This is part of the Stream of Consciousness prompt I’m taking part in by way of the Love Is In Da Blog challenge. I have to write what comes to mind without with as little editing as possible (I just fix obvious typos from my fingers hitting the keys too fast). This is what flooded my mind with the prompt “contraction”.
Contraction? It wasn’t clear when I first woke up, in a daze. Within moments it was evident;
contractions is what woke me from my heavily pregnant, heartburn filled, propped up with 6 pillows to sleep sitting up, don’t lay on the wrong side, hate that I can’t sleep on my stomach sleep. It was 11:30 at night and little did I know that within the next 8 hours, I’d be holding my little girl.
The pain was excruciating and lasted for yours. The contractions would come and go so I didn’t want to get myself too excited just to go on like any other day. 3 and a half hours later, it was clear that these were contractions and no Braxton Hicks. You’d think I would have known sooner this being my second delivery, but things were so different between the two pregnancies.
I wanted a home birth this time around, but it didn’t work out. I sat in the hospital for hours in pain, the nurse was ready to send me back home because my progression wasn’t textbook enough for her liking. I wouldn’t have gone further than the lobby had they discharged me because I knew I was in active labor. The contractions were strong even though they were farther apart than she would have liked. I wondered if she was a mom because she wasn’t very sympathetic or understanding. She was very judgmental and condescending. I decided she had never had contractions, she only knew what it was like to see them mapped out on a screen. She must have taken my agony as a Grammy winning performance. I couldn’t understand at the time why the contractions hurt so badly if according to her they weren’t active labor contractions.
Finally I had progressed enough to be admitted into labor and delivery. I’m glad that I listened to my body because in the two minutes between my last check and when the L&D nurse came to get me, I was moments away from having the baby. By the time I got upstairs it all made sense. Within an hour of the nurse wanting to discharge me, I was holding the baby. So while the contractions weren’t close enough or long enough for her liking, they were strong enough to do what they were meant to. I wanted a natural home water birth, I didn’t have the home or the water part but I did get the natural. Even though I begged for drugs, it was too late. I had progressed too much and they wouldn’t have time to kick in. So I was left with no choice but for the contractions to kick me in. My doctor didn’t make it and the doctor on call just barely did.
As excruciating as the pain was, radiating my body in waves, momentarily paralyzing me, having me assume the fetal position, sucking the air out of me, starting from the very core of my body and the unrelenting back ache. These were some strong sons of contractions. They weren’t playing around. They had a job to do and they were kicking butt and taking names. I don’t have a high pain tolerance as it is but this was the worst pain I’d felt. No breathing, humming, or pressure points relieved it. Yet I wouldn’t hesitate to do it again. I was walking, and pain free after that delivery and didn’t take so much as an Ibuprofen afterwards. I wasn’t groggy, or drowsy, I had no side effects because I hadn’t taken anything. I was clear of mind and my emotions were running high. The contractions my have beat me at first, but in the end, I won. Take that contractions!
Good job! I would have a hard time not gloating. I bet that nurse learned something.
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Excellent writing! Every birth is unique. I lived up in the mountains at the time of my daughters birth. The day before her due date, I felt that something was wrong. She wasn’t in the right position anymore. I went in to the hospital, to be greeted by a less than sympathetic nurse (rings a bell..) she spent 5 min with me and sent me home. My doctor wasn’t working until the next day, and she recommended that I came back when she started her shift. I went back home. Contractions were strong and 7 min apart. The next morning they were 2min apart. I went back. On the way there my water broke, and my girl wanted OUT. When I finally came to the hospital, the longest trip ever, she was starting to come out with one foot. We had an emergency C-section.
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No one knows your body like you. Text book or not, it’s never the same twice… I’m glad you were in tune with your body and tour beautiful baby girl knew what she needed to do
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The problem with textbooks for anything other than computers and machines is that the human body doesn’t know that it is supposed to act a certain way. Every one is different! it must be tricky for healthcare professionals who haven’t been pregnant to remember this, and also difficult for people under their care to stand up to them when they are in the middle of a life-changing event, be it something as wonderful as impending motherhood, or something less positive. I’m glad it turned out well in the end for you!
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I agree. Honestly a little sympathy would have gone a long way but I understand she sees pregnant women everyday at the end of the day it’s not an exact science.
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It is amazing what we and our bodies can endure. I am glad all went well for you!
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Thanks Bee!
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Great writing skills!
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Thank you 🙂
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Wonderful writing Niki. And at the end you held a beautiful baby girl. All of us mothers know what you went through. My first was a 24 hour caesarean section and my second, whilst not as long, also had to be a c-section. Ah the joys.
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Thank you Miriam. Yes there’s some things that just can’t be taught, you just know 🙂 While not ideal, I know it was worth it with those two wonderful loves you have 🙂
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Most definitely.
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Powerful writing, Niki.. wow! After reading all of these birthing stories, I am sure I made the right choice not to have babies.. Kudos to you moms! I wonder, like you did, if that nurse ever had children. What a twat she was to you!
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Thank you Lori, so kind of you to say. It’s not for everyone, I’m glad that you are so confident in your decision. She was very unpleasant. I’m glad I was already working on myself, trying to be the best person I could, and all. The person I was a year before would have gone off on her, especially in the state I was in, pain on level 20 of 10, hormones and adrenaline raging. Took quite the restraint not to give her a very articulate piece of my mind, but I’m glad I didn’t.
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My pleasure, Niki… you did great with all of that pain 🙂
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