One year ago this week, I had the privilege of documenting the beautiful birth of an amazing little guy! Jackson, here is your birth story in your mama's own words!
It was February 17, 2017, a full 16 days before I was due to deliver. I started having minor contractions around 6am, but believing they were simply more Braxton Hicks I began to get ready for the day as usual. I encouraged my husband Sean to go to work, assuring him that I would call if things started to progress. Around 7:30 the contractions started to be somewhat painful and I found myself lying on my bed with my phone timing each contraction, not believing that the time had finally come. By 8:30am the contractions were much stronger and were coming every 4-5 minutes. I called my husband and told him to hurry home. I then called my dad and asked him if he could please rush over to watch our 15 month old son Lincoln. My husband and father both arrived at the house at about 9am. I gave my first born a tight squeeze and a kiss goodbye and then we quickly drove to the hospital as my contractions continued to strengthen. Sean ran several red lights on the way, likely due to the intense moaning coming from the passenger side. We arrived at the hospital around 9:30am and they quickly checked us in. Upon arrival I was already 7cm! I remember feeling giddy with excitement as I anticipated meeting our little man, while also feeling scared of the pain I knew was to come. I had given birth naturally with our first child and I hoped to be able to do it again. To me, giving birth the first time, while excruciatingly painful, was also the most magical moment of my life. I looked forward to the moment that my little boy would emerge and be placed on my chest, our bodies warming and calming one another. I held this thought in my mind as contractions came and went, knowing that the pain of each contraction would pass.
About an hour after they settled us in a birthing room I still hadn’t progressed past 7cm so they asked if I wanted to have my water broken in order to accelerate the process. I was all about acceleration…until I wasn’t! I had forgotten how intense and overwhelming the contractions could feel once your water broke. There were several times I assured my husband that I was “dying” and I fully believed it as I clenched his arms and let out guttural cries to channel the pain.
By 12pm I began to feel the urge to push and I knew that my baby boy would be arriving soon. I found it easier to push this time around as my body seemed to remember what it was supposed to do. There were shouts of “I see the head” and “you’re doing great”. I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the swarm of female doctors and nurses and my dear friend who were present. The feminine energy in the room seemed to provide a wave of strength and comfort to encourage my body to do what only a woman’s body can do. I also felt immense gratitude to have a husband who held my body as I labored and then my hand and head as I pushed. After several long and intense pushes my little Jackson Sutter wailed his way into the world.
The moment they placed his tiny naked body upon mine I felt a rush of deep, encompassing love for this tiny little man. Those few moments after he was born are as close to heaven as I think I can ever come here on earth. I was filled with a fierce protective desire to keep him safe, to make him know that he would always be loved deeply, and that I would cherish his tiny soul until the end of time. From the moment he took his first breath he seemed to be full of song. All into the evening he made sweet singing noises like he already had a heart full of joy. And it continues today, to his first birthday! He is joy incarnate with a smile as big as the sun and a sweet baby giggle that warms our hearts. Jackson means “gracious gift of God”. He truly is a gift and we feel so blessed to have him in our family.
