As a first time mom, just three short years ago, the idea of giving birth sounded daunting. I wanted to be super prepared. I went to birthing classes, read tons of books and got loads of advice from veteran moms. I meticulously packed my labor bag. I even had a headband for every stage of labor (I know, crazy, right?). Nonetheless, not everything went as planned. Here’s my birth story.
For starters, on the night I went into labor my fully stocked hospital bag was in the back of my trunk; great place for it right? No, not when my car was at the auto shop for repairs. While this was enough to make any first-time mom unsettled, my wonderful husband also had a cold. And right before we went to bed he medicated himself with a nice dose of NyQuil. So yes, while I was in labor at the hospital, my partner-in-crime was falling asleep.
However, even though I didn’t have my hospital bag or a fully conscious husband, my daughter was still about to make her entrance into the world. And I have to tell you, while it was a painful experience (until the epidural) it was amazing. We arrived at the hospital around 2:00 a.m. and the nurse checked me and said, “You are not leaving the hospital without a baby!” This was a huge relief, as I had been in twice before only to be sent home. Once I got my antibiotics, I labored for about 5 hours (in the tub, on the birthing ball and in the bed), until getting a wonderful epidural. The laboring part was a bit of a challenge with a husband who was falling asleep, but he did his best to stay awake, until I got the epidural. After the epidural it was only 2 short hours before our Lilly was born.
The first few minutes of her life were a whirlwind. Nothing prepares you for the moment you hold your first child; it was amazing. She was absolutely perfect.
For any first time moms out there, labor may not go as you had planned. Your husband may be falling asleep, you may not have the items you meticulously packed and you may have to take pain meds when you were trying not to, but the end result is the most important part. Labor is a beautiful process and it is one of the most exciting things that we mothers get to experience.
