Introducing Chipmunk

By: Heather

It is funny how radically different every child can be. This is my 4th child and not with any of my other 3 did I experience “Braxton Hicks” contractions. I had no idea what those felt like. All of my previous contractions led to birth within a relatively short period.

My due date was February 11th. Pie was born 8 days after her due date and Bug and little Miss Kicky Feet were born pretty much on their due dates. My mom was worried that she would miss the birth because she was flying in on the 8th. When the 8th rolled around I was a bit surprised to be in labor! We were out running around getting things done and I was having contractions for 2 hours straight that were 3 minutes apart, though they were not very intense. That should have been my sign, I guess. We thought maybe Mom would have to get an Uber from the airport or something, but once we got home from running around I relaxed a bit and the contractions just melted away like they had never come. huh. I continued to have these light contractions on and off for the next 7 days. On my due date we went out to the beach and took some pictures but there were no signs of any real labor. On Valentine’s day the weather was yucky and rainy so we went to a mall to walk around. I was trying to walk this baby out (and had been for days and days) but he still did not seem interested and I was exhausted and horribly uncomfortable and just wanted a nap. That evening we left the kids with my mom and Kevin and I went on a walk all by ourselves. We were staying at a campground on the San Diego Bay and it was beautiful. We walked outside in the dark hearing the soft sound of the waves lapping against the beach and looking out over the Bay which reflects the lights from the city and the Coronado Bay Bridge. It was wonderful and peaceful though still uncomfortable. Shortly afterward I carefully collapsed into my bed. I slept hard.

I was awakened a few times somewhere around 1:30am. I wasn’t sure why I was awake but then realized I had had a contraction that had woken me up. Nothing new but when the next one came I timed it. 7 minutes apart. But the next one was 3 1/2 minutes and then 2 minutes. After that they were all coming about 2 minutes apart and were pretty intense. I don’t think I was even fully awake yet and was spending a lot of time in the bathroom with my digestive system expelling everything that had not yet been fully digested. yum. My mom had not fallen asleep yet and heard me up and decided to put her bed away in preparation. I remember the dog bed being in my way and moving it out of its normal place at the bottom of my bed and putting the dog in her crate. Around 2:30am I awoke Kevin and we called the midwife. By this time I don’t remember much except trying to ride the waves of contractions. Kevin and Mom were getting things set up, getting a table to put supplies on, and getting the supplies down out of the loft. Somewhere in there little Miss Kicky Feet woke up to use the potty. Surprisingly, she let my mom take her and did not even ask about what I was doing and went right back to sleep. This labor was fast and intense! I labored standing at the end of my bed with my elbows and head on the end of the bed. I remember one point I was thinking that either this was the worst labor ever or I was already in transition (I was in transition). I was alone in the RV just then with my 3 sleeping children. Apparently Kevin and Mom were outside watching the Navy Seals training out on the Bay. I was getting a little bit worried because I was starting to feel like I needed to push and there was literally no one else around. I really was not very interested in delivering all by myself. Thankfully, just then Kevin and Mom came in and brought the midwife with them. Whew! After that contraction ended I stuck my head out the door and informed everyone that I was really feeling like I needed to push.

I would call him Little Chipmunk but there is really pretty much nothing little about him. This guy is big and adorable and sweet and LOUD.

Kevin:

On the midwife’s arrival she started going through the box of supplies and arranging them on the table. She said she would check Heather shortly and see what kind of timeline we were anticipating.

After Heather stuck her head out and barked at us the midwife sprang into action. She and I were ready to accept the baby and were sitting on the floor under Heather. Chipmunk’s head came along as expected, but after the head finished I was fully expecting for the rest of him to follow as in previous deliveries. It didn’t. The head was fully out and he had stopped. The midwife took over and flipped Heather up onto the bed and told her we needed to get baby out right now. She was able to maneuver Chipmunk’s shoulders around the pelvic bones and successfully delivered the rest of his chunky body. No broken or dislocated bones for the win! From the time the midwife walked in the door to the time of delivery was under 10 minutes. Heather did not waste any time.

Chipmunk is our largest child at time of birth weighing in at 9 lb 4 oz. He is now 2.5 months and has not missed a single meal..in fact, he probably had a few extra. At 7 weeks old he weighed 15 lb 1 oz !!