Rafael's Birth Story

Approaching the end of pregnancy

The last few weeks of pregnancy went really well. I was big, but not so exhausted life didn't seem worth living. I was busy making freezer meals and running after the boys, planning a birthday party for Caspian, and generally just avoiding making myself miserable waiting around like last time. So much so, that I started to worry that I wouldn't be emotionally ready for labor when it came. Around 37 weeks everyone started saying, "anytime now" and I'd be like, no, not yet. Maybe next week or the week after. First I wanted to make it past Caspian's birthday party on the 28th, then I wanted to make it to a friend's group dinner on Monday, May 6th, 39 weeks and 2 days. I told a couple people Monday or Tuesday would be great, and I kind of had a feeling that the baby would come then. Why? Well, partly superstition... when Eliot was born I had walked to Casa Ramos for lunch with friends, at 39.3 weeks, and when I got back I was in active labor. Also I spent Monday morning doing the grocery shopping for the week and I did the miles circuit to try and get my stubbornly posterior baby to turn around, along with juicing and drinking a whole pineapple. Monday evening rolled around and I walked to Casa Ramos for the first time since Eliot was born. I had a nice dinner with friends and got a ride home with one of the ladies, since a big storm hit while we were at the restaurant. There was a lot of flooding and pretty big hail.

 I went to bed after shortly after I got home, but after Michael came to bed around midnight I started having contractions every two minutes apart. And they were much more intense than the Braxton Hicks I'd been having for the a last 20 weeks or so. After about half hour we called the midwife and texted Sami, letting her know the midwife was coming and we'd let her know once she got there if it was labor. So that was 12:30. Over the next hour and a half, Michael and I labored alone, mainly in the living room, praying the rosary through the contractions, and leaning on him while standing and praying together. Around 1:30 I started feeling very overwhelmed and told Michael, "either I'm being a huge wimp or this is transition already." I didn't believe it was transition though, after laboring only an hour and a half, and was very worried that I didn't have what it took to get through this labor. But my instincts, though I didn't quite believe them, told me that this was real labor, and it was advanced, so I told Michael to change the bedsheets and fill the tub, and text Sami to go ahead and come--though we hadn't heard back from her yet. (up until that point I'd been waiting for the midwife to get there and confirm that this was active labor before taking those steps) I was desperate for her to get there and also dreading hearing that I was dilated to a 4 or something. She finally got there around 2 am, took vitals and checked me and I was at a 9. I just started laughing with pure joy and relief. From there I got right into the tub and Eileen coached me a bit on relaxing. Michael and I kept remarking to each other how we couldn't believe our baby was almost  here. He did end up turning anterior sometime between my last prenatal appointment and birth. I bet it was the miles circuit that I did sunday or monday.  I started pushing a little bit at 2:45. A bit later I was pushing more consistently and it was HARD. I was roaring through pushes; I felt like a lion. Michael and I were both thinking there was no way the boys would sleep through all this in the room right next door. The storm continued to rage and the birth team told me that every time a contraction came and I was pushing, the lightning was flashing through the bathroom window. 

Then, at 3:06 am, he was born into my hands. 

I got out of the tub and into bed fairly quickly, my baby clutched to my chest. He had a bunch of vernix all over him, and we all remarked how big he was and I kept saying what a beautiful voice he has. And HAIR! A lot of dark hair, a big difference from Caspian and Eliot. His face was pretty squished up from his journey through the birth canal, but it changed within a few hours. Michael guessed him at 9.5, and I guessed 9. He weighed nine pounds exactly! (Caspian weighed 5.5 and Eliot 8.05, which I think influenced our guesses) Kelly and Eileen kept saying how they couldn't believe I had had such a big baby in there. He started nursing quickly and vigorously and nursed for about 45 minutes I think. I've never seen a newborn so interested in nursing. Michael took him and did skin to skin while I got checked and showered. Then Eileen and Kelly took their leave, encouraging us to try and rest. 

In the morning, Caspian and Eliot awoke to find their new baby brother waiting for them. <3 It was wonderful. 

Caspian's Birth Eliot's Birth

My birth team.