To the little boy who came fast, furious, and in five hours.
Leading up to Levi's arrival, I had Braxton hicks off and on for about a week. Super inconsistent and nothing timable, but I knew these Braxton hicks were prepping my body for what was to come.
On February 17th, around 3 am I had some trouble getting comfortable. SPD pain was my unwelcome constant companion this pregnancy and nearing the end of my pregnancy, turning from side to side was a full body effort. I was a little restless but we had a full day ahead in the morning that consisted of the Little Gym with Lucas and grocery shopping. A half marathon for a pregnant lady. So I tossed but eventually fell back asleep.
A little before 6 am I felt 3 small surges, what felt very much like spaced-out contractions. I rolled over and looked at my clock to check the time and wobbled over to the bathroom to see if that would bring some sort of relief just in case this was false labor. After using the restroom, I had 2 more contractions that were timeable again. I pulled out my contraction timer sent by my doula, Whitney, and timed. 7 minutes apart for 40 seconds. This was the exact timeframe that my midwives had let me know to give them a call. I texted my doula the link to see my contractions live and let her know that if these contractions continued, I'd give her a call by 7 am.
With all of my movement, I woke up Caio and let him know that I was feeling some contractions. "Well I'm awake now," he said. He started to wake himself up in the bathroom and I just laid on my side timing these small surges. I eventually got up and brushed my teeth and with the small movement around my bathroom, contractions got a little more intense and closer together. Caio had made the call to let his parents know that they needed to come over shortly to pick up Lucas.
7 am came and things were very steady. I laid back down on the bed and called my midwives and let them know that contractions were here and in the magical window of "let's get ready to head to the birth center." Jenn, the midwife on call and specific midwife for me since Levi was breech, told me to head over to the birth center to see where things were at. We agreed on a 9 am arrival since we were still waiting on my in-laws and travel time. I called my doula and let her know of the same info and she gave a stamp of approval on the plan and to let her know if things intensify. I was in a cool, calm, and collected headspace and knew this was only the beginning and would be here for a while.
Or at least I thought.
Caio began to pack our things for the birth center and I came downstairs for a cup of coffee and to help. I remember grabbing our refrigerated snacks, putting them in our grocery bag, and then feeling some cramping that I wanted to lie down for. My in-laws were officially in route and Caio was prepping a bowl of oatmeal for me to eat on the way to the birth center. So my final step was to shower.
What was supposed to be a quick 5-minute shower intensified to a 15-minute shower because contractions built up and built up fast. I would have a contraction, and go on my hands and knees to find relief. Get up to continue to shower. And then have another one 3 minutes later. My cool, calm, and collected self when into ouch, these are starting to hurt. My in-laws had arrived while I was showering and heard me from downstairs. They sent Caio up multiple times to check on me. By the second check-up from Caio, my ow, ow, ow, turned into those groans of deep and low breathing. We needed to leave and leave ASAP.
I came downstairs to greet my in-laws and love on my sweet firstborn one last time as an only child. A moment I wish I could've lingered, but I knew that it just wasn't in the cards. I put on my sneakers, knelt by our coffee table, and had a contraction. Then I knelt on the ground and kissed my little Lucas all over his smiley face, stood up, and had a second contraction. I was getting pushed out the door - quite literally.
We left for the birth center and I called my doula to fill her in on contractions intensifying and that we were on our way. About 2 minutes into our conversation, I had a contraction with her and she went into full doula mode to coach me and said "Alright, I'm getting my things and headed your way!"
If you're a momma reading this, you know that being in labor in a car is probably the most annoying and frustrating moment. My contractions had increased to 2-3 minutes apart and I couldn't move to my hands and knees. For the 20-minute drive there it was have a contraction, take a bite of oatmeal, and have another contraction.
We arrived at the birth center at 9 am and I hobbled up the stairs to the front porch of our birth center. At the very top, yup, you guessed it, contraction. Bent over, I groaned so loud that the student midwife, Sharel, who was prepping our room came out to soothe me and graciously brought me inside. We made it to the bed and we prepped for my cervix to be checked. My one and only time during this entire pregnancy.
Our midwife, Jenn, arrived shortly after us exclaiming that she had arrived and that I could have a baby now! She went into action and had me use the restroom and get rid of the leggings I would not be needing for the remainder of this time. I was checked by Sharel and she said "I don't feel any cervix at all and feel her amniotic sac." I had arrived at the birth center right as I was transitioning to 10 cm!
Even though I was about fully dilated, my midwives let me call the shots and let me labor as this momma needed to labor. For about an hour, but felt like an eternity, I labored on my hands and knees on the bed while my doula and team of 4 total midwives on call began to arrive. Applying counter pressure, working with some positioning, and coaching me to go low in my groans so I would aid the descension of my son. Worship music was playing in the background, but I was fully in the moment of regret, aka transition. My doula then offered for me to go into the tub and it was a sweet sweet relief. Still intense, but so much more manageable in between. But I was ready for our sweet boy to arrive.
At 10:10 am, I felt the urge to push and my body was responding to the pressure and pushing completely on its own. "I'M PUSHING!" I exclaimed to the entire room. Though my eyes were closed, I heard lots of feet scuttling near me. Through a handful of contractions, I attempted to bring down Levi. At 10:25 am, my water broke and it was just me and Levi with the watchful aid of our birthing team. Through my attempts to push in the water, I would feel him descend with a contraction and then come right back to ground zero after the contraction was over.
"Abigail, we're going to let try one more time in the water, but if we're not seeing the progress we'd hope to see, we're going to get out of the water and try a different position. This might bring a more optimal position for you to push." I knew Jenn was right. And sure enough, after one more contraction, Levi tried to descend but came right back up.
We slowly got out of the tub and towels were all over me to dry me off along with comforting words that a contraction would greet me as I got out. I crawled onto the bed and went to my hands and knees and had maybe one contraction, but I suddenly felt this maternal instinct to turn. Mid-contraction, I flipped into a makeshift side-lying/back position and threw my foot in the air begging that the midwives knew what I was attempting to do. A midwife held my foot to offer counterpressure and Caio moved to my head securing my arms.
For the next 11 minutes, the most guttural and intense screams came out of my mouth. (so much so that my throat was scratchy for 2 days). Levi was "rumping" and making his little booty first entrance. After his little booty arrived, his full body came up to his shoulders resting on the bed in a complete breech position. I felt like my womb was empty but had his little arms and head left. With the guidance of Jenn, Sharel, and a small shoulder maneuver of Levi, he came at 10:51 am.
Right into my arms and within a second a loud exclamation of life immediately came -- a huge sigh of relief and prayer with this breech delivery. Our second little son was here and he came exactly how he needed to come.
I was filled with relief, thankfulness, and awe. He was a healthy little man and the Lord was not surprised by how he arrived. And the Lord showed up in big ways for me, my son, and our family.
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