Special Delivery, A Birth Story Series: Cassie, Part 2

The birth of my second child was nowhere near the same as the birth of my first! I know so many moms can relate.

birth story seriesMy second son came into the world fast and furious. Adding to this, I was in denial that his birth was imminent. Not a great combination. 

It started like most birth stories…in the middle of the night. I woke up at 3:30 am with pretty intense contractions. I woke my husband and told him I was going to jump into the shower to see if the contractions would stop or get worse. That’s what you’re told to do, after all. He came in a bit later and asked me if I had timed contractions. I hadn’t. Deep down, I knew, but to appease him, I timed them. Shocker, they were less than three minutes apart. Ten minutes later, he came in, eating an egg sandwich {why do spouses always remember to eat?!} informing me that he called his mom over. I called my OB, and we got ready to go.  

I remember standing in my living room talking to my mother-in-law, I couldn’t speak through my contractions, but I could get by; at least I told myself I could. We loaded the car, dropped some stuff off at the farm on the way, and made the drive to the hospital.

From the start, my husband was convinced we would have a car baby. Thankfully that wasn’t the case. With each contraction, I thought I might throw up. This DID NOT happen with my first, and I was not prepared for it.  Halfway there, it started to snow. SNOW. On April 21st! In Michigan, it’s not entirely unheard of, but seriously. I remember yelling at my husband that if he slid off the road, we really would have a car baby. In retrospect, that much snow wouldn’t make the roads slick, but whatever. Labor brain is weird. 

We pulled up to the hospital; I essentially “tucked and rolled” as soon as we parked, springing into action. I had our bags, and I was on the move. My husband was still in the car, and I didn’t care.

We had a pandemic baby, so here was a tent and COVID protocols before hospital entry was permitted. I still laugh at the woman’s face when I think back as she nervously and quickly cleared me to enter the hospital.

What are you arriving at the hospital for?” she asked me. I distinctly remember standing there, cross-legged, rubbing my GIANT belly. I looked down, looked her right in the eye, and calmly said, “I am having a baby right now.” Her eyes got huge. She took my temp, fumbled with some paperwork, and asked if I knew where I was going; I said “yes,” and I was good to go. She was so flustered, that she handed my husband a visitor sticker and just let him walk right on through. Cool, glad the pregnant one was the one forced to do all of that. It’s funny to laugh at now. 

We got into our room, and I was asked to gown up and do all the usual things. As I was lying on the bed getting an exam, looking at my husband, and laughing about something, the nurse stood and told us she was going to get a second opinion. As I said, I am the type to internalize, and let me tell you when a nurse goes for a second opinion, it feels like a bad omen. A second nurse came in, checked me and stood. She looked right at the first nurse and said, “nope, you’re right, she is a 9, we need to call her OB now. Like, right now.” 

Holy cow, I was further along than I thought! Dang, denial.

Things started to get frantic, and the room was bustling. Things were happening everywhere when OB walked in. It was comforting to see her with the chaos going on around us. She checked me and asked me if she could break my water {enter the return of the crochet hook}. So much was going on at once. I remember one nurse getting an IV in my hand, and my ob breaking my water simultaneously, the warming bed and bath being brought in, so much happening all around us. Super weird. 

A half-hour after arriving, I was ready to push. I think they thought I was crazy. I remember them looking at my chart and saying, “Oh, yup yup, I can see right here. Let’s get you set up.” Really?

Two pushes in, I remember looking at my husband telling him I wanted a break, a nurse looks at me “It’s 6:30 am, our shift change is at seven, and we want to see this baby!” Sure, I love a challenge. Why not? It was definitely a good motivator.  Another push and my husband tells me, “he has so much hair!” I looked over and laughed. I told him that it wouldn’t help me push the baby out. Our baby was born at 6:43 am. I looked over at the nurses, and I told them I had fifteen minutes to spare, and the whole room laughed—what a relief after the chaos. 

So, that’s that.

Two different babies and two very different births, neither picture-perfect, but they were mine. One was relatively calm and steady, just like our first. Whereas the other was fast and furious, like the take-charge personality of our second. 

I am thankful that my labors were “quick,” in a hospital, with no medication. I am grateful that I was able to follow the plan I set. I am thankful that my husband could be there for both, although it was a little touch and go the second go-round. Most of all, I am grateful for the healthcare workers and providers that delivered my boys. 

Each birth is so unique and wonderful, and each is beautiful and precious. I will cherish these memories forever.

Do you have a birth story that you’d like to share? Send us a message! We’d love to include your story in our Birth Story Series.

Previous articleThe White Pumpkin Project: A Fall Tradition Honoring Infant Loss
Next articleMid-Michigan Moms’ Guide to Pumpkin Patches
Cassie lives in the Thumb. She is married and has two boys. Cassie and her family also share their home with their two dogs. Cassie is extremely involved in Agriculture, not only is she a full-time field consultant (working with Sugarbeets) in the thumb, but her husband and his family also own and operate a dairy farm and cash crop operation. Most of her free time is spent at the farm with their kiddos, trying new recipes or just cooking in general, reading, and watching the bachelor with her girlfriends. Follow along with Cassie as she writes on her experience of becoming a mother, farm life, and plenty of other random things.