Baby Talk

Wow, it seems that all I have heard lately is baby talk.  Every where I look I see expectant mommies, very pregnant women!!  I may be one of the strange few out there, but I actually miss being pregnant.  I enjoyed every minute of it.  From the morning sickness to the uncomfortable sleeping positions to the first movement to the labor pain.  Call me crazy, but perhaps that’s why I have 5 children today when I thought I would never have any.

Growing up, I swore I would not have children, because my career came first.  Well, all I can say is ‘never say never’.  After having my first child, my entire view on children changed.  I wanted to have more and loved the entire process.  Which is why I chose to have home births.  Yes, it was a choice and a desire.  I wanted to have complete control of the situation and enjoy every moment from beginning to end.

My first pregnancy was quite an experience.  We were both Chiropractic students at the time and decided that we wanted to have a home birth, so we researched and found the perfect midwife.  She was awesome and talked us through every step.  We took Bradley classes to prepare us for the birth, they are birthing classes that help you cope with what your body is going through naturally and it teaches you different breathing and relaxing techniques to make the birthing experience a lovely one. The The Bradley Method was definitely one that  worked for us, because although my labor was intense and long, 27.5 hours long, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  It was a beautiful experience and it was a big party.  We had our midwife and her apprentice present along with my hubby, his best friend and my mother-in-law, and two other great friends.  It was a big celebration with birthday cake included.  And a beautiful baby girl was born.

All my births were planned to be home births, but unfortunately it didn’t happen as planned.  My second was quite different.  A woman’s biggest nightmare came true for me, when my water broke at a restaurant while having lunch.  Boy, was that strange!! But we were prepared with towels and everyone seemed to be understanding of our situation, or so I recall.  After my water breaking my contractions never started so the midwife we had at that time, suggested we go to the hospital.  That was an experience in itself.  The doctors were definitely not prepared for us.  We had certain stipulations to our birth and were very adamant about our requests.  After being given the lovely medication called pitocin, to bring on the contractions and not having an epidural, I endured very intense contractions.  The contractions were intensified because of the medication and I felt like Linda Blair of the exorcist.  I thought for sure, my head was going to spin and I was going to spit out pea soup.  Thankfully, my husband was brave and kept our pact of ‘no drugs’, no matter how much I begged, pleaded and threatened.  We had a beautiful baby boy and could not wait to leave the hospital.

My third and fourth pregnancies were great as well.  We had both of those in the comfort of our own home.  Yes, my husband delivered my 3rd child and several years later delivered my 4th child.  Once again we had friends over and had a large celebration, cake included.  It was great having home births, because I was able to eat what I wanted, and move around as much as I wanted.  I was able to get up and shower after the birth and enjoy my Chinese food afterward.  That was part of my routine, I would eat pasta throughout the labor for energy and Chinese food after the birth to celebrate.  Strange, but true… and 3 and 4 were both girls.

My fifth pregnancy started out wonderful but ended quite tragically.  At 27 weeks during a routine ultrasound check which was performed at our home as the others, we noticed that there wasn’t a heart beat.  My world came crumbling down.  I could not understand how just the day before I had felt the baby move and 12 hours later he had passed.  It was very difficult for me and still is to this day.  I had to deliver a still born child and was never able to hold him.  The doctors tell me it was for the best, and my husband and I truly believe that it was in God’s plan.  I know that there is a reason for everything, but it still hurts.  That was baby boy #2, my fifth pregnancy and an angel in heaven.

My sixth and final pregnancy was different as well.  It all started out wonderfully until one dreaded day when I felt a leak.  I was spotting and didn’t know why.  I was  26 weeks pregnant and all I could think of was, ‘Oh, no Lord, not again’.  We rushed to the hospital to find out that I had developed a hematoma and that the baby was at high risk as well as I.  The doctors didn’t think the baby would survive and we were told that we had to make a choice.  I could not believe what was happening, much less, what I was being told.  There was no choice in our minds, we were having this baby.  I endured weeks of intrauterine blood transfusions and ultimately was admitted into the hospital for 4 weeks.  That was extremely difficult since I had 4 other children at home that needed their mommy.  They were confused and scared and didn’t know what was happening.  I was hooked up to monitors and put on a strict diet and complete bed rest.  That was horrible!!  At 30 weeks, 4 weeks after I was admitted into the hospital, the baby was taken out as an emergency c-section.  This was the scariest ordeal I had to endure.  My baby was 10weeks early and weighed 2lb, 4oz.  I was not able to see or touch him for 3 hours after the birth, and I’ll never forget the first time I saw him.  A miracle was born and I knew he would survive.  We traveled for 10 weeks to the hospital 3 times a day to see our little miracle.  That was the most difficult times of our lives, leaving him at the hospital every night was heart wrenching.

After 10 weeks he was able to breath on his own and at 4lbs, we were able to bring our little miracle home.  He is now a very healthy and brave little 5 year old and one could never imagine the struggles he endured at such a young age.  God did have a plan and we followed along, no questions asked.

My life has been a blessing and if I could have more children, I would.  My husband thinks that I am crazy, and maybe I am just a little, but that’s what keeps me going.

The Chronicles continue….