Monday morning, April 28th,
my midwife called to see how I was doing.
She said I was on her mind and she thought I would soon have the
baby. I wanted to tell her “If you come
maybe my body will decide that it is time.”
For weeks I had many braxton-hicks contractions, but nothing consistent.
On Monday night I thought my water had broken.
It turned out to be just some mucus and bloody show. The midwife came out and checked me. I was not very far into labor. We sent all the kids to bed. She encouraged me to walk for an hour. I was having contractions about 2-4 min.
apart, but they slowed down if I rested.
Around midnight we decided to get some sleep. I didn’t sleep very well, because the
contractions were waking me up every 15-20 min. That has been my “sign” for the
last two births, so I knew that he would be born the next day. In the morning Gabe cooked breakfast for us while
I walked some more outside. It was cool
and I didn't stay out long. Soon the
kids were all up, and disappointed that their brother hadn't been born, yet.
Monday night I had called my aunt who said she
wanted to help take care of the kids. She didn't answer her phone, which didn't surprise me since she goes to bed early and after taking out her hearing aids would not hear the phone. I left her a text message and hoped she would
get it in the morning. I tried again Tuesday morning, but she still wasn't answering her phone. I finally had my sister
stop by as she went to work and let her know.
My aunt arrived around 10 am. We
talked and I walked some more, but there were too many distractions I still wasn't progressing much.
My midwife suggested that my
aunt take the kids somewhere. She took
the four oldest and went to KFC. Hannah refused to leave mommy. My
husband decided to go to KFC also, and get lunch for us, too. My midwife decided that she would leave for a
couple of hours too, because “a watched pot never boils”. I was left at home with just Hannah. I set her at the computer with a preschool
game that she could play without help and I went to my room sat on my exercise
ball and read a book to take my mind of counting contractions. It worked!
My husband was delayed for a long time at KFC because someone in front
of them took all the chicken, and they had to wait for more to cook.
By the time he got back I was
having painful contractions. I called my
midwife, and she soon returned too. Things
happened very quickly after that. She
filled the tub (I have a large tub), and then said we should go to the
bed. I said I really wanted to be in the
tub. Within 20 minutes of being in the
tub, he was born. He was my first water
birth, and I would defiantly do it again.
I loved the way the water supported my body as I was pushing.
Hannah came in and watched while
he was being born. She likes to tell
people he was born in the tub. She would
not leave me for the next few hours. My
husband named him Nathan James. He was born at 2:13 pm on Tuesday, April 29th. He weighed
7lbs 14oz and was 19 ¾ inches long. All
the kids are excited about their new baby brother and enjoy holding him. Abby loves taking care of him, and acts like
a second mom to him. Recovery has been
slower this time. I got a cough a few
days after the birth and it refuses to go away no matter what I do. I also have had some nursing issues, but that
is clearing up, thanks to a few suggestions from my midwife. |
| Hannah and Nathan less than an hour after his birth |
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| Robert (9yrs) meeting his brother. He prayed for a brother for many years. |
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| Abby (9yrs) holding her brother. |
