My sweet Brady Johnathon is here. And oh my, we are so in love!

I wanted to share his birth story with you all, but mostly, so I have it documented to look back on in the future.

We have always known that we wanted three kids. My husband comes from a family with three kids and so do I. When we found out we were expecting last December, we were SO excited and I had a gut feeling from day one that he would arrive early on, just like my boys. Ben was born at 38 weeks and 3 days and Mason was born at 38 weeks exactly. With both of my older boys, my water broke and labor started quickly. I was in active labor for 2 hours with Mason. When I left the hospital with him, I remember the nurse telling me that baby number three would be even quicker, so be prepared.

I started having nightly contractions around 36 weeks. In my head, I thought, I was right! He is going to be here earlier than his brothers! At 36 weeks and 4 days, I started contracting 2 minutes apart for over 2 hours, so my husband and I made the call to go to the hospital thinking this could be it! When we arrived at the hospital, they monitored the baby for 30 minutes and by then, contractions had died down. I felt a little silly making my family rush over and going to the hospital for a false alarm.

Each day felt like eternity. Knowing it could be any minute or up to weeks before I would meet my baby boy. I wanted him to cook for as long as he could, but at the same time, I was SO excited to meet him.

The following week, at 37 weeks and 1 day, I had my bloody show. Again, thinking, is this it?! We must be getting close!! That week, we had another false alarm with consistent contractions. This time, the nurses at the hospital made me walk around for an hour to see if I was dilating. I was at 3.5 centimeters, but wasn’t progressing. So again…

False alarm.

Those false alarms mess with your head big time. Packing up the bags, putting them in the car, having family race over, thinking you are close to meeting your sweet baby – all to be sent home. At 38 weeks, I went in again to be checked because I thought I was leaking fluid.

This was my third false alarm and I think this is when it hit me that this baby was cozy and wasn’t in a rush to meet us. I made peace with it and tried to stay busy each day. I was in this weird limbo of wanting to stay busy, but also wanting to stay close to home in case my water broke. Each day, getting a new game plan of which family member was free that day in case that was THE day to come watch my two boys.

Then 39 weeks rolled around. I had never made it past 38 weeks before, so this was a new milestone to me. I was at peace, knowing I was for sure in the home stretch now. I went to my doctor’s appointment that morning and my doctor checked my cervix. I was still 3.5 centimeters, but this time, my cervix was no longer posterior and was more effaced than before. I discussed some concerns with her that baby wasn’t moving like normal so she did a non-stress test. Based on this appointment, she recommended induction.

This was the ONE thing I really didn’t want.

I wanted my boy to come on his own terms. I wanted to see if my water would break again or if it would go into labor with contractions first. I just didn’t want to force anything. BUT, I trust my doctor and trust that her recommendations are in the best interest of my baby and I.

She called me later that day and said it was all set up for the following morning, September 4th, at 7 am. I was to call the next morning at 5:30 am and double check that everything was still on schedule.

September 3rd was a surreal day. I went to sign papers on my new mini van (my cool mom car LOL) and spent the rest of the day nesting. I repacked my hospital bag, did the laundry, showered, laid my clothes out, spent time with my kids, etc. So weird knowing that was our last day before bringing a baby home with us. We made arrangements for my husband’s mom to come down in the morning to watch the boys and my mom and sister were planning on working half days at work before coming to the hospital once things picked up.

September 4, 2019

I was planning on getting up at 5 AM, but I didn’t want to get things ready and then call at 5:30 am to find out things were delayed. So, I woke up right before 5:30 AM and made the call.

“Yep, we are ready for you! See you at 7!”

I went to the bathroom, stood up to let my husband know we were still on the schedule and…

MY WATER BROKE.

Oh my goodness, I was shocked. A happy shocked. Couldn’t have been timed any more perfect. My husband’s mom was 15 minutes away, we had everything packed, my family was prepared to join us…and I got my wish of baby boy arriving on his own terms. I called the hospital back and they let me know they would get a room ready for us!

Once Tom’s mom arrived, we raced off to the hospital. Luckily, there was no traffic, even though it was prime commuting time.

We arrived and were walked to our room. They started me on antibiotics since I was GBS positive. Active labor hadn’t begun yet, so they had me bounce on a ball and kind of wait it out so that I could get all four hours of antibiotics before having my sweet boy. I was contracting every 8 minutes, but they were not painful.

Once noon rolled around, they started me on Pitocin. I didn’t feel much, so I kept bouncing on the ball and walking the halls. Around 1 PM, I knew active labor was right around the corner because I felt a little pop, just as I did with Mason and strong contractions started.

I got epidurals with both of my other boys, but it didn’t work with Mason. After going through natural labor, I knew that with this one, I wanted the epidural as soon as possible.

Around 2 PM, I was able to get my epidural. The anesthesiologist was incredible. Talked to us the entire time and honestly, the pain was nothing compared to my contractions.

Once the epidural started working, I noticed it was only working on my left side and all I could think was – NOT AGAIN! The nurse had me lie on my right side to help gravity bring the meds to my right side.

After about 40 minutes, it worked and I felt so much better.

Around 3 PM, she checked me and I was at 9 centimeters. Getting close! After 4 PM, I started feeling pressure to push and I was at 10 centimeters.

My doctor was working that day so the nurse wanted me to do a practice push to see if it was time to call her over to deliver.

One push and she told me to stop immediately. She called my doctor and within 5 minutes, she arrived and everyone was prepping the room for delivery.

The nurse and my husband held up my legs and one push later, he was out.

He was perfection.

7 pounds 7 ounces and 21 inches long, born at 4:38 PM on September 4, 2019

I spent all nine months wondering if he would be blonde like his brothers, or brunette like his daddy. Would he look like the boys, or look completely different. Would he be petite like his brothers or a little bigger since he was born later? What would his cry sound like? Would he be healthy? So many things I wondered about…

He was Brady.

Brady Johnathon Dukes. Named after my brother who passed exactly a year and a half earlier.

His cry was the sweetest sound, he had all 10 fingers and toes, dark hair and looked like…Brady. He is healthy as can be! What an answered prayer!

There are no words to describe the moment you meet your child for the first time. Your body spends nine months creating a home for this baby and you get to know their kicks, wiggles and hiccups. Then, to finally meet them and have them in your arms, there is nothing like it.

Looking back on that final month of pregnancy, which felt like an eternity, I couldn’t have wished for a better birth experience. He is healthy! My sweet boy came on his own terms. My husband, Mom and sister were all able to be present for his birth. Everything was prepared in advance because we were assuming induction. And like many of you have joked who follow me on Instagram…he was just waiting on that new mini van so he could have a sweet new ride home from the hospital 😉 haha.

We are so in love with Brady and so are the boys. I always wondered if our family would feel complete after we had our third…like, would I know for sure we are done?

Brady completes our party of five.

No doubt in my mind.

Brady, you are so loved.

xo – Mom