Baby Levi
On Sunday night around 10:00 PM, I lost part of my mucus plug. I wasn't feeling any contractions yet, so we went to bed expecting we might still have some time.
Around midnight, I woke up feeling contractions. I had a few that I was able to breathe through, but by 1:00 AM they had become intense enough that I woke Jeff up.
From that point on, things moved incredibly fast.
Jeff immediately started setting everything up for the birth while also supporting me through contractions. Looking back, this was probably one of the most stressful parts for him because he was trying to comfort me while scrambling to prepare everything at the same time. My biggest recommendation is to have everything completely ready to go well before labor starts—as if your baby could arrive at any minute.
My contractions quickly settled into being about 3–4 minutes apart, lasting around a minute each. I never really experienced an early labor. They became so intense so quickly that I couldn't talk through them.
We called our midwife, and she came over around 3:00 AM.
For a while I labored in the living room on the couch before moving into our bedroom, where I entered transition. During that time I vomited several times, so I definitely recommend keeping a bowl nearby. Surprisingly, throwing up actually brought me some relief.
Eventually I got into the birth tub. That's where my contractions became incredibly intense, and I definitely started having moments of doubt. But I kept reminding myself of everything we had learned in our birth classes, and Jeff continuously encouraged me with our affirmations and his unwavering support.
Because I was so nauseous, I couldn't eat much, but I managed to take a few spoonfuls of honey to keep my energy up. It made a huge difference.
Around 8:00 AM, I started feeling the urge to push while still in the tub.
After a while, I moved to the toilet with a squatty potty to prop up my feet. I pushed there for quite some time and honestly felt like I made a lot of progress in that position.
Eventually my midwife told me that baby was going to be born very soon. She said if I wanted to stay on the toilet, that was perfectly fine, but if I had envisioned delivering somewhere else, it was time to move.
I had always pictured delivering in the birth tub but in that moment I decided I wanted to deliver in our bedroom instead so that’s where we moved. After pushing a little longer, we welcomed our sweet baby...
Levi was born at 10:40am on July 27th!
One of the most incredible surprises was that my water never broke. Levi was actually born completely inside the amniotic sac, which we later learned is very rare and is called a en caul birth or a “mermaid birth”.
Even sweeter, during my pregnancy we saw him at his 20 week ultrasound with his hands tucked up by his face. Sure enough, when he was born, his little hands were right there by his cheeks.
Jeff helped assist the midwives with Levi's delivery and immediately brought him onto my chest.
For about 10–15 minutes we were completely overwhelmed with joy and in absolute shock. Then we suddenly remembered...
We still didn't know if we had a boy or a girl.
We had waited our entire pregnancy to find out.
Jeff looked between the baby's legs and announced “it’s a boy!”
Levi weighed 8 pounds and 6 ounces, measuring 21 inches long.
After delivery, I did experience a postpartum hemorrhage. My midwife immediately gave me a shot of Pitocin and performed uterine massage, which successfully stopped the bleeding. Thankfully, I didn't need to be transferred to the hospital or require a blood transfusion. They also gave me IV fluids, and I felt completely fine afterward.
I had a few small tears that my midwife stitched up.
From there, we simply climbed into bed together with our brand new baby while the midwives quietly cleaned everything up around us. We soaked in every emotion and every moment of becoming a family.
It was a short labor, but it was incredibly powerful, intense, beautiful, and empowering.
Without a doubt, it was the most amazing experience of my life and the greatest thing I've ever accomplished.
We are completely in love with our sweet little boy and can't wait to share him with the world.
Things That Helped Me During Labor
Keep changing positions. Movement helped labor continue progressing, and changing positions often made contractions more manageable.
Empty your bladder frequently. It sounds simple, but it really helped make room for baby to descend.
Have honey available. I was too nauseous to eat, but a few spoonfuls of honey gave me enough energy when labor became the most intense.
Coconut water was amazing. It helped keep me hydrated and replenished electrolytes.
Birth education made all the difference. Mentally, labor was challenging, but I never felt out of control because I had tools to work through every stage. Knowing what was happening made such a difference.
Deep, low moans were incredibly helpful. Jeff constantly reminded me to use deep, low sounds instead of holding tension or just breathing quietly. Those deep moans really helped me relax and work with my contractions.
Have lots of pillows. They made every labor position more comfortable for both of us.
Transition wasn't as scary as I expected. It was definitely intense mentally, but I actually didn't mind throwing up because it gave me relief each time.
Tips for Dads (From Jeff)
Pack snacks for yourself too. We focused so much on preparing snacks for me that we completely forgot about Jeff. By the time I was crowning, he actually started feeling faint. Thankfully he was able to eat a quick snack and bounce back before the birth.
Eat between contractions. Time moves surprisingly fast between contractions, and it's difficult to leave your partner for long. Having easy protein bars or quick snacks nearby makes it much easier to keep your energy up.
Learn the affirmations. Being able to remind me of our affirmations and coach me through contractions was incredibly helpful. Knowing exactly what to say gave Jeff confidence and helped keep me focused.
Stay flexible. Labor changes constantly. Being willing to adapt, encourage, and support whatever your partner needs in each moment is one of the greatest gifts you can give her.