Barrett's Birth Story

This is long and mostly for myself because if I wait to document, I’ll forget.

Here goes nothing…

August 2nd- little did I know what was coming...

I have a condition called Rapid Labor. With it, when I go into labor- I go fast. Because of this and being a single carrier of MFTHR, I was scheduled to be induced the night of August 2^nd and have baby on August 3^rd. This would be ten days early, but my sweet doctor was confident that it would all work out fine because of how it went with Deacon.

The last week of July, I noticed some changes. I noticed that baby had dropped and there was some movement down below (I won’t give details) that suggested to me baby may come sooner than expected. I tried not to over analyze it, but part of me thought- baby may be two weeks early. Matt had a couple things he needed to get done school wise, so I was semi-hoping it would not happen right then, but I also was pretty miserable and ready to meet our girl/boy.

Well with all the movement, everything had stopped by the weekend. I was still spotting but I wasn’t contracting. I thought I had cried wolf, so I just continued my daily chores of getting ready for our house to sell and move. Fast forward to Tuesday- August 2^nd. I woke up and was really spotting. I also had consistent contractions. I called the OBGYN who was pretty sure I was in labor. She said with being induced that night- I would just check into hospital and wouldn’t need any medicine to get things started. She did warn me to come in earlier if I felt like contractions were 7 minutes apart and 1 minute long. I didn’t really listen.

I told Matt what was going on and we just got everything ready for the boys to be cared for and house set up for baby. Bags were packed and clothes were washed. We were ready. Around 2 pm that day, I started to notice that the contractions were strong and 10 to 15 minutes apart. They were painful but I still wasn’t too worried.  I didn't want to cry wolf again. We decided to do one last family dinner together the four of us around 6 pm that night. At this point they were every 8-10 minutes apart and I couldn't walk off the pain. I had wondered if the baby would come that night, but I still was uncertain.

We drive home and meet Chandler (who will help us with the boys) and I give her the low down on the boys’ summer school and had everything set to go. She walked out of kitchen to talk with boys and I felt a burst. My water broke- fluid all over the floor. I hadn't had this before, so needless to say, I was shocked.  Matt walked in right as I was headed to bathroom- I told him that I thought we should head over early because my water broke. His face is stunned and he quickly gets go mode into action.  It was 7:15 pm and I was supposed to be checked in at 8 pm, so I figured it would be fine.

We arrive at the hospital around 7:30 and I’m really in labor. I forgot to pre-register, so I’m trying to sign paperwork as I’m pushing through contractions. At one point I ask for a barf bag because I was pretty sure I'm about the lose the dinner and gelato. The lady hurries through the registration and gets me a room around 7:47.

We get to room, I use bathroom, and I ask immediately for the epidural. The nurse lets me know that she will order one but need a liter of fluid into me first. At that point, I’m concerned I’m going to miss epidural. My nurse- Rindy- sits me on the bed and checks. I’m at a 6. A new nurse brings the bag of fluid in and starts to get the IV set up. My stubborn veins gave her trouble which didn’t help- my clock was ticking. I was contracting every 3 minutes for 1-1.5 minutes long and dying. With all the wires, I couldn't really move or walk it off.  I just kept praying and hoping the pain would subside.  Once the IV is in,  I am BEGGING for the epidural.  They let me know doctor is on the way. Rindy checks again- I’m at an 8.

Fast forward probably 5 minutes, I’m contracting I can tell something has started to change because the contractions won’t stop. I ask to use the bathroom because of all the pressure and warn them that I think the baby is coming. They at first tell me I’m ok. BREATHE is the line everyone was repeating.  I am insistent that something has changed. One of the nurses checks- baby is crowning. 

No doctor, just nurses- I ask them- HAVE A MISSED THE EPIDURAL? This sweet nurse looks at me- nods her head- says "Yeahhhhh you missed it." I think I needed to know so I could pump myself up to get through it. PS-I had read zero books on natural labor and they were worried that with how baby was coming that I’d tear. 

They wanted me to go slow- blow out the candles. Well, that’s not really possible although I tried. Matt just held my hand and kept telling me  to breathe.

Well, I missed the epidural, nurses caught the baby, and Barrett Samuel was here at 8:17 pm. (about one hour after my water broke- crazy). He was 6 pounds 6 ounces 19.5 inches long and a feisty little thing. We hadn’t settled on a name but Barrett or Bear completely fit him and we were both smitten. 

Natural labor was incredible despite my begging for the epidural. My recovery was easy- I can't believe I'm saying that- but it's true. I did not tear and really felt like myself by the next day. Barrett successfully nursed almost instantly. 

