Before I gave birth to Reese, I had very few pre labor signs like Braxton’s hicks or real contractions, but with this pregnancy, I had plenty of Braxton hicks contractions. We had been told that second babies tend to come earlier and faster than the first babies so it was hard not to be nervous about having him too early where we couldn’t have someone watch Reese in time or too fast where we had a car birth. So we tried to plan as much as we could for an event that really cannot be planned. This was the only time I was jealous of a person getting a c section or being induced because they knew which date they were going to have their baby(in general.) We had our bags packed for weeks before he came as well as a bag for Reese for the case where we might have to have her stay overnight with someone else.
A week before we had him, Friday, September 23rd, I had my 38 week checkup told I was 1cm dilated but with a firm cervix which was similar to when I was pregnant with Reese. I was 38 weeks but with a soft cervix. Later that night, my friend Kara offered to let us go on a date night while Reese slept. She came over, and we went to Whole Foods cause that sounded good to us. On the way to Whole Foods, I started getting real contractions, they weren’t super painful but definitely not Braxton hicks. As we waited for our food they started speeding up to where they were coming every 4-5 minutes consistently. We decided to get our food to go, and headed back to our house. Our friend Kara offered to stay at our house, but as she didn’t have kids, and we didn’t know how long the labor could take we’re worried about her being too tied down with watching Reese. Our friends who live one street over and go to our church had offered to take Reese anytime, but when we called they were out of town for a funeral. So I called my friend Ada who has 4 girls of her own and had offered earlier that day to let us drop Reese off if need be anytime. Their youngest daughter, Lucy, is 3 months younger than Reese, so it was nice that they already had a kiddo her age so Reese could be one in the mix. They were fine with watching Reese so we grabbed our bags, Reese’s bag and didn’t need her pack n play since they already had one and transferred her into the car. We got to their house around 8:45pm where my contractions were closer to 3-4 minutes consistently. Reese went right to sleep at their house, and we chatted for a bit with some of info about Reese’s habits, diapers, and other info like her baby sign language. We then made our way to the hospital, got checked in to triage. With Reese my water broke so we knew for sure that it was time, but this time my water was intact so it was harder to judge if it was real labor or not. My contractions were consistent at 2-3 minutes. We had an awesome male nurse who had been working as a nurse for 27 years. Grant and I were both very impressed with him. I was still only 1 cm dilated with a firm cervix, but contractions were staying consistent. After about 2 hours of laboring, we decided to walk the halls to see if the contractions would get more intense. After one hour of walking, I was dilated to 2 cm, but I still had a firm cervix. They knew I didn’t want to be induced and wanted to labor naturally at home as long as possible, so they suggested we go home until things progress more. So we went home around 2 am, but we left Reese at Ada’s house because we didn’t want to wake them up that early. We texted them to give them an update. Once we made it home, all of the contractions had slowed down and then stopped all together. Grant and I crashed, but set our alarms early to pick up Reese. When those alarms went off, Ada had texted back saying they were all up, but to sleep in and rest if we needed it. It was so wonderful, this was the first time that we were separated from Reese for a night since she had been born. We slept in a few more hours, and then went to pick her up. She was having a ball and was sad to leave Ada’s house. Ada offered to let Reese come again if I went into labor before Monday night which is when Mama was coming into town. We were so grateful to have an awesome family for Reese to stay with if we needed it. It was also nice to have a dry run under our belts of what to do if real labor happened before Mama arrived.
Mama arrived late Monday night, and Sebastian waited until after that to arrive so that was nice. 
It was great because Mama and Reese got to spend some time together where they both were able to get used to each other. Mama was able to see Reese’s Schedule as well. On Friday, I had my last OBGYN appointment. My Gyno who delivered Reese was leaving for Vacation at 3pm on that Friday, so I was pretty sure I would miss her delivering my baby which made me sad. I however, didn’t want to get induced because that is how most complications in birth can happen. So at my appointment, I was still 2cm dilated,but with a softer cervix so a good sign. After my appointment, Mama and I went home and got last minute things done during the day.
Laboring at home.
Around 6pm, I started having regular way more painful contractions. I labored at home until around 8:30pm; when I told Grant I wanted to head into the hospital as the back labor was getting a lot more intense. I also didn’t want an uncomfortable car ride later on when they were worse. The timing was nice since we were able to put Reese down to bed, and didn’t have to worry her or change things up for her. We headed in and made it there at 9pm after we were all packed and ready. I was sad I missed my OBGYN’s time frame,but I was sure everything would go well with the fill in doctor. We had a different nurse than the one we wanted,but the nurse we had was having lots of issues with finding the baby’s heart rate and typical things so I wonder if she was newer. So after some troubles, she brought in the same male nurse we had during the false alarm who recognized us at once. I think he saw how fast everything was progressing, and knew I had had a natural labor with Reese so he ended up being our delivery nurse. We were SO grateful for that. He was on board with no IV, no drugs, and sticking as close to my birth plan as possible which was a pretty basic one. When I was checked in I was at 4/5cm and 75% effaced.
The happiest I could look – Back labor is no joke.
