Today is my first child's 7th birthday. I always feel a little weird on this day every year. It takes me back to the moment that I was about to become a mother. (a painful one at that?) She is the one who made me a mother. That is why I tell her she is special in her own little way because she is the one who made me a mother. That was the day I found out that I could love forever! The day I found out that my words could never express the way I truly feel about her! The day I found out that they don't come with instructions!! WHAT !!!! are you kidding! Then how am I supposed to know what to do with her. As we all know we have been in training our whole lives to become mothers. I did the best I knew how to do. She and I both survived!
The day 7 years ago: It was a snowy December day. Dec. 30th 1999. I had an appt with my midwife. I talked with her about me being sick and things I could do to feel better. I had "walking" pneumonia and a sinus infection. So I scheduled to have acupuncture and a massage later that day and evening. So I went in and had acupuncture and had immediate relief of my sinus'. I went home where Lonnie's mom had cooked him a birthday dinner of steak! YUM YUM. I then took a nap. I had not slept good for days, maybe weeks. I then woke up feeling good, but was having some contractions. I drove over with Lonnie's mom to get a massage. During the massage I had pretty steady contractions. To be exact I was having contractions about 5 minutes apart. I was totally in denial. I was like "NOOOO contractions hurt really really bad!. So I called my midwife and she said drink like a gallon of water and call me when you get home. Well Well Well...Lonnie's mom had to drive cuz I was having contractions too close together. We made it home in one piece!! I got in the bathtub to try and relax while Lonnie and his dad set up the Birth Pool. See I had planned a home birth. So at this point I had been in labor for about 3 hours. My midwife arrived around 8:30 or so. (It's been so long I don't remember). I labored in the birth pool and fell asleep in between contractions. Uh yes it was that relaxing. Then I was fully dilated and then my water broke. Which totally freaked my out because it broke from the top and it felt really weird. So this is were it gets freaky. My midwife checks me and says "Well you are fully ready to start pushing and the baby has turned "frank breech" and she is definitely a girl". (She had turned breech, frank breech (butt first with feet at ears) with all the coughing I was doing) We had to make a decision on to stay at home or transfer to the hospital. You see when a woman has a baby about to fall out of them it is very painful to kegel them in. Also, breech babies tend to have more problems getting started breathing because the way they come out doesn't allow the lungs to expel all the junk in them. I ultimately choose to transfer to the hospital. Which by the way was 30 minutes away. You know how drs are. He couldn't come the hospital that was 5 minutes away. Anyways ...... I get my short on and one of Lonnie's t-shirts and get in the back of my midwife's car. She was like do you want a coat. I was like Hell NO let's get there ASAP I'm holding a baby that wants to come out in!! So we get there and it really didn't seem to take that long. Way to drive Sheila!!!!! They start to prep me for a C-Section. You see, first time moms with breech babies is a 100% CS rate. But the Doc came in and said this baby is fine let's just push her out. EXCUSE ME Let's as in Everyone!! Hello! Knock Knock. He acted as if he had a baby shoved up his ass!! So anyway, I pushed a mere 4 times and there she was. Perfect and beautiful. I do have to admit I was sooooo exhausted from being sick and being in labor. By the way I never could breath through my nose during my whole labor. It was awful. So when they brought her to me, I was like "she doesn't look like what I thought" and then just laid there while the stitched me up. Lonnie and Sheila where like give her a kiss she is your little girl. Also, the first thing ever said about the way she looked was " look Gretchen she has your chin" Which is a family trait. You relatives you know just what I am talking about!
So there she was. So beautiful. She was born on her DADDY'S birthday. Weighing in at 7 lbs 2 oz 20 inches at 1:43 am on the last day of the millennium December 31, 1999. Her feet would spring back to her ears from being breech. BTY: I was the second first time mom at the hospital to have a Vag. frank breech birth. Also, I went on to have three successful home births, one of those unassisted, two of those water births. Check in in about a month and I will have another great birth story, Ashton's!
The day 7 years ago: It was a snowy December day. Dec. 30th 1999. I had an appt with my midwife. I talked with her about me being sick and things I could do to feel better. I had "walking" pneumonia and a sinus infection. So I scheduled to have acupuncture and a massage later that day and evening. So I went in and had acupuncture and had immediate relief of my sinus'. I went home where Lonnie's mom had cooked him a birthday dinner of steak! YUM YUM. I then took a nap. I had not slept good for days, maybe weeks. I then woke up feeling good, but was having some contractions. I drove over with Lonnie's mom to get a massage. During the massage I had pretty steady contractions. To be exact I was having contractions about 5 minutes apart. I was totally in denial. I was like "NOOOO contractions hurt really really bad!. So I called my midwife and she said drink like a gallon of water and call me when you get home. Well Well Well...Lonnie's mom had to drive cuz I was having contractions too close together. We made it home in one piece!! I got in the bathtub to try and relax while Lonnie and his dad set up the Birth Pool. See I had planned a home birth. So at this point I had been in labor for about 3 hours. My midwife arrived around 8:30 or so. (It's been so long I don't remember). I labored in the birth pool and fell asleep in between contractions. Uh yes it was that relaxing. Then I was fully dilated and then my water broke. Which totally freaked my out because it broke from the top and it felt really weird. So this is were it gets freaky. My midwife checks me and says "Well you are fully ready to start pushing and the baby has turned "frank breech" and she is definitely a girl". (She had turned breech, frank breech (butt first with feet at ears) with all the coughing I was doing) We had to make a decision on to stay at home or transfer to the hospital. You see when a woman has a baby about to fall out of them it is very painful to kegel them in. Also, breech babies tend to have more problems getting started breathing because the way they come out doesn't allow the lungs to expel all the junk in them. I ultimately choose to transfer to the hospital. Which by the way was 30 minutes away. You know how drs are. He couldn't come the hospital that was 5 minutes away. Anyways ...... I get my short on and one of Lonnie's t-shirts and get in the back of my midwife's car. She was like do you want a coat. I was like Hell NO let's get there ASAP I'm holding a baby that wants to come out in!! So we get there and it really didn't seem to take that long. Way to drive Sheila!!!!! They start to prep me for a C-Section. You see, first time moms with breech babies is a 100% CS rate. But the Doc came in and said this baby is fine let's just push her out. EXCUSE ME Let's as in Everyone!! Hello! Knock Knock. He acted as if he had a baby shoved up his ass!! So anyway, I pushed a mere 4 times and there she was. Perfect and beautiful. I do have to admit I was sooooo exhausted from being sick and being in labor. By the way I never could breath through my nose during my whole labor. It was awful. So when they brought her to me, I was like "she doesn't look like what I thought" and then just laid there while the stitched me up. Lonnie and Sheila where like give her a kiss she is your little girl. Also, the first thing ever said about the way she looked was " look Gretchen she has your chin" Which is a family trait. You relatives you know just what I am talking about!
So there she was. So beautiful. She was born on her DADDY'S birthday. Weighing in at 7 lbs 2 oz 20 inches at 1:43 am on the last day of the millennium December 31, 1999. Her feet would spring back to her ears from being breech. BTY: I was the second first time mom at the hospital to have a Vag. frank breech birth. Also, I went on to have three successful home births, one of those unassisted, two of those water births. Check in in about a month and I will have another great birth story, Ashton's!
We took the kids and one of Raegan's best friend to Stix, a Jap. Steak house. They had a great time.
Happy Birthday Raegan, I love you !
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