Where Has the Time Gone?! Birth Story - Finally!
Well Trevor is 9 months and 1 week old today and it occurred to me that I hadn't yet posted his birth story! I guess now is as good a time as any. I do think though that part of me may have avoided this just a little in the early days because, well, it wasn't exactly what I had pictured it would be and that made me a little sad. No matter though. He arrived, he was/is gorgeous and is a healthy little man.
As postings leading up to his birth (and Reagan's too) show, their birth mother does home births and has a history of interrupted labors. Basically what that means is the first stage of labor begins and then stops at some point before the second stage. In a hospital setting, if the mother is in full-term range, Pitocin is frequently used to continue labor. In a home setting, no interventions are normally done. The body is allowed to decide on its own when and if labor will progress. So, several times before his actual birth, labor began and then stopped.
The day of his birth (May 25, 2011) started with the mid-wife's assistant going to the birth mother's house to check on things and see how she and Trevor were doing. She was going to do a membrane sweep to help things get moving but his head was a little high and she wasn't able to. Her parting words were - I don't think he's coming in the next few days. At this point the birth mother was 40 weeks and 2 days so there was still time for him to remain safely inside. Later that evening the birth mother called and said she had started minor contractions again and wanted to let me know. We all decided to wait and see if things progressed but I really didn't think they would. The midwife told her to call if the contractions got stronger and she was no longer able to talk through them.
About an hour or so later the birth parents called again and said contractions were still present but the birth mother and I were talking and laughing together on the phone so we still weren't thinking he was coming anytime soon. I told them to call me if anything changed or if the midwife decided we should all head over. I then went back to working on some stuff for work that I wanted to complete before I took some time off for his birth. Just as I was finishing up the work, around 11:30 that night, the birth father called and said that the birth mother was extremely uncomfortable now and that I should probably come over. He said he was also calling the midwife to come as well.
I put my work away, went to gather the baby bag and car seat and then went to the bathroom before I left. As I was in the bathroom, the phone rang again and the birth father said, "Her water just broke!" To which I immediately replied, "OH SHIT!" I lived only a few minutes from their house but I just knew I wouldn't get there in time. Her births are super fast once her water breaks. I swear those babies surf out! I flew out of the house and did about mach 4 on the roads there praying I wouldn't miss it and praying I wouldn't get pulled over on my way. Would have been hard to convince a police officer that I was having a baby any second!
I pulled in their driveway a few moments after the midwife herself did and my car clock said 11:59pm. I grabbed the baby bag and sprinted through the door. As I entered the birth father called out, "Dawn?" I said, "Yes, it's me. Is he here?" As I walked to their bedroom he answered, "Yes, he arrived at 11:55. You just missed it." I was heart broken that I had missed it and really beat myself up for weeks afterward about not having gone over sooner just in case. But as soon as I entered the room and saw him, I was filled with nothing but love at the first sight of him.
As it turned out, none of us made it in time! The midwife and her assistant got there just after he had made his grand entrance into the world. She had just cut the cord before I walked in. She couldn't wait for me because apparently at some point during the pregnancy he had flipped and turned enough to knot his cord. We all were fearfully amazed by this and said some extra special prayers of thanks that his knotted cord did not cause him any dire issues.
The picture is a little blurry but that right there is a complete perfect knot. The could-have-beens are so scary! Thank God it wasn't too tight to allow him nourishment.
We unbundled him so that he could be thoroughly checked over. He didn't appreciate that.
He scored a 10 on his Apgar! And all the rest of his stats were great too although there was one potential concern noted that we checked out over the next couple of weeks. More on that in another post.
Then it was time for measurements. I just love the way this midwife weighs the newborns. 7lbs 10oz - big boy for this tiny birth mother!
His length was 20 inches long. Just 1/2 an inch taller than Reagan was at birth.
After everything was recorded it was time to get him dressed and spend some time snuggling while we waited for him to be released.
Then, at 3 1/2 hours old, he was officially released by the midwife and we packed up to head home. After a stop off at Aunt Dawn's house (she lives down the street and arrived at the birth parent's house shortly after I did), I came home to a silent house because in my mad rush to get out the door I had neglected to tell my husband (or my brother who was staying with us at the time) that Trevor was about to be born! Ooops! My husband wouldn't have been there for the birth anyway out of respect for the birth mother's lady parts privacy.