This labor was very different from Reese’s. With hers I felt very in control and more relaxed and calm even though of course it was painful. This labor was all back labor, and it was impossible to find a semi comfortable position to labor in even though the staff was wonderful at the hospital with letting me get up and walk or move around if I wanted. I just never felt as calm and collected as I did with Reese,but it was still a great labor. Grant had to help a lot more than with Reese’s birth helping with counter pressure on my back during contractions. Around 11:30pm, I asked the nurse to check me, and he said that I was 7cm, but completely effaced, and he said that even though I was still at a 7, with this being my second birth I could easily push the baby out without dilating completely to a 9/10. He also said if I felt any urges to push to let him know. Well, I told him I had had a few slight urges already. So, just to be safe, he started getting the room ready because he knew how fast things could go especially based on how fast things went with Reese’s birth. Then I started feeling more true urges to push, so, they called the fill in doctor to come. She said she thought she would miss the birth since I didn’t have an epidural. ( I guess if you have an epidural a lot of women don’t have the urge to push or can be made to wait because it isn’t as strong of a feeling.) So, she was on her way,but I started pushing without meaning to. So, chaos happened, and everyone was scrambling to get everything ready,but before they even had the bed completely set up and ready, I was pushing and truly pushing. Since my water hadn’t broken there was a lot more pressure, but it ended up breaking right before he came out which was an instant relief. After one good push, his head was out,but they made me stop. The cord was wrapped really tightly around his neck, and he was blue. So they had to stop, clamp, and cut the cord. Then I was aloud to push him out the rest of the way, and then I was able to bend over and pull him up on my chest. He wasn’t crying yet so the nurses were trying to stimulate him.
Then they took him for about 30 seconds to give him a rigorous rub down, and then he started crying turning nice and pink and was given right to me for skin to skin and nursing.
The nurse we liked so much was the one to deliver him. He then said that we should wait for the doctor to deliver the placenta,but a few minutes later, I delivered it without even noticing. Sebastian Grey Warfield was born at 12:00am on October 1st, 2016. I much preferred this date to 9/30/16, but you can’t really pick when your child is born. 
Bonding time
Then the doctor arrived to stitch me up. I was given pitocin to make sure I didn’t have hemorrhaging since there is a history of it in the family. She was very friendly and apologetic that she missed the birth. I tore very little this time especially compared to Reese’s birth. Since the bed hadn’t been properly set up they needed to change some parts out. 
Reese made this same face while getting measured and such.
So I let them take Sebastian to weigh and measure him while they changed the bed around. He was 21″ long and weighed 8 lbs. 10oz. The hospital changed their policies for a more infant/family friendly procedures, so we were able to stay, bond, nurse,and do skin to skin for a few hours before being moved to our new room. They didn’t bathe Sebastian until he was more than 8 hours old which was awesome because I got to watch. With Reese’s birth, I was still being stitched up so missed most of it. 
Sebastian and Grant!
After getting time with Sebastian, Grant held him while I got cleaned up, and we moved rooms. We were all exhausted, hungry, and thrilled to be done with the birthing phase. Food was brought while Sebastian’s nurse and my nurse came and introduced themselves, and he was taken to have his nightly vitals taken.
In our room and ready to rest.
Sebastian getting his bath.
Reese seeing Sebastian.
Since he was born on Saturday morning, we had lots of nurses during out stay. Our hospital always has a nurse for the baby and a nurse for the mom which is very nice as I think it helps the work load for the nurses. We always felt very well taken care of, and we even had a few repeats of nurses who we saw while in the hospital with Reese. It did take us a few days to name Sebastian same thing as Reese. My mom took care of Reese during our stay,but Reese came and saw us each day. At first she was confused about Sebastian. When we asked, “Where baby brother was?” She still pointed to my stomach.
Mama holding Sebastian.
Me with my two babies… still can’t believe it.
Proud Papa.
Since then, she has been very loving and sweet. She doesn’t know her own strength so she tries to lay next to him, on him, sit on him, hug him, kiss him, and just doesn’t know her own strength. We are just thrilled that all of this is done out of love for her brother not jealously or anger. Also not poking him in the eye has been our biggest struggle thus far with Reese.
Getting some time with Mama, these days in the hospital were our first days apart…ever.
Kira, Andrew, and Sebastian.
Jackson was thrilled to meet his cousin. 🙂 It was actually bed time, and they were about to head back to Nashville.
Alana with “baby brother” as she called him. Kira ended up calling him baby brother cousin. Alana was so sweet, and held him any chance she got.
Kira, Andrew, Alana, and Jackson already had a visit planned for Saturday the 1st so Jackson and Alana could see Oma and spend some time with her. So it was wonderful that they were able to meet Sebastian on his first day. They were also kind enough to help mama watch Reese, and provide us with meals all day.
We kept Sebastian with us in the room just like we did with Reese, and he nursed and slept like a champ.
We liked our hospital, staff, and stay,but we were sure ready to be home as well. We did get woken up a lot which is normal.
Reese holding Sebastian.
Getting used to a new routine which includes baby brother.
Daily walk.
Our first night home from the hospital was rough just like it was with Reese because he only wanted to be held,but after that we got his days and nights switched. I did this by waking him to eat every two hours or more often if he was hungry during the day. So we have been getting about 6-7 hours of sleep a night. Granted that means we are going to bed very very early with lots of waking up,but we cannot complain. With Reese we were getting an average of 2-3 hours total a night, and boy was it rough. Sebastian is SO much more chill than Reese ever was. Reese is and was a spiting image of Grant,but Sebastian so far seems to favor my side of the family. He has my chin, eye color (that could change,) lips, and more scrunched up face. We are interested to see what he looks like when he is older because looks can change so much!
Gail was here for a visit a few weeks after Sebastian was born, but here is a wonderful picture of Grammie with her two Grandkids.
I will do a lot more updates on him when I do his one month blog post. Also, if you would like to read Reese’s Birth Story Click HERE.
