Peanut's birth story

I have no excuse for taking almost six weeks to type up this story, except that, you know, the newborn.  And the toddler.  They're taking up some time.  Anyway, here goes.

I think I posted here that I had been having contractions on and off for a couple days before Peanut was born. I kept calling the midwives thinking I was getting ready, but the contractions would then stop.  Finally, Thursday evening I had bloody show and went to bed with contractions that were 6 mins apart.  I woke up at 11:30 still having them (every other night they had stopped when I slept) and they were a bit more uncomfortable.  I slept on and off all night and they kept coming, but they weren't getting closer together or more intense.  We decided to keep bean home from school Friday just in case and sent her to stay with our neighbor for the day.

41 weeks

We already had a nonstress test scheduled for 10am so we went to that--baby looked good and I was contracting away at 4cm.  They sent us home to rest and told us to call when contractions were 4 mins apart.  We went out for breakfast and then the boy decided to go next door to play with the bean while I napped on the couch.  At some point around 1pm I realized I was no longer sleeping through the contractions and was needing to focus when I had one.  I decided to take a shower and thank god I thought to text the boy before I did.  At this point I felt like something was different--I was having to really concentrate to get through the contractions and was keeping my eyes closed between them--really starting to focus inward.  The boy came home and asked how far apart they were, but I couldn't pay attention to timing them.  The boy timed a couple at 4mins and one at 3mins, so we headed back to the midwive's office.

We arrived at 2pm and I still felt like we had a lot of time, so we were both shocked when the midwife checked me and I was 7-8cm.  We headed upstairs to the birth center and the boy started calling people to hurry and meet us there.  I got in the tub and labored there for about 1/2 hr.  The whole experience was so different from the bean--I was focusing to get through contractions but then just having normal conversations and joking between them.  I still felt like we would be there for hours.

At some point when I was in the tub, things changed again and the pressure in my pelvis was too intense.  I got out and the midwife suggested I sit on the birth ball.  That really helped for about 4-5 contractions and then I started to feel pushy.  I had been telling everyone for 9mos that I did NOT want to push on my back but for some reason I turned to the boy and said, I'm gonna do it on my back!  I just felt like I didn't want to hold myself up anymore.  The boy argued with me and we never really settled the matter before a huge contraction hit that made me stand right up.

With the next contraction, I leaned on the boy's shoulders and pushed.  I felt my membranes bulge and then my water burst all over the boy's feet.  I don't really know why but I got a little hysterical after that (although I laugh so hard now thinking back on the expression on the boy's face).  I remember the midwife telling me that everything was OK, that my water had just broken and I was saying I know, I know, but still kinda freaking out.

I climbed up on the bed on my hands and knees, fully intending to flip over onto my back, but another contraction came and I had to push.  I heard the boy ask if the baby was crowning and the midwife said no, but before we knew it I had another contraction and I felt his head.  Another push and the head was out.  One more each for the shoulders and the body and peanut was born.  Six pushes and six minutes after my water broke!  Out of all the positions I could have been in, I had not planned to push on my hands and knees but there really wasn't time to think that through.  There also wasn't time to set up the video recorder, or the mirror that I had wanted so I could see the birth.  Although my total labor was 16hrs, I was able to pretty much ignore the contractions until the last 3hrs, so it felt like it went very fast.

Peanut was born at 3:45pm.  Bean had planned to help catch him, but in the end she was nervous about how much noise I was making and she didn't want to touch the blood so she just watched.  She actually wouldn't touch the Peanut until we had him all cleaned and dried because she didn't want any blood on her.  We spent so much time preparing her for the birth and for her new brother, but I guess we didn't talk enough about that!  Because of her reaction, I was worried she'd be upset, but she got over it quickly and she's pretty excited now that she got to see it.  She loves her baby brother so much!

Introducing

Baby boy peanut
10/19
10lbs 11.5oz 22.5in

Still here

(I wrote this 3 days ago but never got around to publishing it. Spoiler alert-the peanut arrived yesterday!! Details to come.)

I'm just over a week overdue and still waiting. We've been stepping up our efforts to get this boy out-evening primrose oil, red raspberry leaf tea, long walks, castor oil packs, and acupressure. Yesterday I had my first membrane sweep-I was 70% effaced and 3 cm dilated which felt encouraging. I went to sleep last night expecting to be in labor by morning but nada. I looked back at my notes from the bean's pregnancy and realized that I was at about the same dilation, although almost a week further along, when I had my first membrane sweep with the bean and went into labor that night. I know it must be soon. The contractions I've been having have become more frequent and more intense over the last few days and I keep thinking it must be any minute now.

