I woke up at 1AM on 11-1-11 with irregular and uncomfortable contractions. I knew it was labor but it didn't seem intense to start. I got up, swept the sawdust from last night's headboard project, went back to bed for a while. After a bit I got up and folded some baby laundry. I took a shower and assured Sara there was nothing to do yet. I set up our supplies and went back to bed again. Sara and I both got up around 4. I went back and forth between showers and the bath and the birth ball and the toilet. I got some bloody show and we watched some Netflix and I was disappointed that my contractions were still irregular, tho they were surely more intense. We walked up and down the sidewalk a couple of times. Around 6 I told Sara I needed to go to the hospital for drugs. They were not nice contractions and I felt like they weren't doing anything. While Sara packed up a hospital bag I started feeling pushy, and I said, we can't leave now, we will have the baby in the car or they won't give me drugs anyway. Sara went back to bed (she was fighting morning sickness the whole time) while I lay in the shower drifting in and out of sleep. Finally the contractions were awful and I was convinced he wasn't coming out. So I told Sara I wanted to go to the hospital and get everything checked out. He was still moving. More than any of my babies during labor, so I knew he was somewhat ok, but I was bleeding and worried. So I couldn't even dress myself and I lay on the floor while Sara put my socks, pants and shoes on while I had a couple of contractions on the floor. I'm telling you, it felt like crap. It felt like really hard contractions, not like the relief of pushing. We walked down the stairs, got in the car, I was sitting on 2 towels and off we went. Sara told me it was 7:20 when left the house and I was cursing not leaving at 6 for drugs. Well, we got right out of town and I told Sara to find a pull off. She pulled over immediately and I told her there was a head coming out of me. She asked if I wanted her to go back home and I said, "no time! There is a head!" Well, it wasn't a head, I was simply exploding but the wrinkly soft head came out about the same time Sara got to my side of the car. There were several gushes of water as his different head parts and shoulders and body were delivered. Sara said, "it's a boy! What do I do?" I asked if she could pick him up. She put him on my chest, dried him and covered him with one of the towels for the very brief drive home. She got my mom so they could both help me inside. They took lots of pictures while I delivered the placenta and we nursed, ate and did vitals.
We have seen the family doc for his newborn checkup and the OB for my checkup. He is a big boy. 21.5 inches and 8# 14oz are the official measurements. His name is Shay Brock.
Tiny baby, post bath.
My boys
We made this sling for Ari months ago, she was in a hurry to use it.
Follow Mothering