Micah Alexander Harkins joined us at 7:04 a.m. on Sunday June 14, 2009. He was 8lbs 10oz and 20 1/4 inches long. He reminds us a lot of Kyle as a newborn in looks, except that he has darker coloring, from his hair to his eyes to his olive skin.
After my Friday appointment, I started evening primrose oil three times a day. Saturday June 13th I lost my mucous plug over the course of the day and had random contractions similar to those I'd been experiencing for the last two weeks. Kevin ended up going in to work that evening to finish up his dissertation. I had my mom time my contractions from 10 - 11 p.m. that night, prior to going to bed, but there was nothing consistent about them. I took my unisom plus B6 and went to bed with no real expectation of having a baby in the next 24 hours.
At 12:30 a.m. on Sunday June 14th, I was woken up by a contraction. I got up and started timing. Kevin still wasn't home from school at this time (he had been working late for the past two weeks to get his paper finished up before Micah arrived). At 1:00 a.m., I called Kevin and told him I was having consistent contractions, about 5-7 minutes apart; that he should finish up what he was doing and come home. He told me he was just printing out a last draft to give to his boss and would be home soon. I asked him to stop by CircleK and get a soda, so I could eat the ice after he finished drinking the soda. After we hung up, I had the horrible thought that he would get car jacked or something stopping at the CircleK near campus and I prayed hard until he came walking through the door, lol.
I had been laboring in our bedroom this whole time. After Kevin got home, I asked him for the exercise ball, and we timed contractions until 1:30 a.m.. At this time, Kevin called the birth center because my contractions had been about 5 minutes apart for an hour and lasting about a minute each. The midwife on call, Nichole, told us to go ahead and come on in. Kevin packed up the car and we drove over. I remember having one contraction in the car. This was similar to Kyle's labor, where my contractions seemed to stall on the car ride over to the birth center. We arrived at the same time as the midwife.
Nichole opened up the center and we were set up in the same room that we had Kyle in! She checked me and I was 5 cm, 90% effaced, -1 station. She assured me that with second babies, they often didn't drop until late in labor and joked we might have this baby by 7 a.m.! She knew I wanted to have a water birth and asked if I'd like her to get the tub ready; I declined and said I wanted to be 7 centimeters before I got in the tub. I started laboring on the birthing ball (similar to my exercise ball at home), but things seemed to be kind of stalled (to me) and contractions erratic, as opposed to consistent. We decided to go walk around the birth center, but I didn't have more than a couple contractions while we did that either. After returning to the room, I layed down and had a very painful contraction. This was similar to when I was in labor with Kyle: laying down was the most painful position ever. I decided to get in the shower and labor in there for a bit. I wasn't in there long and had a good three contractions that I can remember. After getting out, I wanted to be checked again and was close to 7 cm, but not quite there, so I labored on the ball again.
After a few contractions on the ball, I asked Nichole to fill the tub. Kevin fell asleep as I was getting in the tub; poor guy had been up forever. Nichole, and our nurse Beth, kept me company and rotated cold washcloths on my forehead and chest to keep me comfortable. I think it was about 4 a.m. when I got in to the tub. I told the midwife and nurse that I would need to wake Kevin around 7 a.m. to wake my mom up because my morning alarm wouldn't be on to let Kyle know it was time to wake up. Around 6 a.m. the contractions became more intense and I could actually feel Micah descending, which I don't remember experiencing with Kyle's birth. We woke Kevin up and Nichole asked the nurse to get the birth kit ready. I remember asking her if she thought I'd be having my baby soon, but don't remember her reply. She did ask me if I was pushing after the next contraction. I told her I didn't know, that I didn't remember what pushing felt like because I'd had to push Kyle out so fast. She never did check me again.
The contractions were coming faster and I was having a hard time getting comfortable in the tub. I remember holding on to Kevin's hand and pulling hard during these last contractions. All of a suddent I felt a pop! and knew my water had broke. This was such a relief not to have them artifically rupture my membranes like they did with Kyle. Regretfully, I had to get out of the tub because there was meconium in my water; this meant no tub birth for me. The midwife and nurse would need to suction Micah right away when he was born so he didn't aspirate meconium.
I was helped out of the tub and squatted down for a couple contractions, until my feet fell asleep, lol. The nurse brought over a birthing stool and that was a lot more comfortable. I remember gasping and Nichole telling me not to be afraid of the pain and pressure, that it was normal. The next couple contractions I tried to work with the pressure and was hugely relieved when I delivered his head, then had to wait for another contraction to deliver the rest of him! The morning alarm on my phone went off, it was now 7:05.
Micah was immediately placed in my lap; he was covered in meconium, which we all wiped off. He didn't cry right away, but eventually let out some good wails. The midwife waited for the cord to stop pulsing (one of my requests) before having Kevin cut it. I delivered the placenta and everything looked great! I was so relieved to be holding our baby boy in my arms and I couldn't believe it was only 7 a.m.!
I was in active labor from 12:30 a.m. to 7:04 a.m. on the morning of Sunday June 14th, 2009. I couldn't have asked for a better labor and delivery. I thought Kyle's birth had been ideal, and it was. However, Micah's birth healed any parts of my heart that felt like Kyle's birth could have been better. We are so blessed to be able to have uncomplicated births, even if the pregnancies throw us for a loop.
My mom arrived with Kyle a little after 8 a.m. and we had a sweet time introducing the boys and watching Kyle check out his little brother. Kyle is very affectionate with Micah, but has still struggled with all the changes a new sibling brings. It's been a different week, adjusting to being a family of four, but I wouldn't have it any other way!
Micah is one week old today. He is a completely different baby from our Kyle. We are blessed by his mellow personality, and he's quite the sleeper. We've had no problems with nursing. Here's to being on my own with the boys tomorrow!
