Friday, May 22, 2009

Six years ago today

Where does the time go?


The day started out uneventful and sunny. I wasn't due for another 4 days, but the anticipation of upcoming labor and the arrival of our son was mounting up. I had a few minor what I thought were Braxton-Hicks contractions off and on, but that was pretty normal.



Everything was as ready as you can get...baby boy clothes washed and folded in his little drawers, a few packages of diapers, his basinette sheets were washed and smelled of baby powder...A few more days and he would be here.

My first child was a week late to the day, so I wasn't expecting any miracles of an early baby. Never mind the fact that I was as big as a whale and all my maternity clothes seemed to be shrinking these last few weeks! I had been taking blue cohosh to help spur things on, but really didn't think it would do anything....


My two year old daughter and I played outside in the sunshine around her 'honey tree'. We had a huge fir tree behind our house at the time. Our little girl loved Winnie-the-Pooh and called it her honey tree. So we spent the day playing outside, eating lunch and chilling til Daddy got home from work.

 
Later that evening, after taking a walk with my mom around the neighborhood, woeing to her about my whale state and the un-effectiveness of the natural herbs, I keept feeling shooting pains down my leg a bit more often than usual. so I told my husband it might be tonight. Our son might just decide to arrive a few days early and would he please get a bag ready to take to the hospital just in case. He disappears off to 'get ready'. hmmmmm.......

After a couple of hours in the tub and a visit from my mom who would be taking care of our two year old while we were at the hospital, I felt the need to call the midwife and let her know we'd be on our way to the hospital soon. Of course, she said to stay home as long as possible as it might be another loooooong labor like the first time...ugh!  My first baby was twenty hours from start to finish.I was certainly not looking forward to going through this part again.


Things start progressing. Any mom who's done this knows the signs.  First the contractions are half an hour apart...this stage could go on for what seems like EVER! Then, ten minutes...then five.... You know it's time. So what happens next?  I'm obviously in labor, my parents are urging me to get to the hospital before my mom has to deliver the baby herself in my living room, and my husband...where did he diappear off to??? Oh, there he is...SHAVING IN THE BATHROOM!!!! The smell of his shaving cream is enough to make me want to barf. I'm ordering my parents to pack my bag and the baby's bag in the car so we can GO, and he's SHAVING!!!





Finally--here's where it get's good--we're off to the hospital. It's around 12:30pm and it only takes 15 minutes to get there.

Side note: even if you live in a town for 10 years, that doesn't necesarrily mean you know where the entrance to the hospital emergency room is. Well at least your hubby might not.

We circle the block not once, not twice, but 3 times. Finally after some labor induced 'harsh words' directed towards the general direction of the drivers seat, I tell him to pull over. He does. I tell him to find me after he finds a parking spot and I walk straight into the hospital door and admit myself while he finds the parking lot in the wide wide world.


The nurse gets me all settled in my room, hubby has arrive looking very contrite. He is very attentinve and an amazing partner. He keeps me on track and reminds me to stay focused. Of course as soon as I getchecked in, they have to attach every mointor on the planet to my belly. There's wires everywhere and that oh-so-comfortable (hardly!) stretchy band around my tummy. The midwife swoops in and announces that baby is face-up and tells me to look forward to another excruciating and long back-labor.

 As the nurse and midwife whisper together, everyone stops in mid-sentance and stares at my stomach. Our son has obviously no time to waste and what looks like something from an alien movie occurs. He rolls and twists. We see elbows and legs poking up inside my abdomen; he's wiggling as he turns himself over. The midwife checks again and he is face down and almost as low as he can go. This boy was not going to waste any time.


For some reason, I never got to the part where you walk the halls or get in the tub. NO, this kid was coming. I order my interthecal about an hour before it's time to push.Fifteen minutes later, he arrives, happy and healthy and ready to nurse. Hubby was able to deliver him with the help of the midwife. A beautiful baby boy! That was six years ago. My how he has grown. We are so blessed to be the parents of a strong, silly, sensitive little boy. I can still see his baby face when I look at him. He's got his daddy's eyes and sense of humor. Having a boy has certainly been an adventure and a great adventure it is!



3 comments:

Stacey,momof 2 said...

i love the new look...
Happy birthday to C!
This day is my brother's 4th anniversary ! It is a good day~
Enjoy the sunshine !
Love to all of you!

charisse said...

My second daughter just turn 5 yesterday the 21st. She was born at 4:24 in the morning and I had about two to three hours of active labor and stayed home the rest of the time. I birth at the nurse midwifery birth center in Eugene with both my girls. My second labor was 11 hrs and my first was 10hrs with horrible back labor. I breezed through my second labor. The pain ONLY did hurt the last three hours. I like you story and thank-you for sharing it.

Valerie McClintick said...

Oh I love reading his birth story!