As I sat cross legged on the doctor’s table waiting for my OB to come back, I kept thinking how surprised I was to have actually made it to my final prenatal appointment that Thursday. Not to mention ready, annoyed and anxious too. Once my doctor was back we did the usual heart rate Doppler for the baby and the cervix check and she swept my membrane. “Well if it’s going to work, then it’ll work on you. We’ll see,” my doctor declared. Then we proceeded to talk about being induced since I had an induction date set for Monday, just four days but it seemed like that was an eternity away. After talking through the common induction procedure that seems so relaxing and perfectly planned out for many, I grew extremely apprehensive and overwhelmed. I didn’t want to be induced. I didn’t want to labor in the hospital for that long. I didn’t want extra IV’s and medicine. Most of all, I didn’t want to wait.
After dressing, I sat alone in the room as a few tears rolled down my cheeks. I needed just a minute. Indy was with my sister, Melinda, and said she would keep her for a little longer so our kids could play. So grateful, I did what any 39.5 week pregnant lady full of angst would do: stopped to get my nails done, of course! After my pedi and gel nails I felt much better and began the drive home.
It’s 4am and I’m having some cramping. “Probably nothing,” I think, as I toss and turn. 20 minutes later another pain. 25 minutes later and yes, I knew it: I most definitely needed a bowl of cereal. It was delicious by the way. Maybe today’s the day, then again I don’t want to get my hopes too high. I push the thought from my mind and finally fell back asleep just after six. I wake up a little later hoping for contractions, play a game with Indy, have breakfast, hang out and nothing. No contractions. Dang. False alarm. How rude.
By 11am I’m up and moving around and finally have some contractions! I sit down and, yep, they go away. I jump on my weekly video call meeting for Working Moms Connection, the non profit I work part time for, and have to mute to breathe through a couple contractions. After lunch about 2:30 I was like okay let’s get everything ready to go, contractions are anywhere from 10-15 minutes apart. By 3:30pm, all of a sudden they’re intense. I call my sister, Sharlene, and mom, Tim loads the car and I do Indy’s hair, and we’re off.
With a minor hiccup, we drop Indy off at my parents house. I’m so grateful my parents and sister were willing to take such good care of her. On the way to the hospital, Tim counts out my breathing for me with each contraction. Painful. But we’re almost there. The valet isn’t there and I don’t want to be dropped off alone, so Tim parks the car and together we go inside. It’s 4:35pm. We get checked in and I lay my head on the check-in counter during a contraction and Tim places his hand on my back. We start toward the delivery room and I stop again. Finally we make it, I get changed, and they check me. I’m dilated to 7cm and about 80% effaced. I am indeed in actual labor. Phew. A bit of relief comes over me. They ask me if I want an epidural to which I respond, uhh I don’t know. “Well now is a good time to decide,” comes the reply. “No I really don’t,” I say nervously. Honestly the idea of an epidural terrifies me way more than delivery ever could.
About 40 minutes go by as Tim and the nurse help me through my contractions. Counter pressure. Breathing through my teeth. Even unmedicated I must have been saying some funny things because I just remember the nurse saying, “You are the funniest person I’ve ever seen in labor.” I mean I was singing a Queen song at one point… Under Pressure to be exact. But I don’t remember much else of what was said or what we were talking about. I was at an 8 or a 9 and the nurse said okay we can break your water and have this baby right now. Are you ready for that? Nah I said. And I really wasn’t. So we waited about 20 more minutes and I finally decided I was ready to become a mom of two and have this baby.
The OB broke my water and I had some severe back labor since the baby’s head was turned slightly to the side. The OB suggested I flip around on my knees with my arms hanging over the back of the bed. The bed was in a chair position with the back straight up. So I did and rocked back and forth with every contraction. The pressure in my back drifted down and into my pelvic floor. A flood of relief came across my back. This baby was coming and I was ready to push.. well so they thought. “Get ready to push with the next one,” the nurse said. The pressure was not quite there, so I told her I wasn’t going to push. This is one thing I love about natural labor and delivery. Although my nurse was awesome, I’m the one who knows exactly when my body needs to do things instead of having someone who has no idea what I’m feeling, tell me what to do and when to do it. I waited out two more contractions, and then knew I was ready. I remember saying things like “no I’m going to pass out if I push again” and “oww my butt, my butt!” But about 15 minutes of pushing and I hear, “he’s got hair, do one more good push and you get to meet your baby!
My heart swelled and everything in me focused on this sweet spirit I was about to meet. That part was over, and I see him. I see my baby I was carrying and and keeping safe for 39 weeks and six days.” Hi buddy hi buddy,” I keep repeating with tears starting to swell in my eyes. He was perfect and I was overjoyed. I still got the shakes but overall was way more present and with it. It was Friday, February 1 at 6:40pm when he arrived. This little bundle weighed 7 pounds 8 ounces and was 20 inches long. The next day we finally decided on Miles for his name instead of Liam. Our life is forever changed and I couldn’t be happier. We love our little Miles Reid and so thankful he arrived safely and we get to be with our healthy baby boy.
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