Bowen Pierce
September 13th, 2024 @ 5:08AM
8lbs 8oz
20.5 Inches Long
14 Inch Head
Here we are again! My 3rd homebirth and my 2nd homebirth since we've lived in Maryland! I can't believe our little man is finally here and I can finally say HE! For months Elliott and I knew the gender of this baby but we decided to keep it a surprise for everyone else, including our kids and our parents. We also didn't have a name picked out. We had two contenders but neither one felt "it". With our other kids, we KNEW the name when I was at least halfway through the pregnancy, but this time it was so hard to decide. We ended up finally landing on Bowen Peirce about 7 or 8 hours after he was born.
Bowen's estimated due date was Sepember 11th but I assumed I wouldnt have him until I was over 41 weeks like my last 3 kids. I was shocked (and still am when I think about it) that he decided to come just 2 days after my due date!
9/11 - I woke up at 4am to some mild contractions that only lasted an hour but I was surprised because I normally don't have braxton hicks or any signs of labor until I'm actually in labor. So to be having these contractions on the morning of my due date was shocking. The morning of Gideons birth I also woke up with some strong contractions before my day started so it just made me think "what if I have this baby today?! On my due date!!!"
They ended up stopping and I got a little bit more sleep. It was a Wednesday so I really didnt have a lot going on besides homeschooling the kids and soccer practice in the evening. I got up and started my normal routine but I could tell I had an extra burst of energy. If I was going to have the baby today, I wanted everything to be clean and perfect. I also had a home visit with my midwife Jennifer in the afternoon. Just a little bit after she left I went to the bathroom and I had some bloody show. I couldn't believe what I was seeing because with Edyn and Roman I didn't have any bloody show and I didn't lose my mucus plug. I just went into labor. With Gideon I had bloody show but then had him only 2 hours later. So when I saw the blood and mucus I was really surprised. I also had some more contractions after this but nothing too crazy or too consistent. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go to soccer, but I did end up going. I didn't do my normal mile and a half walk though because if I was going to have the baby that night I didn't want to waste any energy. We got home from soccer, put the kids to bed and Elliott and I hung out a little bit before going to bed. By that time I wasn't having any more contractions. I think this is when I started getting a little worried that this birth was not going to be as quick and easy as Gideon's was.
9/12 - {40 Weeks and 1 Day}
I woke up on Thursday and felt pretty normal. Thankfully, I wasn't having any contractions because I had scheduled the older three kids well visits for that morning. That was the only thing I had going on that day besides the girl's piano lessons which are at our house so I didn't need to go anywhere. Once we got home from the doctor I noticed I was definitely losing more of my mucus plug, but I didn't really have any more contractions until I started making dinner. The Charles County Fair opened on this evening and the kids really wanted to go. We have lived here for 3 years and had never gone, so it was something that we all wanted to check out. I was nervous about going but during dinner I made the final decision that we would go, the main reason? I wanted some funnel cake! We told the kids we wouldn't be staying super long and we weren't doing any rides or games and they were totally fine with that! They knew I was having some contractions and that the baby could come any time so they were really understanding. I'm so glad we went that night. We had so much fun looking at all of the livestock, walking around and getting some yummy treats! Yes, I got my funnel cake!! I think while we were there some of my water started leaking, but if it wasn't that it was just a lot more of my mucus plug coming and contractions were kind of picking up. They still weren't super strong or consistent so I wasn't keeping track of them. After a nice family night, we got home, put the kids to bed, and soon after we went to bed too. I think at this point I started thinking maybe this birth would be really drawn out. I've heard of women going weeks with prodromoal labor so I was thinking I'd have to do this for another week before anything actually happened and that was really hard mentally. I remember texting my friends during the day saying I was having a rough time emotionally not knowing what was happening and how long it was going to be before I went into labor. I would much rather have my labors be the way they've been previously, no signs of labor until I'm actually IN labor. It was such a different experience then my other ones!
9/13 - {40 Weeks and 2 Days}
At Midnight I woke up to a strong contraction but was able to go back to sleep. Another one hit around 1:10AM and after that one I felt pretty restless. Elliott was sound asleep so I got up and decided to go downstairs. I started tidying up and I grabbed a sheet to cover the couch with. I put on my birth playlist and tried to rest on the couch. I was definitely feeling contractions but they felt so short and not incredibly strong. I was waiting for them to get longer, stronger and more consistent before I woke Elliott up because I wanted him to get as much rest as possible! Plus I think I was still a tiny bit in denial that this could be the real thing.
2:30AM
Elliott woke up and came downstairs. I was laying on the couch and I was just resting, quietly going through contractions. Later he told me he thought I was just uncomfortable in our bed and had come downstairs to sleep the rest of the night, so instead of going back up he was going to sleep on the couch too. He had no idea that I was in labor yet. I started going to the bathroom a lot and I was starting to stop during contractions and sway through them on my way to and from. When I was restless again Elliott realized I was in labor and he jumped into birth mode. He started filling up the pool and got a few things ready. I remember him asking me if I should contact Ali (our Birth Photographer and Birth Assistant) a few times and I just didn't know if it was time yet.
3:00AM
Elliott finally convinced me it was time so I texted Ali and told her that I didn't think labor was going to stop this time and that I wanted her there for pictures even if this was still early labor (surpsise, it wasn't and I'm so thankful we contacted her at the perfect time!) I was having more consistent contractions but they were still mostly short and strong. She said she was on her way. This time was very sweet for me in this labor. It was the middle of the night, the house was quiet, the kids were sleeping and it was just Elliott and I working through each contraction. For most of them I was sitting on the birth ball in front of Elliott while he was sitting on the couch. I was really leaning into him and just resting with him with worship music playing in the background. It was truly peaceful during these moments.
