Our birth story Part I

It's said that the 3rd baby is always the wild card when it comes to labor and birth and I've known this to be true in my years as a doula. Boy did I underestimate that when it came to the birth of Sweet Baby J. This story has highs, lows and way too much information. My modestly went out the window 8 years ago when I had my first baby so don't mind me.

On June 21st (39 weeks to the day) I woke up around 1:30am to pee. My water was broken for me in the throws of labor with my own children so I had never experienced what my water breaking on its own felt like. Apparently what had woken me was my water breaking. I didn't hear it or feel it because I was asleep. I leaked a small amount fluid for about an hour and had a bit of show but then it all stopped. I had a few prodromal labor contractions but again, it all stopped after an hour. What commonly happens is moms get a high leak and it seals itself off like nothing happened but amniotic fluid is always being produced.... or they just wet themselves. I'm going to go with the former in this case. I did what I advise all my clients to do which is to do some inversions, leg lifts and pelvic floor tilts. I wrapped my big belly in a belly wrap because I had a pendulous belly so to bring the baby in more would, in theory, keep him from being in a bad position. After an hour of no more fluid or prodromal contractions and me, pacing the house doing leg lifts, inversions and weird looking yoga positions I said screw it and went back to bed.

That morning I took it easy, packed my bag, packed a bad for the boys and Nik, ate a nice breakfast just in case, rescheduled all of my work obligations for the next week just in case and took a nap. My wonderful friends threw me my birth blessingway later that day.

Through out the rest of the day I only had a few more prodromal labor contractions but nothing serious or even real contractions and most importantly, no more fluid leaking. My midwife asked me to check myself at home but just in case my water had broken and were still broken, I wasn't putting anything in there as I didn't want to give myself an infection.  I had given hints to Vanessa and Gus, my midwife and most importantly, my photographer. Vanessa and Gus had just arrived in Tampa to stay they with family until my due date which was still 6 days away. Tampa is 2 hours away, with traffic. After my due date the plan was to get a hotel near me or the birth center. At this point I knew deep down the next day was going to be the big day. I went home, took a shower, shaved my legs somehow and went to bed. At exactly 4:30 am I woke up with a real contraction. they came every 30 min. That's all early labor and honestly, doesn't really count as its just meant to just soften and efface the cervix. I'd have contractions off and on through out the wee hours of the morning and wake up to it, then fall right back asleep again. Nothing to write home about.

8 am came and the kids were not letting us sleep in any more than that and neither were my contractions so we got up to eat some breakfast and take a shower. Around that same time I got an odd burst of energy. I say odd because I had the urge to sweep my floors and for those of you now know me know I'm not type A enough to care what my floors look like to sweep them up while I'm busy doing something important like contracting. I sent Vanessa a text letting her know it would be today and contacted my midwife, doula and photographer. My friends, sister and mother in- law were supposed to come as well but something told me to ask them not to come until after the baby was born or just at the end. The contractions were becoming more frequent at 15-10 min. apart so we figured it best to head for the birth center which was 45 min. away. Our last baby came very fast so our concern from the beginning this pregnancy was that we'd have the baby in my mini-van.

39 weeks and 1 day in the mermaid room at the birth center. 

Part II
Part III