Our little girl came 2 weeks early.
I told myself I would stop telling the story so I don't scare all the girls into not wanting kids, but hell...its my journal. I can do what I want.
Labor
Was
HORRIBLE!
The WORST expierience ever!
I mean, now, looking back on it...I wouldn't say the *worst* expierience, but I definatly wouldn't re-live it.
Well, my sister, who used to be a doula (which is like a hired labor coach), told me it was the hardest labor she's ever been to. And she's been to A LOT. So, maybe it won't be like this for you. But for me it was HORRIBLE.
My water breaks at like, 12:30. I was in the shower, so you can only imagine my confusion. Well, I wasn't confused for long because from 12:30 till she was born, I didn't stop flowing like Niagra Falls. It was really hard. I had to wear these diaper type things. Ok. But back to the story. My labor was moving along VERY slowly (I didn't even feel my contractions for hours after my water broke), and the longer you go without delivering with your water broken, the more risk of infection. So when they checked me 12 hours later at the hospital and I was still only 1 centimeter, they induced me to get things to move quicker. Problem is, when they induce, your contractions are stronger and closer together. So for the next 16 hours (yup...16 hours), I was having mind numbingly painful contractions every 2-3 mintues. And when they would check me every few hours, I would still have no progress. By 6 a.m, I was only 2 1/2-3 centimeters. You can't imagine how frustrating that was. I cried every time they checked me, and it would be such a downer, that it made it harder for me to deal with the pain. (I did this all natural too.) So, they gave me this drug. Not for the pain, but to relax me between contractions because it was to the point that I would almost hyperventilate with fear of the next contraction cause I was so discouraged.
The drugs worked AWESOME. And they were soooo much fun. :-) I would fall asleep between contractions, but...I was REALLY loopy for a while. For example, I would fall asleep, and wake up and say things that really made no sense. Here are two examples my family likes to share:
"I can't remember the last time I dressed like a bat"
"I know why I won't let them in. It's because they aren't old enough to be members."
Then I would fall back asleep.
But, after the craziness wore off, they really were a benefit. My attitude turned much more positive, and I was able to handle things better. I had Jamie, Maria and Tia as excellent coaches as well. They would put hot rags on my back during each contraction and it almost cut the pain in half. I couldn't have done it so well without them.
Well, I'm not going to digress so lets move onto the last part. The last part, ladies, is the most painful thing I've ever gone through. The last two stages of labor, transition and delivery, hurts so bad that you think you either have to pass out or die. And I did. And I wanted to. Then, when they tell you to push, you just feel like its the last thing you can do. You'd rather have that baby to graduate from college in your uterus then you push. And the "slight burning sensation" my sister described as the head crowning, felt like someone had set fire to my vagina. Ok, but enough of the bad parts.
Right after she was born, umbilical cord still pulsing, they put her on my stomach. Sticky, crying, and wet. But still so beautiful. I remember watching Maternity Ward or Birth Story and wondering how ANYONE could think that a baby was beautiful right when it was born. But mine was. She still is. She's the most beautiful baby I've ever seen.
Marcelene Alice Cutshaw.