Raven’s Birth

by Rain, USA

It was midafternoon on the 19th of March, 2003. I started feeling contractions after having sex. I figured they would probably peter out, after all I had walked all over hill and dale the night before and they had petered out then. So I sat on the couch and read.

A couple hours later I realized the contractions were still there and a little more noticeable, I decided to call L&D, they advised I take a nice long hot shower and then wait another hour and let them know what was up. So after a very relaxing enjoyable shower I sat back down to read my book. No change, they were still coming.

So we load into the truck and head for the hospital. As soon as we park the truck the contractions stop. Hmmm. Well since we were already there I figured I might as well get checked. Imagine my surprise when they told me I was dilated to a 5! So in goes the IV for the GBS antibiotics, by far the most painful part of the whole experience!

Then I am sent to my room where I await the arrival of the support forces, my brother, sister in law, and mother. A nurse comes in and suggests I lay down and rest… Are you kidding me? That amped my contractions up from tolerable to WAY painful, I’ll just sit thanks, so she transforms the bed into a very large chair and this is where I sit as my bro and sis come in.

First thing out of bro’s mouth, after assuming catcher-with-mitt position, “ok throw a strike!” So starts the laughing…. as we wander the halls every time I stop at the peak of a contraction I here “don’t drop anything” and other amusing comments. I am kept literally in stiches my whole labor. If I could offer advice to anyone it would be to LAUGH during labor.

My mom arrived and advised me transition would be the hardest to bear, and that she would clear the room for me so I could focus. She went on and on about how tough transition would be and how I needed to prepare. Well around 3 am or so the Midwife checked me and my mom asked how close I was to transition, the midwife advised her I was way past transition and then broke my water.

So I am placed on the birth ball, my bro and sis come back in and its back to laughing it up! After a while the midwife looks at me and asks, are you sure you don’t want an epidural or something? Umm, No thanks…??

SO shortly after I advise the midwife that I feel “pushy” and she tells me to get on the table, she doesn’t even check just says go for it, and I start pushing, my brother, bless his heart starts coaching and counting for me, and he stays by my head so he wont see anything, and low and behold in the middle of one real good push we here “LOOK HERE” and both look up to see a mirror with a full view of everything, if I was disconcerted you have to wonder at what my poor brother was feeling!

I am told by my sis in law that at one point I made such a deep load noise that was so crazy she went weak in the knees and had to sit down to keep from passing out and dropping her camera! 😉 Anywho after 15 min of pushing Raven Moon was brought into the world! Thanks to laughter, the BEST medicine!