Welcome to my William Pierce!
- January 15 @ 11:18 p.m. (his due date)
- 9 lb. 10 oz.
- 20 3/4"
- Born at home in the water (my third home water birth)
I was dilated 6 cm. for at least a week before my due date. My body always dilates beforehand without me really knowing, and then I have pretty quick labors once they start. My previous labors have been 5 hours, 3 hours, and 2 1/2 hours. So, I get a little anxious when my due date approaches because it can be unnerving when you don't have much warning when baby is going to be making its appearance. 
Well, due date arrives, and I have no signs of labor. I get my older two kids to sleep and lay down with my 2-year-old. She was acting weird all night....not sleeping, rolling around, taking her clothes off (lol)....just being strange. So, I'm laying there with her and.....I get a contraction. I know it's a "labor has begun so get ready" real contraction. I look at the clock. It's 9:45 p.m. My daughter Ella still isn't asleep. I make a quiet plea to the baby, "Please wait until I get Ella to sleep." Baby basically says, "Um. Nah. I'm gonna go ahead and come now." And a few minutes later I get another contraction. So, I tell my sleeping husband, "Labor is here. I'm having contractions." He kind of rolls over and mumbles, "OK, just let me know," and rolls back over to sleep. Hmm. OK. I say much more definitively, "I AM IN LABOR. THIS IS IT. GET THE POOL READY, DEAR." Well, that gets him up and he gets things started.
I go to the bathroom. Bloody show. Have another contraction. Call the midwife. She's on her way. Then I quickly get everything organized. Make sure my still awake Ella has on a clean diaper. Contraction. Get out her "distraction" items for while I'm laboring. Contraction. Put on my bra to wear in the birth pool. Contraction. Find my robe. Contraction. Fire in the fireplace. Contraction. Light the candles. Contraction. Make sure the cameras are out and ready. Contraction. Midwife assistant arrives. Takes my blood pressure and listens to fetal heart tones. Contraction. Really wanting to get in the pool. It's almost filled enough. My friend arrives (who also happens to be a midwife assistant). Hug her. Contraction. Get in the pool. Now I'm deep into labor land and contractions are coming fast and hard. Midwife arrives. I start to make grunty noises with the contractions, so I know pushing is coming soon. All of the kids are awake and by the pool now. I grab my husband's hand and squeeeeeeeeze it. I hear my 2-year-old make adorable, curious sounds of wonder and aww as all the activity is unfolding. I'm moaning and starting to push. The contractions are nearly on top of each other. Squeezing my husband's fingers, pushing, reach down and feel the baby's head. Its right there. I know if I push I'll have my babe in arms. Puuuuuuush, head is out. Puuuuuuush, body is coming, I turn over, reach in the water, and pull up my beautiful baby into my arms. Joy! Relief! Happiness! Elation! Bliss! Baby! Our wonderful baby is here. 
I hear them say the time is 11:18 p.m. It was a 1 1/2 hour labor. I relax and lean back and let the kids look to announce if it's a boy or girl. My four-year-old daughter says, "Girl!" Um. No. 
It's a BOY! We now have two boys and two girls. We wait until the cord stops pulsing and my husband, son, and oldest daughter all cut the cord. Such a sweet moment. Eventually, we get snuggled in bed and just love all over our newest family member. He looks so tiny to me. I swear he must only be 7 lbs. They weigh him and he's 9 lb. 10 oz. 
OK, so know I won't ever be the "guess your weight" person at the county fair. Anyway, he's just an adorable, smooshy, blob of perfect baby. He nurses and rests in my arms as we all soak up his sweetness. My two-year-old finally decides it's time to sleep. She nurses and falls asleep on one side of me while the baby is snoozing on the other side of me. My other two children and husband are at the foot of the bed. There is no better place to be in the world. All is right. All is peaceful. All is good.
Ah, sweet, sweet life -- thank you!
Here's a video montage of the birth: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B-HMaSsr3sb2ZGViNDQ5MDktNzQ1ZS00MzJjLWIwYmEtMTcyYzEzYWI2OTk0&hl=en
Picture of our William
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