Introducing Liam Broderick Minton

The day my contractions began, Friday, October 7, I felt an urgency to finish all of the last minute things I'd been putting off. I didn't feel good all day, but I pushed myself to get the house ready. Just a couple days before, I started to lose my mucus plug, and knew that labor could be close.

I was scheduled for my 39 week appointment, but Kim, my midwife, was called to a birth so I didn't see anyone. Max and I went and had lunch at Macaroni Grill...a special Mommy and Max lunch. After we ate, we headed home for his nap. I got a text from Alicia, my doula, right before 5pm, asking how I was doing. I said, "Hey! Lots of contractions and pressure through the night but feeling OK today. Went to my appointment but she was called to a birth so I didn't see anyone. Scheduled for next Thursday, which was the first available.  :) Only saw a little mucus plug today once. I'll let u know if there are any developments! Thanks for checking in!"

After dinner, Travis hung the art we purchased for the baby's room, even though it was late. As he did, I started to feel worse and worse. Max was thrilled that he got to stay up late. As he pulled out every single one of the baby's toys, he chanted rea-rea-rea...or maybe it was Liam, Liam, Liam! By the time Travis was finished, it was around 10pm. I told him that I felt too bad to put Max down, so he did, while I went to lay down.

I sent Alicia a text right before 11pm, that read, "Hey...just an update. Been having some regular contractions  for a couple of hours. Far apart...9-10 minutes. I've laid down and they have almost stopped. Having some sharp pain and pressure though. Didn't have it with Max. Do you think he's just really low and putting pressure on my nerves? My pelvis feels like it's going to split apart, too." She asked where the pain was and I told her in the cervical area. She thought it probably was the pressure of him being so low and told me to try to sleep while I could. If I couldn't sleep, though, she told me to take a warm shower and try some stretches to help him move off of the nerve, if I felt up to it. I told her I would.

Over the next hour, I slept between contractions, but they were strong enough to wake me up. I kept a timer going and they were between 7-10 minutes apart. A little after midnight, I told Travis that I was going to get in the shower and asked him to keep track of the contractions. After about 45 minutes I decided to try the tub.

Travis sent a text to Alicia around 1am which said, "She's in the tub and the contractions are 4 1/2 minutes apart, lasting around 30 seconds . She says they're intense. A lot of the mucus plug came out, too. Just wanted to update you." Alicia said, "Yay!". I called my mom around this time to ask her to come, just in case this was the real thing. She arrived a little while later and I gave her instructions, between contractions, about how to finish packing my bags for the hospital. At 1:50am, Travis text, "Think this is the real thing unless they stall, like last time. Still less than a minute in duration." Alicia asked, "Are they increasing in intensity? Any bloody show?". Travis replied, "More intense out of shower or tub. No bloody show yet.". Alicia said, "Keep taking it one contraction at a time. Eat, drink. Try not to judge what's coming next. Rest as much as you can, even if you're in the tub." After 2am, Travis text back, "They are coming under 3 minutes but they are only 30-40 seconds long. Alicia said, "How is the intensity? Are you really working hard through them?" and Travis told her that they were high intensity and I was working hard. Alicia said, "Then don't worry about them only being 40 seconds. Your body knows what it's doing. Have you called the mw yet? Would be a good time. Remember that you need antibiotics, too." I was GBS positive again, so I would need antibiotics at least 4 hours before delivery. Alicia said she would head to the hospital.

We called the answering service and they told us that no midwives were on duty and had Dr. Frederick call us back, instead.  While we were waiting for a callback, Travis called his mom and told her that I was really in labor and would probably be heading for the hospital soon.. When Dr. Frederick called back, he was groggy, to say the least. After listening to Travis describe the situation, however, he told us to head to the hospital.

When everything was ready to go, I got out of the shower and got dressed between contractions. As I was going down the steps, I had a really intense contraction. I think Max heard me, because he woke up and started crying. At this point, I went outside so that he wouldn't hear me again, and Travis brought a bottle of milk up to him. All I could think about was getting to the hospital, so I decided I would load the car. I remember looking up at the bright moon and then thinking about Max...about how this was the last night he would be our only son. I started tearing up and then my mom and Travis came out and we said goodbye and headed for the hospital.

Luckily, the ride only took 6-7 minutes...just as it did 17 months earlier, when I was in labor with Max. Talk about deja vu! I never would have imagined that we would be making this trip again so soon. I was excited and sad to leave Max, at night, for the first time. We arrived at North Fulton Regional Hospital at 3:10 a.m. We went to the emergency entrance, since it was the middle of the night. They got me a wheelchair and they got me back to L&D while Travis parked the car. When Alicia arrived about 20 minutes later, we were in triage, and the nurse had just checked me; I was 5 centimeters dilated. We chatted about how similar the timing was to Max's birth in between my contractions, which were coming about every 4 minutes. 

