Giving Birth in Under Twenty Minutes

Giving birth is the oldest and hardest ritual for a woman. Usually it is for the father-to-be also. However, we weren't allowed the privilege of having my water break before rushing to the hospital or screaming in pain for a few hours.

The day was just like any other. I had an appointment with my OB/GYN in the morning. We arrived and we both went in to see the doctor. The doctor did a pelvic exam to check and see if I was dilating. When he asked me if I was in pain I said no. He asked if I was feeling any pain at all and I said no again. Then he told me that I will be because I was in labor and I was three centimeters!

I was sent to the maternity ward and put in bed where the nurses strapped a monitor to my belly. After a while, the nurse busted my water to quicken the labor, but I still wasn't in pain although I was having contractions.

After another hour or so, the doctor did another pelvic exam to see how far along I was. I was five centimeters. The nurse asked if I wanted any pain medicine, even Tylenol, because she was sure that I had to be in pain. I assured her that I didn't need or want any pain medicine.

Right after the exam my in-laws said that since it was going to be a while before I gave birth that they would go downstairs and smoke a cigarette.

About five minutes after the exam, I started to feel 'funny' inside. I started to hurt. I had my husband go and get the nurse, but he came back with the doctor too. After checking the monitor readings, the doctor did another pelvic exam. He announced it was time to move to the delivery room. I had went from five to eight centimeters in under ten minutes.

In the delivery room I was given pain medicine in my back right before I went to do the heavy pushing. A kind nurse gave me breathing instructions. Unfortunately, she also told my husband to hold me to show me support, but I was hot and sweaty and yelled at him for making me hotter!

A student doctor that I had met earlier and not liked came into the room. While I only remember thinking "What in the world is he doing here?", I apparently started cussing him and the doctor told him to leave so that I would remain calm.

After being in hard labor for only twenty minutes, my baby was placed on my stomach while the cord was cut. I saw him covered in the birthing material and I was so overcome with love and happiness that I kissed him on top of the head before he was even cleaned.

We were back in our regular room before my in-laws came back up. When they walked in the door and told them that I already had the baby, my mother-in-law was disappointed. This was her first grandchild and she missed it!