2025

11/04/2024

10/30/2024

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08/27/2024

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08/04/2024

07/28/2024

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06/13/2024

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