We won the baby pool at work in 1987, much to my chagrin. When I originally calculated my due date, I thought I would have the baby around May 11 or 12. The doctor, the expert of course, said no, my due date was closer to May 1. The midwife thought I might have the baby in the middle of April. I was eager. Billy was my first baby but in that last trimester you just get so uncomfortable all you want to do is deliver the baby. He didn't seem to want to be born yet, though. There was this baby pool at work and people started taking dates as early as April 15th. Rich alone predicted the baby would be born on May 10, Mother's Day.
"You must be joking," I groaned. It was the middle of April and already I wanted to have the baby. The days went by very slowly. I was walking every day to encourage the baby to drop. I knew that first babies usually take a long time to be born and I just wanted to help him along. I didn't really want to be laboring on mother's day! I wanted to already be an honored mom by then!
Billy had some other ideas.
I went out for a walk on Friday, May 8 as was my habit. As I strolled down the sidewalk, I suddenly toppled over and nearly gave our mailman a heart attack! He came rushing over and helped me up. He insisted on walking me back into the apartment. Both my knees were scraped and bleeding freely. Once he saw that Rich was still there (he worked the evening shift) he went off to continue delivering the mail. I cleaned myself up and went back out for my walk. I saw the mailman again on the next block and he was totally upset. "What are you doing out walking around?" I assured him I'd be fine and that the baby liked for me to go on walks.
Apparently.
The following day, my water broke just after Rich left for work. I walked all around the apartment waiting for the contractions to start and for Rich to get back home so he could take me to the hospital. It was almost 5 in the afternoon and at that point, I realized that this baby was going to be born on Mother's Day all right!
Once we got to the hospital, I walked around the halls for a couple of hours. The contractions didn't really get stronger and so our midwife, Ellen, finally said I'd need to be induced with pitocin. Then the fun started!
Looking back, I would not change anything. I was so glad to have Ellen instead of the doctor because she was quick to suggest new positions to try rather than just lying there waiting for things to happen. Rich was a terrific coach, the best I could have had, and we were both so excited and eager to meet our baby. At that point, we weren't sure if we were having a boy or a girl. I'd dreamed I was having a son but that was all we knew.
As it happened, Ellen wasn't licensed yet to do the actual delivery and so we'd need the doctor to catch the baby. Another woman in the same practice happened to be giving birth at the same time as me. I don't know why but she was in a labor room all the way down the hall from us. Just before Billy was born, I remember my doctor running up and down the hall to see who was going to deliver first. I think I even took a few seconds from pushing to laugh at the poor guy, panting and sweating like a madman.
Billy was born after 4 in the morning. Being the first, his skull was pretty pointy! We were so thrilled and so excited! I remember holding Billy for the first time and just being in such awe.
And now that infant is 18. I am just in awe of the wonderful young man he's grown into.
With every meal in the hospital, I got a lovely red rose. I have loved all of my mother's day flowers and my mother's day gifts. But of all the gifts I've gotten, he is the greatest mother's day blessing ever.
10 Plans for this Summer
1. Go for more walks
2. Go to the beach
3. Write more on my stories
4. Read more books
5. Apply for jobs until I find one
6. Eat more fruits & vegetables
7. Relax more
8. Catch up on bills
9. Lose more weight!
10. Celebrate Billy's birthday & graduation with a big party
?Sugar and spice and everything nice, that?s what little girls are made of.?
You?re baking a new friend for yourself! What ingredients do you include?
Understanding, compassion, open mindedness, love, honesty and loyalty
Posted by Cassie at May 10, 2005 12:03 PM