Positive natural hospital birth

37+4

4th time mom

5 hours of labor

6 lbs 5 oz, 20 inches, 31cm head

What I did to prep: ate 6 mejool dates a day starting at 36w, drank rrl tea at random but I had irritable uterus so I didn’t stick to it very well. Lots of yoga and walking. Spinning babies and miles circuit because he was sitting LOP (which I think is how he was born)

Backstory: my last two babies were preemies as a result of a placental abruption due to an immune reaction to my pregnancies. So this pregnancy, I was on progesterone, zyrtec and baby aspirin to try to prevent that from happening again. I was going to be induced next week because each week you continue, that risk goes up considerably. I started having intense itching which, for me, was a sign my placenta was being attacked. Still came a little early but everything went absolutely the best it could!

So I just had an appt yesterday where I was only 1cm dilated and 50% effaced. My cervix was very posterior. I was supposed to be induced next Monday so I was a bit disappointed to hear that as it wasn’t favorable for a planned sweep this upcoming Friday, and if there were no changes, then not for induction either. I really wanted to go into labor on my own before being induced and it really didn’t look like that would happen.

Well after my appt, I got a big burst of energy, cut the grass, shampood the carpets, etc. I was STARVING and broke my gallbladder diet to eat a half a pizza with jalapeños and extra cheese.

I went to bed with a burning in my lower back that I attributed to everything I was doing. Had a few irregular contractions but my uterus was actually really peaceful compared to the last couple of weeks of prodromal labor.

A few minutes before 4 am, I woke to a strong contraction. Then came another, then another. Then I had an upset stomach, both ends 🥴 so I figured it was more stomach/intestinal pains from breaking my diet. I tried to go back to sleep but had already woken my 2 year old up with my in and out of bed and groans.

Around 530am I decided that dad needed to take our 2 year old out of the house so I could have some peace and take a bath.

I was in the bath for about 2 hours and everything was picking up in intensity. So then I called my OB and she told me to come in. Then I did my hair so it would be out of my face, and my makeup. Moved the bags outside, made sure my 2 year old had everything he needed set up and easily accessible for big sisters and grandma to take care of him.

Then I finally texted my partner and let him know it was time to go in. I waited and waited and waited…no response. Well my son fell asleep in the car so my partner closed his eyes for a minute too. So he didn’t see my message until about a half hour later and he was 20 minutes away. Now I started panicking as things were getting really intense.

I called my mom and talked to her for a bit while waiting because I needed someone to distract me through the contractions so that’s what she did while she drove (from 4 hours away 😂)

Finally my partner got there, handed our 2 year old off to my daughter, and we zoomed out of there…just to sit in traffic.

The last ten minutes of the drive, I started shaking hard. I knew it was going to be over and didn’t want my water breaking on the leather seats 😂 I could feel baby descending (baby was using his feet to push himself down!) and did NOT think I was making it. We got there, and the covid check in station told me to take a seat because there were 5 people in line ahead of me. I walked right past them to labor and delivery 😂 while my partner went to park the car.

An amazing nurse from a different department stopped me and used a random rolling desk chair to push me to l&d and helped me breathe through contractions.

She handed me off to a nurse there then and I got admitted immediately.

I was there maybe 5 minutes when my doctor walked in and then my water broke. I was shaking so hard at this point and so ANGRY 😅 I said several times that I wanted to be done and go, I didn’t want to do it anymore. I’ve never felt so angry during labor before. I FaceTimed my mom then so she could be a part of it.

My OB was awesome and tough loved me, too late now, push through the contractions instead of getting mad!

Next contraction my body overwhelmed me with the need to push. Then I had my bloody show. Pushing was so painful this time that I was sure I was tearing. Another contraction hit and my body turned into an animal pushing. The head came out, the shoulders took another push and then he slipped right out. 20 minutes after getting to the hospital 🥴 pushing HURT this time worse than any of my others. I didn’t want to do it and repeatedly told them I didn’t want to and I was done. I asked the OB if he was positioned poorly and she told me she didn’t check that, but then, before the next contraction, told me she wanted me to try a different position to try to rotate baby. It was too late at that point as the next contraction was hitting and that’s the one he was born with.

I was on all 4’s so they handed him to me through my legs and I brought him right up to my chest and cuddled him in, checking to see if my newest babe was a boy or a girl!! The placenta delivered smoothly and for the first time out of 4 babies, no hemorrhaging. Dad was dumbfounded and pretty much just stood there taking pictures and videos because he was NOT prepared for things to go so rapidly, and this was the first birth he had ever seen!

He stayed on my chest for an hour and a half on and off the breast before they did the newborn checks and vitamin k shot. Then right back to my breast. He’s been there since he was born at 9:08 am on 9/8!!

He’s very tiny at 6 lbs 5 oz (ultrasound just yesterday put him at nearly 7 lbs). 20 inches and a bitty 31cm head that did NOT feel that small.

I am sore and having a lot of after birth pains but doing really well!

Jaxon Rei is bruised from his speedy entrance but just the picture of perfection!!

My last baby and oh so loved already.

We are home after just 24 hours and big brother has met him! They’re in love 💙💙💙