I got in to see my doctor, and went through the usual routine. This was the first day that she would check to see if I was starting to dilate at all. Let me start by saying, I really really like my Dr. I trust her, she is so in control, knowledgeable and calm. So it was a little unnerving to see a look of shock/mild panic on her face as she said “are you sure you feel ok?” I responded with a chipper, “uh huh!” …. “what’s wrong?”
It turns out I was at 7cm. I called Clint who was in denial, and drove myself to the hospital. On the short 5 minute drive, I thought. It’s beautiful outside. Starting to snow. Man, I really wanted to go shopping, and have these photos taken. I think my doctor made a mistake. I am probably going to go to the Emergency and find out I am not dialated at all. This cannot possibly be labor. I am not having a baby today. At the same time, I was telling myself, I might be having a baby. TODAY! Wow! It was total shock, surprise. Maybe I was the one in denial. Not at all what I had been thinking it would be. The nursery is painted, bedding is sewn, little clothes are folded and in the drawers, everything is ready. My bags are packed. I have charts to time contractions. I am ready. Except I am not.
Clint met me at the Hospital. Everything seems surreal. After refusing the wheelchair, I quickly get wisked off to labor and delivery. After a Resident, Resident surgeon and Dr, all feel the need to check me, it is determined that yes, I really am 7 cm. That was the point that it finally hit me. This is really happening. For the next 6 hours, I walked the halls, was served popsicles, read some magazines, made some phone calls, chatted with the nurses, and all in all was just quite lazy. And no pain. None. At all. I am not delirious or medicated. I just kept trying to get ready for the pain, and it didn’t come. Finally at 5pm, I was said to be 10cm! Yay!
This is me at 10cm.
The decision was made to break my water, and the baby should follow shortly. Nice. Easy. This is great! And then my happy little world collapsed in on me. Within 30 seconds of breaking my water, I jumped straight into the most intense, scary contractions 1 – 2 minutes apart, and immediately felt the need to push. The intense pain is something that you just can’t explain. I was then told not to push until my doctor showed up. And for some insane reason I listened. She showed up in far too good a mood, 1 HOUR LATER!!! and we got the show on the road. The baby’s head had gotten stuck, and after much pushing, and a rapidly dropping fetal heartbeat, I was treated to an episiotomy and escaped the forceps by seconds. Thankfully! Alaina was born at 7:24 pm. Amazing! Words cannot begin to express the feelings one goes through! Beautiful! She was perfect. 
This is my little nut! 6lbs, 5.5oz
That night began the “Blizzard of 2007”. The next day we were discharged. Our car wouldn’t budge out of the parking lot. The Hiways were closed and you couldn’t see 1 foot ahead of you. My brother tried to help us but couldn’t make it, so his Father in law picked us up in his huge truck, and planned to drop us off at my brothers place a few blocks away, where we would stay until we could make it home safely. Well, 3 hours later, after getting stuck several times, it became apparent that we wouldn’t make it. Alaina was hungry and I was very uncomfortable. We ended up staying with my brothers, In-laws because we could make it to their house. I was so grateful to them! A little uncomfortable staying with strangers, but very happy to be warm! Alaina spent the night sleeping in my suitcase, because their was no place for her, and I was too scared to put her in my bed. 2 days later we were allowed to go home! I have never been happier to be home!
I guess you can never plan how your delivery will go, but this was about as far away from what I would have imagined. But it is Alaina’s Birth Story. And it is such a special memory!
