Just like a million other stories, I'm sure...

A friend and fellow blogger posted her son’s birth story here, and it made me want to write (for the tenth or so time) my daughter’s birth story. Every mother says it’s the most amazing moment in her life and I’m no different. Ellie’s birth was the most special thing I have ever experienced.

I was scheduled for an induction so was directed to report to the hospital the night before. Before heading there, we had dinner with friends at our neighborhood restaurant and, surprisingly, had a good time. I’d expected to be completely distracted about what was about to happen, but I wasn’t. We laughed a lot and talked about how life was going to change forever in the course of the next 24 hours.

Since Courtney works on the unit where we were delivering, she’s hand-picked the nurses we would work with. That was a big plus. The nurses were excited and got us settled in pretty quickly. They gave me some meds to prepare for the induction and encouraged us to get some sleep. Yeah, right. I don’t think I slept all night.

At 7:00 am, they started the induction. At first I just felt like I was having cramps, so didn’t think anything of it. Courtney and the other nurses kept asking me about my “big contractions” and I kept thinking “this is what it feels like?” I was expecting excruciating pain but all I felt was what seemed to be comparable to bad monthly cramping. Hmph.

Around ten, I was dilated to 5. The nurse said that the anesthesiologist was available if I wanted to go ahead with the epidural (we’d decided much earlier that we would, indeed, do the epidural). She also said that the unit was really busy and that it might be a good idea to have it done, in case the doctor got really busy. We said okay.

Now, this is the part I was really worried about. I wasn’t quite so worried about giving birth as I was about having someone stick a needle in my spine. Go figure. The epidural turned out to be no big deal (in fact, I was more worried about Courtney than I was about myself) and it helped me to feel better than I had in months. With pain not a factor, the nurse told me to get some rest. Courtney and I proceeded to fall fast asleep for the next three hours. The nurse even said we were snoring.

I woke up at 1:00 and immediately looked at the monitor. I was pissed right away because it looked as if no progress had been made. I was thinking “dang, all that medicine and I’m not progressing after three hours.” I felt a little discouraged until Reg (the nurse) walked in, checked my cervix and announced, “oh my goodness, you’re complete!” Turns out that the monitor had fallen off while I was napping. Courtney responded with a “holy shit” and the game was on.

My parents had just arrived at the hospital from Indianapolis. Since we thought that it would be just a few moments until a baby arrived, they decided to stay. Right then a minister walked in and I said (loudly), “IS SOMEONE DYING?” He assured me that it was just a courtesy provided by the hospital that a minister visit, in case the patient wanted it. I was relieved but still a little freaked out.

Here’s how it ends up: I started pushing at 3:00 pm. I had contractions every two minutes – this was consistent through the whole thing and by 6:00 pm, I was exhausted. Ellie seemed not to be making much progress around my tear-dropped pelvis (more than anyone needs to imagine) and the doctor started to be concerned about my fatigue and the fact that I was feeling a little frustrated. I mean, come on, I can hang in there forever as long as I know we’re going to meet our goal.

Dr. W. asked me if we wanted to use the vacuum. I immediately said no. I’m as stubborn as they come and I have a bit of a pride problem. I couldn’t say yes, even if I’d wanted to. That would have been giving up. We kept on for another 30 minutes or so and finally, Courtney saw some fear registering in my face. She said, “that’s it, let’s get her out of there.” So the cavalry was called in (I guess they need all these folks in there to use the vacuum thing) and there was a flurry of activity. The anesthesiologist came in to give me a “booster” dose for my epidural and the neonatal doc came in to take care of Ellie should there be a problem. Now I really had an audience.

Once Dr. W. actually held up that vacuum, it was as if Ellie said, “no way am I doing that.” I couldn’t control my body at that point and just put my head back and said, “I have to push!” About five pushes later, she was on her way. Once they got her shoulders out, the doctor said, “Melissa, reach down here and get your baby.” While shocked (I didn’t know this would happened), I didn’t hesitate. I just grabbed that girl and pulled her onto my stomach…and my life changed forever.

I started that crying, sobbing, wailing thing that you only imagine to happen at such an event as childbirth, while Courtney cleaned her off and started kissing my head. She was crying, too, of course and forgot about her big job: cutting the cord. Dr. Watson handed her the scissors and she was as confident and as calm as I’ve ever seen her (I’m so glad she got to do that part).

I told Courtney to “run and get my mom and dad!” (they were in the waiting area) and moments later, they got to see their grand-daughter for the first time. I loved it that they were there and will always cherish the fact that they drove across the country to meet Ellie just minutes after she arrived.

People say that having a baby changes you and I always thought I understood that – until I had Ellie. I was not prepared for the impact that her arrival made for my life, our lives. I have never felt more sure of God’s existence, more proud of accomplishing something and I’ve never felt more joy upon meeting such a new and beautiful life. Nothing will replace that moment and I will work as hard as I can for as long as I live to remember as well as possible the space in time that changed me forever.