Birth Story – Our Son

First off, if you haven’t read my daughter’s birth story, I would read that before. Since she is the first born. The second kid’s birth comes with much more perspective. Now that you’re caught up, let’s get to the second child’s birth.

Our son’s due date was April 19th, a day before our daughter’s birthday. Can I be honest? I had to ask my husband. I completely forgot what his due date was, all I remember is that he stayed in longer than his sister did. He was in their 39 weeks. Let’s go back in time – shall we?

It was around midnight and I think I had woken up to the to the bathroom. Again, you’ll find a lot of foggy details this go around. I do know that my husband was awake watching TV.

So I went to the bathroom. And then would you like to guess what happened? My water broke! This time it was more of this thought process: Did my water just break? No way, really? Oh yes. Yes it did. There it goes. It wasn’t an initial gushing like I had with my daughter. But it was a definite break. 

So I walk out of the bathroom and tell my husband that my water broke and it’s time for the baby! This time around he’s more like, oh my gosh really? OK then, let’s go! Not the panicked excitement like before. And yes, I thought my water would break with him too.

We immediately call my mother-in-law and prep her since she’ll be helping us the C. We pack our bags, and our daughter’s bags, before we wake her up. Then we wake her up and tell her what’s happening. We prepped her so much that it might go down just like this, so she took it well. She was just 11 days away from being four years old.

Once everything, and everyone is in the car, we headed to the hospital. This time it’s around a 25 minute drive, and we meet my mother-in-law in the parking lot. It was just a better meeting point between people’s houses.

What I do remember from this night was me hugging C extra tight and knowing that this was the last time it would be just her and I. For almost four years it was just us. As a stay-at-home-mom that’s so many moments. I think I remember seeing an image on Pinterest of a pregnant mom hugging her daughter because it was the last time it would be just the two of them. That image stuck with me so much that I made sure to soak up my last minutes of just the two of us. I totally cried. And I highly recommend doing this. It’s very memorable.

After our goodbyes we head into the hospital. Luckily, my husband took a video that broke down everything that was happening so far. And thank God he did because we forgot all the little details! It turns out I was super excited and nervous. Not to sound like a weirdo, but the energy I had to meet little man in the video is so cute! And I only say that because I completely forgot, so I’m glad we have that memory on video. I kept saying I was nervous and excited and had a huge grin on my face and was rubbing my belly a ton. Which is odd for me. 

So I didn’t remember that memory, but would you like to know what I do remember? Baking a blueberry french toast casserole the day before giving birth and eating it after we came home from the hospital. I was like, wow, that was good timing. I’m the worst – ha! 

OK let’s get back to it. So we check in around 1am. It takes a little longer to get a room after they check if my water broke. And my husband remembers the nurse being in a bad mood, which I vaguely remember. Which means he was probably trying to make her laugh.

Once we get into the labor room my husband said we kind of fell asleep for a while. Like mini naps on and off. That means my contractions were very small and didn’t bother me much. 

When we checked in I was at 3cm dilated and I remained that way all morning. What I remember the most about the labor is bouncing on a birthing ball and watching a ton of morning TV because nothing was happening. I wasn’t dilating any more and my contractions weren’t going anywhere. Matter of fact, I don’t really remember laboring at all. Everything was so manageable. I wasn’t leaning over the bed and having strong contractions like I was with C. 

So because this labor was not doing anything, pretty much the same as my daughters, I talked to the nurses about a plan. This time I was in charge, this time I understood what was happening and the nurses were much more helpful in explaining everything. 

I told them that I’ll probably need Pitocin because my body won’t be progressing and I asked them to explain why rather than them forcing me like last time. That means with this labor, I felt more in control and very calm with how everything was going to be. 

I also let them know that if I do end up needing Pitocin, I will be having an epidural. God bless those of you, like my mother, who had non-medicated child births. I was quite confident and happy to let them know I wanted the drugs.

So at around, I don’t know maybe Noon/1pm, I was given Pitocin and then an epidural pretty much after the Pitocin. Remember last time they gave me too much epidural medicine? This time I let the anesthesiologist know I’d like a smaller dose. And maybe he gave me a slightly smaller dose but not enough for me to be apart of the birthing process again. I was so completely numb again and felt nothing during childbirth. I know I’m taking drugs here but I just want about half the help, not the full 100%. So that stunk.

