Friday, October 31, 2008

And Finally the Conclusion

Thank you Ina May Gaskin for including the Sphincter Law in your Guide to Childbirth because it was this that I thought of at this moment and which probably saved me a lot of pain. (yeah – that part I edited.)

“The baby is coming.” I calmly shared with my panic-stricken EMT.

“We’ll be at the hospital soon. Just hold on. Don’t push.” He said.

Yeah right. Again if you have given birth vaginally, especially naturally, you will identify this statement as ludicrous because the human body cannot control the natural mechanism known as ejection reflex. I did not even really understand it yet although I was about to.

Another contraction hit as they lifted me into the ambulance and the baby began to crown. Again I told them the baby was coming and again they said to hold on. I think my next thought was something helpful like “Idiots.” I hope I only though that…

The doors to the ambulance closed and they made Steve get in the passengers seat. Suddenly I felt the strangest and most wonderful sensation I have ever felt. It was like all the power in the universe was being pulled into a swirling ball at the top of my belly. Time slowed down to a crawl… sound was muffled and soft like coming from a far distance… the sun had not risen over the trees just yet so the light was still soft. No sooner had I noticed all this when time sped up suddenly and I managed to get out “He’s coming!” (Remember, I was having a boy because I said so.)

They put the ambulance in drive.

Whoosh!

“He’s here!”

Slam the ambulance back in park.

“What?!” came from four mouths and directions.

Yes, in one contraction my baby was born. No pushing. No head first, then shoulders, etc.

It was 7:10am. Just over 2 ½ hours from when I was sure I was in labor.

I could not get the seat belts off fast enough as I pulled at the sheets. One EMT grabbed my baby and told us we had a girl.

What?! Lemme see that.

He began to towel her off really roughly. I kept fighting my clothes and the stupid gurney and sheets and telling him to give her to me. I knew getting her skin to skin was the best way to calm and warm her but he wouldn’t give her to me. Jerk.

Finally he handed her to me. At this time my mom and son’s sweet face popped up in the windows of the ambulance and I yelled “It’s a girl!” Steve is still in the passenger seat, twisting around trying to see his daughter.

Eventually we hit the road. As we turned onto the highway heading west to the hospital, I could see the sunrise just over the eastern horizon. It was so beautiful.

Once at the hospital we were both checked out and fine.

It is interesting to my how this, my quickest labor and easiest birth, when typed out is my longest birth story. Someday I will post my other stories. Right now my fingers are tired and I have a big girl I need to go love on and cuddle with while she is still small enough to let me!

2 comments:

Nancye said...

Thanks for writing that out! I really enjoyed it (like a good novel). It's a great story. I was wondering about the details after people were referencing your birth story at B's shower the other day. Now I know. Cool!

Tiffani said...

This is one experience I'm glad to just have vicariously through you. The story is great.. I can picture it all and that's enough. I can't imagine that! Although pushing just once would be okay.