Labor with Logan

In the early hours on one warm summer morning,I sleepily climbed back into bed after using the restroom. I got my baby belly situated and was almost back asleep when I heard the sound of a big bubble popping. I thought "Was that my water breaking?....." In that moment, I glanced at the clock. It was 4:30 am and my sheets were starting to get soaked. Yep, I heard my water break. As the water flowed, I laid my hand on my husband, Carl's chest. He startled awake quickly and I informed him "My water just broke." He sleepily replied "Nuh-huh" in disbelief. "I need towels quickly..." I was calm and matter of fact. He leapt out of bed and hit the floor running. I couldn't believe it was finally happening! I had been having prodromal labor for so long. In fact, just a mere 6 hours earlier, in sheer desperation, I was asking my friend about her prodromal labor... hoping for some sort of sign that my baby would be coming sooner rather than later. 

While Carl scrambled to find towels, I was excited yet calm. I had been waiting nine months for this. I called my mom, hoping she remembered to sleep with her phone on since she was Luke's caregiver while I would be laboring...She answered sleepily. 

"Guess what!" I chirped. I couldn't hold my smiles back. She became alert in an instant and asked "It's time?!" She said she would head over to spend the remainder of the night with Luke. Then, I texted my doula, Amy. 

I told Carl we (read: he) should go close Luke's bedroom door so the commotion didn't wake him. As Carl tiptoed through the kitchen, he locked eyes with a sleepy tot who was stumbling his way to mommy and daddy's bedroom. Half awake, Luke's eyes widened when his daddy informed him that today was the day his baby brother, Logan, would be born. Luke's face lit up like it was Christmas morning. He was finally going to become a big brother! He's waited his whole (nearly) four years for this day!

Here is Luke hugging me before leaving with my mom. 
I wanted him around but I knew he couldn't handle seeing me in pain, so a short goodbye was necessary.
My mom came in and hugged and kissed me and asked me to call her when I get close to push time if I was able.

As I labored and told my doula she could wait a bit before heading over, I was timing my contractions. Two minutes apart. Just as Luke's contractions began nearly four years ago. I mentally prepared to do this, med-free, for the next (minimum) 12 hours. Because you plan for what you know, and a long labor was what I knew from having my first son. 

Amy arrived an hour and fifteen minutes later, per my request, and I told her I needed to get to the hospital. She stalled me as long as she could. I labored at home for as long as I felt appropriate, which was approximately two and a half hours total. Contractions were growing in intensity. I kept reminding myself the contractions can't take over me because they ARE me. Every contraction was bringing me closer to meeting my baby. My eye was on my prize. I didn't want to be in intense labor in my car and on the road, so I insisted we head to Labor and Delivery. So, I worked up the energy to get in the car. I had to stop to breathe through contractions three times between my bedroom and my garage, and another two times inside the garage. The sun was barely up and I wondered if any neighbors were onlooking as I waddled and breathed deep in my floral nightgown, with a mess of towels wedged between my knees. I could barely keep my eyes open. The sensations of the contractions had me in a woosey and altered state of mind. I felt drugged.

I reclined my seat and laid on my left side. The drive to the hospital felt more than fifteen minutes. Upon arriving, the area to park for laboring mom's was roped off with detour signs. Carl put the blinker on as he prepared to follow the detour, but I insisted he continue straight ahead to get me through the hospital doors. "I can't, it's roped off." He told me. 

"Drive through it!" I barked. Alas, we ended up virtually circling the entire hospital and running over approximately a thousand speed bumps to get where we needed to go. 

Once we arrived, Carl let me out at the building while he went to park the car. Amy went in with me. She pushed me in a wheelchair to the Labor and Delivery floor. Trying to "check in," I couldn't fill out the paperwork they handed me. I just could not open my eyes. Amy started filling it out while Carl was parking the car. I couldn't open my eyes; I couldn't walk. Finally Carl joined us. The nurse asked me to go use the triage restroom but still, I simply could not open my eyes and walk. Once she realized I indeed could not walk, she opened up the closest room. It was about six feet from where I sat. She began clapping her hands telling me to walk to the room with her. She was clapping to try to wake me, but I felt drugged and sedated even though I didn't have anything in me. Carl came to my side and picked me up (literally) and basically carried me as I shuffled my feet alongside his. I couldn't let go, with my arms around his neck. I kept feeling like I would surely just fall asleep right there. I was deep within my mind working this medicine free birth plan, doing my best to tune out the outside nuisances and focus on bringing my baby down. 

Here's a photo of my darling rock.

He's amazing.

