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An Eventful Labor

I had my first child when I was 24 years old. I had been married for three years and was working as a sales associate at the local department store when I found out that I was pregnant. I was ecstatic, and so was my husband, Dave. We had planned on having children at some point in the future, and now we could get a head start on our family. My pregnancy was a breeze and the nine months flew by. I gave birth two days after my due date at the community hospital, with my husband Dave by my side. My labor lasted only six hours and, with the help of pain medications, wasn’t even all that painful. We welcomed a healthy baby boy, Kevin, into our arms.

When I got pregnant for the second time, I was 27 years old and back at school, hoping to earn a law degree. As with Kevin, the pregnancy was great – I had very few symptoms, hardly any morning sickness, and just the occasional backache. I didn’t expect that my labor and delivery would be any more eventful that the first time around, so I didn’t sign up for Lamaze classes. I hadn’t even packed my bag by the time my 39th week had rolled around. Unfortunately, I was soon to discover that one should never count their chickens before they are hatched!

I was writing my final law exam for the school year when I felt the first twinges. I tried to ignore them, and focused on answering the essay questions just like I had practiced at home. I assumed that the cramps were just the result of indigestion from the pickles I had eaten with my sandwich at lunch. About an hour into the exam, the cramps were still there and were definitely taking on the shape of contractions. I couldn’t believe that this was happening! Of all the times – and I was still a week early! I knew that I should start thinking about saying something to the exam moderator, but I had so much riding on the exam, I just couldn’t leave! I lasted another 15 minutes before I finally had to say something! You should have seen the look on the moderator’s face!

They called an ambulance to come and pick me up, and the contractions just got worse and worse. I remember sitting on the steps outside the exam building, crippled with pain. All I could think about was the exam that I hadn’t finished and the pain that was now taking over my lower body. I tried to recall my first labor experience, but I just couldn’t remember it being so painful. Then I remembered - I had been helped out by the drugs. Drugs. The word sounded too good to be true.

The ambulance finally arrived after what felt like hours (though I am told it was only ten minutes) and they carted me off. I got to the hospital, moaning and groaning, and the nurses brought me to a birthing room. Just as they were loading me into the bed, my water broke and things really started to develop. I looked around and realized that my husband wasn’t there! In my state, I hadn’t asked anyone to call him, and no one had asked me about him either! I got the nurses to phone him and my parents and ask them to come to the hospital.

At this point it was too late for drugs and I was in a lot of pain. I didn’t have anything with me, so I was wearing this awfully uncomfortable hospital dressing gown and not-so-silently cursing my fate (and my husband!). The nurses kept running in and out of the room to check on me and finally, Dave walked in. I have never been so relieved! I yelled at him for making me pregnant, but kissed him at the same time!

From that point on, things settled down a little, but I have to admit, it was a lot more painful than I thought. Baby was doing great and, I could tell, was very eager to make her appearance! I made it to the pushing stage and started to feel a huge burning sensation. I felt as if I couldn't take it any more. But then Dave said that he could see the baby’s head and it gave me a new energy that I didn’t know I could even muster up. I gave a few final pushes and baby arrived! It was a beautiful baby girl!

Healthy and happy, the doctors passed our sweetheart to me, and I immediately forgot all the pain and trouble. She looked so tiny and sweet! Dave and I called her Danielle, and brought her home two days later. She and Kevin get along great and Kevin takes such pride in being a big brother. I can now look back on the labor and delivery and laugh –though it didn’t seem so funny at the time! I have definitely learned my lesson and will expect a few bumps in the road with my next delivery – I am pregnant again, and due in three months. As for the law exam, I got to rewrite it three months later, and passed with flying colors! I am now a junior attorney with a local law firm!

Georgia Mackie