The Birth Story

Baby S arrived two weeks early.
September 11: My water broke at 1:45am.

Ann:  *turns on bedroom light*  "Bruce, wake up.  You need to drive me to the hospital.  I think my water just broke."
Bruce:  "What?" 
Ann:  "You heard me.  Wake up."
Bruce:  "Ok.  Head to the car.  I'll get your suitcase." 

It really wasn't very dramatic at this point.  Bruce later told me he was so tired that he felt really ill when I woke him up.  In his defense (and for those who do not know our situation) his mother had just passed away a few days before this point.  We had spent the week helping make funeral arrangements.

We arrived at the hospital at 2am.  I didn't realize it was September 11 until I signed in at the emergency room.  And honestly at this point, I really didn't care what day it was.  I was going to have a baby!

Nurse:  "You're dialated to a 4.  Are you having any contractions?"
Ann:  "No. I don't feel anything."
Nurse:  "Wait."  *looks at monitor*  "Actually, you are having contractions, you just can't feel them yet."

After checking the baby's position, an ultrasound confirmed that she was breeched, and since I'd already lost so much fluid there was no way to get her turned around.  I had a c-section, and Baby S arrived at 4:05am.  And it was that quick.  I arrived and two hours later my baby was born. I kinda felt like I was cheating or something.  Bruce was so glad that it happened so fast because he was physically and emotionally exhausted from the tragic happenings of the previous week.  After we ooh-ed and ahhhh-ed over the baby for a few hours he went back to sleep.

It actually was a blessing I had the c-section because afterward the doctor told me that the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck four times and was tight enough that they had to cut it off.  Since I had the surgery right after my water broke, the baby wasn't in any distress.  Had my labor progressed naturally I probably would have ended up in surgery anyway and by that time the baby would have been in distress.  So even though I didn't initially want the c-section, I'm grateful it all played out like it did.

I remember the first time I saw my daughter.  It was the best thing in the whole world.  I don't think I've ever been so deeply happy as I was at that moment.

When I finally made it out of the O.R. and back to my room, they brought me my daughter, and I looked at Bruce and said that I just wanted to hold her forever.

I never thought I'd love being a mother so much, but it's the best thing I've ever done.  Four months later and I still feel the same way.  I just want to hold her forever.