keeping track of it all

Why Marbles?

I love keeping records. And I love celebrating. A love for logbooks and ritual runs in the family and there was never any doubt I would keep count of births. I put a marble in the jar for every tiny human that I support into this bright outside world. It helps me celebrate, deepens my gratitude…and it’s fun!

Baby Counter (total vaginal deliveries as a CNM) as of 02.03.2025:

212

Check out my numbers from Dec 2022- Dec 2024! I work for a group practice on a 12 hr shift schedule, so these numbers reflect a lot of teamwork. I only record birth data for births I attend, so some people will have had their whole labor supported by a colleague, while other labors I supported for twelve hours aren’t recorded here because I went home before the birth. The graphs are generated by the software I use to record- Birth Tracks.

Prenatal Care Site

On night shift, the CNMs manage the low risk patients who had prenatal care with our OBGYN colleagues- I had close to 50/50 CNM and OB patients

Infant Weight in Grams

Let’s get metric! For the Americans…3000g = 6.6lb, 3500g =7.7lb, 4000g=8.8lb

59.1% female babies!

Most people delivered between 37w0d-39w6d, but 36.5% were between 40w0d and 41w6d

61% of patients used an epidural for pain control, 33.5% used no medication for pain, and 5.6% used IV pain meds. To note, our hospital does not have nitrous as an option.

Yes, this is kind of a record of when I have shifts, but who doesn’t love the moon?? Waxing crescent and waning gibbous for the win!

A few more fast facts:

  • Birth site: 9% in the Midwifery Center (in-hospital birth center), 89.6% on standard L&D, and 1.4% in triage. 42% of the Midwifery Center births were waterbirths

  • First timers: For 43.1% of clients this was their very first pregnancy- this figure does not count people who had a miscarriage or abortion before carrying a pregnancy to term

  • Hemorrhage: 97.6% did NOT have a postpartum hemorrhage

Facts about fears: When I talk with people about their anxiety and fears surrounding birth, these are some of the most common themes- “I don’t want to tear. I’m scared the cord will be around the baby’s neck. I don’t want a c-section. I don’t want to poop.”

  • Lacerations: For 34.9% the birth canal was completely intact, 27% had a small enough laceration that they didn’t need sutures, and 38.1% needed a repair. (Percentages count all births from March 2024 and on, when I started a different tracking method)

  • Episiotomy rate: 0.9%: this is consistent with our overall practice rate

  • Nuchal cord: 25.1% of babies had the cord around their neck one time, 3.3% had two wraps, 3.3% had it wrapped around their body

  • C-section rate: 10% - this is slightly lower than our overall practice rate. I count c-sections where the patient is under my care and the decision to proceed to a c-section has been made with a physician on my shift. This does not count planned c-sections on my shift, or patients that I transfer to physician care due to severe preeclampsia, or patients who deliver after I go home.

  • Am I going to poop?? 33.3% of people pooped during the pushing stage…so the answer to worries is that you might poop…for all the hospital staff supporting you, we know it’s normal…and if I’m your midwife I will whisk it away so sneakily you might never even know.