No Two Births Are the Same
So many times I heard this phrase during my second pregnancy: “No two births are the same,” everyone would say. I suppose I felt this deep down, but I just knew that my body was probably going to hold onto this baby until the poor fella had to be forced out.
With baby number one we did everything by the book. I made sure I was eating everything I needed to and avoided the things on the lists. I exercised and made sure to read up on all things pregnancy and baby. So, when I was 41 weeks pregnant I was highly disappointed! I was supposed to go into labor, rush to the hospital and experience all of the drama right? Not so. I had a scheduled induction that ended up being one of the most relaxing days of my life! No kidding! We knew exactly when the baby would be born, no rushing and all planning. At one point the doctor, myself and the nurses were laughing hysterically at my husband’s crazy humor while I was pushing. Really.
So, when baby number two came along I just knew that I would have a scheduled induction because I would go overdue and things would run relatively smooth. I didn’t worry as much this time and ate right, but not as strictly. I exercised every once and a while and actually gained less weight than the first time. Down deep I hoped that I could experience the labor, but then reminded myself of how calm things were the first time around.
The day of my due date I was still walking around pregnant. My husband and I ventured to Walmart for a quick errand and had just finished a conversation about how we should just relax and accept that an induction was on the horizon. Besides, we would have our favorite doctor. Just then I felt like my water broke. It was nothing major so I really wasn’t sure. After I made a quick trip to the bathroom, I brushed it off and we were on our way home. I definitely had pain, but it wasn’t anything like doctors and friends had described. I thought I should be doubled over in pain. By the time the morning came I decided I should call the OBGYN. The nurse on the phone told me to come in immediately! At the doctors office I KNEW I was in labor. A quick litmus paper test revealed that the water had indeed broken and I was whisked away to the hospital by my husband.
The events that unfolded were anything but calm. As soon as we figured out where to go they tried to place an IV. I had been diagnosed as group b positive and needed antibiotics. The problem is that 3 nurses blew my vein about 5 times. They finally called in the IV specialists to accomplish the task. By this time I had been in the hospital for over an hour. I was panicking because everything you hear about group b is that you need the antibiotics ASAP! From there things were going fast and I had a baby less than an hour later. The problem was that they only had time to pump one bag of antibiotics into my body (I needed two).
My baby was under close observation and the talk of Neonatal Intensive Care was tossed about. His blood sugar dropped throughout the night. To say I was a wreck would be an understatement.
When it was all said and done, he ended up being just fine. No trip to the Neonatal Intensive Care and we were sent home on time. I remember looking at my husband and saying, “This was nothing like we had planned.” But I can tell you that we would do it over again a million times in a heartbeat! Holding that precious little baby in your arms makes everything right. What a blessing to be called “mom”.
Childbirth is such an incredible moment, and I’d love to know what went through your mind when you held your baby for the first time? By replying, you will be entered to win an exclusive Million Moms Challenge Gift Pack, which includes 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 today!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Million Moms Challenge. The opinions and text are all mine. Contest runs October 17 to November 13, 2011. A random winner will be announced by November 15, 2011.