Tuesday afternoon, 40 hours after we began, I delivered the son of one of my dear patients. That's right, 40 hours. I want to celebrate this birth and the incredible patience my patient had with me throughout the ordeal. We began with a cervical ripening technique overnight beginning on Sunday evening. IV medicines were begun for contractions the following morning. In reality she didn't really get into labor until 7pm on Monday. She began to make progress. Now why was a vaginal birth so important for her? After all, 1 in 5 patients walking into any labor and delivery in America will end up with a cesarean section. They are common and safe. They also meet my definition of Natural Child Birth, which is: Any time a baby comes out of a mom (no matter how that happens), it is natural. So why, after 24 hours of contractions and a tired patient was I not ready to switch to plan B and take her to the OR for a Cesarean Delivery? Well, due to some co-factors with her health that I'm not at liberty to state here, a Cesarean Delivery would be problematic, especially in the post operative weeks. Not impossible or undoable, just problematic. A vaginal delivery would be significantly safer for her. So I put on my Patient Advocacy hat and began defending her from the nay-sayers who were free with their un-solicited opinions. My patient listened to her options, listened to my counsel and without a blink of the eye tucked herself in for a longer hall. She and her husband were terrific. By early the next morning she was almost completely dilated. By noon she had made it...10cms. She pushed like a champ and at 1:30 that afternoon gave birth to her precious son, with a minimal episiotomy that was easily repaired. Because of her fantastic patience, faith in God as well as faith in her Doctor, she was able to avoid a Cesarean and the specific health challenges it would have brought to her. Patient advocacy is one of the most important roles I have as your physician. Early on in my relationship with you, I establish a partnership with you. That is the ideal bond between physician and patient so that she can contribute mind, body and soul into her health care.

So let's high five my patient for her patience, as well as for her precious new son.

George Branning, M.D.