Summer was expecting a fast and furious labor after a very first fast birth 4 years ago. Jane Cruice (who was at Summer's first birth and who was going to the birth with me) and I were really focused on getting there in time to catch the baby! So we were in close touch with Summer about if she noticed anything starting up since she seemed to have missed early labor last time around! Fast and furious it was! Things suddenly shifted from light occasional crampy contractions to slamming labor and there was no stopping this baby! Summer managed the intensity of the labor amazingly well but it was a big shock to her system that the baby was coming so fast. Realizing her best chance at a break was having the baby be born, Summer was able shift from disbelief baby was coming so quickly to lovingly welcoming baby Helen Magnolia just 90 minutes after active labor began. Soon after being born Helen met big sister Birdy (who also weighed 8lb 1oz at birth!) and daddy Jeffrey was happily beaming, surrounded by the ladies in his life.

Helen nursed beautifully soon after birth and we tucked the family in for the night before I headed to the next mama in what proved to be a busy baby weekend for Motherland Midwifery!