This evening I'll have an acupuncture treatment and, if I'm still pregnant by Friday, a second non-stress test along with another membrane sweep.

I'm trying so hard to enjoy these last few moments of being pregnant (ever!), but its so hard when there's all this pressure to get him out before the deadline.

I'm also feeling so guilty about not being able to pick up the bean, or to even bend over to help her get her shoes on or reach something off the floor. I keep promising her that once the baby comes, I'll be able to do these things again, but then I think oh after I heal and then after I recover from all that sleep deprivation of having a newborn and oh yeah, when the baby isn't sleeping in my arms or nursing. I know it will be an adjustment but we'll figure all this stuff out eventually. I'm just already feeling badly that I may break some of these promises.

And I just can't end on that negative note because, oh my goodness are we all excited to have a new little baby in the house. To squeeze that little peanut and kiss baby toes and fingers and watch him sleep and yawn-yay! The bean has already professed her love for this little guy and has so many plans for what she plans to teach him and what they'll play together and how much she can't wait to help change diapers. Also, the upside to being so overdue? We are so ready! We are working through the things on the to do list that I thought we wouldn't have time to finish. So yay for that! (And please come soon, peanut!)

40 weeks

The peanut's due date was two days ago and it seems that, like his sister, he's going to make us wait. I remember with the bean how, over those two weeks between her due date and her birth, we became more and more desperate to get labor started and avoid an induction.  I am really trying this time to be calm and patient and trust that the peanut will come in his own good time, but of course every day feels like an eternity when you're waiting for an overdue baby.

I've been feeling for days (weeks?) that the peanut could come any day.  I've been having lots of "practice" contractions that sometimes become regular and painful and then fade away for a few hours.  Its led to a few false alarms for us!  Part of the anxiety, I'm sure, is the conventional wisdom that second babies come early.  We were half expecting this peanut to arrive before his due date, so we've been on edge for weeks already now.

And, of course, the whole "being patient and letting the peanut come in his own time" thing will likely only last a couple more days before we start all of the natural labor induction techniques that we can think of.  We have been cleared to birth at the birth center, but we are not allowed to birth there after 42 weeks, so there's some urgency here.  Of course, it will all work out one way or the other.  I can't wait to see what day the peanut chooses for his birthday!

Belly belly belly

I know I've been remiss in posting belly pics, so I'm here to overwhelm you with a large number of pictures of me.  I also wanted to share the few maternity clothes that I've made, so I'm combining that here.



About maternity clothes--aren't they horrible?  I walked around for most of my pregnancy with the bean feeling frumpy in clothes that were way too big and unflattering.  I wanted to save money by buying clothes that would last me throughtout my pregnancy but they were all too big in my second trimester and you know what I've decided this time around?  There's nothing that looks flattering during the third trimester.  At least on me.  So this time around I bought just a few more fitted things that did not look like tents on me and sewed myself a couple things to fill in.

 

I bought the pattern for this top after seeing some really cute maternity versions online.  I decided to make a nursing top as a test in a size larger than I would normally wear.

This got me through the beginning of the second tri, but I'm also hoping the extra room will serve me well while I'm sporting some baby weight this winter.  These pictures are at 18 weeks.

The pattern for this dress is from Handmade Beginnings and is covering a 27 week belly.  I added a ruffle at the bottom because the hem started to feel immodest as the belly grew.  This dress also has a nursing panel, but there's so much fabric gathered at the front that I'm not sure I'll wear it much postpartem without taking it completely apart and reworking the skirt, which probably won't happen if I'm being honest.

I found this shirt on clearance and bought it a size bigger than I would normally wear. I just added a row of elastic under the bust and it was a super comfy top for the second trimester, but it didn't take long before my belly started peeking out of the bottom, as you can see in this shot from 29 weeks.

And here's the maternity version of the nursing top I made.  This top is a whopping three sizes larger than I would normally wear plus I added a few extra inches on the sides and to the front length to accomodate a belly. 

At first I thought it was too big, but I underestimated how big the belly could get, as you can see here at 32 weeks.

And finally, nothing homemade, but this is my favorite maternity top today at 39 weeks.  I really can't imagine getting any bigger--baby boy, please come soon!