Summer Surprise

By Jessica Applebaum

I woke up on the morning of June 20th, 1996 with my day planned. I had guests coming over to see our new apartment for the first time. I spent most of the day feeling totally energized - the first time I felt like this in a few weeks. I scrubbed floors on my hands and knees, washed my cupboards and vacuumed until you could eat off the floor. I was so busy cleaning with my new found energy that I did not really notice the slight contractions throughout the day. My guests arrived at 7:00 p.m. to a spotless house, but a slightly uncomfortable hostess. By this time I was well aware that I was having contractions. But I chalked them up to Braxton-Hicks. Our baby, which her father and I knew would be a beautiful little girl, was still six weeks away from her anticipated arrival. I carried on, trying to pretend all was well.

My guests left at nine (I think they were becoming a bit uncomfortable due to my increasing discomfort). I think that by 10:00 p.m. I was getting a little worried. My grandmother's carrot soup did not help; neither did watching television. It was strange, my mind was thinking I still had six more weeks and that I should stop worrying. But, my body was telling me something totally different. I was trying to organize my thoughts and feelings to come up with an answer that did not involve giving birth at this point in my pregnancy. I phoned a friend who had had a child and explained in detail what I felt. She laughed and told me to go to the hospital since I was in labor. I, on the other hand, quickly got off the phone and laughed at her for thinking that. I still had six weeks to go. (I just was not ready to admit that I was actually in labor; it was a little scary).

As the evening progressed so did the contractions - in both speed and their level of pain. I tried to sleep but it was difficult. My husband, on the other hand, had no problem. By 2:00 a.m. I realized that I should go to the hospital. It's funny, you read and talk to people who describe labor and how you should feel, and I was a text book case, but I still could not believe that my time had come. We live in the basement of my parents home (to save a bit of money) so I journeyed upstairs to ask my parents to drive me to the hospital. I woke them up with a painful moan in their doorway. My always in control father knocked over a lamp and my always hysterical mother calmly told my to get dressed and meet her at the front door in five minutes. I did not want to wake up my husband since he had to get up early for work the next day and I was sure I would be home in an hour or two.

When we arrived at the hospital at 4:00 a.m. I was four centimeters dilated and it was to late to stop labor. The pain was getting pretty bad (actually, it was really, really bad) but I was determined to try natural childbirth. I was lucky because the hospital had a birthing bath you could sit in. It helped, and I would recommend it to others. It was a little strange but I felt most comfortable while I was sitting on the toilet. It was the position, it helped to relieve the pain slightly.

About two hours later the doctor came in to break my water. The pain got a lot (a lot!) worse after that. The doctors and nurses thought it would be many more hours until the actual delivery. But, at 8:00 I felt an incredible need to push. I told the nurse - who did not believe me. After a quick look, they realized that I was indeed ready to push. I was fully dilated and ready for a natural delivery. In the panic, my mother phoned my father and screamed that he and my husband had better get over to the hospital ASAP (we only live five minutes away and thinking my labor would be long, they where going to come and go in shifts). My husband made it in time, he came rushing in to the room just in time to see the greatest miracle that God ever created. Our beautiful, small angel became a member of our family at 8:23 a.m. on June 21st: the first day of summer. She weighed 4 pounds 12 ounces. They whisked her away after a few moments on my stomach to make sure she was alright. God, not wanting to ruin that already beautiful summer day, gave us a healthy baby girl. We left the hospital the next day with our angel to begin the wonderful journey of parenthood.

If anyone is interested in e-mailing me regarding delivery or caring for a premature baby please e-mail me at laura@interlog.com.