Our journey started some three months ago. I had been having consistent contractions daily, and many “is this it” moments. Because of this, the fact that I was pregnant with my third child, and that I didn’t carry long with the boys everyone expected for me to either go early, or not too far over my estimated due date.
My goodness, were we all w r o n g.
Our little Beni decided to keep us all in suspense for 16 more grouling days!
I was sure he was never coming. On September 27th I awoke from some pretty intense contractions. I was sure we would be meeting our baby that day... And then Giuseppe woke up, and I’m definitely sure whatever side he got out of it was the wrong one. After he woke up the contractions completely stopped. I was bummed.
With this being my longest pregnancy I asked our Bradly instructor if she had any information on post dates. This was new territory for me/us, and we were unsure of what we should do if I went beyond 42weeks. Thanks to the information, we decided to schedule a BPP, and if all looked good to continue waiting.
October first came, and I was still pregnant. 42weeks pregnant to be exact. I woke up a bit sad, but decided to go out and spend some alone time with good friends of mine. It was a beautiful day. I enjoyed being surrounded by those wonderful women! That evening a friend invited me to go get a free prenatal massage with her the next day. I, of course, said yes! Sunday morning came, still no baby. I left to go get a pedicure and brunch with a small group of friends. I was in a great mood... And then when I got home it all changed. The stress from the boys fighting, whining, etc. really got to me. I was honestly afraid for Monday to come. I did NOT want to be left home alone with them in the stage I was in. I asked my midwife if she could sweep my membranes on Monday. Then I talked to Dom, and he reminded me why I didn’t want to go that route, and so I told my midwife never mind. I got ready to leave to the prenatal massage! That was the most amazing thing e v e r! I actually fell asleep! I woke myself up snoring! lol. The whole time I envisioned my cervix opening, and my baby being born.
I returned home, and took a long bath. In the bath I broke down crying. I just felt so done with being pregnant. I felt like my birth philosophy was being challenged. I wanted my baby NOW, but wanted to wait for him to choose his birthday just like his brothers. I vented to a group a friends, and literally within minutes the first waves of contractions started.
*START HERE IF YOU WANT TO SKIP RAMBLING*
Contractions started at 4 minutes apart lasting 40-50 seconds long. I called my birth team around 10:30 to give them all a heads up. I continued to labor, contractions were 3 minutes apart at one point. Dom and I started cleaning the house, and prepping for the birth. He went to lay the boys down, and I sat down to try and get some rest.
Contractions started to slow down. First 5 minutes apart, then 6, and finally 10. Yet they were more intense and lasting 60seconds. I had to sway through them and started to vocalize. I was confused and started crying. I was so afraid it was all just prodromal labor. Dom came out of the room, and I updated him on what was going on. He suggested I get up and walk instead of rest. I agreed. I started walking in our kitchen and the contractions went to 6 minutes apart. Vinny came out of the room and said he couldn’t sleep, so I told him to put his shoes on and we would go for a walk. We got all the way to the end of the block with contractions coming 6 minutes apart. I decided to turn back and return home. I thought I was being absolutely ridiculous. If this was it I needed rest, not to be up walking around like a mad woman!
Once I got hime I called my midwife to update her... My intention was to tell her this wasn’t it as contractions tapered off to 10 minutes. She reassured me what I was going through was normal, and sounded like labor was taking off. I asked her to head on over and she did. Soon after I hung up Seppe woke up... And boy was he in a mood. I started to panic fearing he would stall my labor. Dom got up to go lay them down. I remember telling him how crazy I was to even think I wanted them up at the birth. Vinny was bouncing off the walls, and seppe was very moody... Thank goodness they went to sleep!
Once she got here, a contraction followed and I was on my hands and knees rolling my hips in a circular motion as she squeezed my hips. After a another contraction or two she asked if I was going to call everyone else on over... I hesitated, not believing this was it. I asked her to check to see how far dilated I was. I was a 4! I decided to just call over the doulas, and would call over family when things got closer. Lol, I remember a contraction hitting right as Rachel answered her phone. I couldn’t speak, I had to breath through the contraction as I braced myself on Dom’s car and swayed my hips in a circular motion(as you can tell this was my “thing”). After the contraction finished I let her know it was time(though I’m pretty sure she knew ;p). This was around 1am.
Dom added some air into the birth pool. We had a mini panic about where we were going to get the water from. For some reason it wouldn’t/couldn’t hook up under the bathroom sink, he was having difficulties with hooking it up to the washer but at the end got it all worked out. I was thankful, because I was really wanting in that pool!
Around sometime Sarah(and Isaiah!) showed up, right as she was coming another contraction hit. I was barely able to mutter hi before I was back on my hands and knees rolling my hips. Sometime after this I heard Seppe wake up. Right as I was going to ask Dom to grab his Rachel arrived and went straight to get him. She got him to settle down, but he wouldn’t go back to sleep so he came out to join us. I don’t know if he was put off by the pool and everyone being there, but he was in a much calmer mood. Which I was very thankful for.
I remember having the urge to go pee very badly. I was trying to wait for the pool to finish filling/cooling down, I did not want to sit on the toilet! I finally gave up and just peed in the bathtub and sprayed it all down with the diaper sprayer. A contraction hit on my way back and I braced myself in the hallway, arms spread out and hips rolling. Connie(MW) came over to offer words of encouragement. Which meant a lot. Every time I heard “ You’re doing great!”, I would think “ Yes, I AM doing really great!”.
Like most birth stories, here is the part where things begin to get fuzzy.
Robin(our MW) arrived. It was great to see her
I remember having another contraction before getting into the birthing pool. I was on my hands and knees, vocalizing and rolling my hips. As I looked up there was baby Izzy with the biggest smile on his face. I couldn’t help but smile back at him. Once Dom was done filling the pool I got inside. The heat was so comforting. I decided to turn some music on. As Nat King Cole’s soulful voice filled the room I was able to drift off into laborland. I would sing and moan during the contractions, whilst Dom supplied support and counter pressure.
I wasn’t in the pool for long before I had to the urge to push. It came on strong and fast (like my first two!). I let everyone know I was going to push, and told Domenick to get ready. As I started to push it burned... I will never get use to that (;p). Everything in me wanted to stop, but I knew for it to be over I had to push past it. So I pushed, and I just cried out “ it burns, it burns, fuck it burns!”. I reached down to see what I could feel. What I felt was very slick and smooth, but wasn’t bulgy at all. So I was confused. Was it my bag of waters? Was it the baby’s head? Then I realized, wait, my water hasn’t broken yet! After a few pushes (all in total of 2 or 3 minutes) Benicio Arthur was born en caul, with a nuchal card, into his fathers waiting hands!
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