What It’s like to Become a Young Mom

June 28th 2016.

Positive pregnancy test. I honestly wasn’t expecting for it to come out positive. I mean, you always have that chance of getting pregnant if you’re sexually active, but I didn’t think it was ACTUALLY going to happen. A flood of emotions hit me, it was one of those things you can’t help but think back and picture your own face.

June 29th–October 10th.

Blood tests, due dates (February 27th, March 5th, 7th, 9th, & 12th. Sooooo many dates). Telling close friends and family members about you. We had 3 ultrasounds, heard your heart beat, met our midwives & threw up. A LOT. We were all so excited for you.

October 11th, 2016.

Your grandpa's birthday (RIP Daddy). Our anatomy scan. I honestly didn’t sleep the night before. I was SO excited to see you. I couldn’t wait to see your growth, your features, your movements. YOU. We got the ultrasound tech to write down the gender on a piece of paper. I knew what you were (what I felt in my heart). I was so tempted to peak, instead I went to class. I got a friend from school to come with me to drop it off at your aunt's house. (By the way I worked 25 hours a week & was a full time student all while being pregnant.)

October 15th, 2016.

The day we can put a name to your genitals. It was SO beautiful out. The sun was shining, it was honestly one of the best days of my life. I re-play that moment, those big BLUE balloons pop out of your aunt's trunk. All. The. Time. I watch the video a lot too 😉. All I was hoping for was a healthy baby, but If I could have chosen a gender, it would have been a boy.

October 16th 2016–January 28th 2017.

Lots of growing, appointments, kicks, and baby shower prep.

Little sleep, clothing that still fits and time left to you. The days were FLYING BY.

January 29th 2017.

Your baby shower. SO.MANY. PEOPLE. Don’t get me wrong. I was (and still am) so grateful for all the gifts, however, that many people (around 80) was overwhelming. In the end, I wouldn’t change a thing.

January 30th–February 27th, 2017

Getting your room ready, preparing for the birth (let’s get real, nothing can actually prepare you for what your birth is going to be like). I had a stretch and sweep done on the Friday, February 24th. Your dad and I went and wrote an exam right after (both of us passed). Cleaning the house, over and over and over again. Basically all of February was spent cleaning. Packing, unpacking, dreaming.

FEBRUARY 28TH, 2017.

Happy birthday my sweet baby Alesseo.

I woke up at 5:30am, I had some minor cramping, I went and had a bath. 6am, I went back to bed. I pulled the pull out couch out to sleep on, just in case my water broke. I popped some Kitchen Nightmares on YouTube and crashed until around 9:30. When I woke up, I was still having some cramps, but managed to fall back asleep for another 1/2 an hour. 10am hits, I woke up from the worst pain I have ever felt. I went to stand up and POP. My water broke. I called your dad from the bedroom (he was still asleep) and told him it was baby time. I remember sitting on the toilet while your dad called Laura (our midwife). She asked him a bunch of questions while I sat there in pain. Because I was a first time mom, she was expecting for me to be in labour for hours. She said she would come check up on me in a bit. I hopped in the tub after hearing your dad get off the phone with her. She got to the house around 11:30am. She checked me, I was about 6cm dilated. She was actually quite surprised I was as far along as what I was. Paige (our doula) and your dad stayed in the bathroom with me pretty much the entire time. Laura and her student (I wish I remembered her name, oops) would come in to check on your heart rate and to see how I was coping. The rest of the time, they hung out in the living room and drank coffee. I laboured in the tub until about 12:45pm. Laura came in to see how I was doing. I wasn’t coping well (so I thought). She checked me and I was 9.5cm. I was in transition. I remember telling her I was going to die. I actually felt like I was going to. She made the call to the the tub, stand up for a little and let gravity get me to 10. By 1pm I was pushing, it was such a great feeling, I wish I could put it into words how AMAZING pushing felt. No pain, just a pure rush. I was losing a lot of blood, so she decided it would be best for me to lay down on the bed. (Remember the pull out bed, yeah, that one) I laid down, and with every contraction, I was a little closer to meeting you. I managed to get the top half of your head out. Your dad told me you opened your eyes. Already curious about the world and you’re not even born yet. At 1:27pm, I gave my last push and you were here. 6 pounds, 13 ounces, 17 inches long. You were bald and so beautiful. All the pain I felt, I’d do it all over again.

I managed a natural home birth, at 20 years old. I did it. Me. I honestly felt the king of the world that day. Not only did I have a fast delivery, I had a dream birth. What I would give to re-live that day again. Every bump, scar, scratch and stitch I had, it was worth it all.

First trip to the beach.

2 hours old.

I love you so much.