A Home Birth Story

Sunday, December 5th. My due date. We were all a little under the weather, so we stayed home from church and went out to breakfast instead!

Will and Daddy

It was a very relaxing day at home, ending with a lovely dinner at a good friends house. The day came and went with no baby. Besides a bit of a cold and having no voice, I was feeling great!

Due Date Belly

Tuesday, Dec. 7th. It was a cold and snowy day. I was finally over my cold, and really itching to get out of the house to do some walking. But, my car was covered and surrounded by snow, so I decided to just stay home. I was being super attentive to my body throughout the day, hoping for some sort of sign that labor might be in the near future. Although they didn't feel any different, I thought I was getting more "braxton hick" contractions, while just sitting still, then I normally do.

By about 7pm, whenever I would get one it began to feel...weird...in my butt. Like a nerve sensation. I figured that could be something! We went about our night as usual. Hanging out in the living room while Daddy and Will wrestled. Will running around naked, and thinking it was the funniest thing ever. We finally settle into bed at 11pm. I was pretty tired, and it felt so good to lay down. But not for long.....

Within minutes of laying down contractions started. Feeling a bit achy in my lower back, but mostly feeling it in my lower belly. I was getting them 5 minutes apart or less right off the bat. The last thing I wanted was to start labor already exhausted! I continued to lay in bed for the next hour trying desperately to fall asleep, but they just kept getting more uncomfortable and closer together. I got up to go to the bathroom and drink some water around 12am, hoping that might calm things down. I went back to bed, and told Dean what was going on. We stayed in bed for the next hour or so. Neither of us were able to fall asleep.

Dean got out his contraction counter app on his phone. 1am Contractions were 2 - 3min apart, lasting 20 - 40 seconds, and getting pretty painful. After over 2 hours of laying in bed, we decided to get up. (Time had just flown by! I couldn't believe I had been laying there for over 2 hours!) In between contractions I felt just fine, so we started to get everything ready. I called my midwife at 1:50am, and Dean called my mom (and 2 sisters), and sis in-law and told them they should come on over. They were all there by 2:30am, with the exception of my midwifes assistant, who lives over an hour away. She had her backup there though.

I continued to labor standing up; leaning on my dresser, the bed or coffee table during contractions. They were now 1 - 2 min apart, and very painful. Feeling pain in my upper legs too. 

Just about 3am my water broke. Within 5 minutes I had the urge to push. I got up on the bed, on my hands and knees, leaning on some pillows. I had a few contractions in that position and it was not good. He was coming way to fast on his own. The last thing he needed was the help of gravity, and the last thing I wanted was to tear. My midwife suggested I get on my left side. Unlike with Will, I was not having bad back labor, so that position worked great.

This is the point where things became drastically different then they were during Will's birth. With Will, it was very intense. I screamed my head off was very loud. The midwife was just telling me to "push, push, push" all I could during a contraction. I pushed for 30 minutes (which for my first, and how big he was, was pretty quick). I was not in tune with my body. I tore. Even though I was able to have the natural birth I wanted, it was pretty traumatic.

This time, I was a lot more calm. Even silent at times. My midwife (a different one) encouraged small, gentle pushes. To work with my body. I could feel him moving down the birth canal. Between contractions I was able to completely relax and rest. I pushed for 30 minutes. I didn't tear.

Samuel Leonard Eaton was born at 3:34am. 7lbs. 4oz. 21 inches long, after 4 1/2 hours of labor. He is absolutely perfect!

Pregnancy Diary: Week 1 Postpartum

(This was supposed to be posted yesterday, but the day just got away from me!)

I know this is a cliche' thing to say, but I can't believe Sam is one week old already! He has been the perfect baby so far. I am so in love with him! I didn't think it was possible to have another baby as cute as Will, but he has proved me wrong! I've gotta say, we do a pretty good job making us some baby boys. 

I know he is only a week old, but at this point I don't think Sam looks at all like Will did. He even has dimples already! (He gets those from his daddy!)

I am feeling pretty well. Still a bit achy, so I am trying to take it easy. Not easy to do with a 2 year old running around. As hard as it is to make myself just sit all day while the crumbs pile up on the kitchen floor, it really has been a very relaxing week. Dean has been awesome at keeping up on housework in the evenings after working long days, and I am blessed with some wonderful women in my life who have been providing some delicious home cooked meals. I am anxious to get back to normal life though!

Samuel: 1 Week Old

Sweet Baby Days

Sam is fed and sleeping, and Will is off at Grandma and Papa Dana's until tomorrow. So, I figured I should take some time, and share a bit about my sweet new baby boy. I will eventually write out Sam's birth story. Although, it was not quite as exciting as his big brothers, the end result was just as wonderful!

We are all adjusting pretty well. Sam's arrival hasn't seemed to effect Will at all in negative way. He loves holding baby Sam, and pretty much just goes about his day like normal. He spent some time with Dean's family yesterday, and, like I said, is with my family today until tomorrow. I love having him around, but little doses are all I want to handle right now.

