The Birth of Levi David Moore

I am finally getting around to sharing Levi's birth story! I have had it written for awhile, mostly for myself so I don't forget any details, but wanted to share it with whomever would like to read. I always enjoy reading other women's birth stories, even those I don't know! (I'm hoping that is not weird?) There is something so beautiful and powerful about remembering these amazing, exhausting and miraculous hours leading up to delivery. Each birth is so different and so special, no matter the details. My desire is to share the experience of Levi's birth and to give glory to God for His faithfulness during this time. He orchestrated every detail! I don't want to generate comparison between experiences but celebrate the uniqueness of each birth story.

On Friday, May 11, Lucy (22 months old at the time) and I spent the day doing different things around the house and enjoying time together. I felt pretty good all morning but then noticed some lower back pressure and discomfort midday. When Lucy took her afternoon nap, I laid down to take a rest too. After I got up my lower back discomfort had improved so I dismissed it as nothing significant. All that week I had wondered what each little symptom meant, expecting to go into labor any day since Lucy was born eight days early. Eight days early (for Levi) came and went and I was a little disappointed. But knowing we would be able to go to Taylor’s cousin’s wedding on Saturday was exciting. My revised guess for Levi’s birth date was Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13^th, but I tried not to get my hopes up in case we still had days to wait. 

Taylor got home from work that evening and we went on with our normal Friday night routine: ate dinner, put Lucy to bed, and settled down on the couch to hang out. When we went to bed ourselves, Taylor fell asleep quickly, but I wasn’t very tired, probably because I had taken a nap that day. But I also felt a little different, and in the back of my mind wondered if it would be baby time (!!) before morning. I tried not to get too excited and looked on my phone for a while. I was feeling some lower back discomfort again and dozed off but didn’t ever fall into a restful sleep. I kept dozing in and out until about 1 am when I felt different contractions that were distinctly uncomfortable and jolted me awake. This was a change from my frequent Braxton-Hicks contractions that I’d had consistently for months. I tried to fall back asleep but realized that if they were strong enough to wake me up something was going on! 

It was about 2 am on Saturday, May 12 at this point. I timed a few contractions on a contraction app on my phone and they were every 3 minutes, lasting about 45 seconds each. I woke up Taylor and told him I thought I was in labor, but truthfully I wasn’t positive that I was. He jumped out of bed and started asking me numerous questions. :) I couldn’t believe things might finally be happening! I just wanted someone to tell me whether or not I was truly in labor, but knew I had to make the call. After a few consistent every-3-minute-contractions lasting about 45 seconds we called Taylor’s parents to come stay with Lucy. We packed our bags while we waited for them to arrive and Taylor made me a snack of apples slices. I ate a few of them and took several sips of the Gatorade I bought to have during labor. I walked around the house and either leaned over the counter or our bed during each contraction. They didn’t seem too difficult yet; I was able to breathe through them and then kept gathering our things. Taylor's parents arrived quickly, just before 3 a.m. We talked with them about the plan for the next day because it was Taylor’s cousin’s wedding day. We weren't going to be able to go after all, but now we knew it would be an exciting day for two reasons! 

Taylor and I went into Lucy’s room and kissed our sleeping girl goodbye. I had thought about this moment many times and assumed it would be emotional thinking about all the changes that would have taken place by the next time we saw her. But it was a sweet moment together as just the 3 of us and I ended up being too excited/focused on the contractions to get very sad. Taylor’s mom took a photo of me and Taylor before we got in the van and left for the hospital. My contractions slowed to about every five minutes during the drive which made me worry that we shouldn’t be heading there yet. But when we parked and walked into the hospital, the contractions picked back up and were about every two minutes apart and getting more intense. The receptionist offered me a wheelchair but I wanted to walk; I couldn't stand the thought of sitting down after having to for the 30 minute drive. (Actually the drive was more like 20 minutes since Taylor was behind the wheel ;) We went up to labor and delivery on the first floor and a nurse checked me in. I was 4 cm dilated and thankfully they decided to keep me. We walked down the hall to our labor room! At this point it was just setting in that things were really happening. Levi was going to be born that day! Taylor asked the nurse for an exercise ball which I had really liked sitting on when I was in labor with Lucy. They brought one in but it was small and looked slightly deflated and when I sat on it I sunk down to the floor. I would've laughed had it not been for the contractions. Taylor asked for a different one but that was the only one they had! So we obviously didn’t end up using it, which was initially disappointing but also comical at the same time. Labor with Lucy progressed steadily as I kept active, walking around, bouncing on the exercise ball and leaning on Taylor. I was hoping for a similar experience so we started walking back and forth down the hallway. This unit was much smaller than where I delivered Lucy but it was quiet and peaceful which was wonderful. The contractions seemed to get more intense quickly. I was surprised that I was getting too uncomfortable to walk and wanted to go back into the room. 

Mentally I was more aware of everything that was going on, when compared to feeling more "in the zone" with Lucy's labor. I had nothing to compare it with, so I just went with the flow and felt more calm and focused. The phrase 'ignorance is bliss' rang true here! This time around I knew exactly what labor was like and felt a little more distracted and apprehensive of what was to come. But the process was still unknown, despite all that I now knew from before. Taylor had played worship music on his phone during my first labor so I asked him to do that again. It was calming and I tried to pray and relax through the contractions, breathing with an open mouth and "horse lips" that I read about in one of my labor books. 

