After all of the specialists, blood tests, EKG's, pulmonary
functions tests, and ultrasounds I was cleared to just enjoy my pregnancy
without any added precautions. The need to inject myself with blood thinners
was not going to be necessary. Aside from constant "morning sickness"
I didn't have any complications. I even got to take some great maternity
pictures thanks to my amazing and very creative friend, Tammy Mars Prine. (The second one was done underwater.)
Christmas
Day, 2012, I went into labor. We loaded everyone up and drove out to the
hospital. Just kidding. I wasn't really in labor. Load everyone up and drive
back home.
That was probably the scariest part of the end of my pregnancy. Everything felt like it must be labor. It had to be. Every time I asked anyone what labor felt like the answer was always the same "you'll just know". This answer annoyed me. How do you know something when you don't know what it is supposed to feel like? My body had felt ways it never had before, so how was I to know the real thing? I just wanted one person to describe it to me in detail.
I went to my next appointment as planned. Asking a man to explain labor was a pointless task. I know he has delivered countless babies, but no. The plan now was to set up an induction date. I would go in on the 2nd of January and be induced. It would take a while for the drugs to work, so I would deliver on the 3rd. I loved the thought of this. I have a thing with the number 3. I even have one tattooed on me. My miracle baby's birthday would be 1-3-13. Perfect.
December 28th at around midnight it started. -I assume there are only a few male readers, (Dustin Ockman) but you may want to skip to the next paragraph. - I understand the response of "you'll just know" now. It was a completely different pain than any of the others. Maybe comparable to the worst cramps of my life, multiplied by twenty. I went into the bedroom and woke Dustin up. Ummm we may or may not be having a baby soon. I really don't know, but maybe start waking up just in case. I went back in the spare room and sat on the bed. Ouch. This has to be it. I head to the bathroom and my water broke. Ok. It's real life now. I'm having a baby.
DUSTIN!!! My water broke!! Let's go!!
We did call the hospital before we left though. After my false alarm over Christmas I didn't really want to be "that girl" again. I could barely speak the contractions were so painful. The nurse stopped me and said, "I can tell you are in labor sweetie, put down the phone and come on in." I had imagined having my hair fixed and maybe some makeup on for this trip. Nope. The hospital was five minutes from our apartment. He drove carefully all the way up until the red light where you turn into the hospital. He ran that one. It was two in the morning though, so thankfully no one was around.
Due to all of my medical issues I was prepared for this to be the hard part. I could go into A-Fib again from the labor. My blood clotting issue could be a problem. I might not be able to breathe. Fibromyalgia is a painful disease, and this is one of the most painful things a human body goes through. Awesome. Here we go.
As soon as we came in the door they brought me straight up to labor and delivery. The first face I saw was my MFM specialist. I am so very thankful that she was on duty that night. She saw the fear all over my face. She came and held my hand and calmed me down. She had them put the epidural in before I even got put in a permanent room. This was done right away as to not put any undue stress on my heart. (Probably the first time in my life I was thankful for that stupid heart condition.) The pain stopped.
I was in labor for 13 hours. The nurse came to check me. Ready. Let's start pushing. About 3 pushing sequences later, I heard her. My angel.
They placed her on my chest. She cried. I cried. Dustin cried. My mom cried. It was over. She was here. She was perfect.
That was probably the scariest part of the end of my pregnancy. Everything felt like it must be labor. It had to be. Every time I asked anyone what labor felt like the answer was always the same "you'll just know". This answer annoyed me. How do you know something when you don't know what it is supposed to feel like? My body had felt ways it never had before, so how was I to know the real thing? I just wanted one person to describe it to me in detail.
I went to my next appointment as planned. Asking a man to explain labor was a pointless task. I know he has delivered countless babies, but no. The plan now was to set up an induction date. I would go in on the 2nd of January and be induced. It would take a while for the drugs to work, so I would deliver on the 3rd. I loved the thought of this. I have a thing with the number 3. I even have one tattooed on me. My miracle baby's birthday would be 1-3-13. Perfect.
December 28th at around midnight it started. -I assume there are only a few male readers, (Dustin Ockman) but you may want to skip to the next paragraph. - I understand the response of "you'll just know" now. It was a completely different pain than any of the others. Maybe comparable to the worst cramps of my life, multiplied by twenty. I went into the bedroom and woke Dustin up. Ummm we may or may not be having a baby soon. I really don't know, but maybe start waking up just in case. I went back in the spare room and sat on the bed. Ouch. This has to be it. I head to the bathroom and my water broke. Ok. It's real life now. I'm having a baby.
DUSTIN!!! My water broke!! Let's go!!
We did call the hospital before we left though. After my false alarm over Christmas I didn't really want to be "that girl" again. I could barely speak the contractions were so painful. The nurse stopped me and said, "I can tell you are in labor sweetie, put down the phone and come on in." I had imagined having my hair fixed and maybe some makeup on for this trip. Nope. The hospital was five minutes from our apartment. He drove carefully all the way up until the red light where you turn into the hospital. He ran that one. It was two in the morning though, so thankfully no one was around.
Due to all of my medical issues I was prepared for this to be the hard part. I could go into A-Fib again from the labor. My blood clotting issue could be a problem. I might not be able to breathe. Fibromyalgia is a painful disease, and this is one of the most painful things a human body goes through. Awesome. Here we go.
As soon as we came in the door they brought me straight up to labor and delivery. The first face I saw was my MFM specialist. I am so very thankful that she was on duty that night. She saw the fear all over my face. She came and held my hand and calmed me down. She had them put the epidural in before I even got put in a permanent room. This was done right away as to not put any undue stress on my heart. (Probably the first time in my life I was thankful for that stupid heart condition.) The pain stopped.
I was in labor for 13 hours. The nurse came to check me. Ready. Let's start pushing. About 3 pushing sequences later, I heard her. My angel.
They placed her on my chest. She cried. I cried. Dustin cried. My mom cried. It was over. She was here. She was perfect.
Later,
as my sister and I walked the hospital hallway, I dropped to my knees and
cried. I cried like I don't remember ever crying before. I could breathe again.
My sister held me and we wept together in that hallway for what seemed like
hours. We had all been holding our breath for nine months. God gave us our
miracle. God made the impossible possible.
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