I was 18 when I got pregnant and I had no idea what to expect. My due date ranged anywhere from November 20 to December 15. Each time I had an ultrasound they extended my due date because they said the baby wasn't growing. They did tell me I was having a boy. That made me real happy.

On November 30, 1994 I went in for my checkup to find no change. I had been dilated to 4 centimeters since Halloween. My doctor did schedule for me to be induced that Thursday, December 2, 1994. Finally I thought it was gonna be over. On the morning of December 1st my doctor had called my mom at work to tell her that her grandmother had passed away so they would reschedule me. Well apparently Shawn wasn't gonna wait anymore. I started having contractions. To start off, they weren't so bad. By 6:30 p.m. they had turned into one long contraction. I refused to go to the hospital. I was not ready to go. Finally at 8:30 my mom told me too bad, I was going.

When we got to the hospital they checked me and I was still dilated to 4 centimeters and my water had not broken yet. Eventually, at 1:00 a.m., they told me to go to sleep 'cause nothing was gonna happen (like you can go to sleep). So I got up and walked around and watch T.V.. The nurse kept asking me if I wanted anything for the pain and by 3 a.m. I was ready for some pain medicine. The attending told me that she wanted to check me first and report to my doctor to see what she wanted to give me. Upon my exam they discovered that the baby was faced wrong. They told my doctor to come in right away. They tried to break my water but it took them a little while to find it because they kept feeling the baby's face. Finally they got him to turn and could reach my water. And out came the big gush of water. By this time it was 5:00 a.m.

My doctor had arrived and I was still waiting for some pain medicine. She came in at 5:20 a.m. to examine me and realized in 20 minutes I went from 4 centimeters to 10 centimeters. She told me there was no time for medication; it was time to push. Three pushes later at 5:39 a.m. Shawn Andrew, 7 pounds, 3 ounces and 19 inches long, was born. This would be a moment I would never forget and cherish forever. My first baby. I was so excited. All I wanted to do was get up and see him.

I couldn't believe it; it didn't hurt as much as everybody makes it seem. I kept waiting for the big one when I was just gonna start screaming, but it never came. My doctor was shocked because the last ultrasound, which was done the week before I had him, read that he would not even weigh 5 pounds. My doctor also informed me that he was two weeks early because he did not have any footprints. They form in the last two weeks. She said if I would of waited that two weeks he would have been a 9 pound baby. And at 5'2 and 100 pounds myself, that may have hurt. The thing I thought hurt the most was the stitches because I was ripped inside and out. It took almost 100 stitches inside and out.

Four years later, he is still the most precious thing to me. My husband and I are trying for another but have not been successful. We need help and/or ideas?