Labor

It seems that I have babies on the mind lately. All my friends are pregnant, most with their first. And all want advice/reassurance. The only thing I can do is tell the story of my labor.



I arrived at the labor ward with my mom. I remember walking in and thinking I was leaving this horrible trail of amniotic fluid behind me. It seemed like every time I moved more came out in gushes. I worked at the hospital as admissions and dispositions, so I knew most everyone on the floor. This made my birthing experience much better I believe. These were people I saw everyday of the week.



I went into a room and they did a vaginal exam. I was 4cm dilated and still hadn't felt one contraction. Since my water had broken they began by monitoring me for about an hour. The doctor told me I wasn't having any contractions and they wanted to start a pitocin drip. I agreed and for the next couple hours My mom, Becky and I sat around just waiting for things to get really going. They kept increasing my dosage of pitocin because I was still not feeling any contractions.



The next thing I remember was at about 4:30pm I was crying with the contractions and wanted my epidural. I was 6cm dilated. The dang anesthesiologist kept telling me not to move. But have you ever tried not moving while pregnant curled into a ball and riding out a contraction, cause I'll tell you not fun at all.



At about 6pm, I began feeling the urge to push and the nurse told me that I couldn't push because the doctor wasn't there. When Maj. Quayle finally showed up (couldn't have been more than 5 minutes) I began to push. I had Mom on one side holding my knee to my chest and the nurse was on the other side. Becky was at the end of the bed watching her daughter be born into the world. I only pushed for 17 minutes, but I clearly remember looking up at my mom and watching tears roll down her cheeks. Bronte was put directly onto my chest while Becky cut the cord. As soon as she was free of me Becky was able to hold her.



There are no words to describe the feeling of wholeness, happiness, and rightness in giving birth. Even though Bronte does not live with me and will never call me mom (I hope) I have never felt the way I did then. I don't know if I ever will again.



There are a couple of things I would have done differently if I could. I would have had a birth plan written up because when it came time to cut the cord I realized I hadn't even thought about it. But it seemed natural to let Becky do it. I regret getting the epidural because I went from 6 to 10 in an hour so I couldn't get up after the birth and walk around, I really wanted to but couldn't feel my legs.



When I could walk we were moved to a postpartum room that was adjoined with another labor room. For most of the night Becky stayed in the labor room and Bronte and I stayed in the postpartum. Becky was there breastfeeding her daughter while I was trying to get some sleep. Unfortunately, at about midnight we had an influx of laboring women. I was moved moved to a more private room and Becky was asked to wait in the waiting room, because another lady needed the labor room. I think Becky even slept out there.



We stayed in the hospital for 3 days. This is longer than most especially since I had such an easy labor. Nevada law states that the child cannot be given for adoption until she was 72 hours old. I didn't feel that I could take her home, because I had nothing to carefor her and I thought it would make my desecion harder. Becky and Justin were there for the first two days. The last day I was left with Bronte to say my goodbyes and have something special to remember.