This is Nat: Elijah's Birth Story

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When I typed this blog out, I was up so late and couldn't sleep. So bear with my craziness. Number one, Justin was gone and I really don't like going to bed without him. Number two, I drank caffeinated coffee on accident and, number three, I had been creating things for baby girl and when I get going I just can't stop apparently. Especially with coffee in my system!

So I watched makeup tutorials and birth videos on YouTube. My mind kept going back to my boy's births and how sweet it was. I realized I never blogged about Elijah's birth so...I decided to. I love boring all you people with the details, hehe.

Elijah Riley Marks was born on November 10th 2014. He weighed 7 lbs and 12 oz and measured 21 inches long.

Eli was different from Ky's birth but they weren't TOO different. I was nervous once again because I know every birth is different. I was at home and Justin was about to get off work (thankfully!) and MY WATER BROKE. Ky had just gone down for a nap, so I was on my own to freak out. I called my midwife and told her what was going on because I wasn't quite sure if that was it or not. I had to lay down for a while to check and sure enough it kept coming. Justin was home at this point (I think I texted him and he came a little early) and we were able to get ready really quick. I had Eli's bag packed but not all of mine (last minute items). No contractions, just my water leaking. Which, without TMI, was so uncomfortable, haha! This was all around 2/2:30.PM. We got Ky up and we dropped him off with Justin's parent's.

We aren't too far from the hospital but every time the ride just seems to take sooooooooo long. As opposed to when we were there for Ky's birth, we did NOT take the employees only elevator (ha!) but we DID still park in the wrong spot and had to walk the long way, I am not sure why. Crazy.

Got there. Weighed in. Monitors on. Still no contractions. I remember being bored waiting for them. My friends saw me pinning things on Pinterest and liking things on social media and were texting me like, "NAT are you crazy!?!?" Hahahaha. Oh but don't worry it gets intense, Natalie, you just wait.

I had a natural birth with Kyler and it was amazing. It's never even a decision on my mind that I have to think about, I automatically have my mind geared towards no medication. So weird, I know. But I wouldn't have it any other way! Because of this, I really did not want pitocon to get contractions started. So I was getting worried. There are natural ways of getting them going, and my midwife suggested doing it that way because she knew I didn't want pitocon. So thankful for my midwife, she is uh-maze-ing.

After about an hour or so they FINALLY started coming and I was so thankful. Oh wait, THEY HURT, and I can't go back! This is it! The contractions just kept getting stronger and stronger and I had much more back pain with Eli than I did with Kyler. I tried different positions they even brought a ball in for me. But by the time it got there I was ready to push I think. Um, whoa. This is going fast. It's true what they say about the second child coming quicker. Literally, I think like 12 pushes and he was out!! He was born at 9:48 PM. I'll never forget the feeling when they pop all the way out. It's such a releasing, freeing, emotional feeling and moment. Hearing him cry was sweet, sweet music. I had asked for his cord to keep pulsating while he got directly handed to mommy for skin to skin. He breastfed so well too.

I'm a little worried about my girl because I have noticed, personally, that girls seem to have a harder time breastfeeding. My boys have both done it so well and so naturally. I pray that things go smoothly with her!

The beautiful banner my sister made for me. It's hanging up over his crib now.

Kyler got to come in and meet Eli first, and we were in the room together as a family of four!

Lainey meeting her baby cousin.

Elijah didn't have a middle name until the hospital. Y'all, literally it was like: birth certificate lady, "first name?" Us, "Elijah" birth certificate lady, "middle?" Us with hurried glances at each other, "We can't decide between two.. I think Riley. You think Riley too? Okay. Riley." Hahaha. It was between Blake and Riley and I can't imagine our little Elijah Riley being anything else.

Kyler was 18 months when Eli was born. So tiny! But he felt so big to me back then. He has always been, since the beginning, a wonderful big brother, protecting Eli and watching out for him. He can also be his worst enemy, but you know how brothers are, haha!

I was a little disappointed because he had to be taken away so soon to be bathed. We got to bathe Kyler in the room ourselves and I really wanted to do that again. But because I had him at night, they didn't have as many staff up there and they had to do it. It wasn't a huge deal, but it still made me sad. He did get to sleep in the room with us like Kyler did. They took him for a few things but he was mainly in with us. I have always really enjoyed our experiences with Rush. We plan on having our next one there. I say "plan" because if my third birth is even faster I can see myself pushing her out in the car on the way there, haha! ;) Let's hope that doesn't happen.