A Birth Story

Happy belated 11 weeks birthday to my baby boy...

This is his birth story.

I had a couple of light contractions, but felt they were 'stronger' than Braxton Hicks, around 7:30pm on Wednesday, December 5th. I decided to track them, since they seemed to be fairly regular. Easy with a smart phone, although DH and I decided we didn't like the first 'free' app I found and ended up using a different one later.

Almost 37 weeks, DD 19.5 months

We went to walk the dogs, which always got the B-H contractions going, so things were all over the place. We got home, got DD to bed (none the wiser), and then tracked contractions for about an hour while we watched 'The Office' or something. They were definitely early labor contractions, 5 minutes apart but only about 45 seconds long. We called the Birth Center and spoke with the midwife on call, Sarah. She suggested a bath and trying to rest, basically "wait and see."

At around 10:30pm the contractions became more intense but with the same duration/spacing. I was able to sleep until about 12:30am, when I woke up to even more intense contractions. I was really having to focus on relaxing through them with several deep breaths. I timed them for about 45 minutes, then decided I had to wake up DH and tell him that we should probably go in to the Birth Center.

DH was a little skeptical that it was that urgent, especially after they'd told us labor with the second would be about half the first (11 hours vs. 22). He'd figured we would have time to sleep, get up early, and beat traffic to Chapel Hill to have a baby around 8am. Fortunately for him, he didn't argue with me, just took a shower and helped me pack. LOL The contractions were about the same duration (45 seconds), but getting a little closer together and I could tell my body was really working. We called Sarah again and then called my parents to come stay with DD.

We left around 2am and arrived at the BC at 2:35am... I won't tell you how long the drive actually/usually takes. DH was timing contractions as he drove and said he could predict the start, they were so regular... by then about 2 minutes apart and 45 seconds long. When we arrived, I had one contraction in the hall, where Sarah came out to meet us when she heard me. She showed us into the green room, the same on where DD was born, and I had two more contractions while Sarah was trying to get us in and check me. By the time I was on the bed and Sarah was trying to see where things were, I had a "pushy" contraction. I was at +2 and 10cm! Our dear boy was born at 2:50am!

Our DS! 9# 15oz, 20.75" on 12-6-12

DH was able to determine that we had a little boy and then they waited for the cord to stop pulsing so DH could cut it. They commented about how big he was but I was shocked when the nurse weighed him. It all happened so fast, it seemed "easy" compared to my long labor with DD. Having him positioned better (DD was facing the wrong way) definitely helped!

We got to know each other and then slept for a couple of hours there at the Birth Center. We were up and paperworked and out of there by 9:15am.

My parents had taken DD to their house when she woke up, so we got home and then DH went to get her. First thing she did upon seeing her new baby brother was pat him and kiss him. It's been that way ever since! She definitely wants her Momma time and will ask her Daddy to hold the baby so I can hold her, but she smothers him with hugs and kisses. The dogs like the new puppy, too. ;)