They tell you it only happens like that in the movies, but no… the sudden whoosh of water was surprising and like a scene from a cheesy sitcom. What they don’t tell you – or at least didn’t tell me – is that it keeps coming. Another whoosh and then a trickle. Not stopping.
Nothing else was happening. I was happily watching the Tonight Show with my hubby & my girl, up late in the last burst of summer. Go to bed, she told me, get some rest and let your body do what it needs to do. So I trotted off to bed, sleeping snuggled to my little girl for the last time it’d be just us.
I woke with a start, tensing beneath the contraction. It felt long, tight. Another one washed over me way before I imagined one would. Out came the handy dandy contraction timer app I was so proud of finding. One minute contractions, three minutes apart.
Tiff walked in looking adorably rumpled, got settled in and off we went. The pain was more fierce and it was all I could do to grip the door handle and breathe as we drove. 2:30 am and no one on the road, we ran red lights. No one seemed to mind.
They wheeled me in, sending Jeff off to park the car. The nurse’s calm chatter was a jarring counterpoint to the still wall of gripping contractions with little reprieve between. I could barely sign my name to be admitted.
Nurses flittered around, sent me to the bathroom, asked questions as though we were at tea. Is this your first birth? Is your older one a boy or a girl? Do you know what you’re having this time? “Stop asking me questions!” I barked. Didn’t they know I had to focus? Didn’t they know I could hardly breathe?
No midwife, no doctor, no space between contractions. I couldn’t not push. Barely aware of the noise I was making, other than uttering “I can’t do this” once or twice, gripping Jeff’s fingers as tight as I could, I pushed. And there she was. Perfect.
It was 3:01 am. We’d been there 10 minutes.
O my word! That’s fast. And see? You COULD do this! Amazing what our bodies do, huh? Wonderful post.
It IS amazing… I felt like I could take on the world after that
Thanks for the sweet compliment.
And in some ways that’s a dream come true, isn’t it?
My body has never gone into labor. Sigh.
It so was… I wanted to have a natural birth bur if I’d had more time I probably would’ve given in and had an epidural. This way it was a moot point. Labor is such a mixed bag… Good and bad all in one.
Oh this is just beautiful. Congratulations Mama.
Thank you!
Simply beautiful.
Thank you.
Wow, when she was ready, she was ready! Congrats!!
Yes – a portent of things to come, I think. This girl well keep me on my toes
SHUT THE FRONT DOOR. TEN MINUTES. Oh lady, what a story! What a joy! (a terribly painful joy)
I’m just so happy for you guys.
I loved this. Thank you for writing it!
Thank YOU! Just Write was my impetus for finally writing it, 2 months later
And you are so right – a complete and utter joy despite, because of, in the midst of.
Wow, that was fast! 😉 So beautiful, and yes, perfect.
This girl knows what she wants – it was TIME in her mind
Thanks, you.
What a beautiful birth story!
Oh, thank you!
What a story! Congrats on your arrival! BTW, love your writing style.
Thanks, Dave!
What an awesome story! Beautiful.
Thank you!!
you forgot the part about texting a friend and her not responding because she didn’t have he sound on her phone. oops. (i told you it would all go beautifully. and she is.)
Ha – I actually forgot about that (because it was no big deal, of course). And you’re right, it all went beautifully
I remember with our first, my husband saying, “Don’t give up…don’t stop honey.” I think I replied in a primal, guttural voice, “I couldn’t if I wanted to!”
~Kristin
Ha… Seriously. When those kids want out, there’s nothing you can do about it