Matt and I both couldn’t stop talking about the whirlwind of a day and all the things we were so thankful for. If we had not left our house when we did, Matt would have delivered me on the side of the highway. My doctor said that once your water breaks with third child-it’s a race to the gates. The Lord’s provision and goodness is marked all over Barrett and his story.  

Barrett Samuel: One Month Old

Weight/Length- I have his appointment next week- we will know more then. (I'm waiting for insurance, so I say it's next week- but we will see- new job which means new insurance). I would guess around 8 pounds and 20.5 inches length. He is getting chubby- there are neck rolls.

Eating- Bear eats every 2-3 hours. He will give me a 5 hour stretch at night, which I take for granted. Looking back, neither of the brothers did this. He’s been doing it since 3 weeks- not every night- but probably  75% of the time. 

Bedtime/Awake- There isn’t a set schedule for this. I try to have his last real long awake time from 6:30-8:30. With all that we have had going on, I have not been able to be real consistent. He also tends to have a night about every third night where he’s up from 8pm-11 just fussing. He gets overstimulated. Once he is asleep for the night however, he stays asleep. With feedings, he’s easy to put back down.

Diapers- Barrett is in newborn diapers.

Clothes- newborn clothes- some are getting tight around that big belly

Dislikes- car rides. Homeboy notoriously cries most car rides which is hard and exhausting for all parties involved. We are in the car for an hour each morning/ afternoon between dropping off everybody and picking up. It makes for a stressed mama. I know it’s a phase and we will get past it.

If Barrett is fussy or hungry, he dislikes everybody but his mom. I haven’t had a kid like this before but he’s super attached to me. B can tell when he’s napping on me if I try to pass him off. It doesn’t fly so well for him.

Likes- Barrett loves baths. He loves to splash and feel the water. I have a tummy sleeper this time around. He likes to sleep on his belly or on his mom’s chest. I still swaddle him at night just because it’s the safest way, but naps during day are now on tummy. 

Bear loves the pacifier. I had about ten left over from Deacon who never cared for it, so I'm glad they are getting good use. 

Barrett gave his first real smile to Noah, which made big brother’s heart explode. Barrett loves to bounce and will coo while doing so.

Favorite memories for the month- This month was a whirl wind. We survived a move from Texas and adjusting to new city. His birth story is probably my favorite memory. I’ll have to blog about it when things slow down. I don’t want to forget- it was a sweet blessing and just God providing once again. I’m so thankful to be a mommy again to another boy. Barrett’s life is precious and something I will never take for granted. I'm pretty partial to the boy mom life. 

If you are curious what's on his ear, it's called an ear mold. His specific type is called Earwell. He had one ear that was sticking out and one that was in. It's all cosmetic, but we decided it was easiest to fix now and let it be even. It should be off in two weeks. It's a newer invention that is now covered by insurance. Hoot! 

37: Baby Names & Fort Worth

Along: 37 weeks

Size of baby:  Winter Melon (small watermelon?) - baby is considered near-term and working on putting on baby fat. Reflexes are fully functional and baby will continue to get stronger until the big debut!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 32 pounds – more than with the boys. Oops.

Maternity Clothes: I’m down to a couple items that sound appealing and are comfortable. Everything else will remain in my closet until baby Clem appears.  

Gender: Surprise! Baby’s heartbeat was 158 yesterday. I think we may have a boy name. We sat down on Saturday to discuss- this one is brand new, so we will see if it sticks. Girl middle name has been up for debate, but I believe we settled on this as well. The boys have a name they really like, so I think we will end up going with their choice for middle name. It would be something special for her to have and mean a lot to the big brothers.

Movement: Baby is a ninja!  My ribs sometimes hurt after some of the jabs and kicks- especially when I’m laying down to sleep.

Sleep: Insomnia is here to stay- no doubt about it.   

What I miss: Cooler weather and normal body temperature. At this point, I’m always on the verge of sweating. Although this can be expected in the summer, it’s slightly more miserable pregnant. Just slightly.    

Cravings: fruit (especially blueberries and grapes), chocolate, ice cream, chips and salsa, salad, juice, smoothies  

Symptoms: I’m at a 1- 80% effaced. I have a lot of hip pain and sciatica. With the heat, constant thirst has been lingering. Braxton hicks happen a lot at night, and I feel like baby has dropped some.

Best Moment This Week:  Our family headed to Fort Worth over the weekend, so we could show our house. We did stockyards, rodeo, gun show, swimming, and zoo. We had some excellent food along with a great time! I’m so thankful for the sweet family of mine- four soon to be five. 

They may have been a little wild, so Matt worked on breathing and meditating! ha!

