The Birth of Ira Smooke (and some Labor & Delivery Tips from a Mom of Two)

*The moment we met and he got placed on my chest. I couldn’t stop crying.*

We did it! I gave birth to our son, our second child, and everybody is absolutely in love with him, especially his sister 🥰

Meet: Ira Klay Smooke

*Ira 1 day before he turned 1 month old*

This is Ira Klay Smooke, 4 weeks old, king of spit-ups, would rather grunt than cry, eats more than he can handle (hence the spit ups 😂), burps loudly, poops frequently and with authority, and even more easygoing and calmer than his already easygoing and calm sister…at least so far.

Norah’s Untold Birth Story

5 years ago when Norah was born, I had all the intention of telling her birth story. I had such fond memories of our time at the Vail hospital that I wanted to do it justice by telling the most detailed story possible! But raising a newborn for the first time was busy and tiring (still is- we just manage our expectations better now) so I unfortunately never got to it.

*5 years prior when I gave birth to Norah*

But I got the second chance now! In telling Ira’s birth story in this blog post, I will also throw back some details of Norah’s birth story that I could recall, too.

Ira’s birth was much different than Norah’s but just as perfect. He was born at 6:14pm Monday May 9 2022 in room 5 at the Vail Hospital, right next to room 6 where his sister was born 5 years prior on Tuesday March 7, 2017 at 2:23pm. Norah was born at 39 weeks, weighing 6lbs13oz and Ira was born at 38 weeks 1 day, weighing 6lbs 12oz! (“It’s like your body has a cap on how big the babies could/should be” David told me 😂)

My labor leading up to Ira’s arrival was twice as long but a lot less painful and intense compared to Norah’s. (Spoiler: get 👏 that 👏 epidural 👏)

My Birth Plan for Ira (thanks to Norah’s birth!)

Since I had a relatively smooth labor experience with Norah, I had some strong priors on what constitutes a “good” birth, some of which were mentioned up here via my birthing plan. Mainly, I wanted David to be there with me the whole time, to move around, to labor in the bath tub, and to use epidural before it’s too late.

The onset

Evening of May 8th, after a beautiful Mother’s Day with spa time with my mom, mani pedi time with her and Norah, an impromptu photo shoot with all the grandmas, and a lovely dinner by David, Diane told me to start tracking contractions as I had showed signs of early labor: pink discharge, more constant Braxton Hicks- pain level was around a .2 or .3 😆 The contractions eventually last for 1 minute every 5 minute for 1 hour ( 5:1:1 rule) but were super painless. We called Labor and Delivery at 8:33pm and were told to stay home until I couldn’t breath through contractions. So we packed the car but didn’t have to say goodbye (yet) to Norah.

*I’m so glad we were able to do an impromptu Mother’s Day photoshoot as I went into labor literally a few hours after this shot!*

That night, I didn’t sleep just like the night before Norah’s birth. No pain was felt until around 3am. I breathed through them while listening to some hypnobirthing meditation playlist on Spotify. Considering how fast my labor with Norah progressed and this is our second, I told myself I’d wake David before I absolutely couldn’t stand the pain anymore.

I ended up waking him up at around 5am May 9. The drive to the hospital was darker as it was earlier but otherwise similar to the drive on the morning of March 7 five years prior: quiet, exciting, hopeful.

To the Hospital!

They were already expecting us at the Labor and Delivery ward when we arrived at around 5:30am. I was 3cm dilated and 25% effaced. Pain was manageable at around 3.5-4/10.

David unpacked the car, gave the staff my birthing plan and we quickly got into the bath tub as planned. It was so nice to see our birthing coach Shama again after just 9 days. “Good thing I moved that (birthing) class up a week!” - she said as she put her gentle but firm hand on my lower back to relieve some contractions pressure.

*Me trying to breathe through contractions before the bathtub*

The bath tub experience was just like I remember. Shama made sure the water was warm and comfortable, our main nurse Liz brought in some LED candles, the room was dark, the tub smelled of lavender and eucalyptus.

David served as my support pillow in the tub, breathing with me through each strengthening contractions, stroking my back as I wailed and moaned through the waves. (He later commented I was louder 5 years prior 😆)

Our doctor came and was super excited to see us. We’ve discussed induction the week before and she was glad he decided to arrive on his own term. When she came back about an hour later, my pain got to about a 6 and I wanted her to check my cervix to see if it was worth staying in the tub or administer some epidural.

To epidural or Not to epidural?

Speaking of epidural- I still have some slight resentment about never getting one with Norah. 5 years prior when I got out of the tub, my cervix had dilated from 4cm all the way to 9cm. It was too late according to everyone who’s not me to get pain relief at that point. I begrudgingly went through the transitioning stage shaking, wailing, pinning my nails on David’s hands so hard he still got nail marks few days after 😂 She came out perfect and thankfully I didn’t get any tearing or complication. But I was left wondering what it would have been like had I got my well-deserved (IMHO) pain relief.

This time around, I specified that I did want an epidural IF I was less than 6cm dilated. So when my doctor came back to check on me, I was so glad to be told I was *only* 5cm dilated (and 75% effaced!) Perfect! It was now or never for the epidural. I wanted it.

