It is normal that during the entire pregnancy to have contractions, that is just what your body does to prepare for REAL labor. 2 weeks before his due date (due March 10, so this was Feb. 25) I started feeling stronger contractions, all day long there were moments when I would need to sit and take a break from whatever I was doing.I thought that I might be slowly starting labor.
I don't remember many braxton hicks or false labor with Charlotte, with her when I started feeling uncomfortable and unable to sleep the contractions progressively got stronger and harder to deal with, but that also took a full day before anything happened and she was born a full 24 hours later (4:20am). During that pregnancy I knew when I went into labor. This time around was VERY different! But because the first is what I had imprinted on my brain I thought that some if not most all of the labor and delivery would go pretty much the same way. BOY was I WRONG!
Okay, back to 2 weeks before the due date.... I had a friend over and we had been working on some crafty projects. She left around 4ish. Char's and I headed out to the diaper factory. While on our way home Gio called me and said he had tickets to a fashion show if I wanted to come to the center and Char's was welcome. I debated going since I had not been feeling at 100%, but then again I had never been to a fashion show. I raced home changed and we ran to the bus to meet Gio. After going out for drinks and appetizers we saw the quick fashion show and headed home(see all the fun we had). I told Gio later that I thought the baby was not going to wait the full 2 weeks!
Fast forward to Wednesday March 2. In the morning Char's and I ran a bunch of errands. Grocery shopping, stopping to buy some paint for a few projects, and on to the fabric store. I was just about done, we were looking at buttons when all of the sudden Char's saw someone coming in the door and took off running right under everyone's legs! I threw all of my stuff at the counter bumping into people as I try to dodge my way out to grab her! There was an older woman already 2 steps ahead of me (not too hard to out run a VERY PREGNANT woman)who got a hold of little Charlotte before I could, thank goodness, and handed her over to me. I was both embarrassed and frightened for what could have happened (the store is on a VERY, VERY busy street. The woman behind the counter was kind and pulled out a stool for me to sit on and catch my breath, I was sweating like a pig by now and someone else brought me a cup of water. The comment was made about having this episode start my labor. I laughed it off. Through out the rest of the day I felt fine. More of those contractions I had been having all week, but nothing unbearable.
The next morning I woke up around 8AM. Showered and changed the bed sheets, started a load of laundry and started feeling contractions a bit stronger, but told Gio to go to work. "If anything happens I will call you" I kept saying to him. "I am sure it will take all day for anything to really happen". I called my friend who was going to take Char's when we needed to go to the hospital, I told her that I was not sure when, but I was sure today was the day, she was already at work and just said to keep her posted. She could meet us at the hospital or come to our house.
About 20 minutes later I changed my mind about Gio leaving me and we called another friend to take Char's, I think we both realized we did not have much time.
I jumped back in the shower sitting on a stool working through contractions (maybe a bit in denial about how active my labor was) . Gio was gathering things around the house (my bag had been packed for a month ready to go), pillows, Char's bag, medical forms, ect... he kept telling me to get dressed so we could get out of the house. I was feeling the contractions REALLY strong now and could barley even find clothes to put on. We all loaded into the elevator and while on our way down I could smell Charlotte with a smelly diaper. I sent Gio out to get the car (as I could not imagine myself in full, active labor crossing the busy street we live on stopping every few min.s for a contraction)as I returned upstairs to get the wipes we forgot. (this was just about 10AM)
By the time I got down stairs I knew that getting to the hospital in time was going to be cutting it close, I was already feeling to push! Lito, our doorman was watching Char's while Gio ran to get the car, I think we scared him the most! While I was having another contraction and holding onto a door handle he kept saying "where is Giovanni"????
Into the car and down the street to drop Char's off, back on our way. contractions getting stronger and closer together, my water breaks in the car and traffic is ridiculous!I feel a little bit of relief, but start crying because Gio starts weaving into oncoming traffic as if we are in a movie, lights are out and there are policemen and women trying to direct traffic, Gio unrolls his window and in a mix of English and Italian yells that I am in active labor. We pull up to the hospital ER and leave the car with everything in it (maybe even the keys, who cared at this point). Gio finds a wheelchair and someone working at the hospital who gets me in front of the elevator that is supposed to take me up to labor and delivery on the 1st floor. While we waited for the LONGEST time for the elevator to arrive I kept having the pushing sensation, finally up to the right floor a nurse came out to see what is going on. She takes one look at me asks if this is my first baby and says she will be back after she is done doing whatever she is doing to check on me (I will never forget the look on her face, "i don't have time for you right now" look).
I got up from the wheelchair and made it into the lobby bathroom telling Gio that the baby was not waiting and he was coming NOW! He called for the nurse again and she came running out with two other nurses. They convinced me to sit back down in the wheelchair and wheeled me into a delivery room where more nurses and doctors came in. They moved me onto a delivery bed and with in minutes (at 10:30am)Isaac was born! What a rush! I was able to hold and cuddle him until Gio cut the cord and they took him for a bath and a few tests.
Gio of course had to go move the car and get my bag. I had some alone time with my new little boy. I looked at him with wonder, awe and much gratitude as I thought about the miracle of life. The little miracles that have occurred during the months that I carried him. Prayers that have been heard and comfort sent when it was needed. What honor it is to be a mother! To share in the creation of another little body and to have the privileged to help the spirits that dwell in those bodies to understand who they are and their full potential! What a glorious responsibility!
(Gio did not have much time to pull out the camera to get pictures, but here are a few shots of Isaac in the early hours of his life and meeting his big sister)!
