Our long-awaited baby boy, Lior, has finally arrived, filling our hearts with joy. He is everything we could have hoped for and more. A perfect little blessing bundled in a 8.9-pound package ❤️
I had anticipated Lior's arrival before his due date, especially considering my previous experience with my daughter, who arrived two days early. My doctor had even hinted that history might repeat itself. However, this pregnancy proved to be entirely different from my previous ones, so I should have known better! Haha
It all began with Braxton Hicks contractions, which made me think labor might be starting. I even texted my sisters, excitedly saying, "It could be tonight!" That went on for about a week. Towards the end, the waiting game was driving me crazy. I had cleaned every nook and cranny of my house; it was spotless. I started running out of things to tidy up. Then, out of nowhere, my tooth started causing me intense pain. By the second day, it was unbearable, and I had to rush to the emergency room. Dealing with a root canal as a 40-week pregnant patient wasn't what anyone wanted, but I had no choice but to take antibiotics. We all know it can take a few days for antibiotics to start working. Thankfully, I didn't go into labor during that time. It's like God knew exactly what He was doing and protected us. Once I managed to alleviate the tooth pain, that's when the real contractions began.
On February 7, 2024, at 8:15 p.m., my active labor began. Two hours into it, my contractions were coming every 8 minutes. I called my OB’s nurse line, and since this was my third baby, they advised me to head to the hospital. My parents came over to stay with the girls overnight.
Upon arriving at the hospital, the news I didn't want to hear came: I was only 3 cm dilated. They suggested we walk around for an hour to see if there was any progress. After seeing no change, we decided to go back home to rest.
We returned home around midnight, and parents went back to sleep in their own beds. While they and my husband got some good rest, I couldn't sleep due to the increasing contractions. By 6 a.m., with contractions now five minutes apart, we knew it was time to call parents again and head back to the hospital.
At 7 a.m., they checked my dilation and found I was only 5 cm dilated. It wasn't the news I had hoped for, but we decided to stay at the hospital this time. Two hours later, I reached 10 cm and was ready to push. However, they asked me to wait for my doctor to arrive. He came 20 minutes later, and then the intense part began. I pushed for an hour, and Lior was born at 10:12 a.m on February 8, 2024.
This labor was the most intense one I've experienced so far, primarily because of Lior's position. He was in an asynclitic position, which meant his head was tilted or leaning to the side, making pushing more challenging and the labor longer.
In between contractions, we focused on the sideline technique, where I lay on my side to temporarily enlarge and soften my pelvis. During contractions, I moved my hips back and forth and then side to side to facilitate the passage of the fetus through the pelvic area.
Lying on my back in bed wasn't an option for me; it only intensified the contractions. I found leaning over the bed and swaying my hips back and forth more relaxing. Our nurse kindly showed my husband how to relieve back tension by rubbing my lower back in a counter-clockwise motion.
When it came time to push Lior out, the doctor quickly grabbed him and placed him into the infant warmer. There, he and eight other nurses worked swiftly to free him from the umbilical cord, which was wrapped tightly around his neck twice. We didn't hear him cry or even catch a glimpse of his face.
Completely unaware of what was happening, I kept repeating "thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus!" while my husband reassured me, saying, "It's going to be okay." I began shaking uncontrollably.
Finally, we heard his little cry. Though his skin was the color of a plum, at least he was alive! They placed him on my chest, and that's when I took a breath. The shaking began to slow down, and I savored holding my sweet baby. We were told that if we had chosen to give birth at home, the outcome might not have been as positive.
Now we understand why we had a negative experience with a midwife during our first pregnancy; it led us here. Once again, God knows exactly what He's doing, and we fully trust Him.
We're often asked why we consistently opt for the hospital route for labor and delivery. Honestly, you can still have a low-intervention birth with an MD at a hospital; it just requires clear communication of your birth plan with your doctor.
Today, we're at home, focusing on recovery and healing. It still feels surreal to have a baby boy. Sometimes, I accidentally slip up and mess up the pronouns. Having a son is an incredibly beautiful experience, and we just can't get enough of him. Our love for him knows no bounds.