Lennon’s Birth Story - FTM here!

My little girl was born on Sunday, July 14th (due date was July 18th) at 2:01pm weighing 7lbs 8oz and 20in long. ❤️

At 1:30am on Sunday, July 14th I was awoken with some cramping. It felt like light menstrual cramps. At 39+3 I was feeling very much done with being pregnant and getting more and more impatient with when she was going to arrive, and so when this cramping feeling came on I got quite excited! Although I had read so many stories of women’s contractions coming and going and not necessarily indicating active labour, so I was trying not to feel too optimistic. However, when 6 or so minutes went by and I felt the same discomfort, I opened the contraction app I had downloaded and started to time them. For the next two hours (until about 3:30) the contractions were coming regularly every 5-7 minutes and lasting roughly 1.5 minutes each. I decided to have a bath to relieve the discomfort and try to relax. Over the next hour the contractions started to get closer together (less than 5 minutes apart and lasting 45 seconds to a minute long). I called the maternity ward at the hospital to get their thoughts on whether I should come in to get checked (I only live 2 minutes from the hospital). The nurse I spoke to said to come in and they would do an NST to check on baby. At 5:00am we arrived at the hospital and the NST monitor was put on. The contractions continued every 3 minutes and were becoming increasingly painful. At 6:30am my midwife arrived at the hospital and performed a cervical check. I was 2cm dilated but my cervix was still very high and posterior (tucked behind the baby’s head). Due to my contractions being so regular I was moved to a delivery room. Over the next couple hours the contractions were becoming incredibly painful and I knew I wanted the epidural. By 8:30am I was 4cm dilated and the contractions were strengthening. Baby was in occipital posterior position (her face upward - facing toward my left hip). 10:00am the epidural was placed (literally a lifesaver for me as the contractions had become excruciating). At 10:30am I was 6cm dilated and the epidural was doing its magic. I was actually able to relax at this point! My midwife said my waters were still very firm and intact and she suggested rupturing my membranes, which I agreed to. Upon breaking my water she discovered the baby had pooped and so she informed the on call OB and pediatrician so that they could be in the room for delivery as a precautionary measure. By 11:40am I was 8cm dilated and my cervix was finally starting to move from it’s posterior position behind the baby’s head and moving forward in preparation for delivery. Baby was still sunny side up. Come 1:30pm I was 10cm dilated and ready to start pushing. After a couple practice pushes the OB performed a cervical check to see what position baby was in. She had moved to occipital anterior (face down)! Yay. After 41 minutes of pushing and some concerning moments of losing baby’s heartbeat on the monitors, Lennon arrived into the world at 2:01pm. She is the perfect addition in making us a family of three and we are thrilled she chose us. 🥰

Just born!

3 days old