Upon reading the piedmont parent, I realized, I never documented the birth story of Sam. I couldn't believe that I hadn't because if ever there was a story to be documented, it would be his.
It was early January 5, probably around 6:00 am. Justin was due back to work that day, as was I (the previous day had snowed). I woke up to make Justin his lunch. I walk to the kitchen and I feel a little leak. With every step I took, I got another "little leak."
I say "little leak" because I was told in our childbirth class that if your water breaks, 1) it will break when you are lying down and not while standing up and 2) if it does break while standing up, it will probably only trickle but once you lay down it will full on break.
Well I thought about it and decided to go lay back down for a bit to see if my water had broken. I was convinced it hadn't because we still had a full three weeks and some change to go before he was due. I laid back down. Nothing happened.
I got back up. "Little leak." I made his lunch. "Little leak." I went back to bed and laid down. Nothing. So I went back to sleep.
I woke up a few hours later to get up and get ready for the day. I go to get undressed for the shower. "Little leak." I then decide walking around naked isn't a great idea right now, so I get dressed again and call my sister. Turns out she is precious little help as her water was broken for her both times. She called on of her friends and alas... the consensus is... my water broke.
But I hadn't showered yet. So I decided to pack a hospital bag (just in case) and an overnight suitcase (just in case). "Little leak". Then I decided I needed a shower.
So I showered... got ready for the day... got ready for work actually because I was convinced that I wasn't going into labor. "Little leak." I finally called the doctor (I know... hadn't occurred to me until now and I didn't want to be told I couldn't take a shower... mom of the year! That's me!)They advised me to go to labor and delivery and be checked.
So I called my friend Gena and she drove me to the hospital. I was convinced this was a false alarm and would get sent back home but better safe than sorry right?
"Little leak."
I go up to the desk and I say, "Hi. I'm leaking. I was told to come here to fix that." They checked me in, gave me "the gown", and in comes the nurse. She "checks" me and says, "Yup, your water broke."
You would think at this point I would get it. You would be wrong. I asked her, "So should I call family and stuff?" She said, "Well, if you were my daughter I'd like to know but it'll still be a while yet." I was like, "I think you misunderstood me. Am I having a baby today?" She said, "Oh yes honey, you are."
Great. So first things first, lets clue my husband in. That's right. I hadn't called him yet. I call him, and say, "So... we are going to have a baby today." He says, "What? No way." I said, "That's what they are telling me here in labor and delivery."
He came right on down. Parents and family were notified. What was I doing? Jonesing for a hamburger and something more than ice chips. I'm casually thinking about how this baby that is supposedly going to be here "today" doesn't have anywhere to sleep once we leave the hospital. And yet... no stress.
They came in to start the pitosin drip. They say contractions are going to start soon. Some time elapsed and the nurse comes in and says we need to readjust because Sam isn't liking the contractions and his heart rate is dropping. Still not stressed.
They leave. They keep coming in and telling me I'll get comfortable later; the epidural is almost here. I couldn't feel anything at the time so I was like, "Whatever." Then they came in again and stopped the pitosin because his heart rate dropped again. The doctor came in and explained that if he kept doing this, we were going to do a c-section.
Pause. C-section was my worst nightmare. I would have rather not had an epidural or any pain medicine at all than have a c-section. Scared to death of them.
Un-pause. I told the doctor I'd really like to not do that. He ordered the epidural, I get it, we try again. The doctor walks back in not 5 minutes later. It's c-section time.
Still. Not. Stressed.
They wheel me back to the room. They flop me over on the table. They hook up the oxygen. They make me lay my arms out to the side like a "T". Nothing. They upped the medicine... I shook a lot... still not stressed. Still not fully aware that Sam is about to be with us.
The anesthesiologist says, "Ok you are going to feel some pressure now." Then what happened next is a blur but I can tell you what I think happened... At some point I missed when Stone Cold Steve Austin was invited in the room but his sole purpose was apparently to jump up and down on my chest. After I was done bouncing on the table, he apparently snuck out before I saw him... but it was too late for me to notice anyway because Sam was here. I heard him cry.
Justin says, "He got my nose!" The nurse said, "Look at that boy! He's got a pumpkin head!" Justin brought him over. I saw him. And still... not stressed.
We got back into the room and I held him for a while. He was precious beyond belief but it still didn't feel like he was mine. Then there was the unfortunate matter of someone forgetting to turn the epidural pump back on once I got in the room so I was distracted by the burning pain of a thousand suns in my stomach for about an hour.
I think it was later that night when everyone had gone and it was just me and little Sam. Then it hit me. I was a momma. He was my son. This was real.
"Little leak."
Then I got my composure and made a shopping list for my husband. Because boy did we need a lot of stuff.
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