You know how you think you are prepared for something? You thought of everything. Everything is in order and everything is prepared. WRONG. My sister Dejah, (Pronounced Dee a-short a sound) started having contractions yesterday morning. She had contractions all throughout the day. Finally in the afternoon, she went by her doctor's office to have him check her.
She was dilated to a 4 and he told her to go straight to the hospital and not to stop anywhere. She called me and told me everything. I told her that I would be up there when I got off from work. My other sister Marlette called me to see if I knew that Dejah was going to the hospital. She suggested that I not wait until I got off from work. I should just go ahead and leave. The more I thought about it, the more I became convinced that I should get to the hospital.
Problem #1 I had a presentation and a report due for one of my classes. It was to be my final class....ever.
Problem #2 I also needed to drop off the check for my graduation fees.
Problem #3 What if she had the baby without me?
Not happening. I started cleaning up my desk and preparing an email to my professor. I wanted her to know that I was not making up some lame excuse for not showing up to class. I included my sister's name and I was trying to include the name of the hospital, just in case she wanted to check it out. My mind went blank. I couldn't for the life of me remember the name of the hospital. I am starting to get a little panicky now. I need to get to the hospital, quickly. Finally someone in the office very calmly gave me the name of the hospital. I sent my email and was on my way.
Of course I got behind every single slow person that was out driving on the roads. I got behind a fender bender holding up traffic, I got lost, I almost wrecked, I couldn't find a place to park, my nerves were a little frayed.
I find her room easily enough. When I got there she was dilated to about a 7. Everything seemed to happen really fast after that. Dejah kept asking for her epidural. The nurse said she was on her way. She left the room. Dejah said she felt something, so we called the nurse back into the room. She was dilated to a 9 1/2. Which meant, NO EPIDURAL. I had realized a few minutes earlier that she wasn't going to get the epidural. Dejah stated several times that she couldn't believe she wasn't getting an epidural. It was her worst nightmare come true.
One of the reasons she had been leaning towards being induced was because she was afraid if she went into labor on her own that she wouldn't make it to the hospital in time to get the epidural. I told her several times that there was no way that would happen. Of course she would know when she was in labor.
One of the reasons she didn't realize it was because her contractions never seemed get on any set pattern. Anyway, I digress. At this time myself, Melissa, Marlette, Dad, the baby's dad, and one of Dejah's close friends were in the room. We all got to be there when the baby was born. It was really upsetting to see her in so much pain and to know that she wasn't getting any pain medicine. There wasn't time for her to get ANYTHING. She was so great. Yes, she screamed. Loud. I believe her exact words were, "GET IT OUT!!!!! GET IT OUT RIGHT NOW!!!!. The next thing I saw was the baby coming out. It amazes me how fast a baby comes after the head comes out. The crowning of the head was when she screamed. The rest of the baby almost seemed to shoot out of her.
So far, she is the only one of us girls in the family to ever have a child with no medication. Now as long as she lives, no matter what her and her boyfriend argue about, she can always say, "You're not the one who had a baby with no pain medication". I began using this phrase myself immediately. The baby's dad, (we'll call him "L" to protect his identity in the event he doesn't want his name mentioned on this blog) made a statement about having to sleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair. I said, "Yeah, and you are not the one who had a baby with no drugs". He laughed and said that no he didn't give birth with no drugs.
I have to take a moment to give props to L for being in the room when the baby was born. Anyone who knows my sister knows that she can be pretty vicious when she's mad. To be brave enough to stay in the room with her during all that was pretty brave(or stupid). Personally, I was a little scared myself. I didn't get close to the bed. I mean, she could have knocked someone out or something.
I also have to give props to Marlette who snuck and turned on the video camera during the birth. At this hospital, you are not supposed to begin taping until after the baby is born. Marlette was slick. She turned the camera on, and no one even knew. Now, to tell you how demented my family is, after it was all over with, we watched the video of Dejah screaming and laughed. Even Dejah laughed.
So what we got on St. Patrick's Day was a little more than we bargained for. But it was worth it. Taylor Austin was born at 5:16 pm weighing in at 6 lbs, 1 oz. Approximately 1 1/2 hours after Dejah got to the hospital. Thank goodness I left work early or I would have missed it. Thank goodness Marlette is EXTREMELY excitable and me worked up enough to leave early. There is no way I could have made it to the hospital in 16 minutes.
I started working on this blog yesterday at lunch but I didn't get to finish it. Mom and baby got to go home today. Everyone is doing well. I couldn't seem to get a picture of him not crying, but I tried.
One of the reasons she had been leaning towards being induced was because she was afraid if she went into labor on her own that she wouldn't make it to the hospital in time to get the epidural. I told her several times that there was no way that would happen. Of course she would know when she was in labor.
One of the reasons she didn't realize it was because her contractions never seemed get on any set pattern. Anyway, I digress. At this time myself, Melissa, Marlette, Dad, the baby's dad, and one of Dejah's close friends were in the room. We all got to be there when the baby was born. It was really upsetting to see her in so much pain and to know that she wasn't getting any pain medicine. There wasn't time for her to get ANYTHING. She was so great. Yes, she screamed. Loud. I believe her exact words were, "GET IT OUT!!!!! GET IT OUT RIGHT NOW!!!!. The next thing I saw was the baby coming out. It amazes me how fast a baby comes after the head comes out. The crowning of the head was when she screamed. The rest of the baby almost seemed to shoot out of her.
So far, she is the only one of us girls in the family to ever have a child with no medication. Now as long as she lives, no matter what her and her boyfriend argue about, she can always say, "You're not the one who had a baby with no pain medication". I began using this phrase myself immediately. The baby's dad, (we'll call him "L" to protect his identity in the event he doesn't want his name mentioned on this blog) made a statement about having to sleep in the uncomfortable hospital chair. I said, "Yeah, and you are not the one who had a baby with no drugs". He laughed and said that no he didn't give birth with no drugs.
I have to take a moment to give props to L for being in the room when the baby was born. Anyone who knows my sister knows that she can be pretty vicious when she's mad. To be brave enough to stay in the room with her during all that was pretty brave(or stupid). Personally, I was a little scared myself. I didn't get close to the bed. I mean, she could have knocked someone out or something.
I also have to give props to Marlette who snuck and turned on the video camera during the birth. At this hospital, you are not supposed to begin taping until after the baby is born. Marlette was slick. She turned the camera on, and no one even knew. Now, to tell you how demented my family is, after it was all over with, we watched the video of Dejah screaming and laughed. Even Dejah laughed.
So what we got on St. Patrick's Day was a little more than we bargained for. But it was worth it. Taylor Austin was born at 5:16 pm weighing in at 6 lbs, 1 oz. Approximately 1 1/2 hours after Dejah got to the hospital. Thank goodness I left work early or I would have missed it. Thank goodness Marlette is EXTREMELY excitable and me worked up enough to leave early. There is no way I could have made it to the hospital in 16 minutes.
I started working on this blog yesterday at lunch but I didn't get to finish it. Mom and baby got to go home today. Everyone is doing well. I couldn't seem to get a picture of him not crying, but I tried.
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