Birth Story

         Everyone has a story but ours is my favourite.

         In the early hours of Saturday, September 2nd, I woke up for one of my frequent trips to the bathroom. I'd become all too familiar with back pain over the months prior to this moment but I noticed something a little bit different. This pain was more of a central, constant, tightness in my lower back. I came back from the washroom and decided to try to stretch my back out on the bed beside a peacefully sleeping dad to be. As I was turning back over to try to fall back asleep and ignore the back pain, my water broke! (2:15AM) Being 6 days past my due date, there was no mistaking what had just happened. I yelled to Ryan and he jumped up instantly. He followed me as I waddled to the washroom. I thought taking a shower before heading to the hospital would be a good idea but I didn't stay feeling fresh for very long. Slight contractions began shortly after I got out of the shower. I got dressed into one of my favourite grey maternity dresses and Ryan rushed around making sure we really weren't forgetting anything in our hospital suitcase. We called our parents, let them know that it was time and we headed about 25 minutes down the highway to St Catharines General Hospital where we soon would meet the love of our lives. 

            I didn't start to feel much pain from the contractions until we were just a few minutes from the hospital. I went to the washroom as we arrived and Ryan began to check me in with the triage nurse. Before we had even finished speaking with the nurse, my mom and dad walked in the emergency doors. I got in a wheel chair and we all headed upstairs to the 4th floor. The nurse asked routine questions and the doctor on call checked my cervix. Still only 3cm dilated but 1/2 effaced, they suggested that I walk around for a few hours to let gravity do its job. With the contractions quickly worsening, I was already irritable and not to mention fearful. My dad took a little nap in the waiting room while my mom, Ryan, a handy wheelchair and I walked around the hospital. Every time I had a contraction, I would hop in the chair and my mom would rub my lower back with the water bottle while the anxious daddy to be gave me words of encouragement. (6:30am) We headed back with lots of hope that gravity helped to dilate me a little bit more. At 4cm, I was officially admitted in active labor and brought into Room 12. (6:40am) 

           As we got into our room, the very helpful nurse we had named Charon hooked me up to all of the necessary machines to keep watch on babies heartbeat and my blood pressure. Being a first time mom, I decided early on in my pregnancy that I'd have an open mind about any medications used to assist easing the pains of child birth. Due to the severe lower back pain, I made a confident decision that I'd need an epidural so the nurse also began to set that up. A few hours later, the doctor came back in and checked my cervix again. I was finally 5-6cm dilated, fully effaced and ready for an epidural. Let me tell you, I was ready for all the drugs. It felt like the contractions were never easing up and I was in constant agony. 15 minutes later, (12pm) the epidural was working its magic. My legs were heavy and tingly, but I could smile again and remember I was about to meet my sweet baby boy or girl. I couldn't feel much discomfort at this point so I had some time to just relax and chat with my visitors. (Grandma Jo, Aunt Patti) 

      Baby was in an OP position (Sunny side up), they were keeping a close monitor on changing my positioning to hopefully change babies position to make their grand entrance easier for the both of us. This also explains the back labor pains I'd been having. Since an epidural is known to slow down labor, I was administered some Oxytocin to speed things up again- and speed things up they did. My contractions were now worse than ever. It was then that I felt like it was really time to be focused.(2pm) The nurse decided it was time to check how dilated my cervix was once again- I'd reached 8cm. I remember looking at the clock and saying aloud that our baby would probably be born before 6pm. Before I knew it, Charon asked me if I wanted to do some "practice pushes". Everyone except Ryan left the room and up in the holster my legs went. I was exhausted and ready for this day to be over when the nurse told me she could see the babies hair. Knowing the end was near was pretty encouraging. Every contraction she'd have me take a deep breath, put my chin to my chest and pull the back of my legs towards me while focusing my push where I could feel her fingers. Next thing I knew, my mom was back in the room and those practice pushes were now the real deal. Our mystery baby would be here soon! ​

           For about a half an hour I continued pushing. To my surprise, I became really nauseous and started throwing up. (No book ever warned me about this happening) Poor Ryan scrambled to get me cleaned up while my mom was on the other side of my bed encouraging my breathing. The more I pushed, the more I puked but the nurse said it was actually helping our baby crown. She told me to take a break and slow my pushing while she called for Dr. Okon to deliver our little bundle. 2 more friendly nurses and doctor came into the room, detached the bed and got down to business. I pushed a few times and all I heard was “Keep pushing!! You’re so close!”  The excitement in the room was unreal. I gave one last crazy long push with all my might and our sweet baby girl let out a big cry. I’ll never forget that moment of pushing her out and hearing her dad yell “IT'S A GIRL!!" 

        As he cut the cord, then the nurses placed her on my chest, a million thoughts were running through my head. All of that intense pressure was instantly gone, I was still trying to catch my breath and enjoy the moment. The long anticipated 9 months was finally over and I was finally holding our little girl in my arms. 9 pounds, 7 ounces of perfection and totally worth the wait. Thankfully, our little princess is as healthy as can be. All of her standard hospital tests were perfect, we were discharged when she was just 25 hours old.

     
           Abigail’s birth was the happiest moment of my life, by far. Our story is one I will be forever grateful for and immensely proud of. After all, it brought the sweetest baby girl into our lives. We love her to pieces and can’t imagine our life without her.

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And now the real adventure begins.. 

[Everyone says I would forget the pain but I certainly don't!! lol]