Third story in our birth story series comes from Mari in Chi-town. Mari's a mama to four- three boys and one sweet little girl, Sofia. Diego is Mari's oldest, born in 2005. Her story is awesome, so check it out and enjoy.
If you'd like to contribute YOUR birth story, email it to me here. It doesn't matter how long ago it happened, if it was natural or you used an epidural. Had a c-section? Doesn't matter. A birth story is a birth story, and I want to share them.
November 2, 2005
7 a.m.
Got ready for school that morning and was about to walk out the door when I felt a trickle down my leg. I looked and my pants were wet all down my leg. I freaked out and told my boyfriend, he looked and he freaked out too (yea, I’m sure you guys have guessed by now, this was our first). So I called my doc and told her what was happening but that I wasn’t having any pain yet. She told me to go to the hospital anyways because it may be time. So off we went to the hospital, a little freaked out because the baby was a whole week early.
12:00 p.m.
We’re at the hospital now, in a room waiting and panicking because we left in such a rush that we didn’t bring anything with us. And at this point, it seems as if every nurse and orderly in the hospital has stuck their hand in me to check if I am dilated. After 2 hours of this, a nurse comes in and says I can go home. My water is leaking, but it’s such a small trickle, its ok until my doctor’s appointment the next day. I tell her I feel like a dum-dum for even coming in. She tells me it’s better to be safe than sorry, trying to make me feel better, but still feel like such a first timer. Go home and the rest of the day is uneventful.
November 3, 2005
7:00 a.m.
Nothing unusual today, woke up as usual and got ready for my doctor’s appointment. Our car was in the shop that day so we had to wait around for my mom to pick us up and take us. We had breakfast and then went for a walk around the park until my mom arrived. We walked around the park 3 or 4 times before my mom showed up and I felt fine.
10:00 p.m.
Laying on the bed in the doctor’s office waiting for her to come into the room. My boyfriend is already talking about where to go for lunch, and I have to admit, I’m starving already even though we didn’t eat that long ago. My doctor comes in, is about to sit down and have a good look when she pops back up and says “yup, it’s time…you’re water is broken, head over to the hospital”. I ask her if she’s on call tonight and she informs me that tonight she is not and that one of her colleagues will be delivering my baby girl (had 3 ultrasounds, all said girl). I was bummed, really wanted my doc to be the one delivering her.
So we head over to the hospital. Not sure if we had time to eat or not, so we opted not to stop and eat first. BAD IDEA. Get to the hospital, get in a room and the nurse comes in to send me home because my water hasn’t broke yet. I tell her the doctor sent me over and said it was, so she leaves to call my doctor. But does a quick take back and gives me a quick check.
12:00 p.m.
A doctor comes in to tell me my water is leaking a lot now, but it hasn’t quite broke but it’s emptying quick. I’m only dilated to a 4 at this point, but they start the pitocin on my doctor’s orders and I trust her, so I just go with the flow. The nurse who sets up the pitocin asks if I am going to get an epidural, I tell her NO.
2:00 p.m.
The contractions are pretty painful at this point, but not that close together. I am still able to maintain a conversation with my mom and boyfriend. We are trying to decide on the baby’s name. We have been told the baby is a girl, and we can’t decide on a girl name. Neither of us even has any potential names….we have nothing. Pains come and go, I breathe deeply and moan but am still okay. My boyfriend is writing possible names on the chalkboard, but we have nothing.
5:00 p.m.
Now the contractions are unbearable and really close together. My bag still hasn’t fully broke or emptied, so still waiting. And still, I’m just at a 4. I can’t take the pain. It’s horrendous….feels as if my back is trying to crack in half. I lay on my side, no comfort, on my back, no comfort and can’t stand, as much as I want to because of all the dang cords connected to me. And I am STARVING at this point. Ice chips just aren’t cutting it anymore now. One of my friend’s calls me to tell me she’s on her way to see me, I ask for a taco. She gets there in 5 minutes and sneaks in tacos for me and my boyfriend. A nurse comes in and tells my boyfriend to get out that no food is allowed in the rooms. She’s really rude about it too, oh well. I’m hiding mine under my pillow the whole time. She leaves and I scarf down my tacos. Ahhhh, I feel so much better. I also scarf down like 4 jugs of ice chips, and in no time, had to go to the bathroom. I go number 2 and am hoping that’s everything so I don’t poop while pushing my baby girl out. Pains are coming and going, I lost track of time so I have no clue how close they are.
8:00 p.m.
I want the epidural…still at a four, so I am begging for the epidural at this point. I can’t even see straight cuz the pains are so close and so strong. My boyfriend tells me, during a contraction, that it’s not that bad and just breathe deeply. I get angry and tell him to shut up, but he doesn’t, just keeps telling me it’s not that bad – so he irritates me to the point where I punched him…only the pain has me all twisted and confused, he’s on the other side of me, and I hit the nurse. In the middle of another contraction I’m trying to apologize to the nurse. Thank goodness she was really sweet and understanding, she said it was ok and she ran to get the papers to sign for the epidural.
9:00 p.m.
Fighting with my mom because she says I am going to slow down the labor if I get the epidural. She is really arguing and fighting with me, I just can’t believe she won’t let it go. She keeps on and on and on, I finally yell at her to shut up and leave the room if she doesn’t want me to get because I am going to get it. My mom and boyfriend are standing there with their mouths open wide; I have never spoken to my mom like that.
9:20 p.m.
The epidural guy is there; explaining everything and the nurse is telling me how to sit and explaining the whole process. She holds on to me, and the doc does his thing and POOOOF the pain is gone….I’m all better. My mom is still mumbling under her breath how I’m a coward and my sister didn’t get the epidural, and I just want her to shut up already. But the epidural has me feeling good so I just zone her out. My boyfriend and I continue with names.
This goes on till the next morning…….
November 4, 2005
