7 years ago today

It was 4:30 am, and I had not gotten any sleep anyway.  I knew today was the day.  I had been waiting for this day for 40 weeks.  The day I would get to meet her.  The little being that was living inside me.  That I had caught glimpses of through ultra sounds, that I had felt moving, that even though I had never seen her, I felt like I knew her better than anyone else in the world.  Today was it.  I was excited and scared.  I had never had this much anticipation for any event in my life - ever.

I had had a relatively easy pregnancy.  Past the indigestion, back pain, going to the bathroom constantly, all the normal pregnancy woes.  I did have gestational diabetes, and this is the reason we had to schedule her delivery.  I, of course, know better than that now.  But I was 19 after all.  My final ultra sound was 4 days prior, and they told me that she would be around 8 pounds.

We arrived at the hospital on time, 5:00am.  They immediately started my IV with the pitocin in order to start my delivery.  I was so scared I was nauseated.  They opted to give me phenegren in order to get me to calm down.  I wasn't scared about the delivery, after all, women had been doing this for millions of years.  Muscles stretch, bones break, we scream, we cry, and babies are born.  I was scared of all the needles.  Needles in my arms, but much more horrifying, my spine.

The phenegren knocked me out.  I happily labored while sleeping for about 70% of my labor.  Now while some women want to experience their labor, not I.  I experienced about 3-4 hard contractions, and as I later found out, pitocin makes contractions MUCH more painful than regular labor contractions.

I then got my epidural, around 11:00am.  My anesthesiologist was wonderful.  He made the whole ordeal much more bearable, and even added some humor in.  I also had the most wonderful nurse I could've asked for.

An hour or so went by, and my water had not broken by this point, and they decided to do it for me.  Even though I had already had my epidural, I felt the sudden goosh after they used the crochet needle looking apparatus.  The aminiotic fluid was green.  This, of course, meant that Chloe had, well, passed stool.

 Visitors came in and out all day to see me and check on me.  I was fine after the epidural.  I slept, watched some TV, just chilled.  Then around 5:45, I started feeling some pressure in my lower pelvis.  I told my nurse, she told me it wasn't anything to be concerned about, that the baby was just moving into position.  Okay, cool.

6:15... Ronnie and Donna call to check and see how everything is going.  I'm in full panic now. Knowing that she was coming, and she was coming SOON.  I told them to get there and get there NOW.  But, no, the doctor and nurse said that we still had several hours to go.  They would be fine to go get dinner.

6:30... The nurse realizes that I may be right.  She decides to do some "practice pushes."  Right - at this point, I'm not practicing anything.  I'm in the game, and I'm in it to WIN.  I push 3 times, and crown.  She told me to stop pushing.  That's like telling the tide to stop.

6:50... Yeah, I had been pushing this whole time... and the doctor finally gets in to discover that half of Chloe's head is out, and she better get to catching.  I was going to catch if no one else was.  My mom was to my right, and my nurse to my left.

7:02... We hear the first cry... She was out.  Mom and I cry... and I say "Chloe, it's okay baby!  I'm right here!"  and she immediately stops crying.  It was wonderful.

My baby was born.  I held her, I nursed her, I still remember the first time we looked at each other.  It was love at first sight.

9lbs 12oz
Chloe Starshine
Happy 7th Birthday Sweet Girl!