The previous morning, April 18th, I had a routine appointment with my doctor. She had some concerns about the amniotic fluid levels and recommended that we schedule an induction that evening at 11:00 pm. I went home and began preparing myself for the hospital and impending childbirth. However, due to some developing complications seemingly unrelated to contractions, I ended up at the hospital around 7:30 p.m.
When we checked in, Alison, a Kiwi nurse riddled off a bunch of questions. During this time, my body began to go into labor on its own, though I wasn't fully aware of it at the moment. I noticed a few of the signs, though I was a bit doubtful of their significance, especially since Alison said that I was still just 1 cm dilated. The contractions, AKA cramps, that I had been feeling were perceived as being ineffective by the medical personnel. And so I was given an I.V. of saline solution and left to hydrate a bit more before the induction drugs were administered. Anticipating a long night, Kyle stepped out to get a quick bite to eat and I was left alone with my symptoms. For an hour or so, I sat on the bed in agony. The cramps seemed to intensify. I thought I was going to freak out because I was stuck in bed and the contractions were so painful. Since I didn't think I was in labor, I began to feel greatly discouraged.
When Kyle returned I told him that I didn't think I was going to make it naturally, since the non-labor pains were more than I thought I could bear. We tried to relax for a while, Kyle casually glancing at his watch as I began to breath through my contractions. He commented on their close proximity to each other, though we both still thought I wasn't in labor. The turning point occurred when my water broke. I looked at Kyle, and we kind of laughed nervously and then called the nurse. When she came in, she was shocked. She rechecked me and was even more surprised to see that I was now 5 cm dilated. Apparently, I had been in labor that whole time. Once I knew that the pains I felt were truly active labor, my attitude about the process switched dramatically. Suddenly, I knew that I could do it.
We called our doula, and the nurses busied themselves to get the room ready for delivery. Over the course of the next few hours, I labored, switching positions as much as I could. Rocking through the contractions was pretty effective, though the time I spent in the shower felt the best. The doula kept reassuring me that my body would know when it was time to push. I wasn't super confident of that, and yet I did arrive at a point when I knew the baby was ready to come out. Throughout this whole time, Kyle and the doula were breathing with me, calmly reassuring me with positive accolades, and massaging my back. I felt really supported and strangely energized by it all.
The adrenaline in my body caused my legs to shake violently periodically, though there were enough moments of rest to combat the intensity of that phenomenon. When I did start pushing, I was lying on my side in bed. Once I felt her traveling down the canal, which definitely burned, I decided that I was going to push for all I was worth. After a short time, she emerged, all purple and slimy. She screamed quickly and nuzzled to my chest instinctively. Kyle and I were both so amazed by her and the reality that we were finally seeing our little girl for the first time. The feeling of love that we felt for her was so instant and strong. Life is such a miracle!
For the past few days we have been trying to figure out how to best care for and meet the needs of our daughter and ourselves. The lack of sleep is rough, though we are making a good team. Gwyneth is delightful and well-worth every challenging moment we've experienced. We are honored by the gift of her and are loving our new role as parents. Though I know we still have a lot to learn and that we'll probably make a few mistakes along the way, I feel happy knowing that this little girl has two parents that love her more than we thought possible. Our new adventure of parenthood has officially begun.
