A Baby Story

It was Friday morning, December 16.
I had just dropped Alexis off at preschool.
I was 2 centimeters dilated,
and the baby had clearly dropped.
Braxton Hicks contractions had set in.
It was time to get walking.

Fast forward a few hours.
My stomach looked to be quite a bit deflated.
I couldn't feel any baby movements,
and I began to think that maybe my water had broken.
Just to be safe, I checked in with the OB.
The office was closed for the day,
so I was told to come to the hospital for a routine check-up.

Sure that I would be sent home right away,
I had Vic stay with Lexi while I made the ten minute drive.
What I was not expecting to hear was that my amniotic fluid was quite low
and that they would have to induce me that very evening.
Grandparents were called, Grandpa Tom jumped in his car.

With no contractions to speak of and a mobbed labor/delivery ward,
Vic and I settled in for dinner and laps upon laps of walking around the hospital.
Still no room of our own, since the hospital was literally full of laboring women,
we tried to enjoy our time in the triage unit.
I was going to have to get Pitocin, which I wasn't happy about,
and we were told that the baby would likely arrive some time the next day.

Just after 10:30 pm, we hung up the phone with my mom,

telling her that we should have some news by late morning.

Within a matter of minutes:

my water broke

the contractions came on strong...painfully strong

I demanded Vic get the doctor while there was still time for an epidural

oh yeah, and I started to panic.

The doctor reassured us that we had plenty of time.

My body, however, was clearly telling me otherwise.

This baby was coming, and she was coming in a big time hurry.

Vic literally raced down the hall, screaming for our doctor.

There was time for her to run in with a nurse,

sterilize the area, grab a bassinet and instruct me on when to push.

My legs started shaking, I felt numb, I told my husband that I couldn't feel my tongue.

Now I was definitely in a panic.

Thank goodness Vic remained so calm and reassuring and, with the help of Dr. Fickies,

kept me focused on having a baby.

Not more than five minutes later, at 11:05 pm,

Ryleigh Ann Hamilton made her grand entrance.

No pitocin, no epidural, no private room, no time to process the fact

that I was having a baby - the good old fashioned way.

In hindsight, I am thrilled that the birth was a totally natural one.
I am amazed at what the human body is able to do.

I will always remember the experience of bringing a life into this world.

It was certainly not the "birth plan" I had envisioned,

but it brought us our beautiful daughter,

and I am forever thankful.

And that's how we became a family of four!