It was the evening of memorial day, I was thawing chicken and preparing dinner; I had gone to the bathroom and when I came out I told Roger that I didn't think I was going to keep her inside me for much longer. Immediately after I finished my sentence, I started leaking fluid; so we went into the bathroom and sure enough the leaking was followed by a gush of water.
I had always imagined my water breaking, having hard contractions, and being in a complete frenzy rushing to get to the hospital. But instead, Roger got Nikholi ready, I grabbed the bags; we dropped Nikholi off at Carrie's and then drove to the hospital. Roger was more in a rush than I was, I wasn't even feeling contractions! We stopped at 7 eleven so Roger could get something to eat, since I ddin't get to finish making dinner. By the time we arrived at the hospital, I still wasn't feeling any contrations; but after the examination the doctor determined that my water definetly had broken and I was in between 4 and 5cm dialated.
We were transfered to a labor and delivery room, which was also my post partum room.
An hour later my doctor, Dr. O'Brien, arrived and examined me once more to find that I was 5 to 6cm dialated. At this point I was starting to feel my contractions, a nurse came in the room and hollared at me to get out of bed! She instructed me that for contraction I had to squat and sway from right to left. The nurse explained that by doing this, it allows the baby to smoothly drop into the birth canal with out constricting the natural movement that should be occuring while women are laying in the hospital bed.
Once I was no longer able to support my weight the slid an exercise ball in between my legs. I was able to sit on the ball, still in a squatting position, and able to say side to side with each contraction. This processes gave me empowerment, I felt like I was better than all those sissy wimps that scream through their contractions and beg for epiderals.
Though I still opted for the epideral, scared sensless of what the final stage of labor would actually be like. Unfortunately, the epideral wasn't completely effective and I continued EVERY contraction on my left side in the pelvic area.
Once I was 10 cm dialated, still feeling EVERYTHING, I felt like I couldn't breath! So much pain, so much pressure!! He, he, who, he, he, who.. I can't, I can't. As Roger is telling me to just breath. I CAN'T!!! He, he, who, he, he, who.
Dr. O'Brien then asked if I wanted to push because Kami was 'right there' or if I wanted to wait and let her drop a little futher into the birth canal. I said I'll wait, hoping I wouldn't have to be pushing for hours. They were going to give me another hour, but 15 minutes later the doctors suited up and told me, "Sorry, but you have to push now." They explained that they didn't want her getting tired because her heart rate was continuing to increase. One push --The nurse said, "I see the head!" -- Second push, --And Kami came out like water. I was completely alert and awake for the whole thing; not only that, but I FELT EVERYTHING! What an amazing experience!
Roger was asked if he wanted to cut the cord, Dr. O'Brien told him to look away, preparing him for the gushing blood that would come afterwards. Shaking, he cut it... blood squirted all ober Dr. O'Brien's face and then was told to snip again; he hadn't cut all the way through the cord!
So once the exillerating moment of her first minute in this big new world was over, she was placed to rest on my chest. My heart had completely melted, I never imagined that I could love someone so much. Nikholi had brought the same joy and I had always felt that I would never love anyone more than him. My heart is torn into three, my love for my children and husband is undescribable.
Roger says we aren't having any more and even throughout the pregnancy once we found out we were having a girl, I was also convinced. But after this birthing experience, I'm having second thoughts. I want to try without an epideral next time.. GIVE ME THE BALL!
