Throwback Thursday: My Little Boy's Birth Story

Note: Many people do Throwback Thursdays on Instagram or blogs by posting a picture of themselves from the past. I am using Throwback Thursdays to write stories from my past. Hope you enjoy taking a trip with me down memory lane. 

Another note: This is very much a birth story. If you don't like reading that kind of thing, you have been warned. :)

My little boy, James, is almost 2 ½. I realize the writing of his birth story is a little late. I wrote down general feelings and a few details in my journal right after he was born, but I never sat down and actually wrote out the entire birth story…which I usually like to do. But better late than never. Because it’s been a little while, some details might get left out, and some might be exaggerated…but it will still be his birth story for the most part. 

I measured big my entire pregnancy with James, so my doctor at one point moved my due date up two weeks. That day had come and gone, I was five days past it when I went in for a doctor’s appointment. I felt huge. I know you always feel huge at the end of your pregnancy, but I remember this time feeling huger than I was with my other two. I won’t go into details of exactly how I knew I was bigger, but I was. Several of my maternity shirts didn’t even fit anymore. I was ready to have a baby.

At my appointment my doctor checked me and everything was good. My body never really does much until I actually go into labor, so there’s no really feeling if it’s getting closer or not. My doctor gave me the choice of either being induced the next day or sometime the next week and waiting it out a few more days…since technically I hadn’t reached my original due date. I really wanted to start labor on my own like I had with my other two, but I knew I was huge and was afraid of trying to deliver a huge baby. So I went back and forth and we finally decided if the baby hadn’t come by that Saturday (it was Wednesday), I would go in to be induced. I went back and forth on even waiting a few more days, but hoped either way things would work out.

Well, I didn’t have to wait long because early the next morning (around 3:30 am) contractions began. Interesting fact here…all of my labors have begun between 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning. It’s just the time my body likes to go into labor I guess. 

My previous labor with my daughter Christabelle was unexpectedly very quick. (You can read about it on my family blog here.) We were a little panicky the whole time and when we arrived at the hospital with her I was already dilated to an eight. My husband, Charles, did not want to repeat that experience. :) So weeks before, he kept saying to me “the second you feel something let me know…no guessing or waiting, right when you feel something.” I would reply “and don’t forget you’re dropping me off right at the door, no parking in the parking lot this time and making me walk.” (He parked the car when I was having Christabelle, I was in transition trying to walk across the parking lot, it was crazy. I didn’t want to repeat that. :)) So that’s how it went. “The second you feel something remember”… “I will, don’t forget…drop me off at the door.” Back and forth, we had it all figured out. 

So after only two contractions that early morning, I knew it was time and as promised I woke Charles up and told him. He moved like a whirlwind getting everything ready, I never saw anyone move so quickly. He got the kids up and took them to my friend’s house. I called my mom and told her I was in labor and probably having a baby that morning. Then Charles came back and loaded stuff up, and we were off to the hospital.

No horrible car ride this time, no panicking that we wouldn’t make it. I was definitely in labor, but it was still early enough we knew we would be ok. We got to the hospital, and like he promised Charles dropped me off at the door and helped me walk in. The nurses quickly got me a wheelchair and wheeled me back to my room. I told them my last baby was born quickly, about 30 minutes after we got to the hospital and that this labor would most likely go fast. I loved that they listened to me and called my doctor right away, even though I was only dilated to a four when we arrived.

After I was in my room, Charles decided he needed to run out and park the car. That boy and following the rules. :) So I was sitting up on the corner of my bed as my labor very quickly progressed. I could tell it was going quickly again like the last time. Fast labors are very intense. You have to put all that work into a short amount of time. For me both of my fast labors meant that for the majority of the labor the contractions are right on top of the other. There is no break in between. As soon as one ends, the next one starts up again. And I also happen to throw up with my labors. Each contraction I’m puking or dry heaving. So with quick labors that means I’m pretty much puking the whole time. It’s awesome, let me tell ya. :) But luckily I knew all that from my previous labors. And after Christabelle’s quick birth I knew a little more what to expect this time.

As I sat there feeling those contractions this time, I started moaning. I have never moaned before during my labors, but I did this time. And it actually helped, so I kept moaning through my contractions. (I told my sister who is a labor and delivery nurse about this, and how I was kind of embarrassed about it, but she told me women do that all the time.) Anyways, I was sitting there moaning. Charles finally made it back in. We had asked for the epidural guy to come, but he wasn’t there yet and seemed like he was taking forever. (I had a REALLY tough pregnancy with James, so I knew I wanted an epidural, no sprinting to the finish line for me.) He finally came in and they wheeled me around to get my epidural. As I was sitting there getting it, I told my nurse I felt pressure and like it was time to push.

So after I got my epidural they wheeled me back around, sure enough I was a ten and ready to push. So I pretty much got the epidural for the pushing, but after the size of my baby I was sure glad I did.  And another note here, I have heard so many people say “You can’t get an epidural after a certain point etc. etc. etc.” Well I have received an epidural when dilated to a nine and a ten now. Maybe I got something different? I don’t know, all I know is I didn’t have to feel my pushing both times, and I got it right at the end of my labor.

My doctor was there by then, I pushed three times, and out came my little James. I remember Charles saying “It’s a boy!” And I was like, oh yeah, I forgot we didn’t find out what gender it was…yay for a boy! James ended up weighing 10 pounds 3 ounces. When the nurse announced his weight everyone in the room gave an audible gasp, including me. He was born after only 2 ½ hours of labor and three pushes. I have no idea how I pushed out such a big baby, but I’m glad it all turned out ok. It was an easy and quick delivery after a long and difficult pregnancy and I was so thankful to finally have that squishy little baby in my arms.

He really was a big, cute, squishy baby. :)

I am so thankful James is a part of our family. I had a tough pregnancy, and I’ve had several other things happen to my body since delivering him, but it is so worth it. All those things I have to endure physically to get those babies here is so worth it to me as a mother, and I’m thankful I get the chance to do it. :)