My due date was Friday 9/7. On 9/6, I cried and cried, because I had absolutely no labor pains, and just knew my daughter would come a week or so late. I barely started having braxton hicks a week or so before the due date. Anyhoo, After crying, my mind said, "hey, you need to keep busy and make sure you're prepared, just in case." So, I cooked everything in my freezer into meals and froze them for later!
On Friday 9/7, I cried once again, because my due date had come and still not even a small sign of labor. I wanted something! Pain even, to let me know she would be here soon...
On Sunday morning, I woke up around 7:30 am and started watching internet T.V. I noticed cramping, very similar to period pain, but honestly didn't give it a second thought, since the pains were very mild; nothing to even complain about. I got up at 10 a.m. and got ready for church. On Facebook, I posted a pic in my get up and said "Hopefully my last Sunday pregnant." By the time the church service ended, my "pains" which were identified as contractions by Mrs. Tangi aka "Gma", were a teeny bit more intense, but still, nothing to pause about.
My dad and Gma wanted to go to dinner with me, so we went to a buffet. Yummy...I got good and full. By this time, Gma was timing my contractions. They were 20 mins apart. We finished eating roughly 3:00 pm, and she suggested we go walking in the mall. So she and I met around 4:30 pm and walked through the mall for a bit over an hour. By the time I left the mall, the contractions were 10 mins apart, but still mild! I'm thinking to myself...I must be in VERY early labor...yet, I was still super excited.
I called my best friend, who would also be my main support person in delivery and told her what was going on. She decided to grab a bag and come on over "just in case." When she got there, I downplayed it, and was like, "Girl, no need to rush over here...I don't think it's happening today." My contractions were now consistently at 5 minutes apart. But they were so mild, I was in disbelief of being in labor.
My friend said, "Better safe than sorry."
I said "I don't wanna get sent home."
Called my mom and she said "Go to the hospital; all 5 of my births were VERY fast. You may take after me."
I whined and said "But I don't wanna get sent home!"
Called my grandmother, and she said, "Baby, it's your first baby, you better get to the hospital, because you don't know what your body is going to do!"
Finally, I said, "Fine. But let's not rush."
My best friend and I both took showers, got last minute things, and headed to the hospital.
We joked the entire way...got to triage, which was absolutely empty! I told my friend, "Aha, I see why Nyomi (daughter) didn't come Friday, she knew Sunday would be very light in traffic, and of course she wanted all eyes and ears on her!" LOL.
We went to get checked by the nurse, and by this time, I had to breathe through contractions, but was still having a great time joking with my best friend in between. The doctor came in around 9:00 pm and checked my cervix. In my head I'm thinking, "please be at least 2 cm dilated, please!?"
The doctor looked amazed and said "Wow, you're a first time mom?? I'm impressed! You are 4-5 cm dilated and your cervix feels amazing!"
My friend and I started clapping and chanting! There would be no going home for me! I thought to myself, "Sheesh if I'm halfway there, and this is all the pain I feel, I'm gravy!!"
~Cue ironic music here~
1-2 hours later, I am comfortably in a room, have already expressed my birth plan wishes to my main nurse, taken my stress test, and am free to move about the room and the wing. My birth plan was simple: No epidural, skin to skin immediately after birth, and to delay cord clamping until after cord stops pulsing.
My bestie and I went for a short-lived walk. I had to use the restroom. So we went back to the room. This is when things got "REAL."
I started having actual pressure and discomfort with my contractions, and was not even able to joke in between. They were definitely a lot closer together, and it took more focus to breathe through them. The nurse came in to check on me, and asked if I'd like to take a warm bath. That sounded like heaven to me! But first, she checked me. I was 7 cm dilated! "OMG," I thought, "It's really happening. I'm about to have a baby!" From that moment on, I just made sure to focus in my mind and repeat my mantra; "this is productive pain."
Shortly after going over my mantra, I mentioned getting an epidural. LOL! My nurse waved me off and said, "You're almost to the finish line. Let's have this bath!"
I was in the tub for "it seemed" about 20 mins before I went into transition! In reality, I think it was at least double that time. I could barely breathe through the contractions, but my bestie was a GREAT help. She kept reminding me to breathe and breathed with me, and kept bringing my focus back to "good & productive pain." She even rubbed my back as I'm naked in the tub...that's a TRUE friend indeed! LOL
At this point, I point-blank asked for an epidural! LOL!! I was delirious. It was not so much "pain" I was experiencing, but soooo much pressure! I told the nurse "I've got to push!" She said "Oh, I think it's time for someone to get out of the tub!"