But let me tell you what happened in between the epidural and birthing. The epidural was actually only working on one side. I could still feel strong contractions on the other side. So I let the nurse know and some minutes afterwards he came back in and adjusted the epidural. It was super quick and I didn’t feel a thing. Once it was adjusted, the epidural kicked in fully on both sides. 

So I thought, I have my the pitocin, I have the epidural now I’m going to take a nap just like I did like C. And they can wake me up when it’s time to push. Sounds like a dream to me! My husband even has a picture of me all relaxed with my sleeping mask on. So before I go to bed the nurse comes in and says, just let me just check you one more time so we know where you’re at.

Well it turns out I was so relaxed that I had fully dilated and was ready to have the baby then and there! Really the whole pitocin, epidural, adjusting the epidural, I think, was about an hour or two long. I went from 3 to 10cm in an 1-2 hours – crazy. And that ladies and gentlemen is childbirth when you’re on drugs and totally relaxed.

So the nurse who checked me, wasn’t actually wasn’t our normal nurse, was totally freaking out that I was fully dilated. She was being so dramatic. She was like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, you’re fully dilated! I have to go get your doctor! You’re having this baby now! Oh my gosh! 

Honestly, I didn’t freak out. I was like, calm down lady. I came here to have a kid, so there is nothing shocking about this situation. Yes it progressed quickly, but let’s just chill. It turns out my doctor was scheduled to deliver a baby via C-section in like 20 minutes so the nurse was freaked out that the doctor wouldn’t be able to deliver my baby.

My doctor came in, who I love, and was so chill. She was like, OK, time to have the baby. She just had to make the other pregnant lady wait just a tad bit longer. Sorry lady. 

Once again I couldn’t feel anything from my hips below. So they hoisted my legs up on the stir-ups and tried to explain to me where the heck to push from. I don’t know, maybe 20 minutes later, out popped little man! It was all very relaxed and felt easier – even if I couldn’t feel a thing.

I didn’t have to be cut, nor did I rip, which honestly was the best part. That meant recovery was going to be much easier on my lady bits. I forgot to tell you my previous doctor cut me for my daughter’s birth and that recovery was not cool.

So around 2pm he entered this world. And right when he popped out and I saw him, I started to cry. With C I was so overwhelmed and in shock, that there were no tears. With him, it was so different. I was relaxed. I knew just what had happened, what a miracle babies are, and how awesome my body is that I just started crying. Happy tears, but I was so emotional.

We had the golden hour again with just the three of us before they moved us to the recovery room and we had visitors. He took to breastfeeding well, plus I had a year of practice so I felt much more at ease.

He was born with red splotches on his nose and forehead. Once again, I didn’t care and I wasn’t worried. The doctor let us know that more-than-likely they’ll go away and it’ll be just fine. And they did.

One of my favorite moments, post birth, was when C came in to meet her brother. It was hilarious. She just didn’t want to touch him, and treated him like he was gross. The video and pictures are just hilarious. Obviously it’s funny because she’s so obsessed with him now and loves on him so much – to the point that he pushes her away.

I remember, later that night, the nurse asked if we’d like her to take D out of the room for a little so we could sleep. My husband and I looked at each other and we were both thinking the same thing – yes! When this was offered with our first born and we said no. Everything you read was like, make sure the baby stays in the room with you the entire time. Don’t let them out of your sight. It so fear-based and ridiculous. I would have paid someone to give me more sleep with C, had I known she was going to suck at sleeping.

Then you have your second kid and you’ve been up all night and day giving birth and you’re like. Hell yes. Take my child because I know this is the last time I’ll get a moment of stillness for the next four years. All the clichés you hear about the second kid and how relaxed you are, how you’re way more easy going and you’re favorite phrase is – oh he’s fine. It’s all true. But that’s for another blog post…

So we went home 24 hours after giving birth, again to start our new life as a family of four. And if you want to know my mind set about my life. Head to my Selfish Mother post, but I think the heading give you an idea of how different things went the second time around.

I feel like I should write how my recovery went with both of them. It was quite different with both. But as I always say, that’s for another blog post. Also, feel free to peak around D’s nursery and see all the items I loved for him and his room. How was your birth story in a nutshell? You know I love a good birth story!