The anesthesiologist arrived within 20 minutes. The procedure was quite painless: they let me work through contractions instead of rushing the drug in. The only part that stung ever so slightly was the numbing shot. After that, the actual needle into my spine felt strange but not painful.

They explained to me how the button worked (it got me more epidural but there’s a cap per each 45 minutes how much I was getting). I remember briefly thinking of the word “gateway drug” looking at the button 😂 but ended up not pressing it until a while later, and only once, an hour or so before pushing.

Getting the epidural was the best decision we made this birth! I told my friend April who called me shortly after I got the drug that I’m never giving birth without one again! I was transformed from being so in my head and zoned out to chatting, smiling, joking around and just generally in a great mood literally not even 15 minutes after the needle went in. David ordered some lunch and got me some cherry and lemon popsicles as well. I was happy as a clam.

*This was me 20 minutes after they administered the epidural. I was so happy!*

After epidural was administered, my labor progressed like normal. I couldn’t really feel any pain (barely a 1 I’d say) but could feel when a contraction was coming and how strong it was compared to the last, which was exactly what I needed. I didn’t want to be oblivious to my own contractions. I wanted my body to guide me through this birth. It would come in handy once I start pushing, I thought.

Since I couldn’t move much or go to the tub anymore after epidural, Liz helped my labor progress by putting a peanut ball in between my legs and have me lay on my side, switching side every hour or so. For the next 3-4 hours after, that’s literally all I did. It’s amazing that I went to 6, they 8, then 10 cm dilated simply by resting, sleeping, and laying on a peanut ball!!! Viva la science!!!!

David and I both then got some much needed rest by pulling the black out curtains down. Every time Liz came back to help me switch side, she would check on my and baby’s heartbeat, marveling at how the hell I was still able to lift one of my legs and part of my hip 😂 I guess I wasn’t completely numb- just about 70-80%.

Dr Monnet came back twice during my chill labor. She checked my cervix both times and later broke my water to speed up my labor. She predicted I’d have the baby at 4:45pm.

At around 3:30pm, Liz came back to help me sit vertically and let gravity help my labor progress. At that point I was still not in any pain but the contractions did feel stronger. So I decided to push the epidural button thinking I’d need to push soon.

The combination of more epidural coupled with sitting straight up after resting made me a little lightheaded. I threw up a little but quickly got better with some extra IV fluid.

Pushing was harder than I remember!

At around 5pm, I was ready to push. I could feel my contractions a bit now, the pain was stronger though still manageable at around 2 or 3 at most. Liz checked my cervix and I was pretty much all dilated and like 99% effaced.

Dr came and she too could feel only a very thin layer of cervix left on one side. Considering it’s been almost 9 hours since I got the epidural, she gave me the go ahead to push.

Pushing turned out to feel like the longest part of my labor, lasting almost 1.5 hours (with Norah I pushed for about 1 hour). I don’t think I’m the world’s most effective pusher even though Dr, Liz and all my birthing team insisted otherwise. “Good job!” - they would sync in unison after each and every push. I believed them until after the 10th push 😂

I started out pushing while squatting holding on to a bar attached to the bed and then finished by pushing on my back with my legs up. I felt more comfortable squatting (even though one of my legs was noodle) but Dr said I was more effective on my back.

I could feel each contraction coming but it was a little hard to direct my energy to the right spot since I was still mostly numb down there. The Dr felt my cervix for baby’s head as I pushed and assured me I was doing the right thing.

At some point, they told me to change tactic from pushing as I breathed out to push before I exhale to take advantage of the momentum. That seemed to help produce some good pushes.

Pushing on my back though was the most painful part of labor outside those intense contractions I had felt in the bath tub. At some point before pushing, I felt a localized pain on the left side of my lower back. I thought it was because I had laid on the peanut ball on one side for too long (Liz said it helped that stubborn thin layer of cervix efface). But the pain never went away & intensified instead as the hour went by. Thinking back, it was probably the first area of my body where epidural completely waned and I could feel true contractions.

Anyway, every time I pushed on my back that localized pain would nag at me. The intensity and randomness of that pain made me a little frustrated and distracted.

Then about 45 minutes into pushing, I felt lightheaded again and this time couldn’t stop throwing up. I threw up so much that Dr told me to take a break and not bother pushing with the next couple of contractions. Seeds of doubt started growing in my head.

Thank goodness Liz was there. She thought of opening alcohol wipes for me to inhale with each push and that actually helped calm down my nausea. She also put a wet towel on me and basically just nursed me back to strength- bless her heart! I was so close to meeting baby!

After my bout of vomits, I was determined to push more effectively. I listened to their advice. Chin down. Push before exhale. 3 pushes each contraction. Don’t crunch up on the face but concentrate down below. Every time I relaxed my face and actually put all of my energy to the pushing movement down below, I would hear actual excitement in Dr’s voice- like, this one is actually good!

