Levi Aaron

**WARNING** This is Levi's entire birth story...it's long! And includes all the details!

Last Friday I was having my yearly JAMM (girls weekend with all my college roommates!) and wanted nothing more than to get through that and Matt's neighborhood concert he was playing at Saturday night and then go into labor! Saturday morning my girlfriends and I went to the farmers market downtown and they had raspberries that looked so good, so I decided to get a huge flat of them to make jam. I went home that afternoon and debated making it that day, or waiting until Monday, which would be the last day I could make it because I was scheduled to get induced on Tuesday morning! I decided to go ahead and get it done Saturday and spent all day making 3 big batches of freezer jam. Matt left to go practice for his concert around 5:30 and I literally finished the jam right as Camryn and I were walking out the door to go watch the concert! We got there around 6:30 and ate dinner, then everyone started playing around 7, which is when my contractions started! They were super far apart and didn't hurt at all, so I thought nothing of it. People kept asking me all night, "when's this baby coming?" and I would jokingly say, "maybe tonight, I'm having contractions right now!" But I really was joking and didn't think it would happen that night. We went home around 9 and they were still coming so I told Matt we should probably time them and just see how far apart they are. They were between 8-9 minutes and my book said 2nd time mom's should go in when they're 5-6 minutes apart. My Dr. had told me not to wait too long to come in once I was having contractions because I tested positive for strep b and we had to do the iv antibiotic, which takes 4 hours but I have fast labors! So, we decided to just go in and get checked to be on the safe side. We called Matt's mom to meet us at the hospital and got our bags packed! The contractions were getting a little bit stronger at this point where I would kind of have to grab the dresser as I was packing and breathe through it, but still not super strong or painful. We walked into the hospital around 10:30 and they asked us if something was happening, but I definitely did not look like I was in labor so I just said "I'm not really sure, I've been having contractions for a few hours, but my Dr. told us not to wait because of the strep b thing." She took us back and checked me out and said "uh, yeah you're at a 5, let's go get you hooked up to your iv!" I was so excited that it was really happening and that Levi decided to come on his own! I was scheduled to get induced on Tuesday morning, but I was planning on a natural birth and knew being induced would make it so much harder, maybe impossible to do! We got into our room and started going through the list of questions the nurse has to ask, and I would just close my eyes, relax and breathe through the contractions as they would come. When the nurse was finished getting my IV in I got in the tub with my lavender oil and finally got my hypnobabies cd on and just got super relaxed. It felt so good to be in the warm water and just prepare to meet my little boy! Matt was starving by this point because he didn't get to eat dinner at the concert since he was playing so he went to the cafeteria and got some food! The nurse would come in every 20 minutes or so and listen to the heartbeat. After I'd been in the tub for awhile she said she wanted to monitor it a little closer and I was getting kind of hot so I got back into bed and was at an 8 by this point! Levi was turned sideways so she suggested to turn from side to side to see if we could get him to turn. I tried that for awhile, then my Dr. came in to check on us (who just so happened to be on call that night!!) He checked me and said I was at a 9 and asked if I wanted him to break my water at that point so I might start feeling ready to push. We were past midnight by then so I knew we weren't having a 9/11 baby, so I said why not? Let's get this baby out! We were just hanging out in the room, I had one headphone in so I could still listen to my hypnobabies during contractions, but still chat in between. After my water had been broken 10 or 15 minutes I started feeling the urge to push. He was still turned so my Dr. said he was going to reach up and turn him with the next contraction...OUCH!!! Everything had been pretty much completely pain free up to that point, but that hurt like hell! He had to do that a few times to get him turned, and that was the most uncomfortable, painful part of the whole thing. Matt was so sweet, rubbing my shoulders and telling me how good of a job I was doing, telling me he could see Levi's head! That is so motivating when you feel like you're going to have to push forever! Luckily that stage didn't last long :) Dr. told me to give a good long push, I did, and his head came out! A couple more good long pushes, shoulders and baby came out and he was here!! They put him in my arms and Matt got to cut the cord. He was officially born at 1:15 am, not even 3 hours after we got to the hospital, and he weighed 8 lbs 3 oz and was 21 inches long. (That was 10 days early, I'm sure he would have been another 9 pounder like Camryn if he'd gone full term :)) Everything went so well, I didn't tear, and Levi started breastfeeding right away. It was such a good experience overall and I'm so happy to have our sweet baby here healthy and well! I felt like I was able to get into and stay in my hypnosis a little bit better this time around, maybe just knowing what to expect second time around. I'm so glad I have fast labors!

I'm absolutely in love with this baby boy, he is the sweetest thing and loves to cuddle! He's sleeping pretty good at night, and has just been a good baby. We're definitely going through the adjustment phase with Camryn getting used to all this, but she loves Levi and always wants to kiss him and hold him and love on him. She is so cute with him!