I’m typing up Chase’s birth story to share with you guys today in between feedings, diaper changes, tons of baby cuddles and intermittent naps, so I apologize in advance for any typos and exhaustion-induced rambling. I have never really been short with my words and since I am also documenting Chase’s birth story for my own memories, this is going to be a long one!
I am planning to break it up into two parts to capture the details for myself, but if you’re looking for a quick summary, here it is: My labor and delivery were unbelievable. I tried my best to be honest in my pregnancy recaps and think I conveyed to you guys just how terrified I was of actually giving birth. I feel like as an expectant mom, I heard a lot of labor stories that scared me (I truly could not make my way through 90 percent of the birth stories I read online), but when Chase decided it was his time to come, my mind went to another place and I felt so ready to meet my baby. I feel incredibly fortunate that my labor was a fast one and a little more than 6 hours after we checked into the hospital, Ryan and I were holding our baby boy in our arms.
Now for the Iong version…
Chase’s Birth Story: Part One
On Tuesday evening, Ryan and I got into bed around 10 p.m. and I felt a little restless as I tried to get comfortable and drift off to sleep. I was wide awake and antsy, but restlessness during my final trimester was pretty much a nightly occurrence at this point, so I didn’t think too much of it. Around 11 p.m., I felt some light cramping in my lower abdomen. The cramps reminded me a lot of menstrual cramps and I found myself tossing and turning for an hour or so as I tried to get into a comfortable position that would make them go away.
The cramps then started to make me feel like I really had to go to the bathroom, but every time I went, nothing would happen and I returned to bed with the cramps and urge to go to the bathroom progressing. A little after midnight, I grabbed my phone and Googled “What do contractions feel like?” because I had a feeling in the pit of my stomach that told me something was up. I read countless answers from women that made me realize what I was feeling was likely the first signs of labor. Ryan noticed me getting in and out of bed a lot and when he asked me what was going on around 1 a.m., I told him I wasn’t sure, but I thought something might be happening. I didn’t want to say I thought I was in labor because I also read a lot about people who had light contractions weeks before they actually went into labor and didn’t want to get either of us too excited about something that might end up being nothing, especially since I truly believed I had a solid two weeks to go!
I told Ryan I couldn’t fall back asleep and headed downstairs to distract myself by working on the computer, cleaning and walking around. In my head, I continued the internal debate as to whether or not this was the real deal. About 30 minutes later, Ryan came downstairs saying that now he could not sleep and sat with me as we both chatted about whether or not this might really be the real thing! I was still unconvinced because my contractions weren’t incredibly intense and were so irregular. I was confused by the irregularity, especially since my OB/GYN previously instructed me to call when I experienced contractions that came every five minutes and lasted for a minute for more than an hour. I never had that kind of consistency but at around 3:30 a.m., the pain had intensified to the point that I was pretty darn positive I was experiencing real contractions and they were coming fast… Every two to five minutes or so and lasting 25 to 60 seconds (still very inconsistent).
(The above pic is a screenshot of the app I used to track my contractions right before we left for the hospital! The big rest between them was when we were driving to the hospital and I missed tracking a few.)
I called my OB/GYN’s office and spoke with a triage nurse who asked me a bunch of questions before she called my doctor and told me to go ahead and make my way to Labor and Delivery. From everything I read, I knew I didn’t want to get to the hospital too early and get sent home, especially since the pain I was experiencing wasn’t unbearable at this point.
I told Ryan I really wanted to shower before we left which gave him time to pack the car and a hospital bag. A warm shower felt good, but by the time I got out and started to get dressed, my contractions significantly intensified. I found myself folding over and holding onto the countertops in our house as I tried to deal with the pain. A little before 4:30 a.m., we gave Sadie hugs and headed out the door to the hospital.
Here are the final belly pictures we took in the minutes before we left to have our baby!
Part two coming soon…
![\"Quantcast\"/](\"//pixel.quantserve.com/pixel/p-1e3-7hOJ_U8Bg.gif\")
So happy for you guys! Can’t wait to hear the remainder of the story. 🙂
My contractions felt like menstrual cramps too and I spent a ton of time googling what contractions feel like, and how to know you’re in labor, etc. You just don’t know until you experience it. And there’s so much anticipation and excitement for it that it’s easy to doubt it’s the real thing and not get your hopes up. Glad it went quickly for you! From the first crampy contractions I felt until the time I went to the hospital took 24 hours, much of it was intensely painful. Chase is beautiful, soak up every second (even the super hard ones!). So happy for you!
congrats mama! so amazed by you! and he’s perfect. <3
Congrats to you and Ryan (and the rest of your family)!!!! It’s so awesome how someone can be so happy and excited for a person they’ve never met but I know I am not alone in this feeling for you! Chase is absolutely perfect and I love his name!!!! Can’t wait for Part 2 🙂
OH my gosh I’m so happy for you!!! Chase is absolutely beautiful. Can’t wait to hear more and I’m dying to see what Sadie thinks of her brother 🙂
I’m so happy for you and Ryan! Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story!
