Warning – what follows may be TMI for you. Before having kids, the though of reading anyone else’s birth story was foreign to me. I didn’t understand why people shared them and what the point of documenting them was. But now, I actually get it! So if that sounds like you, just don’t read any more.

I didn’t really capture FW’s birth story (minus introducing him here), and I somewhat wish I had. His was pretty “normal” as far as I can tell (minus the fact that I started sorta having contractions at the Cavs parade … ) – I had some contractions that started out small in the afternoon, but lasted through the night and got stronger until it was clearly time to go to the hospital, where he was born several hours later after less than an hour of pushing.

LM, on the other hand – well, she was almost born in our car. She came out fast and I want to remember the story, so here it is!

The Weeks Leading Up to the Due Date

LM’s due date was 5/24. About 10 weeks prior, I was having some issues and the dr. told me that she thought I may go early. So, as you may know, I had to refrain from any activity for a few weeks while I had some tests done (and repeated).

The Day Before My Due Date

Even after I was cleared to do normal activity (and I participated in the Cleveland Marathon 5k and 10k events), everyone seemed to think I was going to go early – even my dr. So when the night of 5/23 rolled around, I just assumed that I was going to go another few days. FW had been 2 days late, so I assumed LM had waited this long, she’d probably wait until 5/26. Wanting to make the last few nights we ha alone with FW special, we went out for ice cream and a walk before bed. B had a soccer game that night and had decided he wasn’t going to go – but I assured him it was okay, so he went. After the game, he even went out to watch the Cavs game at a nearby bar.

(video for humor … it has nothing to do with LM’s story)

The Due Date

I woke up around 1:45 a.m. having to go to the bathroom (story my life as a pregnant person), and noticed I was having some strongish (what I thought were) Braxton-Hicks contractions. I decided to get out of bed to see if they went away. They didn’t. I realized they may be the real thing, so I decided to time them for 30 minutes before calling the dr. at 2:30. The dr. told me to keep timing them, and call back probably in an hour or two.

B at this point woke up and heard me on the phone with the dr, so he decided to call his mom (she was going to come over and watch FW). I think he called her around 2:45 a.m. and told her to come over. Knowing that it may be likely another hour or two before we headed to the hospital, I texted her, telling her to take her time and that we likely wouldn’t be heading over anytime soon (keeping what the dr. had said in mind).

Luckily, however, B’s mom didn’t see the text and came over right away. She got to our house around 3:15 a.m. and B gave her the lay of the land – what to feed FW for breakfast, his morning routine, etc. We headed out to the hospital around 3:30 a.m. At this point, the contractions had gotten VERY strong. But, they were still not what I was expecting – they were lasting less than a minute but happening about every other minute or so.

The ride to the hospital is about 25 minutes without traffic. To be honest, I was not sure we would make it. I could barely talk through the pain of the contractions. But, part of me also believed that we’d get to the hospital and they would turn us home because of how irregular they seemed to be. B could tell I was in a lot of pain and drove there FAST. (side note-  it’s 45 -55 minutes to get there when it’s rush hour or traffic so thank goodness this was 3:30 AM and not PM!)

We got to the hospital a little before 4 a.m. and I got checked on at 4 a.m. to see if I could be admitted. They told me not to push and told me I was (I think?) 6 cm dilated. I asked for an epidural and they said that they’d admit me and get the process started.

I was in so much pain at this point during the contractions, that I could barely move. I told them that they didn’t need to put me in a hospital gown because I was wearing a sundress and it would be easier 🙂 Nevertheless, they got me in a gown and were about to admit me when my water broke. They checked me again, and I was 8 cm dilated. It was time!

There was no way I was walking, so they wheeled me into a labor/delivery room. By this time, it was 4:08 a.m. and they told me that it looked like I wasn’t getting an epidural – and it was time to push! I was fully dilated. I couldn’t believe it – it was all happening so fast. We had literally just gotten into the hospital less than 10 minutes earlier.

Lucille Marian was born at 4:13 a.m. She was 7 lb. 10 ounces.  Shortly thereafter, B nearly collapsed from the adrenaline rush/fall (I’m sure the cup of coffee he made for himself before we left the house and had on an empty stomach didn’t help either) and I had to put an arm out to catch him (my other arm was holding the new baby). After getting some fluids and resting for a few minutes, he was all better. He was so GREAT in helping me through the birth, even without the epidural.

I’m still in disbelief that we have a baby girl! Keeping the gender a surprise again was definitely worth it. I admit that I was a little in shock after she was born and they put her on me. It all happened so so so fast, that I was a little shaken – it felt a little traumatic. Traumatic may not be the right word – after all, we are all healthy and happy and everyone is fine, but it took me some time to start to realize what had just happened and feel okay again.

So far, we are doing well. LM is an eater and is gaining weight and eating well. Now, if only we could get her to sleep at night! But she’s a newborn and I know that will change in the future – though I’m not wishing time away. I know firsthand how fast it goes.

Here’s to our new family of four! We’re still adjusting to it all, including the lack of sleep, but all are so so so smitten with our newest lovely addition. ❤