Cruz's birth story...

So here is the amazing birth story of our son...
*rated PG for no graphic details just birth words and a few pics.

September 20th, my due date came and passed and then another 1.5 weeks passed…we were ready, stick a fork in me, I was done and wanted this baby, and in my arms! 

Sunday, September 28, I went to a baby shower, mowed the lawn, put our outdoor stuff in storage, pulled out all the dead flowers from our planters, cleaned the bathrooms, cleaned the guest room for my sister in law who was flying in to stay with us that Tuesday (because baby was to be here by then), vacuumed and mopped the floors, and organized the garage. I was totally thinking that with all of that this baby would clearly make an appearance, but no he sat right where he was cozy! 

Monday, September 29. I had an appointment with my midwife at the birth house but I ended up having to see another midwife because the one who was on call, yup you guessed it was at a birth and it was not ours! I saw the midwife there to whom said I was not ready but close. Seriously not what I wanted to hear! She asked if I could come back later that day for the midwife on call to see me and check me as well. I was able to go back in and see her. We ended up scheduling an ultra sound for the next day to check baby and amniotic fluid levels since I was so late. I went home and did nothing. I had tried stuff and didn't want to try anymore because I knew at that point he was going to come when he was ready!

Tuesday, September 30. No baby. Ben had therapy that morning so we made the hour drive so he could go and my sister came along in case anything happened. Of course nothing did! On the way home we picked up my SIL from the airport and she was able to join us later that afternoon for the ultra sound. We were getting the ultra sound done and the tech asked if we were ready to have a baby…umm yes. She went on to ask if our bags were packed…umm yes. And she followed that up with are your bags in the car…ummm yes. At this point I was kind of freaking out by her questions. She was checking my amniotic fluid levels and if they were low then they would need to get moving on getting this baby out. She finished and took the results to the radiologist who read it, came back to us, said everything looked great and we could go home saying they would fax the results to our midwife. I still didn't feel settled about her earlier comments so I called my midwife and she called me back to say the fluid levels were fine and that she would see me the following day for an appointment if I didn't go into labor. 

Wednesday, October 1. No baby and now into October! Ben had a caregiver coming to stay with him that morning so my SIL and I took off for yet another appointment at the birth house. My sister, who was going to be my doula, met us there to get the latest info and the plan. My midwife checked me and I was at a 3/4. This was good yet frustrating news. I was only like a 1/2 on both Monday and Tuesday so there was some progress. So the plan. If I didn't have him by that Saturday it was likely that I would go back under doctors care and be induced because midwives cannot deliver after 42 weeks. I really wanted to have him at the birth house with the midwife so I was willing to do anything at that point to get him out! So castor oil shake in the morning it was! 

Thursday, October 2. No baby, no feeling like that lil man was even coming that day! No more pressure, no different contractions other then the random braxton hicks I’d had since 27 weeks, nada, nothing, zilch…hello frustration! Since I didn't feel anything I blended up a castor oil shake at about 0830 that morning. It consisted of the oil, haagan dazs chocolate ice cream and whole milk! I have never in my life had an ice cream shake that early in the day but that thing went down the hatch and it was good! By around 1130 I was starting to feel some contractions that were not like the braxton hicks I normally would have but none of them were consistent or painful, just different. Definetly was going to the bathroom due to the oil in the shake and we staying at home for sure. Ben, my SIL and I ate some lunch and then my midwife called around 1pm and asked how I was doing. I told her the contractions were there but nothing that I couldn't handle and not to bad at all. I asked her if I should make another shake because clearly I wouldn't mind some more ice cream…just not the oil. She said to wait and if things slowed down or stopped then to call her and see what to do next. I decided that if this really was going to be the day that I would need some rest. Ben was going to take a rest too so he was at the couch and I decided to go lay down in bed. I remember watching a bit of Dr. Phil which started at 2pm and I fell asleep during his show, sorry Phil! I was awakened about three by what I thought Ben calling me to say he needed to use the rest room but really I was jolted to a strong contraction. I walked out to see if he had called me and he said no and that he was just watching a show. I felt the contractions coming on a little harder now and more consistent. I started timing them, two minutes apart and less! Then they just kept coming and hurting more. I text my sister Anne that she might want to get ready to head over because the plan was for her to pick Ben and I up and take us to the birth center. She said she’d start to pack up and head over. She also said to call her when I couldn’t talk through the contractions anymore. I sat with Ben and my SIL on the couch for a bit and talked through a few of the contractions. My mom popped over because I had told her things were getting started. I then called my sister and said she needed to get to the house soon because the contractions now were like a minute apart and it was def hard to talk through them. She said she was on the freeway about would be there soon. Between contractions I was getting a few things together and preparing Ben for us heading out. The toilet was my favorite spot but I knew I couldn't stay there forever! Ha! My sister got there and found me in the bathroom. She said I needed to call the midwife, give her an update and say we were coming in. I said I didn't want to talk to anyone and that she could call her! She did and then packed up and we left! 

