Luke's Birth Story

 Monday, April 26th was a busy day. I knew that there was a strong possibility that I would still be pregnant, and I was, despite the strong, but inconsistent contractions I had been experiencing for several weeks. There was even an evening the previous week where I was having strong contractions every 2-3 minutes for over an hour. My contraction timing app told me to go to the hospital several times, but I knew that I needed to try laying down first, so I went to bed. And of course, the contractions stopped. So that Monday, we went to an ophthalmologist appointment for Owen in San Antonio, followed by the children's museum and Shake Shack. Thankfully, my mother-in-law had flown into town the afternoon previously, so I had a helper for this outing that made it doable with Owen and Elena and very pregnant me. We got home just in time to pick up Landon from school, make dinner, and head to Landon's baseball game. Everyone commented how they couldn't believe I was still pregnant. I was pretty tired and uncomfortable, but other than that feeling fine. 

The game ran very late so we rushed home and did a very quick bath and bedtime routine. At this point, I started having strong contractions, but they were 7-10 minutes apart. They didn't really get closer together, so I went to bed. At around 1:00 am, I woke up to a small gush of fluid- my water had broken! I woke up Austin and we prepared to go to the hospital. Last time, we only had about 1.5 hours from the time my water broke to when Elena was born, so Austin was in a little bit of a panic. I hadn't been laboring for days beforehand like I had with Elena, and I didn't immediately start having contractions every minute, so I knew that I wasn't as far along in the process this time. Because of this, Austin actually drove the speed limit all the way to the hospital. I walked into the OB triage area and met with the nurses and midwives. I was dilated to a 4, which was a little disappointing, but contractions were regular enough and my water had broken, so they admitted me. They brought several different nurses in to try to insert my IV and it took 3 separate pokes to finally place one, although I didn't end up using it. I immediately requested to use the shower and birthing ball and we had to move rooms because the shower in the first room had a clogged drain. It was around 3:00 am when we settled in and I sat on the large birthing ball in the shower and used hypnobirthing visualization and breathing to get through contractions. Every 2 hours they hooked me up to monitor the baby and I stayed on the birthing ball at the side of the bed. Around 6:30am, I started feeling like I wasn't sure whether I should breathe up like I had been, or breathe down and begin the "pushing" phase. I didn't want to request to be checked because I wasn't sure and I didn't want to be disappointed to feel like I was almost done only to be only dilated to a 7 or something. 

 At that same time, the nurses and midwives wanted to record another 20 minute strip of contractions and fetal heart rate to check on baby. Well, when they tried to find the heart beat, it was so low that I had to stand up for the monitor to pick it up. By then, things were pretty intense and contractions were very strong and close together. I was so happy when that monitoring was over! I asked to be checked after that so that I would know whether to go back into the shower or get ready to breathe baby down. I was dilated to 9.5! I was pretty emotional at this point, because I was so relieved to be almost done, and because we've agreed that this was our last baby and the last time I would have to go through this... ever! The midwives set up the bed with a squat bar and multiple levels so I could be in a supported squatting position at the edge of the bed. Contractions paused for a few minutes as we set this up, which was nice because it gave me a little break. There was one short contraction where I practiced breathing down. This phase is my very favorite part of birthing because meeting the baby is so close, and the feeling of baby descending is so motivating! My midwives reminded me later that I actually smiled and told them this during the little lull in contractions.  The next contraction, I breathed baby Luke down and in 2 birth breaths, his head came followed quickly by shoulders and body. The midwives caught him and helped me lift him up skin to skin and I saw that our baby was a boy! Lots of sobbing ensued as I was filled with so much joy, relief, exhaustion, and shock that he came so quickly. It was 8:04 am. We had to rub him a little with the towels to get him to cry, but everything after that went smoothly. He weighed in at 8 lbs, 1 oz and 21 inches long, making him one of our longer babies, but also our lightest.

Our main goal after delivery was to prepare to leave the hospital at the earliest possible time. Although it is peaceful there to not have to worry about 3 other kids, it isn't very comfortable and once we figured out that Luke and I were medically stable and recovering well, the nurses, midwives and doctors were really great at accommodating our requests and we left about 28 hours after delivery.  I took a shower not long after delivery and we headed up to the mother/baby floor shortly afterward. Evelyn, my mother-in-law came to visit around lunch time to bring some things from home and meet baby. Austin took Elena and Owen (who came home from school "sick" with a headache from not eating breakfast) to lunch and the park because kids and more than 1 visitor were not allowed at a time due to COVID. Austin and I gave Luke his first little bath in our room. The nurse was so shocked that we wanted to do this, because apparently at this hospital someone from the nursery comes and takes baby away for their bath. We just requested supplies and did it right on the bed with a little tub and pads underneath.  Luke was up every few hours day and night at the hospital but nursed well and allowed some time for rest. I was really sleep deprived from laboring overnight! Landon was excited for a brother, Owen was a little sad that Elena would not get a sister, and Elena was just super excited that she had a real baby to mess/play with. 

At first, we were sure Luke was a mini version of Landon. As the weeks have gone on, he definitely looks more like Luke now, with some features of Owen and Landon and maybe even Elena. We know he has a little more hair than Landon but way less than Elena and Owen. His eyes are like Landon, but his face shape and chin are Owen. His nose is definitely prominent, so much so that the midwives commented soon after he was born, "Whose nose is that?! That is not a typical newborn nose!" It's the Brown nose. He has skinny, long arms and legs like Landon, along with very long fingers and toes like Elena. His eyes are not as dark as Elena and Landon, being more of a medium gray color than dark bluish-brown. He doesn't mind loud noises most of the time, but hates dirty diapers. He pretty much only cries when he's dirty or hungry or tired, or has a burp, which is really nice. He began sleeping for 4-5 hour stretches at only a few days old after we discovered he loves Halo sleep sacks with the swaddle. In general, he loves his hands near his face and rolled from tummy to back and from back to sides at only 2 weeks old. He also is gaining head control and loves practicing lifting his head off my chest and trying to fling himself places. 

We had so much help the first few weeks that made everything so much easier. Evelyn was here for almost 2 weeks, and then my parents flew in and helped out for an additional 10 days. This was the longest we've had support after baby and I couldn't have done it without them. We've been flying solo for a few days now, and poor Luke has had to cry a little while I'm tending to needs of the other kids, but in general I think he's going to fit in great to our loud and crazy family. Welcome, little Luke! We love you so much already!