This whole pregnancy and birth were
totally a different experience for me than my last two!! I was
shocked when we found out we were even pregnant, and everything since
then has been a pleasant surprise! I was sick in the beginning, but
then his whole pregnancy was a breeze. I always feel tired and crappy
when I'm pregnant, but no issues. I had some gallbladder issues that
resolved and some weird rashes. But that was it! What a blessing!
I hit 38 weeks and just kinda had this
impending labor feeling the whole week. Made sure everything was
really clean, well-stocked, etc because I just felt “different”.
Matt kept reminding me to not get my hopes up, I'd not had an early
baby yet! Which was true. But this time I did some things differently
that had me thinking it was at least possible! I used this stuff
Stephanie (my midwife here in town) and my friend Risa had suggested
called 5W. Let me tell you, I'm a believer! :) I think it just helped
my body prepare so once he was ready it was go time!
So Lucas's birth was SUCH a “God is
good” story (as our church calls them). I felt His hand and peace
the whole way through. I have never felt more blessed and loved by my
Savior as I have this week. Everything fell into place so perfectly
and peacefully and just the way I hoped it would.
My friend asked me on Monday, what days
do you really NOT want to go into labor? I bet it'll be then. My
answer was Christmas Eve and Tuesday the 17th because it
was Landon's preschool performance and I would be so sad to miss it!
He was ecstatic that all this family was coming to watch him and I
think he would've been sad if we'd missed it! So I was thrilled to
make it to his performance (it was ADORABLE of course). We had treats
after and talked with some friends and family and came home. While
putting Landon down I decided I should forewarn him that whenever the
baby comes he may be woken by Grammy or Grandpa and it will be so fun
and exciting because that means the baby would be here soon. I was so
glad I told him that! :) Afterwards I was feeling achy and crampy and
wanted to take a bath. I had been having contractions all week that
fell into a pattern and were strong on and off for a few days so I
shrugged it off. I had gone to see Steph that afternoon and was
thrilled to find I was a 4/5 and 70% effaced. So at least all those
contractions were working! But I knew of course that especially a
third time mom could walk around at a 5 for week before labor hit.
Once I got out of the bath I told Matt
that the contractions hadn't stopped in there. Odd. So I laid down in
bed while he watched a show and just relaxed and tried to see if
they'd stay or not. I texted Steph and asked her how I'd know if they
were real since I'd been having this on and off!? She told me to
relax and give it time and we'd know. About an hour later I knew it
was real. We began packing and making sure the kids stuff was settled
and called Madeline to come stay with the kids. Probably within an
hour we were ready, but I was nervous that it still wasn't the real
deal. I just wasn't in pain like I'd remembered with Laney. But I
felt like we should still go. Worse case scenario, it would be a
really long and annoying false alarm. The drive there went well. I
still had timeable contractions but they were still kinda far apart.
We listened to Phil Wickam's Christmas album and it felt kind of
magical looking at the snow and knowing our baby was coming. I think
I was kind of in shock still!
We got to the hospital and I got really
nervous. Matt reminded me in the elevator that everyone checks
differently and to not be disappointed or get hung up on the number.
He also reminded me that if we ended up going back home it was not
the end of the world. So we signed forms and went to triage. Steph
had texted me and let me know the one midwife in the practice of Obs
was on-call that night till 7 am. Again, I just knew God's hand was
all over this birth! The midwife there (Tisha) checked me and said I
was a 6 and we were certainly staying! I was thrilled and began to
shake. We all assumed transition was coming soon? But I think it
must've just been adrenaline/nerves. We got settled into a room maybe
around 1 am or so. The nurse told me we had a “dream-team” that
night for an all-natural birth and I was thrilled. She hooked me up
to the monitors and I jumped in the tub. It was heaven. Then there
was just a LOT of laboring. For the next 5 hours or so I was in and
out of the tub, chilling out to Audrey Assad, bouncing on the ball,
etc. Around 6 Matt was asleep and no one had checked on us in
forever. I texted Steph and was just bawling. I knew my contractions
were too spaced out and I was exhausted! She said have them break
your water! I was sobbing and I think the nurse heard me. She and the
mw came in and talked options. She checked me at an 8 and 80-90% and
wanted to leave me alone but I was over it! I got stuck at the same
place (around a 6) with both kids and with Laney breaking my water
was all it took. So I asked her to please break it.
To this point, I
was in some pain and breathing through contractions, but was very
much in control. Once my water was broken, that went out the window!
I knew it would and I was ready. The mw and nurse warned me that in
an hour from breaking my water they would be changing and the OB
would be coming in for her shift. It was on! My contractions
instantly were like 2 mins apart and very strong and painful. I
needed Matt to use the hip squeeze on me every contraction to get
through but did fantastically well for about 45 mins. Also, there was
more water than I EVER could have imagined was in there!!!! We were
all shocked. ;) Around 6:45 I told Matt I thought I needed to push?
But it was so soon after! He went to find a nurse and the mw soon
came and checked me at a 9. I told her that my body NEEDED to push!
Which was weird because I never felt that with Laney. She said, ok.
Try and push with this next contraction and we will see. I pushed
once and she said something about not leaving because she didn't
trust me? I still have no idea what she meant! LOL. But everyone came
in and set stuff up instantly. She and my nurse told me they'd be
staying on to meet this baby and I was so thrilled and relieved! I
started pushing about 715/720. I tried to push on my side but my
sciatic nerve was not having it. I flipped on my back and pushed four
times and the pain and feeling was just incredible. No meds is SO the
way to go. It was amazing! I figured I still had a long time to push
because I was a 9 like 2 seconds ago and was so confused but my body
was taking over and pushing anyway. On the fourth or fifth push she
told me to reach down and grab baby and put it on my chest. I was
shocked it was out that much! I reached down and grabbed him and he
slid out the rest of the way. He was and is SO sweet. I started
bawling and looking him over and Matt said, “Do you want to know
what it is?!”. I had completely forgotten! I was just so thrilled
to have a perfect baby here! He told me it was a boy with a tear in
his eye and we both were just so in love with him instantly! Since
about 34 weeks I'd been measuring fairly far behind and the Obs were
concerned about baby's growth. So I was very curious about his birth
weight. The nurse took him quickly to weigh and measure him and I was
thrilled to hear healthy measurements of 6.13 and 19 inches and a 35
cm head. Wonderful! He latched right on and has been in love with
nursing since. He's certainly my best nurser of the three! The mw
checked me over while he was being measured and announced I had
nothing even close to a tear. It was incredible. After a C and a 2nd
degree tear, the recovery was crazy different! The worst pain I had
was nursing cramps. Which is amazing. I'm so thankful I was able to
come home and pick up and chase our toddlers and clean with ease.
It's been such a blessing with a chaotic house!!
I could not have done this without
support! I prayed and was comforted so many times through my labor
and just felt that God was SO at work. It brought me so much
confidence and peace. Matt was, of course, wonderful. He's the
perfect birth partner for me! So calm and cool and seems to know
exactly what I need. I'm so thankful for such an involved and
wonderful husband! Then of course there's Steph. She's just such a
rock. She has given me so much confidence in my body and the birthing
process. I'm so thankful for her and the wonderful care she's shown
us. The hospital was amazing! I was so pleasantly surprised at their
support through our whole experience there. I'm so thankful for all
the wonderful people God placed in our lives to make this happen! And
so thankful for an absolute perfect birth! It was incredible to get
to an 8 with minimal pain and so fun to find out the gender at the
birth! I wouldn't change a thing. It was so easy and wonderful it
almost made me want to do it again! :)
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