Malachi turns FOUR! | A birth story | Tiny Turtles Photography
Snuggle those newborns tight, mamas! They grow up too fast!
I can't believe that my sweet Malachi is turning four today! How is it possible that he is already four! This is what I keep telling you moms. Those newborns turn into preschoolers, and then big kids way way way too fast! I was still a very new newborn photographer when Malachi was born, but I absolutely love these photos of him.
Malachi was a perfect 8lbs 7oz when he was born at Grossmont Hospital in La Mesa. He was our hospital birth after a home birth baby, and his delivery couldn't have been any better. During our 20 week ultrasound the doctors discovered that his umbilical cord was marginally inserted into the placenta. The risk of this causing complications during delivery are very low, however our home birth midwife was more comfortable with use delivering in the hospital. So we found an OB who was comfortable with us having a non medicated intervention free birth at the hospital.
February 26 2014, was my estimated due date, and I had a normal Dr appointment in the morning. I was 4 cm dilated and 100% effaced at this appointment. I went about my day, requesting a massage from my wonderful sister in law Julia. I tried to stay moving, hoping to get labor started. I bounced on my birth ball and did lots of dancing around the house. At about 8:30PM I started noticing contractions coming more regularly and decided to time them. They were coming every 3 minutes. At around 9:00 we started making calls and plans to head to the hospital. My mom came to stay with the boys and we went off, perfectly calm. We arrived at the hospital around 10:00 and quickly got checked in. I was told they would monitor me in triage for 1 hour and to get comfortable. Dilation was still at 4 cm. My contractions just about stopped, which is not surprising because of all the commotion involved with getting there. A half an hour into the monitoring Malachi's heart rate slowed way down for 2 or 3 beats then went back to normal. Our nurse said that bought us 1/2 hour more in the bed on the monitor. Every time I moved even a little she would lose the monitor signal and return to readjust it. My contractions started to kick back up and I couldn't move. I was pretty miserable. After 2 hours of this she checked my dilation again and I was still at 4 cms. She informed us that we would be discharged because there was no cervical change. I questioned my frequent contractions that she no doubt could see on her monitors. Her response was that "labor is not indicated by contractions, but cervical change." I was confused, but asked to leave because I didn't want to be stuck in a bed on monitors. While she was filling out my discharge papers my water broke. I signed the papers and got ready to leave. We walked into the lobby to meet with our doula Melissa. She had been waiting for us the entire 2 hours we were in triage. I had 3 or 4 back to back contractions and I needed to lay back down. I turned right back around and told the nurses that I needed a bed. I think our original nurse thought I was crazy or over reacting. My previous birth was a home birth, so I knew what it felt like to be in transition. I didn't know how it was possible, but I knew that I was about to have my baby. I layed down and could feel him making his enterance. The nurse heard me making, "primal yells" (her words) and came running in. Malachi was self propelling himself into the world! No joke friends, Malachi was born at 1:11am; 4 cms to born in 1/2 hour. Thinking back this was the perfect way for him to be born. I was able to avoid having an IV, or any of the other unpleasantries that I was hoping to avoid during our hospital birth. Melissa was amazing at comforting me during this quick transition and was able to keep the staff informed about my after birth wishes. I *HIGHLY* recommend a doula to all moms, especially those birthing in a hospital setting.
Malachi is such a sweetheart now. He is so animated and entertaining! He has always been ahead of the curve physically, which is basically just a nice way to say that he has always been busy and active! He brings so much fun and excitement to our house and we can't imagine our family without him.
At the end of 2017 Malachi was officially diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). I say officially because we had been suspecting it for about a year before. CAS is basically a speech disorder that makes it difficult for the brain to communicate with the muscles used to create words. Malachi is now in three days a week of speech therapy and we are so happy to see his speech slowly improving. Some children with CAS are never able to speak fluently, but we are confident that with continued speech therapy Malachi will eventually catch up with his peers.
Snuggle those newborns tight, mamas! They grow up too fast! When they're sleeping and angelic looking, shoot me an e-mail so we can capture some updated adorableness of your little one asap!
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