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8/14/2011
I woke up Sunday morning 39 weeks and 3 day pregnant, and OVER IT. The August heat was getting to me, I couldn’t sleep and just felt all around miserable. I knew the baby would come when the baby was ready, but I was ready. I dreaded going to church because I knew the “your STILL pregnant??” comments would start. I also knew if I skipped church, my phone would blow up with people thinking I was in labor, so off to church we went.
After church we came home and I managed to have a nap. I remember taking a nap the afternoon that Little Miracle was born, so I was still hopeful. I had a feeling about that night.
When Little Miracle got up from his nap we headed down to Atlanta to see my father in law. He had kidney surgery a few weeks ago and was not well. He has been slowly improving and Stephen wanted to see him again before he had to go to work on Monday.
I was having contractions all week the week before. When we were at the hospital they were gaining in intensity, but still random and not strong enough, so I ignored them. After Stephen visited his dad we headed back towards the house to run some errands.
When we got home the contractions had slowed down and spaced out. I still had a feeling about that night but I was becoming less hopeful. We took a short walk around the neighborhood then got the boys in the bath and Little Man off to bed. I thought maybe after we got the boys to bed that the contractions would pick up.
((Now, let me back track a little. The entire pregnancy I was praying for my body to give me a sign when it was time. I did not want another unassisted unplanned home birth. I wanted to make it to the hospital.))
Just before 9, Stephen was downstairs putting Little Miracle to sleep. I was upstairs and the contractions got stronger. I was still thinking “maybe?”. I was back and forth between the bathroom and my bed questioning myself wondering what to do. I went back to the bathroom and had a very loose stool and a bit of a bloody show. AH- HA! A SIGN. I immediately called my mom to come over to watch the boys and called my doula. I remember telling my doula that if nothing else, we can walk around the hospital. I guess I was still thinking I had a long labor ahead of me.
I walked halfway down the stairs to tell Stephen what was up and that everyone was on their way already. My mom was there within minutes. I met her outside because Stephen was putting Little Miracle to bed. I had two contractions while I was outside. Stephen got back downstairs and my mom and I came inside. I grabbed my last minute items and we were off. I called the midwife to let her know what was going on.
I put my iPod earphones into my ears so I could have music while I was contracting. I needed to focus on something. The contractions were not that bad and they seemed to be well spaced so I thought I was still in early labor. I was talking between the contractions and could have walked thru them if I wanted.
We got about half way to the hospital when I started thinking “I am not ready for a third child, what did we do? Cant I just go home and not have this baby”. I thought that way for a second and then realized that I was in transition because of the irrational thoughts. I did not tell Stephen this, but glanced over at how fast he was going. Ah, 90, that’s good. Contractions had picked up and I was doing all I could to stay calm thru them.
When we reach Atlanta there is traffic. A bridge over the freeway had fencing fall off of it, and they were fixing it, so they stopped traffic on the freeway. I told Stephen “just get off, it will reroute us” (meaning the GPS). As soon as we got off we realized the traffic was moving again, so we had to drive around the block to get back on the freeway. This entire time I am praying and saying loudly “please God, get us there”
Back on the freeway and then off at our exit. “Almost there” I told the baby.
The final turn before the hospital is a left with a light. It always backs up. Sunday night is no expectation. We were the third car back when the light turned red. I told Stephen to “get over and turn from the straight lane”. He did just that.
When we finally pulled up to the hospital I told him to drop me off at the ER and to bring my bags. I walked into the ER in full transition mode and really ready to just be up in labor and delivery and have my baby!
((Now the story gets fun. The hospital is doing construction, so things are not how they usually are, and the hospital is in a … um… not so safe area of town, so they lock things down at night. Just remember that.))
I walk into the ER and there is a security guy sitting behind a desk. I pointed to my belly and said all I could manage to say at that point… “labor”. He then told me to go back outside to the security desk and they would have a wheelchair to take me to labor and delivery. The woman in the transition part of labor yelled at this poor man “you have to be kidding me!” he said he was not so I walked back outside.
I got to the security desk and the guy looked at me like he had no idea what I needed. Isn’t it pretty obvious, woman with massive belly looking like she is in pain needs LABOR AND DELIVERY. I did not see the wheel chair that I was told would be there, so I just asked him which way I needed to go. I figured I would birth a baby on the sidewalk if I stood around and waited for a wheelchair, so I took off walking.
I went thru the first set of double doors, then went to the next set, and they would not open. I stood there for what feels like forever when a group of 3-4 men came up behind me and wanted to open the door too. I yelled at them to “go see why this door is not working!”. Then one of them pushed a button and it opened. Oh- I see. Rational brain does not work this late in labor I guess.
