It’s been one day shy of two weeks since Will arrived after what seemed like an endless pregnancy. His due date was August 3rd, and, against my own better judgment, I was convinced that if he didn’t come early he would at least come only two days late like his big sister. Wrong. Will took his sweet time and was a week+one day late in entering the world. It was maybe the longest (and grumpiest) week of my life. I was starting to get anxious because I had a hunch that he was no 6# baby…
Saturday morning around 3am I woke up to my water breaking– just a slow leak that continued all throughout the morning. Contractions started out kind of strong but were short and inconsistent and I went back to sleep until around 6am when Lila woke up. Things went pretty slow, I ate breakfast and took it easy while still trying to keep the contractions going by bouncing/doing hip circles on the body ball.
At 9:30ish, one of the two midwives came to check on me and the baby. We were both doing great. Baby’s heartbeat was happy and strong and I was dilated to 7. Still, labor wasn’t picking up much after Sara (the midwife) being there for over an hour (I think… I really had no sense of time it could have been much longer actually. I purposefully wasn’t paying attention to the time). She had me complete the miles circuit to see if labor would pick up. Contractions were definitely harder to get through while on all fours, but it did seem to get things going enough that I was ready to get in the birthing tub. Labor slowed back for awhile which was a nice break to just float in the water and listen to music. Sam was with me, of course, as well as my sister who kept making me laugh and then cry by showing me a picture of Lila she had taken that morning– I missed my girl. Mom had taken her to Sabbath school and church that morning. They were back before the baby was born, but Lila napped extra long and when she woke up we were just about ready to introduce her.
Once labor picked back up it I reached a point where I no longer wanted to be in the water. It was weird, at first it was so soothing but it later on it almost felt like I couldn’t get my bearings while in the water… like I didn’t feel grounded. So I got out and went and sat on the toilet (lolololol). Contractions were more intense but not quite as painful on the toilet. From there I went back to the bedroom and ended up laboring on the floor for the rest of it. Laying in bed was terrible, sitting reclined was terrible, the only position that was remotely tolerable was on my hands and knees. I’m not sure how long I labored like this, it felt like forever. I had the urge to push but it didn’t feel like I was getting anywhere. It felt like the baby was pushing against my pelvis and not getting past. My midwife checked my again, just to make sure I was fully dilated, which I was. And baby’s heartbeat was still strong and happy (as if he had no idea he was being birthed…haha). So I continued to labor and push when it felt right. It was really, really hard. When I was in labor with Lila there was no point where I felt like I couldn’t handle it or that I wouldn’t make it. This time was different and I was starting to feel like I couldn’t keep going. Finally, the rest of my waters broke all at once and I knew he was coming. Pushing was effective and I could feel him starting to crown. I could also really feel how big his head was and suddenly I did not want to push! But my midwives were great coaches and got me through reminding me to breathe him out as best as I could. And before I knew it his head was out followed by his body. The midwives handed him up to me through my legs and I sat there on the floor in total exhaustion, elated that it was finally over and my baby boy was in my arms.
William Samuel weighed in at 10lbs 5oz! I don’t know how I did it. I mean, by the grace of God, honestly, but not without some damage. Unfortunately I did tear again, but not quite as bad as last time. Sara was able to sew me up at home. That was really the only “complication” you might say. I was given a shot of pitocin almost immediately after birth and didn’t hemorrhage this time! I had been kind of nervous about that during pregnancy, but I only bled well within normal limits. I’m so thankful that I was able to have another safe home birth. Getting to snuggle your newborn at home right after the exhaustion of labor– nothing beats it.
Recovery has been going well. The hardest part has been making sure Lila is transitioning well. I can’t lift her until the stitches are healed and that has been hard. We spend a lot of time sitting on the couch reading books. Luckily, these first two weeks either Sam, my mom, or my sister has been here to help me. Their help has seriously been invaluable. I’m still trying to take it easy, but I’m getting impatient to be up and around like normal.
Will’s birth took a lot of hard work. At times I doubted my ability. But in the end I’m reminded of how amazing God is and how He designed the female body to do such a hard, and holy thing as facilitating the passage of life into this world. I am so, so grateful and humbled.
Twenty-two 