I am writing this birth story in hopes that I will be able re-read it several times and remember the moments the day my daughter Veronica Rose was born. Sometimes you are given the grace to take a step back and fully realize the value of that present moment, and how blessed you are to be living it. I have had moments like this on days such as my wedding day, the day my son was born, and days in between in every day life where you feel like you would do anything to just freeze the moment forever! It was the same the day Veronica was born. I haven't been able to comprehend this little miracle of life yet, and maybe I never fully will, but I sure am grateful to God for allowing her to be a part of our family. I am have been eating up these first few precious days of life with her!
Well, as some of you know, this baby had me convinced she was coming early! I was having pre-labor signs three weeks before my due date and was 2cm dilated at my check-up. My guess was that she would be here about a week early. However, little miss was comfortable and content to keep us waiting until the very last minute, and arrived, just like her brother, on her due date! And not without a little prodding. The night before I consulted some friends and family, and tried all the tricks! Pineapple, long walk, hot baths, etc. etc.....well one of them or all of them worked!
That night around 2:15 am, I felt the first hint of a contraction. I wasn't convinced yet, because my son's started so strong. They were really mild and sporadic so I tried to continue to sleep. When I felt they were strong enough to pay attention to, I started timing them....still sporadic- about every 5 min, 10 min, 15min. I realize now though that I was having very light mini ones in between that I should have been counting...oops! I decided to wake hubby up to tell him I thought these were labor contractions, and he was up and ready for game time. He had left for school to get last minute things ready for the sub around 5:15 am. During this time (which was only about 15 minutes) I was running around the house in between contractions getting my son's bag together to be dropped off with my sister and brother-in-law, and trying to remember if I had my toothbrush packed in my hospital bag:) I soon realized, my water was breaking, and this really was it (I know funny it took me a while to be convinced)! Right after that I noticed a big difference in the length and consistency of my contractions. They were coming every few minutes apart! I called my doctor, and told her I was pretty sure I was in full on labor and she directed me to go straight to the hospital. This is where it gets a little crazy!...
My sisters house and the hospital are within a mile of our house. We dropped my son off (who was more than happy to be going to his cousin's house) and I cried as I kissed him goodbye. I knew it was the last kiss I would give him as my baby and before his little world would change. We drove into the ER side of the hospital and at this point the contractions were so strong and close together I had to huff and puff through one before I could walk through the parking lot and hurry into a wheel chair in the ER. They wheeled me right away into a room a little after 6am, put me in one of those hideous gowns, and hooked me up to all those fun wires;) After being checked, I was told I was already 5 cm dilated. They knew I was hoping for the epidural. The IV was hooked up and the epidural was called for......
During the waiting time, minutes seem to be very long periods of time. As I focused in to breathe through each contraction, I asked God for the strength to keep going through the pain. We had rallied prayers from our family and friends on our way to the hospital, and from this point through the end of the delivery, I could really feel them come through for me. Prayer is powerful! My husband (who was my complete hero this day), held my hand and coached me through the contractions as he knew my midwife had done with my first son. He even did the breathing with me, which totally relaxed me. (I asked him later how he knew to do this, and he said he saw a Cosby episode about it!... I about died! So cute!) He was my rock, and once more I was reminded why God made him for me...
My doctor was on her way, and I heard discussions among the nurses that I may be too late for the epidural already. You can imagine how I tried to register these words between contractions!! I didn't have any energy to be angry or emotional, so I just continued to focus and get through the moment. After checking me again, the nurse said I was an 8-9 and 100% effaced.... this girl was coming fast! This was when I had my husband call my sister Maria to hurry on over. We had agreed to call her when I was close so she could take the delivery room photos for me (She is an amazing sister and mama of soon to be 3!). My wonderful doctor arrived and explained the options to me. She was very encouraging that everything was progressing beautifully and if I chose to continue without trying for an epidural, it should go rather quickly. I was worried that trying to inject a spinal pain med at this point might be more trouble than it was worth since my contractions were so close together. I also was so exhausted at this point, that I just wanted it to be over with, and have my little girl in my arms. I knew I had the strength to go through with the birth without the epidural (again only with the grace of prayers) and I looked at my husband and told him, "I think I can do this." I was given some minor meds to take the edge off of the pain of the contractions and proceeded forth. Yes the pain was unlike anything I had experienced, but it was not quite as horrific as the movies make it seem;) The thing is, you have an adrenaline like no other to get to the end of the battle! I knew I was about to meet my child! So, about 30 minutes later and 10 minutes of pushing, little Veronica Rose entered the world at 8:16 AM.
Things had not gone according to plan, but I was so thankful for the way it turned out. It was quite an experience. This was the best victory I had every experienced in my life! It was like going through the anguish of a long uphill run and feeling the rush of crossing the finish line, except the joy floods your entire being. You have just been an instrument in bringing a new soul into the world, that God had created. The birth of my son and my daughter, and our children to come will be very different birth stories, but both very important moments in my life, where I feel like I am given a taste of heaven, and seen the face of God.
“When we see the face of God we shall know that we have always known it. He has been a party to, has made, sustained and moved moment by moment within, all our earthly experiences of innocent love.” C.S. Lewis
Congrats if you made it to the end of this long summary! :) I am sure those who have had children have many different stories and experiences of birth... natural, c-section, epidural, etc.... and each beautiful in their own way. Would love to hear your stories!