Towards the end, I still couldn’t feel baby coming, but Dr said he definitely has hair! I was encouraged since it must mean he was close and she could feel him already. For what turned out to be my second to last push, Dr. and team hunkered around me, all their tools and knickknacks out and ready. Dr asked me if I wanted to take a break but I finally could feel baby! Without missing a beat, I immediately proceeded to prolonging my last push so baby could be out! He emerged seemingly out of nowhere- first head then body- with that one last push.

“This is definitely David’s baby”- doctor said as she welcomed Ira to life.

Hello Ira!

All the emotions started rushing in. He had so much hair! I hugged him on my chest, I couldn’t stop crying. “Mama’s here, mama’a here” I kept saying. “Thank you for coming here. I love you.”

What happened after was a bit of a blur. Dr pushed on my tummy to get the placenta out. David cut the umbilical cord (“To life!” He cheered on). They “massaged” my tummy to help the uterus shrink and avoid blood clots. Dr checked my area and announced that I (again) had no tear but was very raw down there …I didn’t care about any of that, or feel any pain.

He found my right boob right away. It took him all of 9 minutes to latch effectively. What a natural!

*Ira latching effectively 9 minutes after birth!*

He was so so calm. Cried for about 5 seconds right after arriving- and not at all for the next hour or two. Not even when he was weighed, measured, poked and prodded!

He weighed 6lbs12oz (a surprise for all of us as he was 1 oz lighter than Norah) and was 19.5 inches long.

He got to meet his sister and ông and bà shortly after his grand entrance. Everyone got to hold him and marveled at such a tiny being.

That night, we slept well.

The rest of the hospital stay was great just like last time. It was 1 day shorter since Ira was actually a healthier baby than Norah was. He wasn’t low on oxygen, didn’t have jaundice, and didn’t have to go to the NICU the first night for his purple skin (all 3 of which Norah had). He was tested for hyperthyroidism and diabetes (poor brave kid- they poked his heels so many times) and had neither of those. He did not even cry at night and could eat every 2-3 hours and produced some wet and soiled diapers already that first night. He didn’t even cry much after his circumcision (which I dreaded for him!) He was literally perfect.

The very next day, I was able to walk around the hospital, and we were discharged the day after, on Wednesday. Throughout our 3 days 2 nights at the hospital, we had 8-10 nurses, 2-3 doctors, and visitors including Norah. I thought Norah’s birth was easy- Ira was even easier! My fond memories of our times at Vail Labor and Delivery Ward continues!

*My review of Vail Health after giving birth to Norah. I’d rate them even higher if I could after Ira’s birth!*

Tips for a Smooth Labor & Delivery Experience!

Now that I’ve done this twice, I’d like to share a few tips/lessons learned for a smooth labor & birth experience. The obvious disclaimer is that this is clearly my own personal journey and it might not work if you don’t have my exact circumstances.

You don’t need to eat a lot during pregnancy. Eating for 2 is such a myth! I found that my appetite increased a little starting from 2nd trimester but never to the point that I would double my intake. Nutritious and varied food in smaller meals are way better than calorie-dense large meals (this I have my gestational diabetes to thank!)
Related point: exercise and stay fit! Think of birth as the marathon and pregnancy as the training period. You gotta build up your strength, flexibility and endurance leading up to it. I love walking and Pilates but I’d recommend doing whichever that feels good and sustainable for you.
Research and read but don’t overdo it. Trust your gut. There’s just so much info out there that it might feel super overwhelming for you to take it all in. With Norah’s pregnancy I read and watched and worried a ton since it was our first. With Ira, I reread “What to Expect”, read a new one called “Expecting Better”, and did 1 refresher birthing class. I learned after the first time that most of it would come natural to you as a mother. Your intuition and instinct matter. Follow them.
Water water water! Now I understand why some people choose water birth at home. Not only does the water help relieve part of the contraction pain, it also helps move labor along faster. I would always use the tub if there’s one.
Think of each contraction as a wave. Breathe with it, don’t resist it. Every single one of them has a peak, and won’t last forever. This is pain with a purpose - and you can do it!
Epidural! I understand that for some people it doesn’t work or help you relieve your pain the way you expect (or at all, in which case, ouch!) But for me, having done it with and without epidural- I would 100000% recommend with. Why go through needless pain when you can just…not? Plus if you are afraid of not being able to feel contractions or let your body guide you through the pushing like I was, simply opt for lower dosage like I did. The only down side would be towards the very end you would feel *some* pain. But to me the trade off was totally worth it. My goal was never to not feel any pain whatsoever (I wouldn’t give birth 😆 if that was the case), but to manage it enough so I wasn’t miserable the whole time. Plus, I was somehow worried that I’d have trouble pooping after getting it, which turned out not true at all 🙌
Resist the urge to push for as long as possible. Think “breathe the baby down”. Let gravity help you push. This will help prevent tearing.
Move around as soon as you feel like, this will allow you to physically and mentally feel 1000% better!
Stay as long at the hospital as they let you! Think of it like “babymoon”- reality will hit you like a brick as soon as you come home! So- use up all the resources, ask all the “stupid” questions away, and eat all the free food and drinks they offer. Trust me, you’ll appreciate any and all help

Until next time, thank you for reading my little birth story with our son. And good luck if you read this to prepare for your own labor and birth experience. You got this!