I was sent an angel on the night I went into labor. I had gone stir crazy from my 6 days on bedrest in the hospital. Parker was an active little one, constantly causing the nurses to come in and move the lovely strap on my belly so they can find her heartbeat. Needless to say, sleep was not a steady environment enveloped in our latest room, especially on the labor & delivery bed. (we switched rooms 4 times depending how strong my labor was getting).
My angel’s name was Niki. She listened to my tears (after I just finished the same tear saga to Rob) about why I was sick of being in labor and just wanted to meet her. It had been a long week, but especially a long 24 hours of being in “active labor.” I was sick of fighting my body of what it wanted to do. She searched up and down the hospital to find me earplugs as I cried about the IV machine preventing me to sleep. I will never forget the clicking noise the pump made every time my eyelids became heavy. She let me have my first meal in 24 hours—a glorious, gourmet jello with graham crackers! Food never tasted so good.
Around midnight, I finally convinced my also sleep and shower deprived husband to go home and take a shower. I wanted him to go home and sleep since I knew I would be up all night (due to the annoyance of the IV machine) but that wasn’t flying, so he settled to go home for a quick shower. He was back in 30 minutes. During that time I tried everything to sleep but between the IV machine and the pressure in my back, which I thought was just the hard labor & delivery bed, I became more anxious. I considered telling the nurse to take out the epidural despite the constant contractions I saw on the screen. And in my weakest moment, I considered throwing the IV machine against the wall.
Rob returned and I broke down again. Niki came in to check on me and due to my ache in my back she said, “Let’s check you again. Maybe you’ve progressed?” I had been at a “7” for over 12 hours, so I knew my body wasn’t going to transition by being dead still. There’s no way I was going to get my hopes up. Again.
But as she reached in there I saw a smile form on her lips, “You’re at a 9.5!” I looked at my husband and started the waterworks again, this time tears of joy! She said we would have the baby in the next two hours and our Dr was already on her way for another delivery. Praise Jesus!
We snapped a picture, took a video and I was being wheeled down the hall with confidence I didn’t know I would have. I always thought I would be scared out of mind for the actual delivery part, but obviously the Lord knew what he was doing my making me anticipate it for a week and want it more than anything.
2 hours was shortened to 20 minutes! I couldn’t believe how big the delivery room was. The NICU nurses and RT came in along with my dr. I was at a 10, but no water broke yet—the whole reason they said I had to stay on hospitalized bed rest because my waterbag was so low due to the pressure of the polyhydramnios (reminder- extra amniotic fluid in my uterus—the whole reason I went into pretermlabor). Next thing you know I was telling the entire room, “Her head is stuck!!” Niki informed me that I was having a contraction and that means it was time to push. I told her, “No really, it’s stuck! I can feel it!” Ah, first time mom.
You see, going into labor 2 months early didn’t give me time to read in my “What to Expect When Your Expecting” book about delivery. Rob and I had gone to only 2 of our 5 childbirth classes. I had NO idea how to push. Sweet Niki tried to teach me as I held her and Rob’s hand. I started to say mid-push and said, “I don’t think I am doing it right.” I was answered, “If you are talking, you’re not doing it right.” Oops.
After the first set of pushes another nurse came in wanting to know the progress for the other patient my dr. came to deliver. She ever so slightly said with an edge, “We have to learn how to push first.”
Ooooh no she didn’t. My flare for victory coiled up inside me. I can do this! Rob encouraged me as the next contraction started coming along and I concentrated on his voice as I envisioned the 3 of us together. I pushed with all my might and still managed to keep a smile on my face. It felt so unbelievably good to finally be doing what my body had been trying to do! The doctor said with a bit too much surprise in her voice, “You’re doing it!” Yep, that’s what I thought.
The next contraction sure came quickly and then they were telling me NOT to push! What? Why?! The neonatologist wasn’t there yet… Well my body wasn’t stopping so I went with it. I could feel it, I knew she was close. The next contraction came and they said, “you’re almost there!” One more big push and there was our beautiful precious little girl.
One of the happiest moments in our life, was hearing that little cry. It meant she was breathing. It meant we were all going to be OK.
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