Benny Troy Bench
Benny Troy Bench
On June 27th, 2026, it was a Wednesday morning at 7am when I woke up to the regular taps from my 5-year-old boy standing at the side of my bed; only this time it wasn’t my son, it was my 38-week pregnant wife saying, "Wake up, we’re going to the hospital." She’d been texting me since 6am, giving me updates, but I was out cold.
We had a few false alarms the week prior, so part of me wanted to question if we really needed to go in. I wasn’t going to try and tell Abbey that, though. I thought it was better we get there and get sent home.
Which was not the case. When we got to the hospital, she was an 8, which meant she could start pushing the baby out any minute. I’m glad Abbey was right.
We left the house at 7:30, and the baby was born at 9:30. It was a quick delivery to say the least. Not only was it quick, but it was first thing in the morning. Our last 2 kids were born in the middle of the night, so this was a different experience for us, in the best way possible.
I have to say, if you can have your baby in the morning, it’s a much more enjoyable experience. Energy levels are high, you’ve slept the night before, and you only have 1 night in the hospital (assuming no complications with the baby). Highly recommend it.
We always look back and laugh at how slowly I move to leave the house and head to the hospital. If you know me, you know I like to be prepared. Usually overprepared. As I woke up and realized we needed to go to the hospital, I quickly had to balance helping abbey through contractions while also getting a few things done before walking out the door. Things I managed to squeeze in before we left included brushing my teeth, shaving, getting dressed, getting yogurt and fruit for breakfast, filling up our waters, and loading bags that had been packed for weeks.
I’m super proud of Abbey for her grit and determination to birth Benny unmedicated. It was a really neat experience. Her good friend Alex, who’s also a doula, was able to be there, and man, was that helpful. I don’t know how she did it, but she knew exactly when every contraction was starting and immediately applied counterpressure. On top of that, hearing words of affirmations from a close friend just lands differently than from your spouse or loved one.
What was also neat was not knowing if it was a girl or a boy. As it came out and I could see the side profile, I thought to myself, “There’s no way that’s not a girl." Shortly after, it was confirmed.
Each of my children’s births has brought me to tears. It’s one of the most special moments life can provide.
After the adrenaline and happy emotions wear off, we spent the afternoon staring at our new baby boy and getting to talk about the whole experience as family comes and visits. All while anxiously waiting for dispatch. I make it clear to the nurses, "We want to get out of here as soon as possible.” Hospitals are not my jam.
At the end of the day, having kids and creating a family is the greatest thing I will ever do. Nothing will ever rival the happiness and fulfillment having a family brings. The highs are high and the lows are low, but man, it’s amazing.
That’s my short capture of the day Benny was born.