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Kelsey's Birth

Kelsey was born on July 15, 1997 at 3:49 p.m. At my weekly check up four days before her birth, I was 1 cm dialated. The doctor told me though, don't be surprised if you're still here two weeks from now (my due date was July 27). So I was not looking for any signs of labor when I woke up at 3:30 am on the 15th with what felt like twinges. By 5:30 I thought maybe this might be labor, but I was sure that it was false and they'd go away. I went to work at 6:30 and prepared to be gone - just in case. By 8:00 they were starting to get a little closer, but not much stronger. I decided to go home anyway. I called my doctor's nurse who said lay down and see if they stop in an hour. When my husband came home for lunch I was having contractions about every 7 minutes, but was still convinced it wasn't labor. But I called the doctor's office again and the nurse said it was time to go. I hadn't even packed a bag or anything, yet. I packed a couple things and told my husband I didn't need too much - they're going to send me back home. I was just convinced that labor had to be much more painful, so what I was having couldn't possibly be it. We were at the hospital by 1:00, after being monitored I finally accepted that this baby was coming today! The contractions started getting stronger and closer at faster pace. Walking wasn't very fun anymore, I got in the jacuzzi for about 3 minutes and that made me feel worse. By 2:45 they were getting to be so painful all I could do was bend over the bed or sink when they came. It went from not as painful as I'd imagined to more pain than I thought I could have in the blink of an eye. I asked for the nurse then to see if I could get some pain reliever. I hadn't even been poked for an IV yet though. She checked me, realized that I was completely effaced and about 9 cm. It was too late for drugs. They called the doctor - I started pushing with each contraction. This was the only part I truly hated throughout the past 9/10 months. Pushing was the most awful thing I ever went through! My water burst at 3:21, I know this only because when the doctor came, the nurse had to tell him 3 times. Once he was all ready, I had to really start pushing for what seemed liked hours. All I wanted to do was pass out. Then the baby's heart rate went down and they gave me oxygen, and said this baby had to come out with the next push. Well then came the episiotomy - my husband said it happened just like we'd read; the doctor cut me and then I ripped like an old rag. But the next set of pushes brought little Kelsey into the world at 3:49 p.m. She was 7 lbs. 6 oz., 19 1/2 inches long with a headful of dark hair. I had a 4th degree tear that took quite a while to be stiched up, but she was just perfect. Now that it is all over, I'm glad that I wasn't able to get drugs. It was incredibly painful, but I was able to endure it. I didn't use the breathing or relaxation I'd learned in lamaze or from reading the Bradley book. I used the advice my aunts gave me. They said to go inside your own zone, like there's nothing else in the world. That advice was the best I ever got - and when you're pregnant God knows you get plenty of advice!

Melanie McQuatters