When we woke up on March 9, I announced that I was definitely not making breakfast so daddy should take the kids to go get donuts while I took a shower. At about 7:45, in the shower, I had my first two contractions. They were real ones! I got out and they kept coming, though not regularly. If I sat down they spaced out. I told my husband I thought I was in labor and to go get orange juice for smoothies. He left and I went about my business readying the house, pausing for contractions.
Meanwhile my mom, grandma and sister in law were on their way to throw me a surprise baby shower! I knew they were coming but I was just expecting to go get pedicures and eat at a fancy restaurant. I texted my mom to let her know that Noah was planning to attend the party.
About 10:30 I texted my midwife, she seemed more sure about it than I was! I wanted her to wait to come but she felt I could go quickly since this was my 3rd baby. So I compromised and told her to come at noon.
Around 11:30 is when it started getting intense, we were trying to set up the pool and the kids were being crazy. I lay down on the bed trying to slow down contractions until the pool got set up. About 12:30 the birth team arrived (including my doula, who was the midwife’s assistant’s daughter). Shortly thereafter my family arrived with enough food to feed an army.
I retreated to my room, where the pool was set up. Up to this point I’d been just breathing through contractions. In fact I only vocalized through 2 or 3 contractions and they were all earlier in the labor. Because of this my midwife expected me to be about 5 cm...I expected to be about 3 cm. So imagine our surprise when she found I was 8 cm!
I hopped in the tub which was amazing for my back labor. I was sitting in the tub laughing and talking to the midwives between contractions, breathing through them.
Not too long after that I felt pressure and knew my water wanted to break, but I also knew if my water broke he would come out quick and I didn’t know if I was ready for that so I held back a couple contractions.
Finally I just pushed with all my might. My water broke and I pushed his head out first, then took a breath and pushed the rest of him out. My husband caught him and I snatched him from him. J It was 1:45, only 3 hours since I told my midwife I wasn’t sure if she should come or not.
We were all surprised by how fat he was, we were expecting an 8 lb’er but he was clearly at least 9 lbs. When the cord stopped pulsing we cut it and I got out of the tub. He nursed for about 30 min before falling asleep. I had no tears and normal blood loss (after 2 pph’s this was a relief, the midwife gave me a shot of pitocin right after he was born). We weighed Noah and he was 9 lbs 6 oz, big boy but still my smallest (big brother was 10 lbs 7 oz!).
Though I did no preparation, I can honestly say this was by far my easiest birth, though birth is never easy. We are so happy and our family feels complete. J
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