Welcoming Sterling Steven Hansen

Sterling Steven Hansen

7lb | 18in

July 15, 2015

Birth Story

Sterling's birth was unexpected, intense, and extremely fast.  But really it was a pretty ideal situation if you ask me.  I hope I can remember the details, even though the entire timeframe was only 4 hours and 38 minutes, a lot happened!  Oh boy! 

Tuesday was another day of trying to keep myself busy while waiting for baby boy to make his appearance.  I was 39 weeks and 2 days pregnant.  I went into the midwives that morning and was dilated 2.5cm and 80% effaced.  Good progress but I still didn't feel like he was going to be coming anytime soon (I had started to get fairly negative and just assumed he wanted to stay in there forever).  So we tried to stay distracted.  It was a busy day of an amazing luncheon at the park my girlfriends threw for me, hanging out with my little sister, nap time, playing, visiting with neighbors, the usual.  Oh but I did eat pineapple, cranberry juice, and spicy Panda Express just to see if all those combos would help induce labor, naturally. But even going to bed that night David and I joked that ideally we would want an entire night's sleep and then go into labor right in the morning.  I just always assumed I would start labor the same as Anderson, right when I woke up.  Oh how I was wrong.

12:00am--- We went to bed but I woke up 1.5 hours later a little before midnight with contractions.  I lay there for a few minutes seeing if I would have more than 1.  I did.  I woke up David and told him I had about 3 in a row, 5-6 minutes apart maybe, (which I hadn't had more than 2 in a row before, and these just seemed different).  We felt strongly that even if he wasn't coming in the middle of the night it would probably be within 12-24 hours just based off of how quick Anderson's labor was.  We checked flights beforehand and coincidentally the only flight available from Denver to Salt Lake that entire day was leaving at 6am. We called my mom and mutually decided that regardless if he came sooner or later, she should probably be on that flight.

1:00am---We then called my little sister Becca (you saved the day Bex!) and had her come up to sleep there just in case we had to leave early in the morning, that way we wouldn't be stressed or rushed to find someone to watch Anderson.  (little did we know).

2:00am---All was set.  So I called my midwife to tell her I thought I was in labor and I had a contraction while chatting with her and was very calm and talking through the whole thing so she said I sounded pretty relaxed and it was about 5 minutes apart so I should be good for a bit and to just try to rest and call her when we were headed to the hospital and she would meet us there.  Perfect.

I asked David to give me a little blessing just to be comfortable which was so sweet and I am so grateful for the priesthood in our home.  David and I then went back to bed and I turned on some Rainbow Relaxation to try and rest a bit through the contractions.  I kept thinking that any minute they would just stop, I would fall asleep, then wake up a few hours later with some more and head to the hospital.  Nope.  They didn't stop. But I was doing just fine breathing through each contraction and relaxing my body as much as possible.

3:00am--The contractions started to get more intense around this time.  And then Anderson fell out of his bed! So random, he hasn't done that in months, but he was calling for "mommy" so I went right in there and was able to cuddle with him for a bit, which really was such a sweet moment because it was the last time cuddling with my only child.  Before going to bed I kept getting the need to go to the bathroom (tmi I know, but hey you are choosing to read this birth story).  My body was getting everything out in prep for mr boy, which I was just fine with.  Heading back to bed it was tougher to get comfortable.  I found myself looking at the clock after every contraction, thinking they were speeding up, it seemed like it, but I think they were just more intense.

3:30am--I started needed to make noises through the contractions as this point.  David calls it my "mooing", lovely I know.  But I would sway my hips back and forth a bit and softly "moo" through each contraction and then enjoy those 4 minutes in between like no other!

3:50am--I made sure to be a bit louder during the next contraction to wake David up.  He stirred.  "Honey are you up?"
"Yes"
"I think we should go to the hospital"

He like jumped out of bed.  "Ok.  What do you need?"  I was on the edge of the bed kneeling at this point and telling him everything we needed to do before heading out.  Then I tried to walk down the stairs.  Mistake.  I think standing up made baby boy just push so much down below.  A lot of pressure came on.  But I quickly got downstairs and went to the bathroom again.  Mooing while on the toilet.  I think that woke my sister up.  So I went into her room and told her the situation.  She got out of bed and followed me to the kitchen while I explained things to make Anderson for breakfast and what he needed etc.  I am such a mom.  She asked if David could install Anders' carseat into her car so she could pick up my mom from the airport that morning...I swear that installation took FOREVER! I think I went through transition within that those couple minutes.  I was on hands and knees, getting super hot and sweaty and had the urge to throw up (i had that with Anderson and then got shaky during transition) but I didn't.

