Graham's Birth Story & my Second Natural Birth

As I sit here with my newborn boy nestled in my arms, I am filled with overwhelming joy and gratitude. Also filled with postpartum hormonal tears, a booty in full coverage panties and maxi pads, engorged breasts, and sore nipples, hair dredged in dry shampoo, and a nursing bra saturated in night sweats. But JOY and GRATITUDE, nonetheless. The journey of bringing our second baby into this world was nothing short of miraculous, and I can’t wait to share Graham’s birth story with all of you.

Before you continue reading, know that this post is PART TWO to the full saga of Graham’s birth! Part one encompasses my experience in early labor with Graham.

Click here to read my experience in Early Labor with my Second Baby.

The Countdown of Graham’s Birth Story Begins

Let’s pickup where we left off in Part 1. It’s 6pm on Graham’s birthday, July 18th, and I’ve been laboring and contracting all day. If we’re starting the clock from the moment contractions started, we’re at hour 15 of labor by 6pm. Having had a 38 hour labor with Stella, my firstborn, I truly thought I was still in the early stages of labor at that point. Contractions were frequent and painful, but irregular.

The anticipation of meeting our second child had been building up for hours, but it wasn’t until I comfort nursed Stella at 6pm that the ‘early labor’ quickly transitioned into ‘active labor’.

To give you more of an insight into how in denial I was, while I was nursing Stella from 6-6:30pm, Taylor and I were looking at a menu for take out that night, deciding what he would go pick up for dinner. Zero intention of heading to the hospital in the near future LOL.

The Moment it all Clicked for Me

I hadn’t been using an app or clock to time my contractions all day. Up until about 6:30pm. After finishing nursing Stella, a contraction came on – one that brought me to my knees, and into tears. Stella crouched down onto the floor and cried with me. God bless this emotionally intuitive daughter of mine!

I credit the upped intensity of my contractions to the oxytocin release of breastfeeding. At 6:30pm I opened up my contractions timer app, and started tracking. It wasn’t even 10 minutes before I had recorded maybe 6 or 7 painful contractions, about a minute apart, while squatting next to my bed, before my WATER BROKE!

I didn’t experience a gush of spontaneous rupture of membranes at home when I had Stella, so this moment truly took me by surprise. I started crying, just out of shock! They say it’s not like it is in the movies – but for me, it really was a big gush of fluid that splashed through my pajamas onto my bedroom floor!

And who instantly came running around the corner to check in on Mommy, only to banana-peel-slip in the puddle of amniotic fluid – STELLA! Followed by her words “slippery” and “wet”, this moment was such comic relief. And I absolutely love that Stella was a part of that moment in Graham’s birth story.

My spontaneous rupture of membranes at home was the true sign from God I needed to tell me Natalie, he’s coming soon, this isn’t ‘early’ labor anymore.

Off to the Hospital

At 6:45pm, we called the midwife on-call, a provider that I had seen at 28 weeks, and whose own son’s name is Graham! Such a good omen that I needed 🙂

We then called my mom, to get her butt over to our home, about 15 minutes from her house, so she could be with Stella while Taylor and I went to the hospital. Praise the Lord for no traffic on the 15 or 56! Mimi made it up to our home faster than ever, and Taylor and I fleeeeew to La Jolla in record time without an ounce of rush hour traffic. God is good.

I recall squeezing my right butt cheek to off set the opening of my pelvis. Because during that drive to the hospital, I truly believe if I had fully embraced the power of those contractions, Graham would have been a side of the freeway birth!

The Hospital Experience

We arrived to the hospital at 7:45pm. From a nurse perspective, I remember feeling grateful that we were arriving after shift change, and after the hustle bustle of a hospital campus at 7pm shift change. We pulled right up, and I waddled myself and my bout-to-crown-fetus up to L&D.

Upon entering our triage room at 7:55pm, I recall the triage nurse offering me a gown and a birthing ball. At which time I asked Taylor to help me get undressed. My contractions were roughly 45 seconds apart, and I couldn’t bare any other position than being on my hands and knees.

Embracing the Brief Journey

8:05pm – I felt the triage nurse attempting to obtain fetal heart tones with a Doppler, and she was having difficulty because of my positioning. Her hand was shaking. We couldn’t find Graham’s heart beat, and I could hear my low pitched moans quickly change into guttural, animalistic, grunts – I knew it was time to push!