Congratulations! I’m so happy everything went well for you and Ryan. May you guys enjoy that sweet little baby and cherish all those precious moments! I keep thinking back on when my little boys were babies. Now they’re so independent jumping around all over the place, it seems like a moment ago I went through that newborn phase.
Yay! I love this! Can’t wait to read the rest!!!
Congratulations!!!! He’s such a beautiful baby boy! I was honestly so excited when I saw your instagram photo of him and couldn’t wait to read the birth story. Looking forward to Part 2!
So, so happy for you both! These birth stories make me so happy and I can’t for part 2. Chase is beyond adorable 🙂
Love it:) Can’t wait for part 2! Enjoy your baby snuggles!
PART TWO? I want it now!!! haahhah!!!! 🙂
I feel so silly being so thrilled for two people that I don’t know! But I am. As a longtime reader, it’s been a special thing to follow your journey, and I wish you, Ryan, and Chase all of the best. Love, love the name you’ve chosen. You are a trooper, and how lucky you were to have a quick birth. I cannot ever imagine kids are going through childbirth, but I always say this to the friends I have that have little ones: parents are superheroes!
Thank you so much for reading for so long and sharing this journey with us!
EEE! I just can’t believe he’s here (and that I missed last week’s announcement!)! Looking forward to Part 2 🙂
I am so happy for you!! Congrats to you & Ryan! Chase is so sweet <3
I love reading birth stories, actually, so this was awesome to read! I can't wait for part 2 though, obv. 😉
My first's birth was very different from yours–it was looooong and quite intense, so we'll see, in a few weeks, how baby #2 goes! I'm so glad he arrived safely for you, and I can't wait to hear how you're feeling too. Enjoy those newborn snuggles–they're the best!
I have to be honest, I stepped away from your blog for longer than I had intended. This is such an incredible post to come back to!
I still can’t believe your baby boy is here! 🙂
Thank you for coming back and sharing this moment with me, Amanda!
I’ve been so excited to read Chase’s arrival story! Congratulations!!
Been waiting to see pictures of your baby boy! Congratulations Julie and Ryan – he is so adorable! 🙂
He is ADORABLE! You can see your excitement. So happy for both of Ryan and you!
So exciting! I can’t wait to hear the rest! You were much more calm than I was in the early stages of labor!
Congratulations Julie! I literally cannot read a birth story without tearing up. We just had our son in early June, and my contractions went similarly to yours. Wishing you and your family all the best! xo
Ahhhh what a cutie!! Congrats!!!
Congratulations on your Baby Boy, looking forward to read the rest of your delivery of your Baby.
Congratulations! Love reading the recap and anxious for part 2! I don’t think newborns are often that pretty (although of course mind was, ha), but my goodness Chase is truly beautiful.
Thank you! I always say newborns look like wrinkly little men! 🙂 Chase has his “old man” looks, too, but I obviously think he is just the cutest little guy in the world. <3 Thanks for your sweet words!
Ohhh can’t wait for the rest of the story 😀 !!!
What a precious baby boy!! He is perfection!
Can’t wait to hear the rest of the story.
Yay!! I’m so glad you’re sharing your birth story! I can wait for part 2.
It is so true that your mind does go to a different place when in labor…your mind and body just know what to do, its pretty freaking amazing!
I also felt like I was reading my birth story!! Mine was the same exact except I didn’t have time for a shower, the contractions were too intense for me and I was afraid I woudln’t have the strength to dry off! When I got to the hospital I was 9cm so I skipped the meds and an hour later our little guy was born! Can’t wait to read the rest of your story!
Congratulations Julie! I can’t wait to read the rest but it sounds like you guys were off to a good start! Enjoy this special time – there will never be another time in your life when you can focus on your baby like you can when your first is born.
I can’t wait for part 2!! So excited for you guys!
Just posted it a few minutes ago!! 🙂
I’m so glad everything went well. He’s precious. Congrats!!
Question: You didn’t mention anything about your water breaking. I’m not a mom, but my sister-in-law had a baby last October, and she said her water broke before she began actively laboring. So she and my brother went to the hospital. I can’t remember if they induced labor, or if she started laboring on her own, but apparently the doctors start getting concerned about bacteria/infection when so many hours pass after your water breaks – and she really wanted to have a vaginal birth (we have a history of c-sections in both our families). Thankfully, my nephew was born within 24 hours of her water breaking, and he’s so precious!
I’m glad your labor and delivery went so quickly. I’m sure being so healthy and exercising regularly helped! Congratulations!
Chase is beautiful! He looks just like his mommy!
Hi Julie!
What app did you use to track your contractions? I think it’s about time I put one on my phone since I’m 38 weeks tomorrow!
Thank you 🙂