Scott's Birth Story

The day started as a normal day/normal morning. I woke up around 8:15 am, came downstairs, Bill had already got WES & MacKenna, their breakfasts. I checked my emails and posts on different groups that I’m on, then ate breakfast and drank my coffee. Around 10 am, I went downstairs to the basement to work doing diaper laundry and put snaps into diapers. I did that until 11:15 am when we had to get ready to take Bill to work still feeling fine, just mild irregular contractions like I had been having 2 ½ weeks so, I just chalked it up more prodromal labor no big deal. Got back from taking Bill to work, made sandwiches for MacKenna and I, then about 1:30 or so, I was sitting and rocking on the birthing ball because my back was feeling a little achy. About 2:30, I was ready to get WES from school, the contractions were starting to feel more like the ones that I had last Saturday night/Sunday morning but, still figured it was false alarm and they would go away by the time we went pick up WES. We got to WES’ school, went to his classroom and the contractions were still bearable even though, I was feeling a little off by then. We got home/back in the house around 3:10pm and the contractions were getting a little stronger but, I could still breath through them. By 3:25 pm, they are rolling into each other so, I called Bill and said that I was going to call my mom to go and get him because I wasn’t sure if it was a false alarm or not but, I wanted/needed him to come home. I talked to my mom about 3:30 pm and told her that I needed her to go and get Bill from work because the contractions were 3 -5 minutes apart, she asked if I had called my midwives yet and I said no in that I didn’t know if it was another false alarm or not. My mom told me to please call my step mom (Star) so, I wouldn’t be alone with the kids. I called Star and told her that contractions were 3 -5 mins apart and getting harder/closer together and please hurry meanwhile, I had MacKenna sitting on lower back to give me counter pressure while I was on my knees and upper body leaning over the birthing ball. My 2nd younger sister (Kate), her son (Charlie), and Star walked in about 4:20 pm, Star asked if I called the midwives yet, I said no because I had Bill’s phone didn’t know where the notebook was right then. They found the notebook in the bassinet and called, got the voicemail so, they left a message. About 4:30 pm the contractions were so close together that all I could was lay on the birthing ball and have Kate put counter pressure on my lower back. At 4:37 pm, my midwives called back and Kate was kind of panicking because while she was on the phone with her, I said that I was feeling the urge to push but, Brigette (my midwife) said to tell me not to push and was going to call her assistant and that she would call right back. As soon as Kate got off the phone with Brigette, my water broke, and I kind of cried/said, “I think my water just broke and I really feel like I need to push.” Kate helped get my pants off as I’m still leaning on the birthing ball. The next part was kind of a blur because all I really remember is standing just enough to climb in the birthing tub that had about 2 inches of water in since Star was bathroom holding the hose up the faucet since y-connector was in the kitchen and the hose wasn’t reaching. After I was in the tub, I felt the need to push again so, I gave one hard push and I could feel Scott’s head and shoulders were out, I pushed again and the rest of him came into mine & Kate’s hands. I lifted up my left leg as to turn around so, Scott & I were facing each other and I sit down as well as warm Scott up. At 4:48 pm, Brigette called back and Kate told her that Scott was here and what did she need to do now. Brigette walked her through about checking the cord to ensured that it had stopped pulsating, make sure placenta was delivered, and rub my belly to ensure there no hemorrhaging, which everything was fine. Star called my mom and Bill to see where they were and they were getting on NYS Thurway so unfortunately, Bill missed the birth of our 3rd and last baby. At about 5:20 pm, Brigette and Charity (assistant) arrived and started checking Scott and I over to ensure everyone was ok. Around 5:30 pm, Bill and my mom arrived and then 15 minutes later Bill got to cut the cord, which was a first for him. By 7 pm, everything was cleaned up and Scott was nursing like a champ, and I only had a superficial tear on my outer labia. So, the official stats are: Scott Fredrick was born 4:43 pm, weighed 8 lbs 6 oz, 21 ½ inches, and head cir is 14 inches.