Images in this post are by Artful Life Studios.
Our Natural Birth Story
I still can’t believe our natural hospital birth happened on the elevator—on Valentine’s Day.
It took me a little while to share this story because I’ve been soaking up newborn cuddles. He’s the most peaceful little person, and those first days at home were blissful.
Second baby is so much different
If you’ve followed along, you might remember our first came out kicking and screaming and labor lasted a long time. This time, our second son arrived a week before his due date, fast and unexpectedly. It reminded me that birth rarely follows a script.
Our night began normally. Baby was due Feb 21, but we went out for an early Valentine’s dinner at Hillstone in Winter Park. We came home around 10:30pm and began winding down. At 11:30pm I felt a strange, mild cramping and decided to take a bath to relax.
While in the tub I texted my mom to ask if she could come over to watch our toddler if we needed to go to the hospital. We had assumed we had time—our first was two days late and my OB had been discussing induction dates. I had a 39-week appointment scheduled for the next morning, so I planned to see how the night went.
I wanted a natural birth, but after an induction with my first I didn’t know what to expect
At 11:40pm I texted my mom that it felt like bad PMS cramps. She told me her labors had similar early sensations and to rest. I asked Eric to check the doctor’s paperwork about when to go to the hospital. He teased a bit, but we started firming up plans. I also messaged our sitter to see if she could be on call.
By 11:52pm the pressure and pain were increasing. My mom said, “You will know when it’s time.” At 11:58pm I described a contraction as a sharp cramp that took my breath away—frequent but short. By 12:04am the sitter confirmed she could come quickly if needed.
At 12:07am I messaged a friend who had just given birth asking when she finally went to the hospital. The pain was building. At 12:12am I told my mom I didn’t expect him to be early. Around 12:20am we decided to get moving—Eric called my mom at 12:30 and she headed over.
The labor progressed quickly and we scrambled to pack. I wanted an epidural; memories of a long, difficult first labor made me eager for relief. Eric began texting family that the baby might be early and that contractions were back to back and intense.
By 12:42am we asked neighborhood family to come watch Parker for a short time while my mom finished the drive. At 12:43am my sister-in-law said she was on her way. I began bleeding and felt severe digestive distress, unsure how we’d make it to the hospital in the car.
We left the house at 12:52am and drove as fast as possible. Thankfully the roads were clear and we reached the hospital quickly. During the ride I felt involuntary urges to push and feared delivering in the car. We pulled into the ER entrance because it was closest and under construction on the labor and delivery side.
Eric ran in and announced I was in labor. The triage nurse asked whether my water had broken; he said we didn’t know. When things didn’t move fast enough, I yelled that this was an emergency and that I was having a baby. They finally hustled me into a wheelchair for the trip up to L&D.
As the nurse pushed me toward the elevator I felt a sudden, overwhelming urge and screamed, “HE’S HERE!” I was still in the wheelchair but could see and feel the baby’s head and shoulders. The triage nurse and Eric reacted quickly and tried to get the elevator doors closed and get us to a delivery room.
The doctor arrived with a reassuring smile and nurses rushed in. They helped guide the baby the rest of the way and brought him to the warmer for assessment. Brooks Christian LaRue was born on Valentine’s Day—7 pounds 11 ounces, 20.5 inches long, with a full head of hair.
I felt immense relief that he was healthy and that the birth was over. I had a small tear that required a single stitch. Eric texted family at 1:06am announcing the baby’s arrival, still amazed at how quickly everything unfolded.
Later we learned family had been on the phone with my mom, surprised we made it to the hospital in such a short time—the whole trip was shockingly fast. The official time recorded was around 1:05am, though the elevator delivery likely occurred just before that.
From my first contraction to holding our son it was roughly an hour, and only minutes after leaving our house. The entire experience was wild and unforgettable.
Baby Brooks arrived quickly but carries the calmest temperament. Everyone who meets him comments on how peacefully he sleeps and how content he is. We feel incredibly blessed and grateful for his health and for that dramatic, story-worthy arrival.
More baby stories:
Our love story
Parker’s birth story
Bump date 33 Weeks: Best and Worst Things about Pregnancy (so far)
Pump Up Your Milk Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
How To Feed Peanut Butter to Baby: 8 ways on early introduction to peanuts
Gift Guide for Modern Moms