4:00AM
Ali arrived and Elliott and I were still just working through contractions. Things were definitely getting more intense and I think Ali contacted Jennifer (the midwife) telling her it was time to come. I was going to the bathroom a lot and it really felt good to be in the sitting position with a foot up on a stool. I know there was one point I was on the toilet, Elliott was standing in front of me helping me through the contrations because at this point they were really ramping up. I am very needy in labor and have to have someone holding my hand or touching me. I need to know I am not alone and I definitely need to be encouraged. Ali urged me to come out because I think she could tell I was getting closer. We also realized around this time that there was an issue with the hose connection to fill up the pool and it wouldn't be filled in time for me to use it.
4:12AM
Jennifer arrived. And I know shortly after she arrived is when I was really struggling mentally with this birth. I started to lose my composure a bit. The whole time I was comparing it to Gideon's and this one truly was so much harder! For some contractions I held it together and then for some others I just felt so emotional and weak. I was having a hard time making myself relax and I just wanted to be done already.
4:45AM
There was a contraciton that both Ali and Elliott heard and they knew it was time to get the girls up. Roman wanted to see the birth again, but he and Gideon share a room and I didn't want to risk waking Gideon up so we left both boys sleeping. We were all in the living room, the girls were cozy and just watching everything unfold. I remember going to the bathroom for the millionth time and I started grunting a bit and the midwives urged me to come out of the bathroom and said they could get the birthing stool if it felt good to squat/sit. They really didn't want me to have that baby in the bathroom which I totally understood. Our downstairs bathroom is extremely small and they wouldn't have been able to fit in there. They also both knew how important photos were to me and if I would have had Bowen in the bathroom, Ali would have really been blocked out. Jennifer got the birthing stool and set it up in the living room. I felt like I sat on it for a while but Elliott said it really wasn't that long. I know I had a few good strong contractions while sitting on it and then I wanted to change position again. I got settled kneeling in front of the couch. Again, Elliott was in front of me and I was holding him, leaning into him, and I started getting a lot more vocal. I really was hitting my wall during this point. I didn't think I could go for much longer. I was SO tired and I just wanted all of it to stop so I could go to sleep. I wasn't sure how much longer I had to go. I couldn't really feel Bowen's head so I was terrified that I would still be doing this for a few more hours. I knew I needed to be strong and just relax but it was so much harder for me this time to relax and let the birth happen. It reminded me a lot of Edyn's birth where I didn't feel very in control and it was very intense. I seriously felt like such a baby during this labor.
It felt like a really long time before I finally felt Bowen's head decend and really felt the urge to bare down and push. I felt like I was kneeling in that position forever. I would have some contractions that were short and extremely strong, some that were really long and strong, some that seemed like they were going to end but then it went right into the next one. Sometimes I would get a nice long break in between and I knew I needed to just relax and rest during those times. I called out to God multiple times during transition, and I remember each time I did, I would get a really good contraction that I knew helped things progress. It was so comforting knowing that God was with me, as He always has been during my labors. I was so discouraged but I know He heard me and helped me birth my baby boy.
When I had Gideon, as soon as his head decended I feel like it just took one push to come out, if I even pushed at all! But with Bowen it was very different. I really had to work to get his head out. In the midwives notes it said the 2nd stage started at 5:05, so really it wasn't long that I was pushing, it just felt that way. My water broke at that time too! I won't include the actual photos of him coming out because they are from the backside and you can see everything haha but they are some really cool and special photos that I will cherish!!
5:08AM
Bowen was born! Once I finally got his head out the rest of him came out really quick. Jennifer unwraped the cord from his neck and then I held him to me. Oh thank God that was over! He needed a little bit of help breathing because there was a lot of meconium when he was born. I laid him down on the couch (dont worry, the couch was covered with chucks pads and a sheet) and Ali helped him get breathing! This may sound scary but I completely trusted the midwives and I know from previous expereinces that babies don't always come out screaming and crying! Sometimes it can take a minute for them to get breathing. I also knew the placenta was giving him oxygen, so all around, I was very calm while the midwives did their thing, and they were too. When Bowen started crying and breathing well, the midwives got us settled on the couch. The afterbirth pains hit and at 5:24AM the placenta was delivered and I could finally relax a little bit more. Pregnant momma's, if you don't have Afterease, I highly reccomend it for after birth pains! It defintely helps take the edge off of those awful cramps!
6:00AM
Elliott woke Roman up. Shortly after that he woke Gideon up. It was so sweet seeing the boys react to their newest little brother! It was time for breakfast so Elliott made some oatmeal. Fun fact, I have requested oatmeal and peanut butter after my last 4 births! It's comforting, warm and so yummy! Once I got my oatmeal and the kids ate, Elliott got to have his first turn holding the baby and have skin to skin while I went and took a shower! As you can see from some of the photos, Bowen and I were a MESS! I mean there was poop everywhere from this little boy!!
7:30AM
When I was done with my shower and all ready, everyone came upstairs to weigh and measure Bowen! Then Elliott, the girls and Roman cut the cord while Gideon sat next to me on the bed. I think the midwives left around 8 something and the rest of the day was very chill. We facetimed Elliott's parents and my parents. We slept and cuddled and just marveled at our newest son.
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