The story of our baby boy’s arrival to planet Earth
In the weeks leading up to my due date, we transitioned from biweekly to weekly appointments with our OB. Following my 38 week OB appointment, we scheduled a 39 week induction which was offered as an option because all was fine, I was 1cm dilated and our OBGYN, Dr. Escarzaga, was going to be on call. It was refreshing to have a date on the calendar for my type A brain. After talking to Jeevitha and other OB friends, I started some at home therapies for cervix ripening like eating dates and drinking raspberry leaf tea so that when the time came, I knew I’d done my best prior to labor.
Late Thursday May 1, I started having minor contraction like sensations at home. I used the Storky app to start counting intervals and duration of each contraction. Over the course of the next few days, I had about 200 contractions every 10 to 15 minutes. Super fun.
My parents got in on Saturday evening a little earlier than scheduled so they could settle in given his arrival was imminent. Early Sunday morning, I started having contractions every 5 minutes for 1 minute for 1 hour - which is the “511” cadence where it’s advised to go to the hospital. We made our drive to Ascension Seton and were checked into triage. I was only 2cm dilated so they said to go home and come back when my water broke or my contractions really heightened to an unbearable level.
Tuesday morning at 1:50am on May 6, I was in bed and felt that my water broke. I knew it with confidence and told Varun we had to go. We made our way to the hospital and got back to the triage room for a check. Turns out my water didn’t break and I likely peed myself. But I was 3cm dilated and 90% effaced — a favorable cervix at last! Since our induction was scheduled to begin later that evening anyway, I decided to stay at the hospital and begin the process early.
It was happening. At 7am, we were moved from triage to the labor & delivery room and I started with an IV drip and Pitocin (synthetic form of oxytocin). Varun summoned my parents and the day had officially become labor day. I always knew I eventually wanted an epidural but because movement is limited when on it, I wanted to do the most movement before it was placed. I walked around, did some PT ball exercises, and went to the bathroom a few times. By 11am, it was epidural time. The epidural was placed and I was mentally ready to have less pain. The midwife, Christy, broke my water and I was officially 4cm dilated. A urinary catheter was placed and I tried to go to sleep. At 1:30pm, I knew something was off because I was experiencing sharp labor pains in my left side. Aka a “hotspot”. The pain was not going away even after a top up.
I was in 8 out of 10 pain for 3 hours while we figured out if the hotspot would go away and ultimately I said yes to the reinsertion of a second epidural. At 4:15pm, I was 8cm which means I went from 4 to 8cm feeling the pain and was simply ready for some relief. The second placement was much better and I was locked and loaded for the next few hours. I hit 10cm around 6pm and the whole team of nurses, midwife, and doctor arrived so I could begin pushing. From 6:45pm to 7:54pm, I pushed across about 10 contractions to welcome him into the world.
When the exact moment came, the feeling of him exiting my body was simply the wildest, most primal and spiritual sensation. I was so locked into getting him out safely that when he was placed on my chest and he started crying, I was numb to emotions. I knew he was here and alive and my job was complete (for now).
Sajan Kashi Pai arrived at 7:54pm on May 6, 2025. He was 7 lbs 9 oz and 20 inches long.
Varun and I really enjoyed naming him. We landed on Sajan (pronounced suh-jun) early on and no other name stood out to us during pregnancy. Sajan means beloved or loved one. Kashi represents my side of the family as it was my grandma’s first name, Kashibai. And Pai is Pai, our family name.
Before I go, a few special shoutouts:
My pelvic floor therapist - her prep and our weekly classes made pushing so straightforward that practice was the same as game time.
The care team - between the OB, midwife, nurses, I felt like I had a full team of cheerleaders leading the way through every contraction
My parents - while they were low key freaking out on the side, it was beautiful to have them there to witness his birth and also be my paparazzi
My sister - even though she couldn’t be in person, we called her so many times throughout the process and she was on video during delivery
My dear husband - my greatest champion - holding my legs for every push, playing songs from my playlist, and never leaving my side
Now the real work begins. Welcome home, Sajan.