Finally David came back in and at this point my mind starts saying crap, I am totally having this baby on the kitchen floor! Becca will be behind me holding me up and David is going to deliver him!

I handed my phone to David telling him to call the midwife.  I said I didn't know if I could make it to the hospital.  All I heard was "Ok we are going to try our best to make it to the parking lot"

He hung up and tried to coax me into the car.  I almost didn't go.  I was getting urges to push and kept saying I didn't think I could make it.  David wouldn't have that.

"Yes you can.  Let's go, we are getting to the car"

Miraculously I walked to the car, David quickly closed the door and we were off! Literally driving 75 mph down dark empty roads, thankfully I am pretty sure all the lights were green.  Even if they weren't, pretty sure David wouldn't stop anyways.

I was half sitting, half standing because if I sat fully there was just way too much pressure on my bum.  Mooing almost the entire way, I think I even started humming some tunes and basically praying the entire way, please don't let me have this baby in the car! Please! 

"David, I dunno, I dunno!!!"

"Honey you can do it, we are almost there, you are doing great"

"I want to push! I think my water may be breaking, I just don't know if I can make it"

"No don't! You can let your body do it's thing but don't do anything else.  Deep deep breaths.  We are almost there, you're doing great"

Psh, "don't".  He just thinks it's so easy to stop these urges.  Silly David.  At one point I told David that I didn't know if I should take off my pants! I can't remember if he answered or not but after the fact he mentioned he wasn't going to stop regardless what happened (well, thanks babe).  He was determined to get to that hospital. Somehow my body listened.  It was the longest 10 minutes of both our lives but seeing those hospital lights and my midwife, 2 nurses, and a paramedic waiting at the curb was the best thing ever!

4:30am--My midwife opened the car door and got me on a wheelchair right away and into the hospital.  I told them I thought my water was breaking.  We got to room #1 and I managed to get my pants off at least! I saw blood all over them and started getting nervous. I asked why there was blood.  "Because you are in labor honey".  Oh right duh.  The nurses were awesome and were able to get a monitor on to check baby boy and my midwife said my water was still completely in tact and super strong.  She asked if I wanted to have this baby, because I could probably be in labor for another 30 minutes maybe, but if she broke my water he would come.  I told her that my water with Anderson didn't break until he basically came, but asked if he was completely ready. She said oh yes.  So I turned to David, asked if we should have that baby.  "YES!" was David's immediate response.  "Ok, let's do it"

She broke my water and I felt instant relief.  Oh my goodness it felt so much better.  I told her how much better that was! She just said "good, just wait for the contraction".

She was right.  Immediate urge to push.  Not sure how long it was.  Obviously not long.  But it was a little bit tougher to get that little boy out than what I remember with Anderson.  My midwife asked if I had an episiotomy with Anderson.  I didn't, but I tore internally.  She mentioned all the scar tissue around which was not stretching as easily, making it much tighter and tougher to get the head out.

4:38am--I did not want an episiotomy! I kept with it and managed to get that little head out WITHOUT TEARING! Man what a relief that was.  Once his head was out I reached down while his body was coming and was able to help pull him to me. Craziest experience ever! He was so small, so slimy, so warm, and I was so in love!

He was brought right up to my chest (still fully clothed up there), and I just was in heaven.  He was pretty blue.  I guess he was posterior, and then spun all the way around, and then back again while he came out.  He was just doing some acrobats is all.  So they had to help him cry a bit but after he pinked right up and even started nursing which was amazing.  He is quite the good little nurser which is so so nice because Anderson had a hard time nursing the first few weeks.

 He was perfect! The labor was crazy.  I still can't believe how fast it happened.  It was a little too close for comfort.  We definitely probably won't even labor at home for #3 because chances are it will be even faster.  I am glad I was able to labor just fine at home and give birth naturally without any medication, but we should have left maybe 15 minutes earlier ;)  But besides that it really was an ideal birth and I am feeling incredible.  Healing is amazing this time around and I just feel normal and Sterling is doing so so great and eating well and sleeping pretty darn good.  The boys share a room and it has gone amazing! Anderson doesn't budge when I am nursing or changing Sterling, and if he does wake up he generally just rolls over and goes back to sleep.  Perfect situation.

And a huge thank you to my incredible husband.  I could not have done this without him, any of it. He is patient, strong, comforting, and my rock.  Even the midwife said she was surprised how calm he was on the phone, pretty sure he was a slight mess on the inside, but no one would ever know! I love you babe, so excited to watch you with our 2 boys!

I just love my little family of 4 and we are smitten with our little bundle! Welcome to the world Sterling Steven, you are oh so loved!