It was 7:00 am, just two and a half hours since my water had broken. The nurses checked my dilation and let me know I was at 6 centimeters, which I was extremely happy about. I was worried I would be at a 2 or 3, and I would have a long hard labor like I did with Luke. A 6cm dilation was something I could handle. The nurse told me a centimeter an hour is to be expected. So I mentally prepared for another 4-5 hours of laboring. The next thirty minutes brought on contractions that had me taking deep breaths but also moaning uncontrollably. I couldn't stand to have my legs adjusted and I only wanted to be on my left side. I kept breathing through contractions. The nurse tried to start an IV and missed my vein. I couldn't have cared less. I continued breathing and moaning. After thirty minutes of deep breaths, a flash of doubt danced across my mind. Amy reminded me I am already doing this. I tried to hunker down mentally and regain my focus. Within moments, everything changed. At exactly 7:59am, I knew it. I said "He's coming right now, I have to push!....Right! Now!" I felt the need to have someone lift my right leg and help me rotate from my left side to my back. Amy and Carl both helped me. 

Amy stood quietly next to me, not doubting that I knew my body more than the nurses could. Filled with skepticism, the nurse was asked by Amy to check my dilation. As she snapped her latex glove against her wrist, the nurse very calmly said "Let me check your cervix..." 

"He's coming now!" I insisted. The nurse checked my progress.

Her eyes grew wide as she suddenly realized the urgency of the situation, and she yelled "get the labor bed! Call the doctor!" 
I got excited knowing that I would soon be holding my sweet Logan.
She then asked me if I was comfortable on my back or if I wanted to change positions. I told her I needed to be on my back. (There were no other options in my mind. My hips and legs weren't going to move much!) 
I looked up at Carl who had tears in his eyes and he hugged me tightly. I mentally prepared for an hour and a half of pushing like I did with Luke. 

I moaned and took deep breaths. I didn't want to push hard, but rather breathe my baby out. Slow and steady with small, gentle pushes. The doctor said she could see Logan's eyebrows, and asked me to give another push. He was almost out! I only pushed and breathed for a total of four minutes when my bright pink baby boy was placed on my chest while wailing his little lungs out! 

Welcome to this world, Logan.
7 pounds, 12 ounces.

LOOK WHO HAS ARRIVED!
And look at the happy daddy (below)!

We are so happy to meet this little baby!

He is just gorgeous.

I love him so much.

LOVE

Yes, I was "a little" emotional.

We did it baby!

Look at my little pink baby!

Ignore the time on the photo below because it is incorrect.

Daddy and a bundled up baby Logan.

This is Amy, our doula.

She was amazing.

First selfie of mama and Logan

Logan is now ready to meet his BFF... the big brother!

Luke came bounding in and after washing his hands, he was eager to get his four year old hands on that baby!
"Give him to me!" he demanded.
I should mention that Luke had never ever held a baby in his life, but was completely confident to do so.
I did have to request he not walk around while holding Logan though.

Luke hopped up in bed with me and asked me in a whispered voice, "Where's that fire thing?"

(His pacifier.)

Here is Momau holding baby Logan for the first time!

Couple of proud boys!

Look at that beautiful baby!

Logan nursed like a champ from the get go.

"Feed me da da!"

See this picture below?

It's my heart, in a puddle.
Otherwise known as my two babies loving each other.

Look at that precious and proud smile.

First family photo.

 

Daddy and Luke are inspecting baby Logan.

When Luke spoke, Logan opened his eyes.
Logan would jump around inside my tummy at the sound of Luke's voice.
So I'm sure he wanted to see who he was listening to for the last nine months. Hello, brother!

Logan opened his eyes to see Luke when mom was holding him as well.

Feeling comfy.

My world!

 Hello, little one!

You are so beautiful!

Look at his little lip!

He is so cute!!!

It's official.
I'm in love.

Austin came later in the day to meet the baby.

Daddy talking to Logan while Logan was looking around the room.
He was so alert!

I sure wish they made hospital beds larger so we could both comfortably lay in here together!

I came across this on my Facebook news feed from my doula.
She's referring to Logan.

Logan's labor was so incredibly different than Luke's labor. I couldn't believe it. Start to finish in 3.5 hours (compared to 20 hours with Luke). My doula told me that was a record for her clients. She's never had such a fast birth. After being in so much pain over the past several weeks, dealing with hyperemesis gravidarum, gall stones, a parking lot fall, and pelvic symphisis disfunction.... pregnancy had come to an end. And unlike my recovery with Luke, my recovery with Logan has been a walk in the park. I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the strength and blessing of a safe and quick labor, and to be recovering so smoothly already. God is great, and life is good!