Baby Banks – You sure made an entrance into the world! Making it a better place with more love!
Born Tuesday May 17th, 2022 at 5:41am
Weighing in at 8lbs 6oz and 20.83 inches long.
Quick back story
Sunday I felt awful, super nauseous all day, couldn’t eat anything! Very unexplainable. My in-laws brought over dinner and I apologized multiple times because I just couldn’t eat it. In hindsight, I think I was in early labor all day that then stopped.
Monday was amazing, brought Cyrus to daycare, came home and took a nice nap. Went to a late lunch with Brent which we haven’t been able to do in forever! As we were leaving I thought “today has been so great and it would be a great day to have a baby too”. I picked up Cyrus and we came home and spent the evening outside, playing in the dirt! His favorite thing. When I put him to bed I had this innate want to spend a little extra time with him as he fell asleep, I just watched him and listened to his sweet breathing. In a way, I think I knew it was the last night he would be my only child.
Now to the actual birth
I went to bed around 9:30 and woke at 1am-ish to some contractions. This has happened before during this pregnancy so I didn’t think too much about it. However, after a few of them I noticed they were consistent and started tracking them. They were about 4 minutes apart. I text my doula, tried to rest but soon they were even closer together and even more intense! About 3 minutes apart. I labored at home for as long as I could. I tried to stay in an upright position as I labored this time. I learned during my first labor that being upright can help put more pressure on your cervix to open. And this Mama did not want another 24 hour labor!
I woke Brent up around 3:30am and he called his parents to come over to watch Cyrus. They arrived at 4am. I was having some intense contractions while they were there. I remember his mom just watching as I swayed back and forth leaning over the couch. I was IN IT! There were mumblings of her, my husband and my father-in-law. Saying things like “You better get going” “Grab some towels for the car” “If you need an escort call 911, they will escort you”. I think they knew I was farther along than I even knew.
We were out the door around 4:15am and headed to the hospital, just two and a half hours after contractions had started. The car ride was quiet, other than my breathing and some music. I briefly remember hearing Sweet Caroline come on and telling Brent to change the song! I must have been in transition on the car ride because I also got a bit nauseous and grabbed one of the towels just in case I needed to throw up.
I remember telling Brent that I wanted to get in the tub as soon as we got to the hospital because I was needing some pain relief at this point. Once we got to the hospital Brent dropped me off at the door. I had 3 contractions by the time I got up to labor and delivery. The security guard was very concerned for me and wasn’t sure I was going to make it up to labor and delivery. I think he was nervous he’d have to deliver a baby! Brent caught up to me before I got to the check in desk.
We got into the triage room where they usually check vitals, do your Covid test and get your delivery room ready. The nurse asked to check my cervix. I was in the middle of a contraction and said “I need a minute”. She waited until the contraction came down and checked my cervix.
“Well honey, you are at 9cm and I can feel a bulging bag of water.”
We were all in shock! Nine centimeters!
The triage nurse she said “If you’d like we can break your water and baby will be here very soon”. All I said was “I just want to wait for my doula.”
I was wheeled to the delivery room.
There were so many nurses in there! I think they all knew it was just about go time so they had to get everything set very quickly! Although the room was in a bit of chaos, I didn’t feel it. I was very calm and my midwife just sat with me and let me do my thing.
The next few contractions were VERY intense. It was at that point that I told my midwife I’d like her to break my water. I knew that by the time they did the procedure my doula would be there and sure enough I saw my doula come in, basically throw her bags on the couch and was by my side immediately.
Between contractions they broke my water and I was at 9.5cm. I heard my midwife say “we have mic” which meant meconium (aka poop from baby) was in the amniotic sac. Emotions flushed over me. I know that’s not a good thing. When I was born I had pooped and aspirated some of it so my mom didn’t get to see me for a while. I felt a sense of urgency to get him out as soon as possible, knowing the sooner he comes out the less likely he is to aspirate any of the meconium.
My midwife was great and told me that the NICU would be in the room for delivery just in case. I told her that if he needs to leave that I want Brent to go with him. I’m not sure the timing but I think it was within a few contractions I had the urge to push. And when that urge comes, there is no stopping it. I yelled “he’s coming!!!”
The next few moments are a bit of a blur. I was pushing during contractions and could feel the stretching aka “ring of fire”. There was a moment before a contraction that I could feel and hear a sense of urgency from my midwife that I really needed to push through the next contraction and push all the way through my bottom. I have a feeling it was because of the meconium and risks associated with that. So next contraction I gave it all I had, literally! His head was out, I could feel my midwife tugging on him quite hard as I kept pushing to try to get his shoulders out. One shoulder came out when his head came out so I had to continue pushing without the help of a contraction to get his other shoulder out.
He had arrived! 5:41am.
Less than 4 hours after labor had started. I got to see him and hold him for a couple minutes while Brent cut the cord. He was crying which is great! Especially since there was meconium in the sac. He was then taken to the other side of the room to get suctioned and remove any meconium. Hearing his cry was beautiful! I wanted him on my arms so badly but knew he was in good hands and that his daddy was over there with him. Not long after, he was laying on my chest and I was singing Happy Birthday to him.
His birth was so beautiful! It was a mother led and baby led birth. There was a sense of calm the entire time. I would re-do his birth over and over again.
We were now a family of four!