My husband, Daniel & I had known each other for 8 years and married for 1 year before we became parents. All of those years we grew in love and were able to enjoy each other before taking on such a huge life-changing responsibility. The timing was perfect.
OH THE JOY!! I will never forget the feeling I had when I found out we were going to be parents! It's a reality check for sure. I went through all the emotions; happy, excited, shocked, scared...you name it, I felt it! It's silly to say but I knew one day I would me a mother but when the time came I couldn't believe it.
September 3, 2013
-- This day I had two scheduled doctor's appointments, one with my OB & another with a specialist (due to gestational diabetes; this is worth another post on it's own). The first appointment I had that day was with the specialist & I remember joking with my husband that weekend before, "What if they just send me upstairs to have the baby?". Well, that's exactly what they did after a routine sonogram. The baby's amniotic fluid was getting a little low so at 37 weeks and 6 days pregnant I was sent upstairs to labor & delivery to be admitted. I was thrilled & my husband was shocked but just as excited. When we arrived to our delivery room I remember shivering. I was just so nervous about the hours ahead of me but so ready to meet the little man who I had fallen in love with as he grew inside my tummy.
I was admitted around 3 p.m. that afternoon and was seen by my OB shortly after. I was given some medication that was going to thin out my cervix throughout the night as I was only dilated to a centimeter and a half after being admitted. I was having some contractions that evening but nothing like the ones I would feel the next day. I slept like a baby that night (no pun intended)...thanks to Ambien.
September 4, 2013
-- I woke up around 7 a.m. the medication was removed and soon after I was checked. The medicine worked somewhat but I wasn't completely "thinned out". My OB came in to see if I had dilated any and I was still the same. They decided to break my water and start me on Pitocin. About 30 minutes laster I definitely felt the contractions. They were intense; about a minute apart. I know every woman describes them differently but mine were at the top of my belly near my ribs and as soon as I would get them it was like I couldn't breathe and someone was squeezing me so tight! I endured the pain for quite sometime because I wanted to say I actually felt my labor. I didn't want to take the "easy way out" so soon and get an epidural right away. I wanted to experience birth the natural way as much as I possibly could. Around 3 p.m. my OB came in again to check my progress and this time I was dilated to almost a 4! FINALLY, I thought to myself. It was then that I decided to give into my tired body and get some help from my dear friend the epidural. The process of the epidural was a breeze compared to everything else. The anesthesiologist was wonderful and made the process so east and as comfortable as could be. Throughout this whole time by the way I was being comforted by the best husband in the world. Anything I needed he was there for. I also had my parents in the room as well. They were a big help too in my comfort. You're never too old to need Mommy or Daddy. (I hope my son feels this way all his life.)
As soon as the epidural was given to me it was instant relief. I was able to relax and talk with my family more. I was also able to get a good rest in. My progress wasn't checked again until about 9 p.m. or so and by then I was getting a little restless. I just wanted to hold my sweet boy in my arms already, I was ready to meet him; we all were. When my OB came into check me I was so hopeful that by then I was almost ready to push. She checked me and it just wasn't in the cards for me after being in labor for 24 hours I was still only dialed at 4. I had failed to progress and she thought it was best that I have a C-Section. A sudden peace came over me. If this was the way God wanted me to experience birth and have this baby then so be it. I was exhausted and so was my little guy. They prepped me for my c-section and everyone was a little nervous. I was the one who had the brave face on. They handed Daniel his scrubs and I kissed my parents goodbye. The next time I would see them I wouldn't just be their little girl but I would be a new Mommy.
As they rolled me into the operating room it hit me and my anxiety rose to an all time high. I just remember asking God to make this operation as quick and successful as possible. I think what freaked me out the most was the thought of being fully awake while being operated on. The thought is just unsettling. My eyes would go back and forth between my monitor and the hands on the clock. I felt a little pressure here and there as they were making their way towards baby but that was all I felt. Soon after, my husband joined me and I had that sense of peace again. There is just something about him that makes me feel okay in any situation, especially this one.
AND THEN....
at 10:25 p.m. my heart was complete. All of the pain, the worry, the unknown was worth it. I heard the sweetest cry and it was instant tears.
Maximilian Vaughn Perez came into the world with a head full of hair, the sweetest little lip quiver, and the most precious face I had ever seen! He was all ours. This innocent little blessing that we created out of love was finally here. He weighed 7 lbs. and was 20 1/4 inches long.
Daddy held him first of course but was able to bring him close to Mommy for a swift examination. I counted his fingers and his toes and was just in awe of how beautiful and perfect he was. He was so peaceful as I looked at him and held his little hand. He was so worth it.
My advice to any expecting mother: "Let go and let God!"
The planner in me had a vision of how my pregnancy would be and how my labor would go but as life would have it se times no matter how well we try to plan something or envision it, it just doesn't happen that way. In the end, both myself and the baby were healthy and although the destination was a little different that was okay with me after some time. I'll admit I was a little sad about the fact that I didn't get to experience a routine delivery and that instant gratification of holding him in my arms but I'm still a mother and I still labored as much as any other mother could have and has. God had a different plan for me and now that I look back on it, it was perfect in it's own way and for that I'll be forever grateful.
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