I heard some of these phrases tossed around the room:

“Dad, how long have her contractions been this close together”

“We can’t find his heart beat”

“Someone page the midwife”

“Can we get a cart in here”

“I need a baby nurse”

“Natalie, just breathe into the pressure”

“Do what feels right”

“Let’s get you on your side”

“Do you want to reach down and feel his head”

All these phrases are plastered in my memory forever, as the soundtrack to the final TEN MINUTES before meeting Graham.

Let me repeat that for dramatic effect – TEN MINUTES. Fastest experience of my life! 7 ish pushes, lying on my side, white knuckling the bedside rail. No time for Doppler tones or monitoring, no time for a cervical exam, no time for a PIV. I truly experienced a physiologic birth in its most natural and unaugmented state. It was INSANE, but beautiful.

The Magic of Birth

Before I knew it, Graham was warm and gooey on my chest, screaming strong! I delivered my placenta, which I then signed to bring home with us to later plant a tree. My midwife sutured my one, first degree tear. I was given IM pitocin to reduce the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. And the triage nurse BEGAN the admission process LOL, because there was no time for that prior to my precipitous delivery in triage.

The two, glorious golden hours were spent nursing Graham, and laughing with Taylor, as we desperately tried to wrap our minds around what had just happened! This birth couldnt have been more different than Stella’s.

After a total of 17 hours of labor, 16 of which were spent at home, we welcomed Graham Palmer Wilson. 7lbs 5oz, 19.5 inches, at 8:15pm!

Words cannot describe the overwhelming love and happiness that washed over us as we held our sweet bundle of joy for the first time. The weight of the past nine months lifted, and a new chapter of our lives began.

Road to Recovery

Despite such a quick birth, I got up out of bed at 10pm to pee, change into a cute postpartum gown, and don the famous giant maxi pad all moms know. I was sore and slow, and needed lots of assistance from the L&D nurse.

I couldn’t believe all the mental energy and adrenaline I had in those first few hours. I had the hardest time falling asleep that night after getting settled into our Postpartum room.

I downed 2 liters of coconut water. We Door Dashed California burritos (my fave comfort food), and I mass texted all our loved ones the exciting news that had very rapidly occurred! No one, including myself, expected Graham to arrive in such a fast fashion.

Meeting Our Firstborn as a Big Sibling

The icing on the cake was introducing our firstborn to their baby sibling. We had Meagan Rountree document these ‘Fresh 48’ photos of Stella meeting Graham, and I’m so happy we did. The joy in her eyes upon seeing the new addition to our family was heartwarming, and tear jerking, to say the least. Watching them bond and the instant love they shared filled our hearts with immense pride and reassurance that they would make the most amazing siblings.

SHOP MY SATIN POSTPARTUM PAJAMA SET | SHOP STELLA’S STRIPED SET

Cherishing the Moments of Graham’s Birth Story

We discharged home 2 days after Graham was born. As we settled into our new routine at home, life became even busier but immensely fulfilling. Amidst the sleepless nights and endless diaper changes (we have two in diapers now, Lord help us), every moment with our two children has become a cherished memory. Some are positive and hallmark moments, others are painful and frustrating, yet they’re both unique and memorable parts of this new journey our family is embarking on. Seeing Stella and Graham grow and learn from one another is an incredible journey that I feel privileged to witness as a mother.

To my Husband

Taylor – As I sit here, two weeks into this incredible journey of welcoming our second baby, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with gratitude for everything you’ve done. Your unwavering support, love, and dedication have made these past two weeks so much more manageable. From helping with diaper changes and keeping my Stanley cup full and Boppy pillow close by, to preparing meals and giving Stella extra attention, you have truly been a superhero.

Your kindness, patience, and ability to balance everything with grace amaze me every day. You are not just an amazing spouse, but an exceptional parent and friend. I feel blessed to have you by my side, and I’m grateful for the wonderful family we’ve created together. Thank you for being my rock during this postpartum season; I couldn’t have asked for a better partner.

Final Thoughts on Graham’s Birth Story

Welcoming our second baby into our family has been a life-changing experience. The birth story of our precious little one is a testament to the beauty of motherhood and the strength that comes from unconditional love. As I hold my two children close, I know that our family is now complete, and my heart overflows with gratitude for the miracle in our midst.

Join in my Community

As this is our planned, last baby, I’ve been so intentional about documenting all these special moments with our second baby, and have shared them on Instagram. I’d love to connect with you there!

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Stay Tuned for…

Thoughts on 1 Month Postpartum | My Journey Breastfeeding Two Under Two

Graham’s Birth Story: Natural Birth with my Second Baby