I took the few hours before the house woke up to stare at my precious son and whisper sweet nothings to him and marvel that he was finally here. When my husband stirred towards morning I walked in to the room with Trevor and boy was that a moment of confusion for him! He had to blink a few times before he realized that I was, in fact, standing in front of him with our son.
Once Reagan woke up I took him into her room for the introduction. She was quite underwhelmed and matter of fact about it and promptly asked for breakfast! It took her a little bit to wake up and get excited about him. Their first picture together shows her level of interest. LOL
It didn't take her too terribly long though for her to start asking about him and getting interested and telling me that he was 'so tute' (cute).
She has been a great big sister ever since and we are so thankful that our family is now blissfully complete! So while I was sad for a while that I missed his actual entrance into the world, I am very thankful that I was there quickly after and got to bring home my wonderful, perfect, gorgeous son! We love you so much Trevor!
As postings leading up to his birth (and Reagan's too) show, their birth mother does home births and has a history of interrupted labors. Basically what that means is the first stage of labor begins and then stops at some point before the second stage. In a hospital setting, if the mother is in full-term range, Pitocin is frequently used to continue labor. In a home setting, no interventions are normally done. The body is allowed to decide on its own when and if labor will progress. So, several times before his actual birth, labor began and then stopped.
The day of his birth (May 25, 2011) started with the mid-wife's assistant going to the birth mother's house to check on things and see how she and Trevor were doing. She was going to do a membrane sweep to help things get moving but his head was a little high and she wasn't able to. Her parting words were - I don't think he's coming in the next few days. At this point the birth mother was 40 weeks and 2 days so there was still time for him to remain safely inside. Later that evening the birth mother called and said she had started minor contractions again and wanted to let me know. We all decided to wait and see if things progressed but I really didn't think they would. The midwife told her to call if the contractions got stronger and she was no longer able to talk through them.
About an hour or so later the birth parents called again and said contractions were still present but the birth mother and I were talking and laughing together on the phone so we still weren't thinking he was coming anytime soon. I told them to call me if anything changed or if the midwife decided we should all head over. I then went back to working on some stuff for work that I wanted to complete before I took some time off for his birth. Just as I was finishing up the work, around 11:30 that night, the birth father called and said that the birth mother was extremely uncomfortable now and that I should probably come over. He said he was also calling the midwife to come as well.
I put my work away, went to gather the baby bag and car seat and then went to the bathroom before I left. As I was in the bathroom, the phone rang again and the birth father said, "Her water just broke!" To which I immediately replied, "OH SHIT!" I lived only a few minutes from their house but I just knew I wouldn't get there in time. Her births are super fast once her water breaks. I swear those babies surf out! I flew out of the house and did about mach 4 on the roads there praying I wouldn't miss it and praying I wouldn't get pulled over on my way. Would have been hard to convince a police officer that I was having a baby any second!
I pulled in their driveway a few moments after the midwife herself did and my car clock said 11:59pm. I grabbed the baby bag and sprinted through the door. As I entered the birth father called out, "Dawn?" I said, "Yes, it's me. Is he here?" As I walked to their bedroom he answered, "Yes, he arrived at 11:55. You just missed it." I was heart broken that I had missed it and really beat myself up for weeks afterward about not having gone over sooner just in case. But as soon as I entered the room and saw him, I was filled with nothing but love at the first sight of him.
We unbundled him so that he could be thoroughly checked over. He didn't appreciate that.
He scored a 10 on his Apgar! And all the rest of his stats were great too although there was one potential concern noted that we checked out over the next couple of weeks. More on that in another post.
Then it was time for measurements. I just love the way this midwife weighs the newborns. 7lbs 10oz - big boy for this tiny birth mother!
His length was 20 inches long. Just 1/2 an inch taller than Reagan was at birth.
I took the few hours before the house woke up to stare at my precious son and whisper sweet nothings to him and marvel that he was finally here. When my husband stirred towards morning I walked in to the room with Trevor and boy was that a moment of confusion for him! He had to blink a few times before he realized that I was, in fact, standing in front of him with our son.
Once Reagan woke up I took him into her room for the introduction. She was quite underwhelmed and matter of fact about it and promptly asked for breakfast! It took her a little bit to wake up and get excited about him. Their first picture together shows her level of interest. LOL
Comments
He is so cute and prefect just like Reagan is. You guys are so lucky to be their parents. :o)