My 16 Hour Labor & Delivery Story

Every mom is going to have their own personal story on how their baby came into this world. Some may be funny, others could be heart warming, and then there is the category I fall in where it was just an amazing experience and I would like to share it with you. There wasn't nothing over the top hilarious, and the only time where it was heart warming is when they laid my son on my chest, but it is still a story I love to talk about because it was a very special event. And, with my second child due this June I like to relive this story to remind myself on how it was and possibly how it can be again.

January 27, the time is about 5:30 in the evening and me and my husband were about to get into an all out word war on how he was incapable of putting together a baby dresser. Luckily he was saved because he had to head off to work that night due to the lovely rotation shift he was on. I kissed him goodbye and locked the door and grabbed the screwdriver, determined to have the dresser put together before the morning rolled around. Never underestimate a pregnant woman who is only 2 weeks away from her due date to get something done. I think it only took me a couple more hours and I was putting the screwdriver away, standing back to look at what I had just accomplished that my husband could not do! I was proud and very tired so I headed upstairs to get ready for bed, but before that I had to call Ben, my husband, to gloat about my project. I finished brushing my teeth and putting on my pj's and started feeling bad stomach pains. I thought it was just gas because we had Domino's pizza earlier for dinner and that stuff never agrees with me. I just shrugged it off and climbed into bed and turned on the TV to watch the news. All of a sudden I sneezed really hard and thought I accidentally peed on myself. Most pregnant woman will tell you that when you are that far along in your pregnancy that pee coming out when you are laughing, coughing or sneezing will occur. However after I got up from the bed it kept coming out and it wouldn't stop. I knew then it was not pee and my water just broke. Great my husband is now at work. I already called him and told him goodnight for the evening so he probably has left his office to do some work, but I still tried to call him. No answer, great, but I did leave messages. Now I needed to call my mother. Thankfully first ring and she picked up and I told her to get over there as soon as possible. She arrived at 10:30 and by 11 pm I was in the hospital headed up to the labor and delivery floor. They checked me all out and I only was dilated 2 cm so they got me comfy in my lovely, fashionable gown, and in the bed hooked up to the machines. As I finally got settled I started trying to call my husband again and realizing right then that we had a good amount of time before I actually gave birth. I could never get a hold of him so I went to such lengths about 4 in the morning to call his boss at home and tell him what was going on. Ben's boss went into work and told Ben to get to the hospital. 6 am and my stressed out husband comes barging in the room saying am I late? No, I was only 4 cm dilated by then but so ready for the epidural.

You know I heard bad stories about this shot and how it hurt, but do you know that the shot was not even bad, well at least to me it wasn't. I guess because I was in so much pain that it didn't bother me one bit. Still even after my epidural shot I wasn't progressing fast. I was not in pain but miserable from being in the hospital now for close to 12 hours. Lunch time was rolling around and my mother thought she would be a sweetheart and get her and my husband from lunch from a local, favorite restaurant of mine and eat it right in front of me in the birthing room. Oh no, it didn't bother me to much as they were chomping down on chili dogs and coke, I had my Popsicles in all sorts of colors. Steak on a stick, right, not even close. A little after lunch they checked to see how far long I was. Finally, I was at 8 cm and progressing great! A quarter till 5 pm I started to push and the most fantastic moment happened.

You know one thing people who had advice about giving birth never gave me, the fact you will actually use the bathroom while you are pushing your final pushes. No, not bathroom number 1, but bathroom number 2. It was so lovely having everyone witness my bowel movement! However the next push was all worth it when my son came out and he was a healthy 7lbs and 9 oz along with 21 inches long. 16 hours and finally this day had come, and finally it he had arrived. I was a mommy now and nothing would ever replace the best day of my life. My husband leaned over me in tears, kissed me as they laid Gabe across my chest and realized that we are now an official family!