Skywalker joined our family on April 28th, 2015 at 9:46pm after just over 2 short hours of labor. Weighing 8 pounds and 20.75 inches long. We are so excited about our family growing by one and have loved every minute with our new little boy.
On Tuesday, April 28th at about 7:30pm I started to loose my mucus plug and contractions immediately began. I called my doula, who happened to already be on her way to our house to bring me a yoga ball and a peanut to try to help encourage me to progress some, and told her I believe it is baby time. She said she had everything she needed in her car already and ready to stay if it is in fact time. She arrived to our house about 25 minutes later. During which time, I was having fairly consistent contractions at about 3-5 minutes apart, but not very intense. Once my doula arrived she had me sit on the yoga ball and showed me a couple things I could do to help with labor and help to hopefully progress me along. So I sat on the ball for a bit, until contractions started to come on a bit stronger. She then had me lay on the couch and hug the peanut ball. She, my mom, and C all helped to put pressure on my back to help me through the contractions that were still consistent and coming on a bit stronger. Eventually, got to the point where I was ready to head to the hospital, but made sure to enjoy an apple before we headed out the door. Knowing that as soon as we entered the hospital, I would not be allowed to eat. Something I learned the hard way when I delivered Marshmallow.
So we got everything gathered and headed to the cars. At this point the contractions we taking my breath away and making me stop to get through them. It was definitely time to go. So we got Marshmallow in the car and everything else in the cars. My mom was going to drive Marshmallow in the car, while I drove with C in the truck. Well the truck was on empty. So I ended up going in the car with my mom. I think much to C's relief, as he was nervous about not knowing what to say or do to help me through the contractions on the way to the hospital. My doula led the way in her car to the hospital. My mom following her. And C trailing behind as he stopped to put a little gas in the truck. C eventually caught up to us and followed the rest of the way to the hospital.
We were in the car less than 5 minutes when my water broke. And it BROKE. Not just a leak or trickle. It gushed. Immediately followed by really strong contractions that were coming quicker and quicker. I could no longer focus enough to keep tracking with my phone, for when they were happening. I needed to focus on getting through the contractions as we sped our way to the hospital. And I mean we sped all the way to the hospital. I got to a point, when we were still several minutes away from the hospital, where I felt the desperate need to push. My mom kept telling me to focus and pant. Sternly telling me, "DO NOT PUSH, PANT LIKE A DOG." I kept trying to follow and breath out the contractions and pant. Trying to not push. It took everything in me to not give birth to Skywalker in the car. I gave my mom quite the exciting car ride all the way to the hospital. Thankfully, we did make it to the hospital without me giving birth in the car or on the side of the road!
We finally got to the hospital and parked. I raced off to the maternity entrance with C and my doula following me. Honestly not sure how I was able to power walk to get inside with the contractions, but I managed to do so and do so quickly. While my mom got Marshmallow out of the car. We raced into registration and told them that this baby was coming and coming NOW! I felt like they just calmly moved along and were not really getting the seriousness of the situation at first. They quickly walked me back to triage room with C in tow. I could only have one person in triage with me, so my mom and my doula stayed in the waiting area with Marshmallow. Back in triage, the nurse told me to strip down and get on the bed. I quickly strip off the clothing as fast as I could, but just could not muster enough focus to get on the bed in the middle of the never ending contractions. I am honestly not sure how I was able to walk at this point period. The contractions and urge to push were so strong. She firmly told me that she could not catch the baby if I stayed where I was standing and she really needed me on the bed. So somehow, I got on that bed. The next contraction she told me wait and not to push. I fought through it and held off pushing. There was no holding on the next. I needed to push. And with that his head was out and she told me to hold again, as he was tangled in the cord. But I did not know this at the moment. I just could not hold pushing with the next contraction and Skywalker was born at 9:46pm minutes after walking into the hospital. Weighing 8 pounds even, 20.75 inches and absolutely perfect.
Skywalker entered our family with a bang! Definitely not the birth story I ever expected to share, but one that will be shared for years to come. In the end, I got pretty much the birth I was hoping for, minus the speed at which things occurred. I really wanted to try for a natural birth this time around and well there was not other option when all was said and done. My mom in the car commented about me not getting an epidural. I said well I may regret my wish for natural because it is definitely happening. But honestly, it was not awful at all. I never reached a point where I wanted drugs. I just really wanted to push while we were still in the car. Everything else I wanted was able to happen. They were able to do delayed cord clamping, give me immediate skin to skin time and allowed me to breastfeed within the first 20 minutes or so. I held off on pretty much everything else. I do wish my mom could have been in the room to witness the birth of one of her grandsons, but she was able to come into the room quickly after Skywalker was born. Overall, the birth happened just as I wanted. And the recovery was amazing. I felt amazing after he was born. It was a much better recovery this time around for me. I was up and walking around almost immediately. Could not ask for anything more. His birth story is perfect, sprinkled with a ton of excitement.
We ended up spending 2 nights in the hospital, as they wanted to monitor Skywalker. Because of his fast arrival, I was not given an antibiotic in time before he came. So they wanted to keep him for close to 48 hours after delivery, just to be safe. So we spent a couple days at the hospital. I was certainly ready to go by the time we finally got released.
Skywalker has been a wonderful addition to our family and hard to believe that he has been with us for two weeks now!
