Well friends, he’s here! Part of me still can’t believe that I went from having a huge belly one day to a little baby the next. Crazy how the body works, hmm? Little Landon has been with us for a little over a week, and I still am in shock that this is really happening. That I’m a MOM. Ah!I thought I would share Landon’s birth story with you today. Because it’s pretty great! And I’m super impressed (and thankful!) with my body for doing what it did!

{images by Tiffany Farley}

I had gone in for my 38 week appointment on Wednesday the 5th. My midwife told me I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced…and her exact words were “WOW, he is LOW.” She told me she had a feeling I could go at any time and that I would most likely progress quickly. Hey, I’ll take it. Quickly is good. Real good. But I guess I never thought about just how quick “quickly” could be…

My water broke at midnight that evening. But being that this is my first labor, I wasn’t sure if it was really my water. Not everyone gets that whole gushing-like-you’re-peeing, movie-style water breaking moment. Nope, this was just a little bit. So I went back to bed. Around 1am, I felt some more fluid. Went to the bathroom, and there was significantly more. And using my whole nursing assessment, I couldn’t imagine what else it could be. Then I started noticing mild cramps, like the start of a period. I texted a friend who just had her own baby, knowing she would most likely be up feeding, to see how her labor started off. She confirmed my suspicions that this was, in fact, the start of labor. I phoned my doula and my mom to give them the heads up, and called my mother in law for some prayer. I was shaking from my nerves…I couldn’t believe this could possibly be happening.

I called the on call midwife who told me to go back to sleep and come into the office in the morning if there were no changes, that way they could confirm if my water had actually broken. Oooookay. So I went back to sleep.

Well the cramps got worse. And worse. And at 430am, I decided laying in bed wasn’t going to do ANY good for how I was feeling. So I decided to shower, dry my hair, and throw some makeup (yes, I totally did my makeup. This makes me feel human. So makeup, I did. 😉 ). The cramping got progressively worse to the point where I was down on all 4s, rocking through them. So I started timing them, and sure enough it seemed that I was in active labor (contractions every 2-5 minutes, lasting 45-60 seconds). I called the on call midwife again around 6am to fill her in, to which she advised me to come to the hospital so they could check me out. Okay. Things just got real.

Pat dropped Ammo off at doggie daycare just incase we were definitely having a baby and needed to board him for the next couple days, and my doula arrived at my house around 7am where she sweetly cooked me up some eggs. Who knew when I would be able to eat next?! We got into the car around 715am, and at this point my contractions were BAD. Like really bad. Like, give-me-a-damn-epidural bad. And seeing as this was the start of rush hour, let me just tell you that contracting in the car while stuck in traffic is NOT fun. I swear, if anyone around us was looking in our windows, I painted the perfect picture of a laboring woman.

We finally got to the hospital and up to the L&D triage at 815am. My FAVORITE midwife EVER was the one on for the day (God clearly gave me favor!), and confirmed that I was 6cm dilated. I immediately asked for an epidural because holy freaking CRAP was I in pain. But before I could get the epidural, I had to be admitted to L&D, have an IV inserted, bolused fluids, and then sign off on the anesthesia paperwork. By the time all of that was done, it was around 930am before they actually started inserting my epidural. And getting an epidural when you’re contracting pretty quickly is not an easy feat. For those who don’t know, you have to sit hunched over in the most awkward position ever so they can insert it properly into your spine. Holding that position while contracting? Not fun.

The epidural was *FINALLY* placed at 945am…and I kept asking when it would kick in. They told me my contractions should start feeling less and less. Um no, they were feeling stronger and stronger, and oh my gosh, why do I feel such pressure and like my butt is burning? Apparently the word “burning” is code for “10cm and ready to push” because they immediately called for a cart and my midwife STAT. Sure enough, 10cm and baby time.

“But…..when will the epidural kick in?!” “Um…soon.”

Well folks. Apparently (and maybe I should’ve known this but I’m not an L&D nurse and I don’t deal with anesthesia) it takes a good 20-30 minutes to REALLY get the effects of an epidural. And my body just did not want to wait. Because Landon was born at 10:13am and I felt every. single. bit of it. Here is where I commend you women who voluntarily choose natural childbirth. You are freaking rockstars. I am a big baby who pops Motrin or Tylenol at the start of a headache. Hence, why epidural was in huge writing on my birth “plan.” But sure enough, after delivery my sweet nurse who kept saying “soon” told me she didn’t have the heart to tell me there was no way it would kick in time. And that I just experienced a natural childbirth. Go me??

My labor lasted a total of 10 hours, and was only bad from about 6am to when he was born. I don’t know how I was so blessed with such a quick labor, but I really feel that being active (at least up until I was put on modified bed rest) had something to do with it! And while the pain definitely didn’t feel good, every time I look at my son I’m reminded of how worth it it was.  He is perfection, pint-sized. 🙂

I am so grateful to have shared that moment with my wonderful husband, incredible mother, supportive friend/doula….and even our birth photographer! Because without her, I wouldn’t have been able to see this shot..

..of when Pat saw Landon for the first time. 🙂

I hope you enjoyed his birth story! I still have nursery posts coming, and some other special things planned. But bear with me as I adjust to life as a new mom. 😉

birth story