A birth story

6 months ago my baby girl came into our world. I remember everything about that day. It was Wednesday May 16. I had my regular OB appointment Tuesday. I was ready to meet my baby and ready not to be pregnant anymore. We made an appointment for me to be induced May 21. 4 days before my due date. I left work that day elated that an end to pregnancy was in sight. I told everyone I would see them the next day.

I woke at 2:15 am with very distinct labor pains. I knew what was happening but decided to wait a bit. I started timing the contractions. Like clockwork they were coming every 5 minutes and lasting about a minute. They were worse than with D. I felt them in my back as well as my abdomen. I continued to time the contractions and watch the clock until about 3:30 when I decided it was time to wake Dave. I told him I was in labor and he bolted awake. I called the doctor and as soon as I said this wasn't my first baby, the on call doc told me to go to the hospital. We called my parents to come over and take care of D. While we waited for them Dave took a shower and I got some last minute things together and pulled on some clothes.

We got to the hospital around 4:30 or 5. By this point we were about half way there. I told the nice nurses I didn't want any drugs and they started monitoring me. I got moved to a room and continued laboring away. Contractions were only about 3 minutes apart.

Around 8:30 my OB came in to see me and broke my water. I was about 6.5cm dilated. I asked how long she thought it would be. She said I'll have a baby in an hour. That was music to my ears. I had been in back labor for over 6 hours without a drop of medication. 45 minutes later it was almost time to push. My doctor came back in and we started preparing for the big event. When it came time to push, she entered the world much like her brother before her. With Dave on one side of me and my mom on the other. I pushed for 5 minutes, which was probably two contractions, and she arrived. I was told she was a girl and I think the tears started streaming immediately. She didn't cry upon entry like I remembered D crying. I asked why she wasn't crying and the doctor and nurse calmed me and said she would. And she did. That's when the tears really came.

I had a baby girl and she was ok. She had 10 fingers and 10 toes and amazing eyes and gorgeous lips. She nursed immediately, never needed any guidance. She looked like me. She loved to snuggle more than D ever did. Still does.

Anyone who knows me knows my children are my world. I would do anything in the world to protect them and defend them. I love them more fiercely than I ever thought I could love.

My boy is my heart. He is my soul. He made me a mother. He has the sweetest heart and I just want to drink in his essence. He is sensitive like I am. He is stubborn like I am. But he gives up more easily than I do and he is more easy going, like his dad. The love I feel for him is so great that I didn't know if I could ever love another child as much. I actually doubted it for a little bit even after my baby girl was born.

I was wrong. I love her just as much. My girl is more a reflection of myself than I could have ever imagined. Already I can see she will be tenacious. Stubborn. Opinionated. She will challenge me in ways D never will. She will push me to get her way the same way I pushed. She will get mad. She will fight will all her might the same her mama always has. And she will be fiercely loved all along the way.