The baby, who had been awake earlier, was now sound asleep, and they wanted to see his heartbeat go up. I drank some juice, which didn't phase him. We were admitted to room 4 shortly thereafter. We later learned that it was the last available room. It seems that a lot of people got pregnant when we had the snow storm in January and they had all gone into labor that night. Gloria was assigned as my nurse, with Erin as her assistant. They were still waiting for baby to wake up, and Alicia told me to move around a little and we moved my belly around. Finally, he woke up. There was a flurry of activity and Erin came to insert the heplock so that I could receive the antibiotics when needed. My midwife, Kim Story, came in shortly afterwards, and penicillin was started about 4:10.

            After the antibiotic was finished, I decided to get into the tub, and I began feeling some pressure about 4:50.  Alicia used cool rags, and Travis cooled me with the now-infamous fan. The fan helped to keep me at a comfortable temperature, even though the water was very warm. Although they were very intense, I was able to breathe through the contractions, and rest in between.

            When Kim checked me again at 5:36, I was 9 centimeters! The contractions were very strong at this point, and I felt myself tensing up with each one. Alicia saw this and suggested that I try a little light pushing, in order to add some counter pressure. She encouraged me to just listen to my body and do what felt right.This helped so much! Instead of being scared of and shying away from the pain, I began to let my body bring him down. I could actually feel him moving lower and lower. It was an amazing sensation!

Our moms arrived, together, at 6:10.  Travis' mom and Bill met my mom at our house, and Bill stayed there with Max, while our moms came to the hospital.

Alicia suggested that I might find being on my hands and knees more comfortable. When I flipped over, things happened very quickly. On that contraction/push my water broke. When this happened, the intensity of the contraction, with the baby being so low, was almost more than I could bear. I immediately began to feel burning. All I could think about was getting him out! With the next contraction, he crowned. It all happened so fast after that. Kim opened the door, just as Alicia got down on her knees to catch the baby, if need be. Alicia quickly nodded at Kim and she rushed over to catch, and Alicia moved up to my head to whisper in my ear. I turned back over, and with Travis, Alicia, and our moms encouraging me, I birthed our sweet baby, Liam with the next contraction. Max became a big brother at 6:54 a.m. on Saturday, October 8, 2011.

            Liam latched on and began nursing right away. It was amazing to finally hold him in my arms! I relaxed in the tub, while he nursed for almost an hour. When he was finished, Travis cut his cord.

Not long after, I easily birthed the placenta, and was able to see the amazing little nest he had called home for almost a year. Travis held our new little boy while Kim and Alicia helped me get out of the tub.

Liam was weighed, measured, and examined by our sweet nurse, Tootie. He weighed 8 pounds and 3 ounces, and measured 20 inches long and was declared healthy...a perfect baby boy!

A little while later, while I was in bed, I had some light hemorrhaging...it felt like a lot to me, but they said it was within the normal range. They gave me a pitocin shot to stop the bleeding, and I was thankful that it worked quickly. Alicia left around 9am. We were so blessed to have her be a part of Liam's birth, just as she had been with Max's.

 We couldn't wait for his big brother, Max, and the rest of our family and friends to meet Liam! Cousin Tristen and Aunt Loria came to see him shortly after he was born. Because of the great number of babies born at the same time, we were moved to a small recovery room that we shared with another family. We stayed there for a few hours and received a few new visitors including Aunt Kim, Cousin Madeline (Uncle Pat wasn't feeling up to the trip), Aunt Loria and cousin Tristen, and Grandpa Ron and April.

Resting in the recovery room

Grandpa Ron and Munevera came to meet Liam

Aunt Kim and cousin Madeline

Aunt Loria and cousin Tristen

Once we knew when we would be moved to our postpartum room, we told Grampa that he could bring Max to meet his new baby brother. A little while later, I dressed Liam in a sweet little yellow, green and white duck outfit.

Getting Liam ready to meet Max

We were so excited to see Max. It was so hard being apart from him while we were in the hospital!

  

He gave Liam a special bunny rattle that he picked out all by himself.

I explained to him that Liam came out of my belly

Liam's first hug from big brother Max

 Love our boys!

Proud Gramma and Grampa

Waving hello to Liam

He was very gentle...

Nana admiring Liam

Cousins!

Liam's birth was such a beautiful experience! It was wonderful to be surrounded by our family who came to meet our perfect new addition and we are excited to begin our life together as a family of four!