I walk past a set of stairs and decide stairs might not be the best option. (maybe rational brain DOES work) I make it to the elevators. 4 of them to be exact. 3 of them said they were on the ground floor. Awesome! I pushed the up button for both sides hoping one would open. Nothing. Minutes passed and I realize I am alone in a hall way about to give birth. I scream as loud as I can “why aren’t these (enter choice words that I am not gonna type) elevators working?” Just then the one that was originally on the 7th floor opens. Thank you God!
I get on and press 7 and the door close button at almost the same time. I am thanking God for finally getting the elevators to open. When it dings that I am on the 7th floor I am SO thankful to have FINALLY made it to labor and delivery where someone can help me get this baby out! The doors open and I realize it’s another long hallway to walk down.
Now, it was a full moon this night, so I expected the place to be packed. It was DEAD. Like, you could hear a pin drop on the floor dead quiet. And no one to be seen in any direction.
I start walking down the hallway and see a nurses station. YES!! Someone can help me. I get to the nurses station and a huge contraction hits. I lean over the desk and the lady tells me which direction I need to go. This contraction is taking forever and she says “as soon as it is over you need to go down the hall”. I don’t think she realized where I was in labor. I half squatted and half bent over. Before I did this I see a tall man walking towards me. He appears to be a doctor from his lab coat and scrubs. He yells from down the hall “are you ok?” and the nurse sarcastically says “she’s in labor”. Gee thanks Captain Obvious.
He walks over and holds me up. I was assuming he was an OBGYN since he was on the labor and delivery floor, but he seems to know nothing about a laboring woman. He asks me who my doctor is and I tell him. The nurses station finally realizes that I am NOT walking any farther and grabs a wheel chair. They wheel me to another station where they want me to fill out paper work. I get it in my hands and then say “I can’t” and throw it back at them. At this point they ask if I am Lisa Strickland and when I say yes, they said they knew I was coming and I was finally off to my room.
The nurse wheels me into my room all while asking questions.
“has your water broken” no
“are you feeling pressure” no
“do you need to use the restroom”- ah yes, I need to pee.
We get to my room and she wheels me straight to the bathroom. I get up and sit to pee. As soon as I pee I realize something else.
“I need to poop” I told her.
“honey, that’s not poop” she said. Ah yes, pressure! She asks me if I can make it to the bed. Not happening. I am NOT moving.
“no” I tell her. Then my water breaks. I announce this.
At this point several other nurses have joined in my party. One feels and says “oh honey, the baby’s head is right here, you need to get off the toilet”
I am still not moving and one of the nurses runs next door to get my midwife who was with another patient. They come running in and the next thing I remember is blue towels and such being thrown on the bathroom floor.
My midwife wants me off the toilet, and I know why. I lunge forward onto my hands and am half standing, half to my knees while pushing. The baby comes sliding out into my midwives hands. At this point I remember the ONE thing that I knew I could control in my labor and delivery was that I wanted to be the one to look and see the gender and announce it myself. So I start screaming “don’t tell me the gender, don’t tell me the gender!!”. Someone in the room said “we won’t honey”
My midwife tells me when ever I am ready to sit down and take my baby. I sit down and tear off my shirt and bra. She hands the baby over to me. The baby has its sack over its face still, born in the caul. My midwife pulls the sack off of the head and the baby starts to cry.
I peek between the legs. A GIRL. OMG. It’s a girl!! I cant believe I just had a baby girl on the bathroom floor. I ask my midwife if I saw that correctly and check again. Yup, it’s a girl.
At this point I look around. Where is my husband? Oh yeah, he was parking the car. I ask for my phone to see where he is. I call him and he is on the 7th floor looking for me. He could hear the baby cry from the phone. I knew he was close so I didn’t tell him what we had just yet.
He came walking into our room and to the bathroom.
(Me, my midwife and Little Miss. I had Stephen take this pic after he found us.)He just smiles at me and the baby. I ask him if he wants to know what the baby is, and he says yes. I told him “you have a daughter”. His smile widens.
I did manage to make it to the bed to deliver the placenta. My doula walked in a few minutes after the baby was born. She told me she was walking in when she heard “happy birthday” playing (they play it after every birth) for my baby. She almost made it.
Another super fast labor. If you count from the time I was wondering if the contractions were real it was 4.5 hours. If you count from the first real “this is labor” contraction, it was less than an hour. I think, IF there is another baby, it will be a planned home birth!