That car ride was no fun! I was in the back seat, behind tinted windows thank goodness so I wouldn't scare the onlookers and couldn't find a comfortable spot or anything stable to hold on to. When we got to the birth house, about 4:30pm, our midwife met us in the parking lot. My sister helped Ben out and I had two strong contractions in the parking lot. My midwife "C" started massaging my hips and back through those. When they passed we went inside to where she had already started a bath, soft music, candles and diffusing some oils. She checked me and I was at a 4. A 4 I asked? How could I be at a 4 today and in so much pain and a 4 yesterday with no pain and no signs of baby! C said don’t think about the number because I was definitely ready to have this baby boy! I got in the bath tub and that felt good, well as good as a bath could feel when you're in that much pain! I stayed in there for about 30 minutes and then C asked me to get out because my heart rate was getting a little high, I was dehydrated and I was getting a little woozy for the warmness. One huge blessing is that C told me that the birth house was all ours and that nobody but us were there for the rest of the night! I was able to labor in the waiting area which had a tall counter which really helped! During this time I was in pain, alot! The contractions came hard and strong. Sometimes one on top of the other...those were the worst because there wasn't even time to breathe it felt! I was super uncomfortable and clearly it was not getting any easier. I was wondering when I was going to get a break and right when I would another contraction would come! This is when I said, “and now I know why people get epidurals!” I wasn't getting any of that at a birth house! I also remember saying there was no way that I could do this, it hurt way to bad! I apologize to the neighbors of the birth house if you heard me and the fact that I might have disrupted their dinners...Im sure I wasn't the loudest one they have had there...hopefully! About 5:40pm C came up behind me and said she would like for me to climb the flight of stairs that was in the birth house. I thought she was crazy but we started up the stairs. I made it up with I think one contraction on the way up. When we got to the top I felt the need to squat so I did. I had one contraction, stood up and then that was followed up by another one quickly following. I squatted back down and heard a pop, my water had broke at 6:05pm. 

Right after that happened my midwife C said we needed to go back down the stairs and into the birth room so she could check my water. Ben was waiting for me down stairs. He had been encouraging me the whole time with every contraction. You could tell there was concern in his eyes and he hated seeing me in pain but he kept loving on me. So we went back down stairs and she checked my water and praise God it was clear. There was a chance that there was meconium in it from my ultra sound reading but it was clear and that was a huge blessing! C asked me to get back into the tub and I knew this baby was going to be born in there. She had asked me a few weeks prior if I wanted one and I wasn't opposed but also didn't want to deal with the mess of it all. At that point when she mentioned getting in the tub I didn't care because I was in so much pain! 
I got in the tub and she checked me and said he was right there! 

At this point my mom and other sister slipped into the room to look on and take a few photos! They were waiting down the street at my sisters house…and didn't have to wait long! The plan was for them to come in right before he was born and they made it in time!

I pushed about 2 times to get his head out and I think 1-2 more for his body. 6:35pm was his time of birth! 2 hours after we had arrived at the birth center and 30 minutes after my water broke! I went from a 4-10 in about 1.5 hours! So about total time of labor and delivery was about 3.5 hours start to finish! I still think going this fast was crazy! 

They handed him right to me and stimulated him at the same time! Healthy boy Cruz Benjamin! Ben and I were elated! Ben was able to cut the cord and then hold him right after. Two things he asked for and they made it a point to do which was awesome! 

I delivered the placenta about 15 minutes after I had him which was super easy. If only delivering a baby was that easy! I wouldn't bring this part up but this was just another part of Cruz being such a miracle. As C was looking at my placenta she noticed something different about the cord. She discovered that one vessel was velamentous. Velamentous cord insertion is an abnormal condition during pregnancy. Normally, the umbilical cord inserts into the middle of the placenta as it develops. In velamentous cord insertion, the umbilical cord inserts into the fetal membranes, then travels within the membranes to the placenta. The exposed vessels are not protected by Whartons jelly and hence are vulnerable to rupture. Rupture is especially likely if the vessels are near the cervix, in which case they may rupture in early labor, likely resulting in  complications of death. We never knew about this and in most situations one doesn't know until the baby is born and placenta delivered! God definitely had His hand on this little mans life! 

After I got cleaned up and things taken care of Ben and I got into a comfy bed they have in the birth room. Ben refused to rest although the bed was super comfy! It was still early evening and we were on a high! C started examining Cruz again and got all of his stats. 

The whole experience was amazing. I felt that the whole birthing process, although painful, was natural and such a blessing. I felt so in control through the whole process. God was there, Ben was there. Some of my family was there. It was all we had prayed for and then some!

Ben and I snuggled on the bed with our new little blessing! After some more care to both baby and me some other family was able to visit because they were going out of town. We then got instructions for home and got to go home around 11 that night. Baby Cruz must have been excited to be in his new world or maybe not because he was either crying or eating until 3:30 the next morning! Finally he gave in and we were all able to get some sleep in our own bed! 

We are still in awe that he is ours and that God had blessed us with him to love, cherish and care for. He knows the desires of our hearts and has honored this desire. This sweet baby boy has already blessed us so much and brought joy to our lives. He is such a content baby and full of smiles. Ben has said multiple times that Cruz makes him happy and that he is so in love with him. 
This is so good to hear! God is good! 

{night before baby}

{my sister and doula}

{my favorite}

and 11 days later we had some photos done by an amazing lady who blessed us...