Zuri's Birth Story Part 2

A few hours from now little Zuri will be a week old! 

So let's pick up where we left off. Me being a crazy loud pregnant woman at the reception area of the hospital. 

A wheelchair was called in and off I was wheeled into the labor and delivery department. Once we got there I was asked to get changed into one of those very attractive hospital gowns that avails an unwelcome breeze on your bottom. Still feeling somewhat brave, I announced to the nurses that I wanted a natural delivery. I'm almost certain that neither one of them thought I'd be able to handle the pain. Who can blame them? And then for what seemed like forever, I was asked some crucial yet ridiculous "check-in" questions when you consider the fact that I was in active labor! And this my friends is why you should have children within wedlock. Your husband can be there to answer everything there is to know about you while you moan and groan through this life giving miraculous experience.

Talking about miracles. An angel of a nurse appeared. She was one of those pro natural birth people I'd read about in my extensive online research. Her voice was soft. Every time she spoke I felt like I was in a yoga retreat. She then taught dear husband how to do the same thing and his manly version of "breathe, breathe, nearly there, imagine you're somewhere calm and beautiful...you're doing so well, nearly there" was just downright hilarious. Maybe it was only funny to me as I knew how awkward he probably felt. Either way, they both helped to keep me calm and whenever dear husband forgot to call on his yogi voice, I'd yell something like "you gotta TALK ME THROUGH IT!!!". Please note that at this point I was still only 4cm dilated. 

As with Urijah's delivery, I had coached my husband into fully understanding my needs during labor. With Urijah, I made it very clear that an epidural was an absolute must and therefore the mission was to get to the hospital on time. With this delivery, I had made a huge mistake in asking him to talk me out of requesting an epidural, should I cave in the sight of pain. So that's what he did. I'd ask for an epidural and he'd remind me that I had told him to not allow me to get one. This back and forth regarding the epidural got old real quick as I no longer cared about my previous wishes for a natural delivery. And anyway, the nurses kept telling me that I couldn't get one until I progressed in dilation. ARGGH! I remember my frustration. Then it was suggested that we take a walk in the hallway to move things along. And so we did.

About 3mins into the walk my dinner landed on the floor. I was raced back into the room where I chose to take a very long shower - which was mostly me sitting on a chair and enjoying the hot water beating on my back. The pain was still there but somehow it felt well controlled by the power of water rushing down my body. After a while I wondered whether I should step out as I didn't want to completely waste the hospital water. Getting out was a good idea in theory...I guess the warm water made my brain soft as I landed on all fours, naked, dizzy and completely exhausted. At that point dear husband rushed in followed by a nurse. They escorted me to the bed where the doctor announced that I was 8-9cm dilated. This was an answer to a prayer! 

Things progressed fairly quickly from there. I was mute throughout the following moments as the intensity of my contractions were just unreal. Neither husband, nurses or doctor could get a word out of me. My heart was also in pain as it was announced that it was far too late for an epidural. They were able to give me some pain killer that took the edge off - that pain killer brought my voice back but didn't succeed in masking the physical pain. 

And then after a manic-elongated-drawn-from-the-depths-of-my-soul-like scream came our sweet little daughter. Dear husband was once again a champ at motivating me through the delivery. Almost like a coach motivating from the side lines with great enthusiasm and a huge smile. 

We had chosen to wait until delivery to find out the gender and neither one of us expected a girl. The doctor was so busy handling things that she forgot to announce whether the baby was a girl or boy. After she handed her to me I waited for a moment before asking "Well?". She absentmindedly peaked and said "oh, it's a girl" before going about her business of doing what doctors do. 

And that is how Zuri arrived.

The end:) rather, the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.