This story is so near and dear to my heart. I wrote about Luke’s birth nearly one year ago today! Time flies. I will share my first two births this year with all of you as well but for now… let’s start with baby #3:
March 27, 2017 started out much the same as every morning for the last 10 months…. I was pregnant. 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant, to be exact. I was still feeling excited about the birth to come and although I wasn’t freaking out over going past my EDD, I was very ready to meet our baby. The day before, we had taken two long walks as a family of four in hopes of helping our surprise gender baby move down to jump start labor BEFORE Jeff left for his shift at the Fire Station Monday but it didn’t happen SO I was certain I’d be pregnant probably another week.
It was around 7:30 a.m. when I dropped Ellie off at school and as I drove away from the school, I felt a nice contraction much different than all of the “practice” ones from weeks prior. I wasnt about to get my hopes up that that day was THE day but eventually would realize that is WAS.
Elijah and I got home from dropping sister off and of course my sweet boy just wanted Mommy to play and help with all the things but contractions kept coming about every 15 minutes. They were more like menstrual cramps and wrapped around my belly. Definitely not Braxton Hicks. I knew that if I was going to have a baby that day I would need to go ahead and eat while I could. Oatmeal was my go-to for my 2nd breakfast every day so I had that. At 7:50am I had the first bit of bloody show. Yay! I asked my Mom to come over around 10 to help with Elijah and let my Midwife, Doula, friend that was going to do pictures and Jeff know something MIGHT be happening. I kept trying to hold people off from coming over but I knew I needed Jeff to be with me so I had him come home from the station. I really didnt want to feel like I was being watched and didn’t want to have everyone come over unnecessarily but contractions were about 5 minutes apart by 11 a.m and 1 minute long. My Mom would rub some essential oils over my belly for some relief which felt very nice. I am all about physical touch for relaxation. Jeff got home and my Dad came over with him to go ahead and set up the birth tub since it can take some time to get filled and warm.
Once it got to the point where I was needing comfort through the contractions, which was about the time I found myself in my closet just needing to hide and be alone, I had Hannah(my Doula) come over. I also realized it was feeding time again for me so my Dad headed to get some soup – the only thing that sounded half appealing. Hannah arrived around 1pm and instantly I felt such peace. I had my scriptures prepared and just like she did for me during Elijah’s birth, I wanted her to pray over me and play with my hair. ? I ate a little bit of food. Dad and I agreed it probably would be later that night that baby would arrive but I was STILL convinced that labor was going to stop and I’d be pregnant another week. haha .
After observing me for a bit, Hannah and my Midwife (Maeve) knew it was time for her to come as well with my other Midwife(Kasie). At this point I still was convinced that labor would just stop but things went on around me anyway. The contractions were definitely requiring a significant amount of prayer and concentration. Hanging over my yoga ball and having Hannah pray and read the Word over me was the most calming thing throughout the day. I just breathed through every contraction as needed and rested in between. My Midwives arrived probably around 2-2:30, I believe. Time really just stands still in labor-land. I was happy to have Maeve check my dilation and told her I was probably about 2cm along at that point… (this all stems from Elijah’s birth when I thought it was time to go to the hospital and got there to find I was only 4cm). The joke was on me this day because I was 8cm! Yay! That was a fun surprise. In between contractions we laughed, prayed, sang worship and towards the end I pouted a bit.
The birth tub was filled and ready for me. I slid right in and OH. MY. WORD. I asked how in the world I ever did birth without the water?! It felt amazing.
From my perspective, the room felt calm, worshipful…serene but filled with joy and anticipation of the life to come. My photographer snuck in quietly and snapped all of the amazing photos that I have of this day. I did a few, gentle position maneuvers with my legs opening my pelvis a bit more. I was probably about 9cm in the water. One thing I’ll never forget is when my Midwife suggested I feel my baby inside. What?! Yes. Just slide one finger in a few centimeters and feel the baby’s head. I did and it was incredible. I couldn’t believe how low the head was. I could feel the bag of water around it still as well. I was sipping water and Rehydrate all day long which I’m so grateful for. Dehydration in labor is no fun.
Laboring went on a bit longer until things turned up a bit. When contractions would come I would start counting back from 30 seconds and breathing each number out. I knew the contractions would peak at about 30 seconds so it helped me to remember they were almost over. It got to the point where my Midwife instructed Jeff to come behind me and squeeze my hips when I had contractions. She gave the analogy that it’s like a safety pin where you squeeze it and it pops open. Same with my hips. She wasn’t kidding! #1. It felt AMAZING to have him do that because my deep moans turned more to grunts as baby’s head came down even further. #2. It did exactly what she said it would. I could tell Jeff was giving it all he got with those squeezes and even apologized at one point because I knew he was going to be sore the next day from them. haha Before I knew it I could hear whispers behind me as my Midwife was getting things ready, reminding me to praise the Lord for my baby and speak out “Come on, baby. Come to Mommy, baby.” The mind really can go flurry at this stage so I was beyond grateful to have such gentle support around me to remind me to come back from my “I want to run away” state of mind. I was given the go ahead to push a bit and finally, baby’s head emerged. Maeve told me to feel my baby’s head so I did. I was so shocked as it was full of hair! My first baby with hair! haha Within moments, I was pushing then my water broke and I heard my Midwife whisper, “We’re going to have a baby on this next one.” She wasn’t talking to me but that was all I needed to hear. On the next contraction I gave it EVERYTHING in me and just two pushes after my waters released, I felt the coolest thing ever. As I pushed my baby out I could feel little legs and feet wiggle in my belly kicking and squirming to meet us! Our lives changed forever for the 3rd time at 4:06 pm. As I leaned in and scooped my baby from the water, bringing him/her to my chest (we didn’t know who we had at this point) I just cried out, “MY BABY! MY BABY! I LOVE YOU!” All I could say was….”My baby” …Watching the video my Mom took on her phone of this moment makes me just sob like crazy.
All the months of wondering whether I was carrying a boy or a girl…wondering who this precious person was going to be… the biggest surprise of my entire life and that was the last thing I thought of as I looked at my baby’s face. Finally, Jeff said “Ok! What is it?!” I snapped back to reality and realized as I gripped baby’s bottom that I, in fact, did feel testicles!
WE HAVE A BOY!!!!
(8lbs 8oz – 21 3/4 inches)
**After labor and our big kids’ reactions to be continued……**
To God be ALL the glory and honor for this precious life and this experience that I will never ever ever forget. NEVER.