Ok here goes! This is a little personal and close to my heart but I wanted to share with you and the world my baby's story. I was completely afraid of having a baby, not the baby part but the hospital part. I know it's totally normal to be afraid of labor but for some reason I wasn't afraid as I thought I would be when I was pregnant. I know I had to have an attitude that was to just go with the flow or I would drive myself crazy worrying about all the details. So I put my brain into a carefree place, and focused on taking care of myself and of course nesting. It's sort of crazy the urge to nest while pregnant. My house and car have never been so clean. :)
I started having contractions after midnight on 7.11.12 and I wasn't sure it was time. I was about a week until I was officially due and the contractions were about 4-5 minutes apart. Typically contractions ramp up- and they get more and more painful over time- a gradual process, but not for me.. Baby was ready to hurry up and join the world! I woke up the hubs and had him start timing the contractions and he started googling information about contractions. I sat on the floor and stood up and my water broke or at least I thought it broke.
I ended up calling my doctor and she let me know if I was in pain then I should go to the hospital and if it's not real labor then they will send me home. The hubs and I both thought we would end up being sent home from the hospital. We took our over night bag and headed to the hospital. We checked in and were put into a room where they check to see if I am actually in labor. We hear someone else being wheeled in behind us and a woman going into labor- and about 30- seconds later she had the baby right in the hall way. My sister warned me that I would be hearing a lot of women going into labor when I got into the hospital and not to get freaked out by it.. but I never thought I would hear or see anything like that!
The nurse let me know we would be staying and my water actually had broke. She checked to see how far along I was- I was 8 centimeters which means at 10 the baby is set to come out. I got a little emotional at this point because I didn't think it would all happen so fast. I was ready to welcome my little daughter out into the world but my labor wasn't anything like birthing class told me it was going to be. The nurse and the doctor told me that if I want an epidural then I would need to do it now. I said "Juice me up!" The epidural wasn't as bad as I thought- and they got my contractions under control. I waited to finish being dilated- and then it was time for baby.
Labor is not fun- there is no glamour about it. It's called labor for reason. A lot of women say just focus on your new born baby and the pain won't seem so bad. Oh but the pain is that bad- and they cut the epidural when it was time to push.
I found my inner zen- and about 8:15 pm- we welcomed Eleanor Lula Sears (Nora for short) into the world. I let her know she was worth every bit of it. I felt very proud that made it to the other side. I cuddled with her while the doctor and nurses did all the repair work (another thing they don't tell you much about- awful) When my daughter was laying on my chest- that's the point I didn't feel any of the pain. She lifted up her little head and looked right at me. One of the most intense experiences I have ever felt in my whole life. The moment she looks right at you... it's hard to describe and am getting a little choked up thinking about the special moment.. but it was amazing and intense.
