PAIL Bloggers - Monthly Theme - October: Birth Story

I thought this was an interesting theme to participate in as I am definitely far away from the experience of the Birth Story....to read other stories, please click HERE.

I have always felt like Birth Plans are a waste of time. Which is ironic for me--since I am usually an organized "planning" type of person.  But I think that perhaps I my feelings on this particular issue is because any plans I had for the birth of first child....well, they all went out the window!

It started on a Thursday, three weeks before.  It was supposed to be my last "once a month" check up with the Doctor.  After this check up, it would be once a week.  Everything seemed to go fine until the blood pressure check.  Our plans for the evening (having people over) were abruptly changed as I spent a night at the hospital to see if they could get the BP in check.  

The diagnosis was pre-eclampsia.  The week or more left of work was no more. I was on strict bed rest.  

Considering that my husband and I had moved 800 miles away from any family--that made it even more tough. I was fine for the about a week and a half--I read comic books, watched movies, television, played board games, read books and magazines.  And then I was bored.  And more sick.  The rest.not.so.fun.

After that came the pitocin induction, the being hooked up to machines and not being able to move (bye bye walking around during the birth, bye bye whirlpool).  No medications...I was all into non-natural child birth--but I got to have the taste, oh yeah, no pain meds for me!!  12 hours.  10 cm.  And my son was in distress.  Exhausted, tired and worried.  It was time for the emergency c-section.  The epidural from hell. While in surgery, feeling like I was going to die...I was going to swallow my tongue I knew it.

And finally.  finally, my son.  My son blue and being rushed to make sure he was okay.  And he was. And he was bundled on my chest, wrapped in blankets.  I breast fed him 1/2 hour later.

I also was violently ill, felt the chills and shakes. I don't remember the rest of the day, as it was spent in a morphine drip induced haze.  

TAKE TWO

That experience, that birth story did influence the choices I made nine years later.  The experience with my daughter--a planned c-section, went very smoothly. I was healthier and was not on bed-rest (I was a bit crazy and went on a hike).  

This time around I was prepped and was able to ask questions about the c-section, I was able to control things a lot more...and, most importantly--I wasn't sick!  :-)