|
|
Be Prepared for the UnexpectedNov 19 '05 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Go in with an open mind and be prepared for changes in your plans. Remember, in the end you want a healthy mother and baby. During my pregnancy, all I kept thinking was how much I wanted to have a natural birth. I mean, my mom gave birth naturally, so did my grandmothers and my mother-in-law, so I was pretty certain I would be following the same path. Besides, I heard so many different things about why it's so much better to give birth naturally as opposed to having a c-section, just the thought of being cut open made me cringe. The whole time I was pregnant, my mom would go on and on about how I needed to have a natural childbirth. "You'll understand the real meaning of pain and will also appreciate it more" she'd say to me at times. Not to mention the fact that she'd always told me the story of how I came into this world – 9 days early, was breech and the doctors had to turn me around. Man, that made me feel real good about things. My mother-in-law also told me of her birthing experiences with her 3 children - each a different experience, but all natural. According to her, one of the main reasons why she was hoping I'd have a natural birth was because she claimed that when the baby is being pushed through the birth canal, any extra fluids could be flushed out this way (or something to that effect.) The common factor in all their stories was that it's an experience you'll never forget. So, with all these stories around me about the wonders of natural childbirth, I couldn't help but want to have a natural childbirth. What Works for One Doesn't Work for Others Well, as much as my moms may have wanted me to have a natural childbirth that just wasn't in the cards for me. Here's what my childbirth experience was like: On Monday, September 26, 2005, I checked in to the hospital. My due date was the 24th and I honestly thought that my visit was going to be a quick one - maybe I'd be on the monitor for a little while and then I'd be sent home. Just to make you all aware, I'm 4' 10 1/2", my stomach was already measuring 42 weeks by this time and my son was almost 8 pounds. I'm not sure where I thought I was going, but it definitely wasn't back home. I was hooked up to the monitors and they broke my bag of waters. Right before they brought out the instrument to break the water, I asked, "How will I know when my water has broken?" The response from the nurses, "You'll know." So, I'm lying in the bed waiting and waiting, thinking to myself, "Has it happened, has it happened, has it..." "Whoah Nelly!!!" It was warm and felt like someone has literally burst a bubble, but the flow was slow and gradual. I swear it felt like Niagara Falls was coming out of my body. There was just so much amniotic fluid coming out of me that my bed sheets had to be changed several times throughout the night. Well, after that lovely experience, labor began and it was slow at first, but then the contractions got stronger and more intense. To make a long story short, I was in labor for about 12 hours and I was in a lot of pain. They don't offer epidurals here on Prince Edward Island and surprisingly I didn't want one. I did hold out on pain medication for a while and at the 11th hour, I looked over at my husband and said, "Make the pain go away, PLEASE!!!" Throughout my 12 hours of labor, I had only opened up to 4 or 5 centimeters and that was as far as I was going to open up. I had to have a c-section. Unfortunately, during labor, I became stressed, spiked a fever and both my son and I were not doing well. Natural childbirth was just not in the cards for me. I was brought to the operating room and prepped for surgery. What an adventure that was. I was given a local anesthetic and that took about 20 minutes to half an hour. They poked my back so many times it wasn't even funny. I was numb from the prep work. When they finally got it done, I couldn't feel a thing. The surgery was interesting to say the least. I remember right before lying down, I looked at the clock and the time was 6:35am. At 7:16am, Stephen Elijah Daniel Tuplin entered this world weighing 7lbs 15˝ oz. However, he was born blue, not breathing and I kept asking my husband what was going on. He was whisked away I was being put back together and all I kept thinking was, "How is my son?" Recovery lasted about 2 hours and my body didn’t feel like my own. I couldn’t feel my legs and trying to move them was like trying to move a concrete block. I also remember when I woke up, my mouth was quite dry and my lips were very cracked. I was exhausted and in a lot of PAIN!!! Before I could go back to my room, the nurses wanted to make sure the anesthesia had worn off and that I regained movement in my legs. I was told that Elijah was hooked up to monitors and would be flown to Halifax, but they would let me see him before he left. His recovery went well, I was able to be with him and bring him home 4 days later. Looking at him now, you wouldn’t think there was anything wrong with him. He’s pretty darn amazing. Final Thoughts It’s important to make sure you are aware of all the options that are available during childbirth and also realize that you may go in with one idea of childbirth all set in your mind, but in reality things can change. My doctor had prepared me for the possibility of a c-section so I wasn’t too disappointed when it had to happen. In fact I was thrilled with the thought. To be honest, there was no way I would have been able to deliver Elijah naturally. He was way too big for my little frame and if it were 100 years ago, one of us would have died. It’s sad to say, but it’s true. The other thing to remember is that childbirth is a memorable experience. To see that little life for the first time is the most unbelievable and amazing experience you can ever imagine. Don’t be so hung up on one particular birth method. The important thing is healthy mom and baby. I’m thankful for my son and I really don’t care how he came into this world. Despite all the problems, he’s doing really great now and I can focus on being his mother. Take care and thanks for reading. I appreciate any and all comments that may be written about this essay. Please don't be too upset if it takes a while for me to respond to your comments. Elijah takes up most of my time these days and I'll try to answer them as quickly as possible. Thanks everyone.  |
| Read all comments (8)|Write your own comment |
|
Ads by Google
|
