COVID-19... what a crazy time to live in. I wasn’t able to go to any birth classes, get one on one support from a lactation consultant other than in the hospital. I read books and articles to try to prepare but honestly, not having a birth plan and only knowing the basics actually helped me. I just went with it.

Not being able to have family in the room with me was actually kind of devastating though. I was only allowed one person. And that person couldn’t leave to have someone else come in to see me.

8:00am April 23rd 2020... I was rolling around in bed, still tired because I was 34w6d pregnant and sleeping is hard. Around 10:00am, I rolled onto my right side to cuddle up with my body pillow and bam, I felt like I was one of those women you see in the movies when her water breaks. I felt a pop, which made me go on all fours on the bed and scoot out. As soon as I stood up, fluid every where. I knew I didn’t pee that much!! I immediately called the dr. My doctors office is only a mile or two away. But the hospital I had to deliver at is an hour away. There was no doctor in the office that Thursday. They wanted me to go to labor and delivery. My boyfriend and father of the baby was working 400 miles away (this is common as he travels for work all the time). I called him. He calmed me down enough to start packing my bags. I had the diaper bag packed, but mine... I was procrastinating lol. Then, I had to interrupt my moms zoom meeting for her students. She had to take me. So her and my dad head to my house a few miles away and we leave for the hour drive. My boyfriend was packing his tools, then heading to the hotel to get his things. We were definitely having a baby. At around noon I checked into my room. 3cm dilated. He has a 6 hour drive. I’m going to slowly progress naturally. All the while, my mom and dad are waiting in the parking lot, for him for 6 hours just to give him the car seat. They couldn’t come in. I was heartbroken. I wanted them there but the universe had other plans. Just after 6 pm, him and I are reunited. It felt good. By this time contractions got more powerful and painful. I opted for the epidural. The nurses had to snag an anesthesiologist between c-sections for me. After the epidural, life was great! No pain, just pressure and numbness. Around midnight or just shortly after, baby technically made it to 35 weeks. This is good they wanted me to wait to ensure less time in the NICU. Along comes 1:00am April 24th. We decide it’s time to “practice” pushing. Yeah right. If they tell you this,.... your ready to have that baby! I pushed for four contractions, three pushes each time. Our baby boy (we did not know the gender) was born at 1:29am. I got to hold him for a brief moment and they took him to the NICU. He had 9 toes which we did not know about from anatomy scans. But he is the most perfect little boy ever. He stayed in the NICU for 3 full days and had to be sent home on a biliblanket for his jaundice levels. Ended up being taken off of that three days later. For being 5 weeks early, he was so healthy. The only trouble we are having is latching for breastfeeding. But I’m pumping to give him the good stuff along with higher calorie formula. He was 5lbs 7oz. And by a weeks and a half he was 5lbs 10oz. I’ve never felt a love like this and I am super happy with my birth experience.

That’s my little 3 weeks old!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️