Baby Hancock Has Arrived

Well, I went to work this morning as you all may have seen, I dreaded having to show my face after not going to work last Thursday and Friday.  I got there at 7am.  I was feeling pretty good when I got there, but kept my headphones on so that I wouldn’t have to talk to anyone.  I answered a few e-mails.  I was feeling some pressure waves, but not really any different from what I had been feeling.  I went down and saw my friend Heather’s husband to check on her status (she is 39+ weeks).   I was having waves while talking to different people, but was able to talk through them without anyone noticing.  Around 8:30, I decided to start timing them.  They weren’t quite regular, some every 5 minutes, about 45 seconds long, the next one was ten minutes later, then the next three were 2-3 minutes apart and lasting about 30-45 seconds. I called my midwife and told her that something was happening, but wasn’t sure what.  I told her I would keep her posted.

I went to the restroom and had to breath through a pressure wave.  I told myself that I was stupid for being at work, especially since the waves were radiating around my back.  I told my boss that I was going to go home. I told our secretary too, she asked how the waves felt.  I told her all around my back through the front.  I left at 9 am. I had to stop at the Chattanoogan Hotel to go to the bathroom.  I had to breath through one there.  I got to the parking lot, had another one that I had to stop for, but then kept walking to the car.  On the ride home I called my mom and told her that I was headed home.  I wasn’t sure what was going on, but decided to head home.  She said she would call in an hour to see how I was doing.  I called Damon on the way home too.  I was having waves about every 4-5 minutes on the drive home.  When I got to my exit, I told Damon that I wasn’t sure my mom was going to make it in time and could he call her and draw up a bath.  Actually, I called him about ten minutes before that and asked for the bath.  I called him when I got to the exit to update him that they were pretty frequent.  By the time I got home, I had six waves.  I got home at 9:49 am.  I jumped right into the bathtub.  I had my iPod with me and started listening to my Hypnobabies Easy First Stage.  I didn’t stay in the tub long.

I went upstairs, I didn’t have a towel downstairs so I was freezing. I got into some comfy clothes and a big fuzzy robe.  I went and said hello to Liam.  He was watching Dinosaur Train.  I didn’t stay upstairs long.  I decided to go down the the birth room.  I was having to vocalize and couldn’t seem to get into the hypnotic state that I has hoping for.  I got on all hours on the twin bed with the birth ball and rocked during a wave.  Damon would come down during each wave and put counterpressure on my hips.  Damon was fantastic.  He got me speakers so that I could play the iPod out loud, he ran and got a crockpot for hot towels (we never ended up using it or even getting any water in the crockpot).  I asked him to start filling up the kiddie pool birth tub.  I got in, almost immediately while it was filling up.  The waves were coming on very quickly.  Damon would go take care of something and he would hear me moaning for him and he would come back down.  I said that the hypnosis wasn’t working as well as I hoped.  He said I was doing great.  I reminded him of the relax and peace and release cues.  He would do them and then do the counter pressure on my lower back.

Things were moving very quickly.  Damon was upstairs and the tub was barely even half full when the water went cold.  I yelled for him to come turn it off.  The waves were very strong and then I started to fill pushy.  I could feel my cervix opening with each wave.  I told him I was scared and that I wish they would get here.  My midwife was on her way as well as my friend Kristen to watch Liam. I told Damon that Carolyn said she was going to hop in the shower and be on her way, that was at 10am or so when I spoke with her.  I told him that I felt like I needed to push and Damon told me that if I needed to push, to do so.  I was expecting to see fear in his eyes when I said that.  He was so calm to me.  I was surprised.  I started to push, I couldn’t stop it.  I was on my knees in the tub, sitting somewhat upright.  I reached down and I felt the sac starting to come out.  I told him, the baby is coming.  I had to try and not bear down, it was so hard not too. The baby was right there.  I pushed again and I felt the baby’s head slip out, then the shoulders and then there the baby was.  Still in the amniotic sac, also known as born in the caul.

I pulled the sac from the baby’s face.  I looked between the legs, “It’s a boy.” “Ohh my gosh, we just had a baby.”  Damon had tears in his eyes, I was in disbelief.  I asked what time it was.  It was 10:49 am. My midwife was 4-5 miles away, when Damon called her minutes later.  Kristen was in Hixson.  We put a towel around him.  I got out of the tub and got onto the bed.  I asked Damon if it was okay if named him Nicholas.  He said yes.

I’m just glad I didn’t stop at Hobby Lobby like I wanted to.

Nicholas Damon Hancock arrived at 10:49 am.  He weighed 8lbs 14 oz, 2 oz more than his big brother.  He is 20″ long, with a head circumference of 14.5 inches and chest circumference of 14 3/4 inches.  He began nursing very soon after birth and is doing great.  I didn’t plan to have him that fast and without my support team.  I’m still in shock that he came so quickly.  I’m resting now in the sewing room/guest bedroom.  My friend Kristen is going to bring us dinner.

I’m in awe of my body and my husband in how calm and collected he was during the very fast birth.  I’m also very thankful to PBS and their children’s programming.  Liam was watching Dinosaur Train and Sesame Street during the birth.

Getting weighed