I literally thought to myself, "What are you so darn cheery about!?" LOL. I made it out of the tub, and got in the bed. I was at my wits end now...so quickly after the contractions being manageable just 20 mins before. My doctor and 50 nurses "it seemed" ran in after hearing my wailing. It was literally about 10 people that came in. I was flailing from side to side in pain! I screamed "get her out of meeeee!" LOL.
Then as if on cue, my water broke, GUSH! OMG, it felt like heaven. Better than any feeling I've felt before; LOL. I told the doctor "my water broke." No sooner had I gotten it out of my mouth, another contraction rolled over me, and the rest of my water gushed out.
I screamed "I'm gonna push." My friend and another nurse grabbed a hand and soothed me back from the edge. I was ready to jump off in the deep end! The doctor got my focus, encouraged me, then said "You have to focus. We have to work together. You've done so great this far, but we can't push just yet. We're not ready." Where is this "we" coming from?? LOL! The nurses were now in action breaking down the bed for delivery.
The doctor gave me instructions on how and when to push. I repeated the directions to her...this was to keep me focused and sane. When the next contraction hit (2 seconds later), I was pushing! The pushing was the best feeling in the world. It felt so right, and was not painful...it was literally so right. The nurses and Dr. egged me on, and someone said "ok, breathe through the ring of fire." I thought to myself, what ring of fire; I felt nothing unique about the moment her head crowned. It felt like the next natural step in the process.
3 contractions and 9 pushes later, in au naturale style, Nyomi Arie Williams was born @ 1:25am!! When she slipped out, I felt a relief like no other. My adrenaline was on an all time high, and I started yelling "OMG, that was AMAZING! You guys did a great job! OMG, she's perfect!" LOL.
10 days later...
I was in the tub for "it seemed" about 20 mins before I went into transition! In reality, I think it was at least double that time. I could barely breathe through the contractions, but my bestie was a GREAT help. She kept reminding me to breathe and breathed with me, and kept bringing my focus back to "good & productive pain." She even rubbed my back as I'm naked in the tub...that's a TRUE friend indeed! LOL
At this point, I point-blank asked for an epidural! LOL!! I was delirious. It was not so much "pain" I was experiencing, but soooo much pressure! I told the nurse "I've got to push!" She said "Oh, I think it's time for someone to get out of the tub!"
I literally thought to myself, "What are you so darn cheery about!?" LOL. I made it out of the tub, and got in the bed. I was at my wits end now...so quickly after the contractions being manageable just 20 mins before. My doctor and 50 nurses "it seemed" ran in after hearing my wailing. It was literally about 10 people that came in. I was flailing from side to side in pain! I screamed "get her out of meeeee!" LOL.
Then as if on cue, my water broke, GUSH! OMG, it felt like heaven. Better than any feeling I've felt before; LOL. I told the doctor "my water broke." No sooner had I gotten it out of my mouth, another contraction rolled over me, and the rest of my water gushed out.
I screamed "I'm gonna push." My friend and another nurse grabbed a hand and soothed me back from the edge. I was ready to jump off in the deep end! The doctor got my focus, encouraged me, then said "You have to focus. We have to work together. You've done so great this far, but we can't push just yet. We're not ready." Where is this "we" coming from?? LOL! The nurses were now in action breaking down the bed for delivery.
The doctor gave me instructions on how and when to push. I repeated the directions to her...this was to keep me focused and sane. When the next contraction hit (2 seconds later), I was pushing! The pushing was the best feeling in the world. It felt so right, and was not painful...it was literally so right. The nurses and Dr. egged me on, and someone said "ok, breathe through the ring of fire." I thought to myself, what ring of fire; I felt nothing unique about the moment her head crowned. It felt like the next natural step in the process.
3 contractions and 9 pushes later, in au naturale style, Nyomi Arie Williams was born @ 1:25am!! When she slipped out, I felt a relief like no other. My adrenaline was on an all time high, and I started yelling "OMG, that was AMAZING! You guys did a great job! OMG, she's perfect!" LOL.
10 days later...
She's still as perfect as can be! Eating good, sleeping REAL good on her "own" time, and having me sleep deprived. What more can I ask for?
Until next time... remember there is nothing to fear, but fear itself!
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