Birth Story, Gender & Name Reveal

The thing about early labor contractions is that they can go on for weeks. 

Starting and stopping.

Teasing you, messing with your brain, driving you to go to the extremes like getting induced in a hospital! (That last part was certainly intended to be melodramatic.)

 But I knew. I knew it would be very soon. 

At 38 weeks and 5 days, I started feeling early labor contractions that kept me up for a few hours in the night- mostly because I was excited, as the pain was very minimal.

The next day, the contractions hadn’t let up. We were preparing to celebrate Andre’s birthday with our family that evening. I was preparing for something else as well…

All day I zipped around from the store to my parents house doing and getting things here and there. All the laundry I could possibly do was done, and my house was in as ship-shape of an order as I could get it (albeit, I knew that my mother-in-law was coming and would straighten up even more- I was tired at that point, okay?) and I finally felt at peace to have a baby. I knew it would be this night, the next, or the one after that, if I was pushing it (no pun intended). 

I ignored my contractions but Andre also thought we should time them, and for hours they were 10-15 minutes apart and fairly light. I would pause what I was doing to run and tell him another started and then when it stopped. Or I would give him a look across the room and he knew it meant another was here.

I never put my day on pause. I didn’t take it slow. I just went and went. 

I was also fully aware that the contractions could stop at any given moment, and didn't want myself and everyone else in a tizzy over me having contractions. 

Andre's birthday party was great! His parents took care of all of the food and decor, thankfully. 

Since Andre’s parents drove from a few hours away, we thought we’d milk our time with them and get some ice cream downtown.  

Unfortunately, our plans went awry as the key to my in-laws car had gone missing. For an hour they searched, and at last located the keys after breaking into the trunk with a wire coat hanger.

At this point, I had already removed the eager, excited-to-go-get ice cream babies from the car, given them baths and put them to sleep. 

Now I was putting myself to sleep. I was exhausted, although it was only 9:30ish, but I had skipped my regular nap and gone all day, non-stop. 

When the contractions stopped as I lay there, I was not too disappointed. I was glad for the chance to sleep! 

Not 30 minutes later, however, I felt a contraction. 

The contraction. 

Andre heard me vocalizing through it amidst the lively attempting-to-be-hushed Spanish conversation he was having with his parents in the living room. A few more contractions and he came to check on me. We both knew this was the real deal. I was already starting to feel shaky too. 

Shortly thereafter he texted our midwife to let her know that the contractions were a minute long and at most five minutes apart. 

Much of what happened next is a blur. I remember praying that the baby would arrive in the next 30 minutes. Then adding “30-40 minutes”, to be a little more realistic haha! 

I labored a lot in the bathroom. I didn’t want to be touched really. No noise, dim lighting. Standing was my position of choice. I moaned, hummed, and vocalized through the contractions. My mother and two sisters had arrived and my mama hung around the bathroom making sure I didn’t need anything. She brought me cold coconut water which has a certain je ne sais quoi when you’re experiencing the most excruciating pain- er, I mean, strongest sensations- of your life. It just hits different.

The birth tub was being filled by Andre and I assume my sisters were helping as well.

Although I knew I was near the end of labor, I was waiting for the panicked feeling of “I can’t do this anymore” as well as pressure in my bum to signify being ready to push.  

As soon as I started to feel that pressure (which, let’s be honest, just feels like you have to poop) I knew I needed a change. 

To the tub I went. 

The midwife hadn’t arrived yet, but I was SO ready to push and have this labor over with and my baby in my arms. 

Andre texted her that I felt like pushing and she said to do whatever I felt was necessary.

Pushing. That was necessary. 

The only photo I have from my birth. You're welcome.

How many times did I push? I can’t tell you. But it wasn’t many. For how long did I push? Again, I don’t know. Not long.

And I PUSHED.

I had to force myself to stop pushing between contractions because I wanted to barrel through and get it over with.  

I’m so glad my mama was there to remind me to breathe through pushing, as I was holding my breath and bearing down hard. 

I remember reaching down and feeling a tiny part of the top of the head. 

A few pushes later, the baby’s head was part way out when a contraction ended (very much pain, as you might imagine). I paused pushing to wait for the next contraction.

I remember thinking, “What if another contraction never comes?” Which is ridiculous, obviously. 

And then...

Oh the relief of that last push, when the baby slides the rest of their way out! 

I scooped the baby up out of the water and against my chest.

Found some more photos on Andre's phone hehe

 It didn’t take long for me to notice the gender- a boy! Our third boy! So I guess I’m a boy mom? Um how did that happen?!

Me and my little men.

I was not too surprised. I hadn't placed any bets haha! 

I was still in the tub and the midwife came 15 or so minutes later. She helped me deliver the placenta (no, we did not keep it) and check on us, you know, all the midwife things. 

Andre was so proud of me.

I was shocked to learn that it wasn’t even midnight when the baby had arrived. It had been only about 90 minutes from that initial active labor contraction. Praise the Lord!

The babies slept through the entire labor and delivery in our room and woke up some time after when there was a bit of hubbub in our room, delighted to see that I’d had the baby. 

Welcome to the world my precious little man!

Our Prayer for Our Boys:

“‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;
²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
²⁶ the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”’

Numbers 6:24-26 

All around, the ordeal was quick, smooth, and I would say peaceful.

And now, what you're probably here for... Three days later, well, five really (because we had to change the middle name), our baby was named. Matteo André.