Pregnant Pause
by JOEY, Real Mom Media
Million Moms Challenge Blogger
(WHoa?!?!?! Who turned on the lights?!?!?!)
Pregnant Pause
The thought of being pregnant means so many things to me. Since I only have one son, I can only reflect on one experience. That experience is such a bitter sweet story, to be honest.
When I think about the Million Moms Challenge and what being pregnant meant to me…I honestly can say that I might not be here today because of it.
Modern medicine and highly skilled doctors saved my life. And likely my little guy too.
Let’s roll back the tape a bit. Then hit PAUSE.
I had a great pregnancy. I ate the house and everything in it. Really. TRULY. I gained a sad amount of weight and ‘thought’ oh…I’ll just breastfeed and it will come right off!
That should have given me a sign of things to come.
After DAYS of waiting……
My water broke at midnight on Memorial Day weekend in 2008.
My husband and I went to the hospital and we were there to wait……
And wait….
AND WAIT………….
You know how you have that ‘land of the unknown’ fear when going into labor?
I mean-I heard all these WAR stories that freaked me out. Then I heard those unfair stories of moms who ran a marathon 2 weeks before delivery, popped their baby out with no meds and did yoga two hours later!!!
So I had no idea what to expect.
Neither did my husband. (SIDE NOTE: One of the most special and meaningful moments in my marriage happened on that day.)
Long story short…I ended up in labor for 15 hours. With ONLY 2 cm dilated, I think EVER. Doctors shuffled around after giving me pitocin. I stressed. Literally. They then gave me an epidural ( STRIKE 1-MY DREAM WAS TO GO au-natural). Where we later found out they overshot it causing numbing headaches from hell that had to be patched up the day we went home from the hospital.
And that’s when the distress started.
My baby boy was NOT coming out.
Turned out he either loved all the ice cream and cake he got in my belly and didn’t want just boring old milk….or… he was stuck.
Docs say…he was stuck.
I don’t remember the scene very well-but I do remember the moment that I saw the most amazing love from my husband that surpassed any love of the thought of a newborn baby.
In the scuffle of about 7 doctors shuffling around…I heard him grab one and whisper “My wife comes first.”
Totally wets my eyes right now picturing that beautiful moment of our life.
(BUT OH DEAR HEAVENS I LOOKED LIKE HELL!!)
Not even knowing this little now 3 year old sweetheart I have…but living on the fact that someone loved me so much….at that moment…that they feared for my life. (NOT TO MENTION: He saw me look HORRENDOUS. haha)
Well…good news, of course.
After an emergency C-section ( STRIKE 2-MY DREAM WAS TO POP BABY OUT VAGINA) they unwrapped the cord around his little neck that was WOUND tight (like 3 times tight!!). And my little hero was in this world.
I can’t help but think…that if that was in another country. One where the medicine was only available to the rich. Or not available at all.
I probably wouldn’t be here today.
And maybe my son wouldn’t be either.
(This was the first time I saw my son. I awed then THREW UP. Lucky kid.)
Reality Check.
And if I may step a little deeper into the ‘post pregnancy’ life of mine….
A lot of things would be different:
I tried so hard to breast feed. Afterall that is what EVERYONE pressures you to do. I had his frenulum clipped ($500), had a lactation consultant TWICE ($1000) and pumped for HOURS AND HOURS. My poor little guy was 8 lbs 5 oz born. But after 2 weeks was 6 pounds. NOT GOOD. ( STRIKE 3-breastfed babies are smarter, cuter, happier, more loving, more talented, SAT studs for the ‘Great New Mom Award’.)
Turns out, I have only 1/3 the mammary glands that women need to produce milk.
So my dude was never gonna enjoy my nipple-age. EVER.
Take the pressure of having a ‘natural birth’ (FAIL: C-section) and the pressure of ‘breast feeding is a must’ (FAIL: tiny boobs) and you have one super depressed women.
After that experience….I know I will never underestimate how fortunate I was.
And am.
Becoming pregnant changed my life, and I’d love to hear more about your best or most difficult pregnancy moments. By replying, you will be entered to win an exclusive Million Moms Challenge Gift Pack, which includes an all-expenses- paid trip to a conference on mothers hosted by the UN Foundation in DC (Jan/Feb 2012), an iPad2, a custom-made Million Moms Challenge pendant and a $50 donation in your name to Global Giving.
Please join the Million Moms Challenge and sign up!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Million Moms Challenge. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs September 19 to October 16, 2011. A random winner will be announced by October 18, 2011.