Welcome to our World Baby D + A Birth Story. - Pretty Real

Welcome to our World Baby D + A Birth Story.

1:48 PM

Dax Joseph DeLangie
9 pounds. 5 ounces.
20 1/2 inches.
Arrived on 9/4/14 at 11:30 am.

Unlike Nadia's announcement, I'll give you the play by play.  You're welcome.

  • Dax arrived on his due date!  Which only 3% of babies do, according to the delivering doctor.  A couple of friends have called him a "gentleman" for waiting until his sister's big day (first day of school) and Nadia's birthday, 9/3. My dad was in town until the 5th so it really was perfect timing!
  • Naming Dax was difficult! And by that I mean, I kept coming up with options that Joe kept shooting down.  [insert eye roll].  Finally Joe came up with a list of his own, which I have to admit was great. From both of our lists we chose our top three and Dax was one of them.
  • Dax means "leader."  We didn't choose it for that reason but when you like a name, look it up, and it means "elf king" you sort of shy away from it.  We didn't name him after Dax Shepard, as we've been asked, but I'm not gonna lie- we love Parenthood and the character "Crosby" and I may or may not have suggested both Crosby and Zeke so there is a slight obsession there. ;)  
  • Dax's birth was more similar to Nadia's than Genevieve's.  But this time I learned from the error of my ways.  With Nadia, I was so afraid that I'd be sent home that I waited a bit too long before going to the hospital.  This time we went pretty soon after contractions started.
  • My contractions started around 10:30 pm the night prior but waned as I began timing them.  I fell asleep around 11:30 but kept feeling contractions in my sleep.  They woke me up completely around 4 am and I knew it would be the real thing. I timed them for an hour and although they were still 4-5 minutes apart and less than a minute, they hurt bad enough that I could no longer lay in bed and they were consistent so I told Joe it was go time.  

