On Thursday, January 9, 2025 at 37 weeks and 6 days, I noticed contractions that were consistently five minutes apart before going to bed at around midnight. When I told Alex, he immediately suggested going to the hospital given my history of fast births. I wasn’t sure the contractions were strong enough to go in, but I hoped to get there with plenty of time to receive an epidural. I always wanted one, but didn't have enough time for it during three of the kids' births.
We called Aarika who graciously came over while Alex threw toiletries in a bag. After a short 12 minute drive, we checked into Labor & Delivery at around 1:00am. When the nurse checked my cervix at 1:15am, I was 3 cm dilated and 50% effaced. She observed that my contractions were pretty strong, but they felt mild to me. She instructed us to walk around for two hours to help labor progress. “What?” I gaped at her. I laughed, for I had never been told to do so before. “Excuse me, ma’am,” Alex said. “Did you say walk for two hours? At 1:30 in the morning?”
We followed orders and walked circles around the L & D wing. The contractions became stronger at 3 minutes apart. At 3:00am, the nurse checked my cervix again and shared that I had not progressed. She told us to go home and predicted we’d be back within 24 hours. “Come back when the contractions hurt,” she said. I was disappointed and embarrassed to be sent home, but Alex took it as an opportunity to schedule a lunch date that afternoon - haha.
We went home to sleep for a few hours before going back to the hospital for a scheduled ob-gyn appointment while my mother-in-law and brother-in-law watched the kids. I wasn’t sure if my dilation and effacement had progressed in the four hours since going home. Contractions had gone back to being 5-6 minutes apart, but I wanted to consult my doctor regardless. When she checked me at 9:00am, I was 3.5 cm dilated and 70% effaced. “You’re progressing,” she said reassuringly. “Come back when you’re in active labor. You’ll probably go pretty fast.”
That afternoon, Alex took me on a sushi date for quality time before the baby arrives. It was so sweet to spend time together as it had been a hard week filled with sorrows and grief with hope. I spent the rest of the day bouncing on a yoga ball, taking a hot shower, and keeping a record of my contractions.
That night, on Friday, January 10, 2025, I felt the contractions deepen at around 3:00am. I timed them for an hour and then went to pee. I discovered a substantial amount of bleeding. “I think it’s time to go,” I told Alex. He called his mom to come over and we left right away. We checked into Labor & Delivery at 4:26am. The same nurse from the previous day checked my cervix. “You’re 5-6 cm,” she announced. “You’re definitely staying this time.”
I smiled in relief then winced as the contractions intensified. “The priority is for her to get an epidural,” Alex told her. The nurse prepped my IV and told me it needs to drain before they can administer the epidural. I nodded with a feeling it may not happen.
I walked over to a labor & delivery room, where I breathed deeply through the contractions now. By the time the anesthesiologist arrived at 5:45am, the contractions hurt so that I could barely sit still enough for him to poke the needle in my back. He poked several times to find the right spot, and it hurt! It was 6:00am and we were hoping the medicine would kick in in time. I was breathing too fast, so they strapped an oxygen mask on me. Labor became a blur. The contractions were fast and furious. The epidural never worked. I started moaning through the contractions. In the midst of the pain, I vaguely felt the nurses readjusting the fetal heart monitor several times. We couldn’t hear a heartbeat. "Take deep breaths, Helen," the nurses urged. "You need to breathe for the baby." The nurses checked my cervix and declared I was complete. They called the midwife in as the familiar, fiery sensation came to push. I yelled as I pushed. “Push!” the medical team commanded. My water broke. I pushed a few more times with the energy I had left. Alex told me later that while I was pushing, the NICU team rushed into the room in case they needed to resuscitate the baby. At 6:33am on Friday, January 10, 2025, Solace Just Hong came into the world at 38 weeks, weighing 7 lbs 1 oz and measuring 20 inches long. He had the umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his neck several times. The midwife deftly cut it off and praise God, he cried. They placed him on me as a wave of fatigue washed over me. Alex cut off the umbilical cord near Solace’s belly button. He was finally here, and he was okay.
