Most Popular on Facebook
Featured Contributors
Hot Topics In The Community
kathy
discussing:
Amazing story
please visit this link and read the story. www.gofundme.com/millers-fund
if your not inter...
Labor Day (The One that Ends with a Baby)
Saturday, September 01, 2012 by Jeannie Fleming-Gifford from Child Development
It's Labor Day! Of course, it's the perfect time to talk about labor and delivery. Oh yes, I know, Labor Day isn't really about labor and delivery of an infant (it's really a time to celebrate the economic contributions of working Americans). However, when you are expecting, the day when your body goes into labor and prepares for the birth of your little one is a bit more exciting!
Are you ready?
I had a good wait for my labor day. It was actually 11 days past my due date, which, when you are in the final days of pregnancy, seems like 11 years. I was also post one failed induction (short story: went into hospital, got hooked up with all type of monitors, was provided some medications and NOTHING...left the next morning to wait on my own body versus going through the processes of that day again).
The night my body kicked into labor I had just finished off a hot fudge sundae (bad idea) and was feeling similar to the time I had appendicitis. It was a "party" for most of the night as I sat in our living room, in a rocking chair, and timing contractions. At 4am I called the hospital who confirmed my diagnosis: "Yep, sounds like you are in labor. Stay at home and be comfortable as long as you can."
By 9am that day I was uncomfortable. We were off to the hospital! It was good timing as that day also brought one of the worst snowstorms of the year. Even family and friends were unable to make a visit during the next 24 hours due to the 2' of snow we received.
After stripping down and getting "comfortable" (there was no such "comfort" at this moment), I made my fashion statement in my hospital gown and began the journey that would continue for the next 11 hours that day. Following multiple checks (good-bye privacy, but don't worry, I'm pretty sure they've seen it all before), some Pitocin, 2 hours of pushing (= fail) and one c-section, my little girl entered the word 19 minutes before Valentine's Day. (Seriously, at this point, couldn't we all have waited it out; after all, a Valentine's birthday would have been much more exciting than the 13th?)
Was it the labor and delivery I had planned?
Was it the labor and delivery I had hoped for?
Absolutely not.
Did it all turn out okay?
Absolutely!
Wishing you and yours a happy Labor Day, no matter if you're ready to push or simply celebrating today with family and friends.
Jeannie Fleming-Gifford
Jeannie Fleming-Gifford is a mama to one little lady, freelance writer, and the director of education for a non-profit community school of the arts. Graduating with a B.A. in Music and a M.A. in Child Development, Jeannie began her career in quality child developme...Read More
