Cruz's Birth Story

Cruz Boston Carrasco
May 5, 2020
11:10 pm
9 lbs 2 oz
22”

Here we are again. Writing out my 4th birth story. I’m so grateful to God that we have four little healthy kids here on Earth and one more baby that we will get to meet some day in Heaven. God is so good. Even when life is tough, overwhelming, hard, and filled with impatient mom moments; God is good.

On May 5th, I had my 40 week + 1 day doctor check up for this little boy that was inside of me. I remember chatting with the nurses and Dr. Hansen about how today would be a great day to have a baby - 05/05 would be his birth date (my birthday is 04/04) and it was Cinco De Mayo! They all asked if I had any little contractions yet and I replied with “zero.”
Kovie had been 8 days overdue so I was trying to stay mentally strong, knowing that this boy could come as late as that or even later.
All was well at my check up and I headed home.

Fast forward to 6:30pm and I was at David’s volleyball facility, letting the kids burn off some energy before bed and I felt my first contraction. I obviously didn’t tell David until contraction #4 because you never want to say anything until you REALLY think the party is going to happen. I took the kids home and thought maybe this baby would be coming during the night or the next morning.
Decent level of excitement at this point mixed with a heavy dose of “oh boy Lauren, here we go. Get ready for the pain because you know EXACTLY what is coming.”

I called my parents after the kids were in bed at about 7:45pm and just said “my contractions have started but don’t come yet, they are like a 2 pain level but maybe leave your ringer on when you go to sleep tonight.” I had texted David that there was no need to rush home from work and that I was going to hop in the shower.
At this point, I wouldn’t have believed you if you had told me this boy was coming tonight. I wasn’t in much pain and the contractions were still like 6-8 minutes apart. I remember texting Chelsea and saying that I had some contractions but not getting any hopes up as they were still pretty far apart.
Fast forward 30 minutes and everything changed. I called my parents back and said you need to come now. I called David (he was coming home from work) and said that he should hurry. The pain was amping up and contractions were 4-5min apart.
HERE. WE. GO.

We got to the hospital just after 9pm. There was construction happening so the front door which said “open” actually wasn’t open so we ended up doing a big walk to go back through Emergency.
I got checked out in the maternity ward by about 9:45pm.
4 cm dilated.
”Decent Lauren” (me talking to myself and keeping my mental game strong) but I knew I still had a while to go.
They checked us into a room and I hopped into the bathtub and David held the hot water on my back while I labored on an exercise ball. The doctor on call, basically a female version of my family doctor (Steve Hansen), came in and introduced herself.
Dr: ”Any birth plans that I should know about”
Me: “Nothing really. One thing to note, when you break my water, my babies have come pretty quickly after that.”
Dr: “Awesome. I’m ready to break your water anytime.”
I loved her immediately.

I stayed in for another 30 minutes and then asked to get checked once I got out.
5-6cm.
Lame-o.
The pain was amping up so I thought I must have been further along.
Incorrect, Lauren.
Dr: “Do you want me to break your water”
Me: “yeah let’s do it.”
It was 10:50pm.

From 10:50pm onwards, I can only describe what happened as just the worst pain you will ever feel. Nothing is quite like childbirth. If you know, you know. In your mind you know that you cannot possibly endure it another minute and somehow you do. Your pain is 10/10 at the end and you try and contort your body however you can to gain any sort of comfort or ease of pain and nothing works. It’s such a wild moment in life with the biggest reward waiting for you at the end of it.

Roughly 11:07pm:
Me: “I need to push”
Dr: “Let me check you. No, you are only 7 cm. Lauren you can’t push.
….
Dr: “Oh 9 cm”
….
Dr: “Oh 10 cm, ok you can push!”
….
1 min of pushing and Cruz was born at 11:10pm.

Doctor and Nurses: “Wow. You were not kidding when you said that the baby will come quick after we break your water, that was crazy.”

Really thankful for a really short labour/delivery - what a gift.

During an unknown time of Covid-19, my doctor recommended my parents to self-isolate so we are thankful that they sacrificed and did that and were able to take the BIG 3 for a few days so I could recover and soak up the first few days with just David, Cruz, and I. When they all came to our house to meet him, my parents and kids were all able to hold him and cherish this sweet new little life.
Newborn snuggles just cannot be beat.

Cruz is over a month old now and is a sweet addition. He has the Carrasco gene of being an excellent sleeper and gives the biggest smiles. 4 kids is demanding, requires all of my patience, all of my attention, but I am thankful for the village I have to help raise these two boys and two girls.