A wonderful surprise: The birth of Lorenzo

By Published On: September 26th, 2016Tags: ,

Our baby’s due date was May 20, and we decided from the very beginning to keep the gender a surprise!

After a full weekend of working out and a date night cooking class at Sur La Table with my husband, I started having strong contractions Sunday night and into early Monday morning. I barely slept as I rode the wave of each contraction and timed them at 8 to 12 minutes apart.

Upon getting out of bed and taking a brief nap on the couch, I decided I could muster the energy to go into work for the day. I managed as the intensity of my contractions had lessened and the timing had lengthened. I was sure that the week would be a long one—I even thought I could go to the gym that night and work out! Thankfully, I decided to just come home and rest because my contractions became stronger and more frequent once again that night.

As I tried to get comfortable by changing positions and sitting on a exercise ball, we began timing my contractions. After realizing they were five minutes apart, I had to use the bathroom and found myself having diarrhea and then noticed discharge with “bloody show.” Thanks to the childbirth education class we took a few months back I knew that meant it was go time.

We cleaned up the house, I took a shower, and we leisurely headed to the hospital. I was so afraid they would turn me away because I wasn’t dilated yet.

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We got to the hospital around 10 p.m. In triage they told me that I was dilated to a 4 and I was being admitted. I was so happy!

I immediately asked for an epidural, and they said they would get it ordered for me. My husband took on the responsibility of calling our family; our parents and siblings showed up within 30 minutes to be a part of the experience with us.

I was taken back to labor and delivery and was given an epidural shortly after (around 11:30 p.m.). My dilation was checked again, and I was already at a 7. Our family hung out with us in the delivery room as I progressed throughout the early morning. I sat at an 8 for several hours. Just as I was being checked again at around 5 a.m., my water broke, and I was told I was a 10! Woohoo!

The nurses kept asking if I felt any pressure and then told me we would start practice pushing at around 6 a.m. I was nervous as I did not “know” how to push, and that’s exactly what I told them. Our family left the room with the exception of my parents, and I began my practice pushes with my husband holding one leg and the nurse holding the other.

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The nurse at one point said she could see the head and asked if we wanted to feel it. We did!

At 6:45 a.m. my doctor arrived, and we began the real pushing. Our little baby was having a hard time coming out. At the time we did not know why, but it turns out the baby’s hand was up by the face. I pushed several times and the doctor asked if I wanted to keep going or wanted an episiotomy. I kept saying I wanted to push again. At 7:29 a.m. on Tuesday, May 17, out came our little boy—a wonderful surprise! Lorenzo Julien weighed 6 pounds, 8 ounces and measured 19 inches long.

My labor was a wonderful experience, and it was great having our family with us through Lorenzo’s arrival. There was so much excitement and love in the room. I had great nurses and an amazing doctor, who was encouraging and positive. My doctor even asked if we wanted her to say a prayer, and we did with Lorenzo in my arms and our family surrounding us.

Send us your birth story! Whether you had a home birth, hospital birth, 37-hour labor or emergency C-section, we’d love to read the tale of your little one’s grand entrance. Write up your birth story (click here for tips on getting started) and email it, along with a few photos, to birthstory@pnmag.com. We’ll share it on our Birth Day blog and may even print it in an upcoming issue!