Our sweet baby boy, Beckham Charles, is here! He was right on time on his due date, May 6th, at 3:10AM weighing 7.4 ounces and 19 inches long.

I was SO convinced I was going to have him early – I thought an April baby for sure! I had Camden and Mila 5 and 2 days early so I thought the third would be way ahead of schedule. At my 39 week appointment I was 1-2cm dilated and 70% thinned out. My doctor stripped my membranes and told me he thought I would go into labor sooner than later! My mother-in-law and I got 90 minute foot rubs that night hoping that would help induce labor too. I was so giddy and excited that day – I was running around trying to get all my errands done and get prepared! Nothing happened so my doctor had me come in the following Monday. He checked me again and I was still 2cm but almost completely thinned out.

On Wednesday afternoon (the 5th) we went to our friends sons birthday party at the park. When I got Mila out of the car, I bent over to tie her shoe and  had some light cramping but didn’t think it was anything. We got in the car around 5:15 to head home for dinner and I had my my first contraction. When we got home, I made dinner and the contractions started coming more frequently. We got the kids to bed and Kyle downloaded an app to track the contractions. They were all over the place for at first, some 2-5 minutes apart and some 12 and even 20 minutes apart! I was doing laps around the house and bounced on the exercise ball. Then I took a shower, shaved, did my skincare routine (wanted to feel fresh going in the hospital if this was it), and finished packing our bag.

Around 11 my contractions still weren’t consistent enough so we decided to get in bed and try to get some sleep. Right when I laid down I had the most painful contraction, I could barley sit up to get out of bed (they hurt worse when sitting/laying down so I like to be up and moving). After that they were becoming more frequent and stronger so I phoned the doctor on call. She said I could labor at home for an hour or head to the hospital now. There was no way I was waiting at home – my biggest fear was getting there too late and missing the epidural.

We got to the hospital at midnight and were checked in to L&D quick (thank goodness because the contractions were starting to feel super painful). When we got to my room the nurse checked to see how far along I was and I was at 5cm! I was shocked because when I was 5cm in labor with Camden I was throwing up from the pain. My tolerance has definitely got higher! I opted for the epidural immediately and was checked shortly after – already at 7cm!! The nurse had me lay on my right side and elevate my left foot in the stir-up across my body which is supposed to help move the baby down. She came in an hour later and I was already at 10cm. I was so nervous I couldn’t stop shaking – everything happened so fast and I couldn’t believe it was time to finally meet our baby.

The doctor said she could see the head before I started pushing which freaked me out!! And after 2 pushes he was here! She showed us his face and had us do our final boy or girl guess! Kyle and I were both right, it was a boy! I was so thankful for a quick and easy delivery.

We had our boy name picked out and ready to go for months. I have always loved the name Beckham, and Charles is after my grandpa. Our other boy name we considered early on was Hayes. If it was a girl, we were between the names Noah Rae, Greer Rae, or Penelope Rae (Rae is special to me, after my childhood friend who passed away from cancer). It would’ve been a last minute decision!

We are soaking up every second of the newborn stage and feel so happy as a family of 5! xo