We followed orders and walked circles around the L & D wing. The contractions became stronger at 3 minutes apart. At 3:00am, the nurse checked my cervix again and shared that I had not progressed. She told us to go home and predicted we’d be back within 24 hours. “Come back when the contractions hurt,” she said. I was disappointed and embarrassed to be sent home, but Alex took it as an opportunity to schedule a lunch date that afternoon - haha.
We went home to sleep for a few hours before going back to the hospital for a scheduled ob-gyn appointment while my mother-in-law and brother-in-law watched the kids. I wasn’t sure if my dilation and effacement had progressed in the four hours since going home. Contractions had gone back to being 5-6 minutes apart, but I wanted to consult my doctor regardless. When she checked me at 9:00am, I was 3.5 cm dilated and 70% effaced. “You’re progressing,” she said reassuringly. “Come back when you’re in active labor. You’ll probably go pretty fast.”
That afternoon, Alex took me on a sushi date for quality time before the baby arrives. It was so sweet to spend time together as it had been a hard week filled with sorrows and grief with hope. I spent the rest of the day bouncing on a yoga ball, taking a hot shower, and keeping a record of my contractions.
That night, on Friday, January 10, 2025, I felt the contractions deepen at around 3:00am. I timed them for an hour and then went to pee. I discovered a substantial amount of bleeding. “I think it’s time to go,” I told Alex. He called his mom to come over and we left right away. We checked into Labor & Delivery at 4:26am. The same nurse from the previous day checked my cervix. “You’re 5-6 cm,” she announced. “You’re definitely staying this time.”
I smiled in relief then winced as the contractions intensified. “The priority is for her to get an epidural,” Alex told her. The nurse prepped my IV and told me it needs to drain before they can administer the epidural. I nodded with a feeling it may not happen.
I walked over to a labor & delivery room, where I breathed deeply through the contractions now. By the time the anesthesiologist arrived at 5:45am, the contractions hurt so that I could barely sit still enough for him to poke the needle in my back. He poked several times to find the right spot, and it hurt! It was 6:00am and we were hoping the medicine would kick in in time. I was breathing too fast, so they strapped an oxygen mask on me. Labor became a blur. The contractions were fast and furious. The epidural never worked. I started moaning through the contractions. In the midst of the pain, I vaguely felt the nurses readjusting the fetal heart monitor several times. We couldn’t hear a heartbeat. "Take deep breaths, Helen," the nurses urged. "You need to breathe for the baby." The nurses checked my cervix and declared I was complete. They called the midwife in as the familiar, fiery sensation came to push. I yelled as I pushed. “Push!” the medical team commanded. My water broke. I pushed a few more times with the energy I had left. Alex told me later that while I was pushing, the NICU team rushed into the room in case they needed to resuscitate the baby. At 6:33am on Friday, January 10, 2025, Solace Just Hong came into the world at 38 weeks, weighing 7 lbs 1 oz and measuring 20 inches long. He had the umbilical cord wrapped tightly around his neck several times. The midwife deftly cut it off and praise God, he cried. They placed him on me as a wave of fatigue washed over me. Alex cut off the umbilical cord near Solace’s belly button. He was finally here, and he was okay.
We praise God for His great grace in blessing us with our littlest baby boy. We can't believe we get to do this again. My first hours with him in the hospital were so precious, with lots of skin-to-skin bonding, nursing, and napping together. Alex was such a sweet support while he was there, but he was the real MVP for going home several times in order to take care of the five big kids. So thankful for family who cared for the big kids while we were at the hospital. When we brought Solace home on his second day of life, the kids were beyond excited to finally meet him, the baby sibling for whom they had been praying for two years. They squealed in delight as they each took turns holding baby Solly. We are all in love with him and can't believe that we are now a family of eight. Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
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