Drew’s Birth Story

Drew is a year old today. My little ground hog, my button, my Drewby doo. It seems so recent that he’s joined our family, yet the memory is so far away.

He was born on 02/02/2020 at 02:20 am. My palindrome baby.

Just like his older brother, Dash, he gave me nearly a week of prodromal labor. I questioned every day “will he or won’t he?” “Is today the day?”

Because I’d already experienced 6 days of prodromal labor with Dash, I ebbed on the side of “no, he won’t. Today is not the day.” I knew to rest and take baths, stay hydrated and eat lots of small meals. Labor could happen at any time – or not.

So I waited. And waited. Patiently tracked contractions, movements and changes. He was “expected” to arrive on February 3, my sister in law’s birthday.

I had jokingly told my midwife I was planning labor a day early, so my husband would have to miss the Super Bowl. If I was going to feel all the pain of childbirth for the 3rd time, he was going to miss his stupid football game.

Saturday night around 9:30pm, I was back in the bath trying to ease contractions so I could get a reasonable night’s sleep.

At around 12:30am (now Sunday) it became very clear that this was not prodromal; but active labor was beginning. (TMI ALERT: This is when I lost the mucus plug.)

I called my midwife and kindly apologized for calling so late and waking her (she thought that was funny,) but I was definitely having the baby now and needed her. She said to give her a 30 minute head start and to head to the birthing center.

We loaded our sleeping toddlers into the car and took them over to my parents’ house for the night. My parents were delighted to have them cuddling in bed.

The drive is always the worst. Sitting upright in a car is not the way God intended us to labor and it’s clear that laboring women were not taken into consideration in the design of these vehicles. It’s a miserable position to labor in.

I rolled down the window and let the chilly winter air blow on my face. Do Ya Think I’m Sexy came on the car’s radio and I don’t know what it is about that song, but it was extremely comforting at the time. I focussed on the catchy tune as I breathed through the contractions.

By the time we arrived at the birthing center, 1:30 am, my breathing was synced with the beat of the song and the chorus was stuck in my head.

I hurriedly and awkwardly made my way to the birthing suite where the midwives had prepared the room for me. Dimmed lights and a warm tub welcomed me

I don’t remember a lot of the details after this point. I remember feeling very cold and asking for warmer water, but being told by the midwives and my husband that it was definitely hot enough. I remember breathing very intentionally. I remember being very thirsty and drinking lots of water and electrolyte drink. And I remember Rod Stewart’s smooth voice still echoing in my mind.

It was less than hour later when Drew was born in the tub, 2:20am. My boy was here. My little water baby.

And my husband still got to watch the dang Super Bowl later that day.