I’ll start at the beginning.
Honestly, we didn’t really want another baby after Henry was born.
He was so sweet, compliant, and never really caused any trouble. We were afraid that having another baby would throw off the balance.
However, Henry started acting a bit more human around age 3 so we decided that we really wanted more children, as well as siblings for him.
We were so pleased when we became pregnant just a few months after “trying”. As you probably know, my husband travels a lot, so our window of opportunity each month is a bit slimmer than if he were home every night.
Anyhow, I had just begun to get my abs back – here is a pic of us on the beach just a week before we found out we were pregnant!
When we got back, my stomach was so soft, I figured it was due to eating waaaay too much seafood…when it acutally meant that my body was already changing, shifting, growing.
It was really exciting, and then I got sick. Like, sicker than sick. I woke up nauseous every morning and threw up at least once a day from week 7-23. Honestly, going through a natural birth wasn’t near as intimidating as the prospect of that sickness.
I had already committed to running merch for the girl my husband plays music with for 6 weeks that summer, including a trip to Peru. Needless to say, I had to get on medication. I was very reluctant, for obvious reasons, but I was literally puking all over north and south america, barely able to function, even while on the meds. The medicine helped a bit, but it was truly so miserable.
Once home, I was able to rest more which helped, but it also wasn’t nearly as distracting as being gone, so I almost thought about it more.
Poor Henry became even more independent than ever as I was completely laid out, sick as a dog, and Hank was gone most of the time. I started pouring our milk into smaller jars so he would be able to get breakfast for himself, and every morning he would watch at least one movie. I worried about him but it was just short term, I had to keep reminding myself.
We finally went to my parent’s house for 3 weeks just so Henry would have someone to play with and more one-on-one time than I was able to offer him. It was during this time that I got sick with food poisoning, and discovered Stomach Rescue by recommendation of my sister…which has become an absolute must-have for our family!
So, finally, at around 23 weeks, the nausea subsided, and I was so excited that I started doing everything I had dreamt about doing during those long 16 weeks.
I rented a Rug-Doctor and shampooed all of our rugs.
I detailed the car.
I raked up 12 massive bags of leaves from our front yard.
I started working out.
I stayed up late, I went to the park, I went out with friends…
I pushed it too hard, and started having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions around 26 weeks. I had these with Henry but not to this extent. At 30 weeks I had a few days where I had 20 or more in just a few hours.
Right before going on bed-rest
I went to my midwife, scared out of my mind one Sunday night, and she checked me and the baby. I was dilated to a 2, 50% effaced…yikes.
We ended up doing a bunch of tests at her referring OBGYN that next morning that I will refuse in the future. A $500 fetal fibronectin test that, turns out, didn’t affect their diagnosis. A trans-vaginal ultrasound to check the baby (these are really invasive and actually can make pre-labor symptoms worse).
I know enough now about how I carry my babies to have decided to not do these tests in the future, should I have pre-term labor symptoms again.
Ok, so anyhow, I was put on TOTAL bed rest at 30 weeks.
When I say total, I mean, total. Like, I wasn’t allowed to get up for any reason other than to go to the bathroom…and they even suggested a bed-pan. Lying down meant on my side, flat, not reclined for more than a few minutes.
I found some creative ways to play with Henry during this time.
This game was called “see how long it takes Miles to kick the toy off Mama’s belly”
I found creative ways to play with Henry while on bed-rest!
I also was given a blood pressure medication to take if the contractions became stronger. Knowing what I know now, I will be taking Carry On, an herbal remedy, instead if I need it this time…I really regret not knowing of some better alternatives to the medications during my pregnancy with Miles, but we are all just learning, right?
So, my sweet mom moved in.
Hank was smack dab in the middle of a 3 month long tour that goes all over the country.
For someone who is used to being up early, working all day long, being productive, doing everything for myself, etc. bed rest was torture.
I felt useless, and really struggled with depression.
After the first week, Hank came home and surprised me with all of this in our bedroom.
I know, he bought me junk food….
Let’s just say he, Netflix, and HuluPlus saved me during this time. Even holding a book strained me to the point of causing contractions, so I was pretty limited in what I could do. I watched a lot of adventure shows…people rock climbing, white water rafting, skydiving, etc…I even watched some work-out videos! Living vicariously through these folks I guess.
Hank’s mom took a 2 week shift, and then my mom was back for the last few weeks.
Because Miles is a white male, my midwives really wanted me to make it to 37-38 weeks before taking me off bed-rest. White males have the “wimpiest” of all baby lungs and so are usually more compromised if born early.
So, at 37 weeks I was taken off bed-rest, but ordered to take it easy.
We even went to the zoo one day while Hank had a quick break.
At the Zoo, about a week before Miles was born. I was SO excited to be out of the house!
Hank came home on a Monday night, when Miles was 38 1/2 weeks gestation.