 

Sleeping at night has been just fine so far, although I know it will eventually get harder. I am feeling much better then I was after having Will. My insides are still a bit achy, so I am trying to take it easy. It is very tempting to get stuff done around the house though.

Dean has been a wonderful help with housework and taking care of Will, on top of being back at work.

Samuel is doing great. He is a tiny little thing compared to Will, and I love it! Sleeps all the time, and is nursing pretty well.

Adjusting to having a second baby is definitely easier, so far, then it was having the first. With your first, your whole life is turned upside down. No longer can you do whatever you want, whenever you want. Everything is new: Nursing, not sleeping, planning your day around their schedule, and the worst.....hearing them cry. Today I took a shower with Sam in the bathroom screaming the whole time, Will running in and out peeking behind the curtain, and I just went with it. When Will was a newborn, I would have skipped the leg shaving, and possibly gotten out with shampoo in my hair to calm him down.

It has been a wonderful week to just stay home, watch the pretty snow fall from inside, and cuddle with my husband, my big boy Will and sweet baby Sam.

Pregnancy Diary: Week 40

Well, here we are! My due date has come, and if I had to guess it will pass just the same as yesterday did. We are all fighting colds over here. I've had mine for over a week now, and regardless of all the pills and icky tasting supplements I have drank, it is still lingering. I'm all stuffy, have a bit of a cough and sore throat, and I still don't have much of a voice. Other then that I am feeling great! I am still enjoying being pregnant, and don't feel anxious at all. He will come when he is good and ready.

We had our tree delivered to us the other day by a couple of elves; one of which was very hairy. I love being able to decorate my tree however I want! Every year I do something different, and every year it is my new favorite. This year I did white and gold, and it is just perfect!

We are enjoying a relaxing Sunday morning at home, and plan on heading out for some breakfast in this winter wonderland as soon as everyone *coughDEANcough* is up. Although for me and Will it will be second breakfast.

This may very well be the last Pregnancy Diary I post. I wouldn't mind at all if it was. As fine as I am continuing being pregnant, I really am super excited about meeting this new little one!

40 Weeks Pregnant With Samuel

Pregnancy Diary: Week 39

Only one more week until people start freaking out when they find out when I'm due, and look at me like I am crazy for not being induced yet. Ok, so that only happened once before, but still. People expect you to be laid up on the couch all day, and God forbid you actually...lift something. There is no reason to not keep living as normal, if you are able to. Sure, I may waddle instead of walk, and look very silly trying to get up off the floor. But the laundry still needs to be carried down to the basement, groceries need to be brought into the house and my 33lb+ 2 year old occasionally needs to be held by mommy.

I am feeling pretty well still, although I woke up yesterday with a sore throat. I was out late Wednesday night, and only got 6 hours of sleep. I think my body just got run down. Hopefully it won't last too long.

I had an appointment last Wednesday with my midwife. Everything is looking good, but it seems like this boy isn't quite sure where he wants to be. We are both pretty certain the head is down, but he seems to be rotating between Right Occiput Posterior (his back on my right side, which is what Will was), to Posterior (his back is laying on my back, which makes for harder labor). The past couple of days he seemed to be back in the ROC position, but as I write this he feels more posterior to me. I go back this Wednesday (assuming he doesn't come before then) and she will check me to make sure his head is down.

I have really been trying lately to savor every moment as it is. I find myself living for the next day; for the next fun event. Always wishing that nap time would just hurry up and get here, instead of cherishing the moments I have being alone with Will. Thinking that if I just get through these next couple of days, the weekend will be here. I was so excited about being pregnant again (not that I'm not anymore), loving my pregnant belly, and feeling the baby move. Now it's almost over. When Will was born I was constantly, anxiously, looking forward to his next milestone: Rolling over, sitting, crawling, etc. Instead of just completely savoring the sweet newborn stage.

So, for now, I will love, cherish and be grateful to feel my sweet baby move inside my womb. Regardless of where he decides to kick his little legs....

39 Weeks Pregnant With Samuel

Pregnancy Diary: Week 38

It just hit me. I will be having this baby in just about 2 weeks.....maybe even less! He will be here in no time at all! I have been thinking so much about the labor part; Making sure I have everything I need, and trying my best to have everything in its place for Baby Day. Thinking about Christmas and trying to get all the buying/making and wrapping of as many gifts as I can before baby comes. I have had no time to dwell on the fact that after all this planning goes into effect, there will be a baby, My baby, and the whole cycle will start again....

Being up all night with a baby who just won't stop crying, and becoming slightly delirious from lack of sleep. Wearing baby spit up stained clothes for days on end, and smelling like it to. Rushing to take a shower while baby sleeps, only to have him wake up screaming while you still have shampoo in your hair and only one leg is shaved. Lugging around that heavy car seat, and forgetting to pack enough diapers in the diaper bag. Thinking you can get all your errands done before baby wants to eat again, which, of course, always results in having to nurse in the car. But you know what I have to say to that?

Bring it on, Baby. Bring. It. On.

38 Weeks