Where do I even begin?!
First off, I hope everyone is enjoying 2020 so far! We are definitely loving it now that baby boy is here to share in everything! We couldn’t be happier to have welcomed our son Amari Thomas Evans on 12/28/19… just in time to ring in the New Year!
Officially born December 28th, 2019 at 4:58 AM at 7lbs 14oz and 19in long.
My Labor Experience…
My due date was actually 1/1/2020 so we had been anticipating his arrival for weeks and all throughout the holidays! At 38 weeks I was really starting to feel like any day was the day!
I was slowing down a lot and it was getting harder to stand up for long periods of time. I began getting cramps and could tell he was definitely getting lower. At that week’s appointment I was between 3-4cm dilated!!
When I went back a week later after Christmas I was still 4cm a long so they decided to strip my membrane. After that I was having consistent contractions that evening for about three hours. They were between 4-5 minutes apart and occasionally between 2-3 minutes apart, so I knew we were getting close! I kept counting and timing my contractions and even though they weren’t painful, they were consistent, so I decided it was time to go to the hospital.
After monitoring me—and making me walk the halls for almost two hours—I was 6cm and it was time for me to be checked into labor and delivery!! At this point I was pretty calm for a couple of hours and then all of a sudden the contractions just starting hitting me like crazy!!
I didn’t even want them to check to see how far along I was, I just knew I was ready for the epidural—no if’s, and’s or but’s about it!!!
I was in so much pain—way worse than what I remember with Ariah.
After the epidural, I was already at 9-10cm but my water hadn’t broken yet so I was laying on each side for a little while at a time and then my water finally broke.
It was time to have a baby!!
The doctor arrived and it was time to start pushing. This part is when it gets kind of blurry and you’re just ready for everything to be over!! I don’t remember exactly how long I pushed but it wasn’t that long. It got scary though because his vitals were getting really low. It turns out the cord was wrapped around his neck so they had to take extra precautions.
As a mother, all you want is to have a safe delivery for your baby, so this was really upsetting! Finally he was out but his face was completely blue from the cord and everything he had just been through.
And then I heard it… his first cry. As soon as I heard him cry I started bawling. He was completely fine and it was such a relief to have it all over with and to finally bring him into the world!!!
It’s literally the craziest thing ever in life but once your baby is born, it’s so worth everything you’ve been through and nothing else in the world matters! It’s truly a beautiful thing.
Out of the Hospital…
It was the sweetest thing ever when each of the girls got to meet their baby brother for the first time. They couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear—and I think Ariah was genuinely shocked to see him actually here and not in my belly anymore!! HA!
I am currently breastfeeding and it is going great so far!! He eats basically every hour at the moment unless he’s sleeping. If he’s sound asleep, he can go about 2-3 hours max between feedings. I was not this lucky with Ariah since she had such a hard time latching. But not this little guy. He latched right away in the hospital and we haven’t had any issues since so it’s going well so far!
Sleeping isn’t so bad right now, either. I’ll admit, sometimes he’s spoiled and just wants to be held… but I don’t mind. He also loves to sleep in his DockATot since it’s so comfortable.
I am so grateful to have the help of our family all around us. It has been a great couple of weeks at home relaxing with loved ones and spending quality time together, soaking up all the new moments as they come! Now we are looking forward to packing up and heading to Texas for the off-season—and I can’t wait for the rest of our friends and family to meet our little guy!!!
As for what we’re using these days, I did a post a while back on my newborn essentials with Ariah, and truthfully, not much has changed.
These are some of my go-to’s for life with a newborn… or if you’re looking for a gift to give a new mom. I highly suggest any of these!
NEWBORN ESSENTIALS