That night, we did all of the “natural” stuff you can do to get labor started. Our midwife assured us that these wouldn’t force labor if he wasn’t ready as my body had really calmed down from the bed rest.
We prayed that Miles would be born that week, as Hank had lined someone up to fill in for him.
The next morning, February 28 at 9:15am Hank and I went to the birth center for a check up.
Not thinking that Miles would be close to being born (Henry was born on his due date), left him home with my mom, who had come back to Dallas just in case.
My wonderful midwife checked me and said “Oh! you aren’t going anywhere! You’re at a 5!”
With my midwife, Sheree.
Really? A 5? I guess since I had been having contractions since 26 weeks my body had grown so used to them I didn’t realize that I was in the beginning stages of labor!
She sent us down stairs to do some more natural stuff to get labor going…I’ll spare you the details…
At this point we called mom, who coordinated with our friend Stephen, who came to the birth center, picked up the carseat, and took over watching Henry so that my mom could come and be with us.
By the time she got there we were back outside walking.
I had expected labor to pick up like it did with Henry at this point, but it didn’t seem to change much. However, my midwife predicted that he would be born about an hour later at 1pm.
So, I put on a super sexy adult diaper, my cute little stretchy pants and tennis shoes, and Hank, Mom, and I continued power walking all over the little park that sits next to the birth center. The birthing assistant would come out periodically and check Miles’ heart rate and my blood pressure from time to time.
I had a few big contractions, but Hank kept me laughing through most of them. About 45 minutes later we went back in, expecting to have progressed, but we couldn’t believe when she told me that I was already at a 9!
I had actually gone through most of transition in the park without even realizing it!
This is one of my favorite things about natural birth – I was able to move around, out in the fresh air, at a beautiful park through the worst part of labor! I was really relaxed and distracted so that the pains didn’t seem that bad!
I had planned to deliver in the tub, like I had done with Henry but we didn’t even have time to fill it up!
I labored standing, leaning on the bed for a few minutes, and then got on the bed when it was time to push. I was able to do whatever felt natural and the most comfortable during my entire labor.
I only had to push for about 15 minutes, slowing it down intentionally to avoid tearing. Pushing was more painful than I rememberd with Henry, but didn’t last long.
My midwife, mom, Hank, and the birthing assistant were so encouraging, and none of them ever left my side from beginning to end. They kept telling me how great I was doing, and I couldn’t believe when they said that one more push and he would be out!
At 1:25pm Miles was born. 8 lbs 6oz, 21 inches long, and perfect.
Hank “caught” him, which is such a funny term to me, considering they don’t come shooting out of there. But I love that his daddy was the first one to touch him.
Miles was immediately placed on my chest for that wonderful, magical, skin-to-skin contact between baby and mother.
My husband, the first person to ever hold our baby.
I required some stitches, but not like what I had with Henry’s birth.
I was given a few advil, and then took a bath with my new baby.
My mom picked up a big hearty breakfast of an omelette and french toast (I mean, I had worked up a serious appetite!). Hank, Miles and I all crawled back into the freshly made king bed where I had delivered our sweet baby just an hour before, and snuggled together as a family.
The midwife did a few little tests on Miles, filled out paperwork, and then left us alone to rest together.
We didn’t feel the need for a lot of the things that they do routinely for newborns like the vitamin K shot (this has a lot of alcohol and has been linked to jaundice as it can overload the liver of such a little baby), the Hep B shot (since I know that I am negative, there is no need for such a strong vaccine to be given to my newborn), the erythromycin gel for the eyes, etc. So we simply signed the necessary waivers to refuse these things.
It was so special having mom there for Miles’ birth, as she had been for Henry’s.
Stephen brought Henry to the birth center a few hours later to meet his brother for the first time. It was absolutely precious.
Just a few hours after Miles was born – at the birth center.
6 hours after giving birth, we went home.
With my birth assistant, Debbie, who gave me a back rub as Hank loaded up the car to go home.
We actually stopped at Whole Foods on the way home for a smoothie.
I got to sleep in my own bed the same day I delivered Miles.
He was swaddled and cozy with rice socks propping him up on his side in a pack-n-play next to the bed.
Henry wanted Miles to have his toys, and so had put them in there for him before we got home. So sweet, but we took them out after Henry went to bed.
Hank and my mom took turns every 3 hours helping me with him. They would wake him up, change his diaper, give him to me to nurse, and then put him back. We also checked his temperature regularly.
I LOVED being snuggled next to my husband that night. I haven’t ever been admitted to the hospital, but I can’t imagine enjoying being there more than my own home.
The whole experience was just as incredible as with Henry, but with less worry. I remember going to sleep that night, praising God for our new little one, thanking Him for a safe delivery, for a healthy baby.
The next morning was gorgeous, so we spent some time resting in the mild morning sun together…
I hope that each of you who desire to, will get to experience this miracle one day.
live well. be well.