Over the next few hours I alternated leaning on Taylor, the bedside table and lying on the bed. I was able to wear a wireless monitor to track Levi’s heart rate and my contractions, so I was able to move freely. That was great, but I just couldn’t find a good position to stay in for long. As it turns out I was progressing more quickly that I thought I was. I’ve heard successive labors after the first child tend to go quicker, and while I was hoping for that, I didn’t want to get too excited if that wasn’t going to be the case. During this time the OB on call had come in to check on us once before and I was glad to know he was going to deliver Levi. There were 3 Obstetricians at the hospital, and this specific one was who I did part of my women's health rotation with in Nurse Practitioner school. The new dayshift nurse checked me around 7 am and I was about 7 cm dilated. Knowing I had only 3 cm to go was motivating to me but I was also starting to get really uncomfortable and wondering how much longer I could keep it up. I was able to breathe through the contractions but could tell the pain was worse when I wasn't as focused. Taylor asked the nurse if I could get in the shower so she got things ready. I had wanted to try the shower for a while but was trying to hold out on this because I thought I had a few more hours to go. The warm water really helped me relax when I was in labor with Lucy so I was hoping for the same once again. 

After my nurse got my IV covered, I got into the shower and let the water hit my belly which provided some relief. The contractions were seeming much more intense at the same time though and I was really ready to be done with it all. I was feeling worn out mentally and physically and sort of irritable and restless. I think I went through transition stage in the shower because when I got out, after about 20 minutes, the nurse checked me and said I was almost completely dilated. I couldn’t believe it! A few other nurses came in and out of the room, bringing the baby warmer and the delivery cart. Then our OB came in and started to put on his sterile gown. Seeing him getting ready with such purpose made me believe that we were almost there. 

After one more cervical check, they said I was fully dilated and it was time to push! I was still surprised that the last few centimeters progressed so quickly, in less than an hour. I was so relieved because the contractions were super hard and I knew that they would be more bearable when it was time to push. I felt a slight desire to push, but it wasn’t the strong urge that I’ve heard people talk about. Once I got into the pushing position on the bed, I had a little trouble relaxing between contractions and coordinating my pushes with them. My legs started to get really shaky and I couldn't keep them steady. Taylor was at my left side helping to hold my leg and our labor nurse was at my other side doing the same. Taylor would count to 10 throughout my pushes and the nurse was encouraging me to push, push, push. Our doctor told us later that he was concerned about shoulder dystocia given the history of it with Lucy, so he was ready to deliver Levi extra quickly if needed. He had brought in a stool which is used for extra height for leverage (to apply suprapubic pressure) if the baby gets stuck. (Yikes.) I kept breathing through shaky-leg pushes and after about 20 minutes they said they could see his head! I gave it my all and with one final push, at 8:17 am, Levi David Moore was born! It was the most amazing feeling of relief, knowing I had reached the finish line and now we could meet our son! They put Levi on my chest right away and I kept saying “Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus!” Everyone else was taking care of the afterbirth process but the whole time I was able to hold Levi on my chest so I didn’t care about anything else! He was even able to breastfeed right away! 

I never want to forget the unbelievable feeling of holding your baby for the first time. The joy is overwhelming. I was so, so thankful to have had those special moments, with Levi in my arms and Taylor at my side. I never want to take for granted the gift of being able to hold my child. Lucy got taken across the room to be assessed pretty quickly after delivery and then had to go to the NICU, so I kept asking if they needed to check him out or weigh him, etc., but the nurses told me I could keep holding him and they would do their thing in a little while. It was the most precious hour I could’ve asked for! I reminded myself that not all parents get to experience this so I felt extra grateful. 

Meanwhile, my parents and had arrived to the waiting room and Taylor’s parents came soon after with Lucy. After Levi had nursed and I got up to the bathroom, we had them bring Lucy back to meet her new baby brother! We wanted some special time with just the 4 of us. The first moment I was brought to tears that day was seeing Lucy come in the door in Taylor’s arms. I felt a rush of joy-filled emotion, but quickly fought back the tears because I didn’t want Lucy to think I was upset. I had read that it was helpful for the mom to be able to greet the older sibling with open arms so we made sure Levi was situated in his bassinet. Lucy reached out to me and I held her and hugged her and told her I loved her. So much had changed for all of us in the last 7 hours! Then Taylor and I introduced her to Levi. It was such a sweet first meeting. She got very quiet and had a look of awe in her eyes as she gazed at him. Then she said “I want to hold it, I want to hold it!” J Our labor nurse offered to take some photos for us when Lucy came in, so we could be in the moment together. It was an amazing time. After spending a little while as a brand new family of 4, we called in the rest of our family to meet Levi! It was the best day, growing our family by one and having all those we care most about around to share the joy. The gift of life is so precious and we were beside ourselves with love for the two little people we have been entrusted with. The Lord has blessed us immensely in writing the story of Levi’s life so far and we are expectant to see how He will continue to do so, by His grace and for His glory.

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