‘I feel like someone is missing…’
My husband and I kept saying that for months before we finally decided last fall to try for a third child. Now that our little boy is here, we both feel complete in a way we couldn’t describe before.
I won’t go into every detail of his arrival, but it was an intense ride. I began having labor symptoms as early as my 37th week, which left us on edge for weeks. With my husband working as a firefighter—sometimes away on long calls and unable to answer his phone—the uncertainty was especially stressful.
As our June 8 due date approached, the frequent false alarms made me wonder whether I might end up overdue. This pregnancy felt like the hardest one I’ve experienced, and the waiting was discouraging.
In the early hours of June 8 I started having contractions and the bloody show that often signals true labor. My husband was at work but, fortunately, not on a call, and he came home immediately.
By about two in the morning, though, the contractions gradually eased and then stopped. We were disappointed, but the experience was a reminder of how unpredictable labor can be.
The next night, at roughly the same time, real labor began. It was frightening in that helpless, adrenaline-filled way, but also finally the end of the long months of anticipation. Because I dislike hospitals, I stayed home to labor until I felt ready to push once we arrived.
When we reached the hospital I was already dilated to eight centimeters, so things moved quickly. After about an hour or two of active labor, Samuel Edward Goslin was born at 7:11 a.m.
Despite months of chronic indigestion and various discomforts, he has proven to be an exceptional baby—sweet, calm, and already full of personality. We’re smitten.
Thank you for taking the time to read about this chapter in our lives. If you stuck with me this far, I really appreciate it.
Next week on the blog: more recipes to help me get back in shape and a Friday Finds roundup featuring the tools and tips I’m using to tone up postpartum.
Have a wonderful weekend!