Seventeen

My "baby", Kristin, is 17 today! In fact, she was born right around this time! My mind goes back and remembers everything very clearly.

The night before, labor started...and then stopped...and started again. The pains were strong enough to wake me up but they never got to be five minutes apart so that I could also wake Rich. He just slumbered peacefully next to me while I did my breathing and did my counting. Sometimes the contractions were closer together...sometimes they'd be 20 minutes apart.

The next day I had an appointment with my midwife and I had this "feeling" so we brought Billy and Heidi with us "just in case" Rich would have to leave and take them to our friend's house. Sure enough when the midwife checked me, I was 8 cm dilated and we thought maybe Rich wouldn't be back in time to see the baby born. Well...

I got checked into the hospital, all set up and ... my labor stopped. In fact, Rich could have taken his time getting back because nothing was happening when he arrived. I got up out of bed and walked around a little. I had dreadful back pain so every now and then I'd stop and lean my face against the wall while Rich would apply pressure to my lower back.

The midwife suggested a nice warm shower.

My labor started up again ...and then stopped. Unfortunately, I needed to be induced but at least it wouldn't be for very long. Rich and I couldn't figure out why this labor was taking so long when Heidi practically shot out of my womb.

By the time I was ready to push I was exhausted. Ellen, the midwife, had thought she'd have plenty of time to make her daughter's gymnastic match (the girl later participated in the 2000 Olympics) but it was beginning to look dicey. I was so tired, I remember saying, "That's it, I'm not pushing anymore. YOU push." Ellen and Rich did apply pressure to my belly.

Around 1:09, Kristin was finally born and was a big surprise to Ellen. "Oh! She's sunny side up!"

"What's that mean?" I asked.

"If we'd known she was posterior like this, we probably would have gone for a C-section."

Ah. Just as well we hadn't, even though back labor was the most difficult pain I'd experienced to that point.

What was really nice was that the nursery was full when Kristin was born and so I got to keep her with me for over three hours. It was lovely holding her little body next to mine!

But now she is not a baby anymore!

I couldn't be more proud of her!