Fun dip- pop rocks style. Childhood candy favorite.

Little buddy and friend

36: Moving Out & Maternity Pictures

Along: 36 weeks

Size of baby:  Roman Lettuce- baby is around 19 inches and 5-6 lbs. Baby is putting on about an ounce a day. His/her kidneys and liver are in working order along with circulation/immune system.   

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 30.5 pounds

Maternity Clothes: I’m loving all maternity dresses right now.  Pants and the heat sound like a terrible combination at all times.

Gender: Surprise! Baby’s heartbeat was at 138 this week. I did a little “old wives tale post” to see what it could reveal. It came out about 50/50. I didn’t mention the Chinese calendar predictor which points to BOY, so maybe that’s the tie breaker?

We still don’t have boy name, but we are pretty settled on girl which we will keep a secret until baby shows his/her face. We joke it would be easier if it was a girl just because we have a name, but we really are so happy to have either!

Movement: Big movements along with hiccups. It can be painful, but I love the reminder of baby growing and thriving inside my womb.

Sleep: The boys both got croup this week, so sleep has been lacking just with sick kiddos, Texas heat, and difficult getting comfortable. I’m glad we are getting it out of our system now and now when baby arrives. Germs- stay away please and thank you!  

What I miss: Energy and Patience. These two things have been lacking this week, but it also may be tied to putting our house on market and Matt’s dissertation defense. This is a big week at our house.   

Cravings: all things cold- water, juice, ice cream. I would say I can always go for a bowl of fruit- grapes, cherries, pears, apples, bananas, and most of all- blueberries. I’ve also been crushing some candied pecans and yogurt covered pretzels as well.  

Symptoms: Braxton hicks, sciatica, circulation issues (hands swelling, feet numb if sit in certain positions), long/strong finger nails, sunspots, and small bladder

Best Moment This Week:  I’d say although stressful, getting our house ready for sale and just watching the Lord move through this whole process has been super sweet this week. Y’all, Matt and I have been complaining about a dead tree in our neighbor’s yard for years. We woke up one morning this week and it was gone. It’s the little things that remind me God loves details and is in charge of everything.

I should also mention pictures are my love language, so the opportunity to get us all dressed up and head to one of our favorite spots completely filled my cup. I love watching the boys grow and having this same sweet photographer do them over the past two years- it's been such a joy. I had to add a couple more below just because!  

Baby Clem #3- Old Wives Tales

I always enjoy looking back at things like this, so I decided to document the old wives tales for Clem baby #3.

#1: The Linea Nigra -if the line continues above your belly button, you’re having a boy. If it finishes below your belly button, you have a girl bun in your oven. – BOY

#2: Carrying High Or Low – Low, so BOY

#3: The Feel Of Your Skin Carrying a boy is said to give you dry skin or smooth skin if girl. Dry-BOY

#4: It’s All In The Heart - above 140 ppm means you’re having a girl, and lower than 140 bpm means it’s a boy. -  We have been all over the charts on this one- BOY/GIRL

#5: Truth Or Hair It’s all in the hair, apparently. If your hair becomes thick and glossy, and you can’t make it down the street without being stopped by a modelling scout, you’re carrying a boy. If your hair is so dull and limp that you look like you’ve been without running water for quite some time, it’s a girl. BOY

#6: No Time To Weight - According to an old wives’ tale, if you’re carrying all of your extra weight out front, it’s a boy. If those pregnancy pounds are piling on all over, you might be expecting a daughter. GIRL 

 #7: It’s All About The Taste - chocolate and desserts all hint that baby is girl. Salty or sour foods could be an indication that you’re carrying a son. GIRL

 

#8: No Easy Feet - If you are suffering from a bad case of the cold feet now that you’re pregnant, you might be expecting a boy. If your feet are as warm as ever, you might be carrying a girl.  GIRL

#9: Spot On- Acne during pregnancy hints that you’re having a girl. A perfect complexion could be a sign that you’re expecting a boy. GIRL (unfortunately)

#10: Ball About The Bump This one is quite niche. If folks keep stopping you, to comment on how closely your bump resembles a basketball, you’re having a boy. If basketball players keep trying to dribble off with your bump, you could be expecting a girl. – GIRL

#11- Morning Sickness- If you have head over toilet bowl for first 12 weeks- girl. If you escape this, boy. BOY

Alright y’all, this looks like 50/50 to me! I added some of our maternity pics to this post too. Our sweet nanny and friend over the past four years took these this week and I'm obsessed. This third baby is our miracle, and I could not be more excited to meet him/her in the next couple weeks.

http://lizzieallenphoto.com/