  • With Nadia I was 8-9 cm by the time I got the epidural.  When we got to the hospital I was literally crying and gasping in pain and entered the 'transition' phase right after we arrived.  Labor was on and strong.  I wanted to avoid that this time but at the same time my experience with Nadia (despite the intense pain up until the epidural) was great so I was also trying to mimic that.  At the same time I was trying to balance that experience--super intense pain up front, epidural, hardly any pain for a short while and pushing for 10 minutes-- with my experience with Genevieve-- laboring ALL day with increasing pain, getting the epidural, then wondering if it wore off as the ring of fire took over during my 2 1/2 hours of pushing (2 hours 38 minutes to be exact. #notoverit).  So I sort of felt like- do I wait and deal with the pain now with none later or do I get it now with the thought that it might wear off toward the end and/or slow down my progress.  It's so true that the epidural is different each time and often depends on who's administering it.  Which brings me to my next point:
  • I have a "crunchy" back.  Or so I was told by the anesthesiologist.  He said that means bony.  Thanks? It was the first time it really hurt. Like bad.  As he angled, numbed, re numbed, angled it again between my bones, etc.  And told me every step of the way what he was doing.  (No thank you).  I'm glad that was my last time because the other times there was minimal pain;  needles don't really freak me out, and I had no reason to be scared or nervous.  This time, not so much.
  • And the other point on the epidural: It truly is different every time.  I am pro epidural for lots of reasons I won't go into here but I will say I find it funny when people who have never had one act like it erases 100% of pain of labor (and why are we obsessed with making sure we experience pain during labor anyway?!).  I've had 3 babies and 3 epidurals and I can say with each labor there is considerable pain in some region for some reason or another.  Each time was just different. I wouldn't call it "bad," per se. Pain is just a reality of childbirth- before, during, after.  Having the epidural definitely relieved my pain considerably and helped me get the job done, but it's not a cure all.  Apparently.  That said, I have heard some moms say they didn't experience any pain (lucky!) so I suppose that's a possibility but that hasn't been my experience.  
  • Once I got it (I went with earlier rather than later), I could relax a bit.  My contractions were still a bit far apart and the baby was still a bit high.  I was praying "Dear Lord I don't have the energy or stamina I did 5 years ago! I don't want to push for 2 hours!! Please?!"  With Genevieve, I literally pushed in all positions, never really taking a break, and was sore from all the physical exertion.  That was 5 years and 2 kids ago.  I felt like there's no way I could physically pull that off this time.  
  • But as time wore on the contractions started getting stronger and closer together.  2 things happened- I started feeling the pressure and I started feeling the contractions.  Damn you epidural!  I started crying as Joe jokingly made fun of me for putting on mascara for my after picture. True story.  Lucky for him, humor helps and I laughed the tears off. I love that man.  
  • The nurse kept commenting on how calm and pleasant I was and how I didn't complain.  So once the grimacing started she knew something was up.  She decided to check me (initially she'd said she'd wait and check in 15 minutes) and called the doctor.
  • The pushing started! The doctor said he was high but with the contractions being closer and me listening to my body- it was time.  I pushed through one contraction- he moved down considerably, and they said "You are definitely not going to have to push for 2 hours." music to my ears!  That said, I was so jaded from Genevieve- during which the nurse/doctor immediately started telling me how great I was doing and how the pushes were "perfect" and then 2 hours later she STILL wasn't there...that I wasn't sure I believed them.
  • Until, I pushed through one more contraction and they started getting excited.  The next time I pushed, Joe started getting excited.  Those of you who know Joe know how incredibly calm and even keeled he is.  Which is a nice way of saying he's not super emotive. (love you babe!).  So with every labor when he starts getting all excited and gesturing and raising his voice just a teeny tiny bit telling me to push, I know it's about to happen!  I pushed a couple more good pushes and Dax arrived.
  • Well sort of.  I don't want to get too graphic but let's just say before he was completely...born... they were all like "WHAT?! This is NOT an 8 lb baby!"  [as the doctor had estimated].  As I'm still pushing, Joe, the Doctor, and the Nurse are exclaiming how huge he is! (literally laughing aloud right now).  I finished pushing giving it extra oomph since I'd been warned that he was a chunky one.  I couldn't believe my son was here. 
  • I'm not gonna lie, I begged God for an easy baby (and why stop there--an easy toddler, kid, and teen would be fine with me).  But the jury is still out.  I think his temperament is fairly average--Fussy at times. Likes to eat. A lot.  Likes to be held, etc.  But easy or not, he's just perfect.
  • Dax is a gift in so many ways.  He's our 3rd (and likely last baby). He's a promise of the good things to come and a reminder that life goes on.  He's the diversity our family needs--the precious boy we were hoping for.  He's just perfect. 

  • Nadia and Genevieve are in love with Dax.  They use this adorable high pitched voice to talk to him "hi baby brother" and refer to him as baby brother, or THE baby brother, and baby Dax.  They ask to hold him constantly and are really great big sisters and helpers.
  • Joe got to use his first "I think I know what's best for my son" with me and I'm pretty sure he'd been waiting all of his life to say that. Although he's an amazing daddy to girls, I'm so glad he has a son.  You have no idea.  
  • There were many times during our trial that I questioned the timing of being pregnant.  But God in his perfect wisdom knew that the time was now.  I'm so glad we didn't put off trying for our baby due to the circumstances I talked about here.  I'm so glad God knew now was the time to complete our family.  

Dax I love you.  When mama cried these last 6 months there were so many times a kick from you reminded me of the good to come.  Reminded me to breathe.  Reminded me to take care of myself.  Reminded me of God's love and faithfulness.  You are a gift.  A treasure.  My baby.  I thank God for you. Your raspy coos, your strong cry, your sweet eyes, your sleepy smiles, your intoxicating baby smell and snuggly baby bum.  I can't wait to be a part of the journey God has for you through this world.

Welcome to our world baby Dax.  We love you.

squishy adorable baby photo by Captured. nh.

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  1. Simply beautiful! CONGRATS to you and your family!!

  2. Simply a beautiful tribute, I'm so happy for you all!!! What a beautiful family you have!!!