Baby Benjamin arrived at 7:42 AM on Saturday, October 17. He was delivered at Bay Area Birth Center (the same place Javier was born). Our initial plan was to have a home birth, but since we still haven't moved, our back-up plan was to deliver at the birth center. His birth was attended by our midwife, Jackie Griggs, Eric, my mom, and my sister, Esther. The other midwife in this picture, Camilla, walked in right after Benjamin arrived (she was attending a birth in the next room), and she said, "I didn't know what was going on. I just saw you holding a huge baby and there was water all over the floor!".
I started contractions on Sunday night and although I was able to sleep, they did persist but were mild. I called Jackie on Monday morning, letting her know I was having contractions, and to expect me later that day. Eric stayed home from work and Isaac stayed home from school because I didn't doubt that I was in labor. I assumed it would be a "normal" labor like Javier's was. So, we took a long walk that morning, and Eric and I took another long walk that afternoon. We got caught in quite a bit of rain and had walked pretty far, so by the time we got back we were soaked! The whole week, we walked! Every night we walked around my parents' neighborhood, Wal-mart, the mall (it was too hot and too many mosquitos to walk outside multiple times a day). Tuesday, I went in for a check-up and I was 4 cm. dialted, so Jackie was sure I would be back within a couple of days. Every night my contractions would get stronger, so every night, i thought, this is it! By Thursday, I was exhausted from the contractions, and exhausted from walking, so I spent a lot of that day sleeping. That night the contractions were quite strong, and I was positive that I was closer than ever. I stayed up all night watching TV and the contractions never got stronger! I called Jackie that morning and she wanted me to come in and get checked. She said most likely she would break my water to get things moving along. Well, when I got there, she sent me to sleep in the birthing room because I hadn't slept the night before. When she checked, I was only 5 cm. dialated! Only 1 more cm. than 4 days before, I thought this baby was never going to come! Eric and I rested, and we tried many different natural methods throughout the day to get the contractions stronger again. Around 5PM, they were getting stronger. Jackie checked around 9PM, and I was 7cm, so we were making progress! The night seemed eternal! The contractions were stronger but they weren't getting closer together. At 5 or 6AM she checked again, and I was 8cm. I started crying not because I was in pain, but I was so depressed, because my labor was going so slow! When she checked me then, my water broke, and that's when the contractions got very close together and much stronger. Baby Benjamin arrived less than 2 hours after that! I think I only pushed three times (a record for me!). Jackie wasn't even ready for him because he came so quickly! I was so relieved, I really thought my body didn't have any more strength!
We are grateful that he is healthy and perfect! Its been a huge change to have a newborn again. I think Javi is having the hardest time with the new baby! He misses his mommy's attention!
