Brothers.

The boys do look a like, sort of. Here are pictures of each of them at one week old.

The first picture is James, the second is Eli and the third is Luke!

So, that is why they call it labor!

Leading up to the arrival of Baby James, we were told stories again and again at the birthing center about fast labors, mommas delivering at home, in the car, etc. So, Matt and I knew we needed to have a plan in place and act quickly to have the calm, peaceful birth we hoped for. However, we were also warned that Baby #3 was usually a Wild Card, meaning they tended to not follow the pattern of previous births.

Little James proved to be our Wild Card in so many ways!

Saturday:

6pm- We are outside and the boys riding bikes, I am planting my first terrarium and it all starts. A back ache, subtle but enough to make me notice.

7pm- The backache continues and I decide to start timing- 8-15 minutes apart. Now I get flashbacks from when Eli is born. I went from this point to delivering him in 2 hours. I decide it is time to call my doula. She recommends I take bath and give her a call back to see if anything has changed. It has not.

8pm- I call the midwife. Sarah is on call and we discuss my past labors and desire for a calm and peaceful birth this go around. The contractions are not getting any stronger nor closer together so we decide to meet at the birthing center at 9:30pm.

9pm- Mrs. Mary arrives to watch the boys. I am in very good spirits and tell her we will see her in a few hours with a little boy.

9:30pm- Matt and I are thrillled, we arrive at the birthing center. Jacie, our doula, meets us there as does the midwife. We have a chance to get settled in and I am checked to see where we are. 3cm dialated, perfect. Right on track, I guess the baby will arrive at 1am.

10pm- We lay down and the contractions continue. Not too strong but enough to wake me out of sleep and send me to the bathroom. Sitting on a toilet is extremely comfortable at this point.

11pm-7am- nothing. Yep, nothing changed. No baby and only 1cm more dialated. We are all surprised, little Wild Card.

Sunday:

7am- The new midwife arrives- Laura- and at this point we can either go home and see what the day brings or stay. I send Matt home for a shower (we did not really pack anything thinking we would only be there a short while) and I take a walk around the neighbor.

12pm- Laura checks me- 4 cm and fully effaced, progress but so very slowly. I am tired from a night without sleep and psychologically drained. I run through my positive affirmations and visualize the birth.

3pm- 5 cm now. Laura tells me we can either head home or can try to get things moving. I am torn- Luke and Eli are at home and I miss them so. What if we head home only for active labor to start? Plus, I am already so tired.

3:15pm- I lose my mucus plug and take my first of 4 cotton root bark tinctures.

4pm- Contractions begin a consistent pattern. We call Jacie to come in. I get the birthing ball and begin to utilize deep breathing techniques through the contractions.

5pm- Jacie arrives. Matt and I enter the birthing tub. It is warm and comforting, helping to take the pressure off my body. At this point I can tell Laura is making preparations for a delivery. My deep breathes get even deeper, closer to a groan. I try to keep my toes from curling, Matt is holding my arms tightly as I am on my hand's and knees. He is breathing with me. Jacie is reminding me to relax and breathe the baby down. Pure exhaustion kicks in, can I do this?

5:15pm- I feel the urge to push. It is a bit confusing for me as with Luke and Eli I am sitting upright in a bed. Now I am on my hands and knees so it felt as though I was pushing backwards. I deliver my water bag thinking it is the baby, oh how much longer? Then I feel pressure, pressure through the pushes. Sweet baby had come down so quickly Laura kept him at the crowning position so I would not tear.

5:36pm- And then he arrives, just about 24 hours after feeling my first contraction....little Wild Card.

I am overcome with joy, relief and exhaustion. Oh yes, that was labor. We make our way to the bed to recover. I am administerd an IV of fluids and arnica as I did not feel well. Over the next four hours, we nurse and surprisingly James latches on and eats right away. I am given an herbal bath and we marvel at this sweet boy.

Dad getting lots of cuddle time before we head home that night.

My biggest baby- little Wild Card- at a week early he is 7 lbs and 5 ounces. Both Eli and Luke were under 7 pounds.

What a blessing- a third little boy to love!

James Matthew.

So much for my motherly intuition. I thought this sweet baby was going to arrive Friday, May 6th but he had other plans and made his debut on Sunday, May 1st at 5:36pm. He weighed 7 lbs and 5 ounces and was 20 inches long.

Welcome sweet boy!