Google Website Translator Gadget

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

L is for Lamaze - Labor - and Lucy


Have you ever seen the I Love Lucy episode where Lucy gives birth to Little Ricky and Ricky, Fred and Ethel all run around in circles when it is time to go to the hospital even though they practiced many times? Add to this scenario that it is three days before Christmas. When I look back at my childbirth experience, 21 years ago this month, some of the situations seem quite comical.

My cousin Melanie was my Lamaze coach. She was already the mother of a beautiful little girl, Chelsea, so she knew how valuable Lamaze was to the birthing experience. We practiced breathing and relaxation techniques regularly with Chelsea on the floor next to us mimicking our every move. We were confident we had everything under control…or did we?

First, my due date was in late January. We would be able to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holidays and still have time to take down the decorations and prepare for my little bundle of joy. No one was expecting me to go early, especially since I had an ultrasound earlier in the week and the technician verified my due date. Around mid-week, I experienced a lot of back pressure but figured it was just false labor pains. Regardless, I called Melanie and put her on notice. Unfortunately, she was down with a stomach virus.

By Friday, Melanie and I were both feeling better. I worked my shift, went shopping for last minute Christmas gifts, and went out to eat with Melanie and Chelsea. After dinner, we went to the bowling alley where the male family members were bowling and the female members were laughing and having fun. Before long, my back started aching again, but this time I noticed a pattern of frequency…hmmm. Within maybe an hour, my water broke. Yep! My water broke at the bowling alley.

When I told my mother I was in labor, her response was…I’m not ready. I informed her she better get ready pretty quickly because the baby was in charge of this holiday party.

Once home, Melanie and I started timing contractions, breathing, and wrapping gifts (It was three days before Christmas after all). Every time I had a contraction, my mother would get tense and nervous. I don’t think she liked witnessing her little girl enduring labor pains, but do you know how hard it is to relax when someone is noticeably tense.

Several hours later, it was time to go to the hospital. As we set out for the hospital in the middle of the night, we experienced freezing cold; high winds, which caused a very bitter wind chill factor; and tons of snow on the ground. We set off in my younger brother’s coupe because it was already warm. Melanie helped my mother into the backseat behind the driver. My dad took the wheel as Melanie ran around the car and helped me into the front passenger seat. Hmm…problem…Melanie still wasn’t in the car. There was only one way in….she squueeeezed in between the front seat I was in and the door frame. A similar scene unfolded at the hospital.

Wouldn’t you think a labor and delivery nurse would be …oh I don’t know …tactful. Not my nurse. Noooo. The first thing out of her mouth was, Boy, you gotta a big one in there! Seriously? You’re going to tell a first time mother something like that? Where’s the nearest exit?

She didn’t know what she was talking about. On Saturday, December 23, 1989 at 8:53 AM, I was blessed with a 6 pound 15 ½ ounce baby boy. He was just an itty bitty.

Poor Melanie; she was sick all night with me in labor and delivery while suffering from a return bout of a stomach virus. She ended up going to the doctor with me for Jordan’s first doctor’s visit a week later. Turns out the stomach virus that was plaguing her wasn’t a stomach virus at all; it was morning sickness. Nine months later Landry was born.


Please visit Jenny Matlocks' Alphabe-Thursday to read more L essays.


26 comments:

  1. Cute story La! I think all of us can find some humor in our labors...they say you don't remember the pain of it...only the happy outcome!~Hugs, Patti

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great birth story! At least it's not a boring story to tell. And the guys at the bowling alley were probably thrilled about your water breaking there. So what happened to your little peanut of a guy? It looks like you've fed him well throughout the years.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very funny labor story! I love it that your mom "wasn't ready!" Also loved it that your cousin 'thought she was sick with the stomach flu!" This is a fun story to tell and to read! Joni

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a fun story...well, not for you guys, but I laughed out loud when you wrote Melanie's stomach virus was she was pregnant. Have a fun day. You made mine....lol....

    ReplyDelete
  5. Hi La!
    LOL--loved your "L" story!
    I returned this week from a trip to Colorado to celebrate my grandson's second birthday...he was born 9 days after his due date and we were all so anxious for him to be born...and thankfully he arrived without complications.
    ♥ Pat

    ReplyDelete
  6. Lori: It was so fun reading and re-living your birth experience. I laughed then got teary eyed as you gave birth to Jordan. It doesn't seem like 21 yrs and then almost exactly 9 months later Melanie gave birth to Landry. 2 great nephews I have & love them so much. Auntie Mare

    ReplyDelete
  7. Omg that was a beautiful and happy ending lol I loved how it turned out . Thanks for sharing your labour story . I posted my labour and delivery but it wasn't as fun as yours !

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great story, and December babies are always the talk of the town..I had in Dec. also.

    ReplyDelete
  9. GREAT birth story! I love that gifts were still being wrapped in the midst of your early labor.

    And that episode of Lucy has to be one of my very favorites..."The time has come!" haha

    ReplyDelete
  10. Cute story! I'm chuckling over Melanie's stomach virus :-)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I'm you did not post photos of the birth, thanks for that. and a fun a tale to tell your kid

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a story!! And these are moments we never forget, huh? and that darn stomach flu, surprises us every time!! happy Holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a great story. It's a good thing those babies know when they are ready.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I love that the baby was made in charge of the Christmas party. What a wonderful Christmas gift.

    My L post will be up tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Great story. Tell your son Happy Birthday. Hope you have a great Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  16. That is a great story. My nephew was born a week before Thanksgiving leaving his mom just enough time to make him home for our Thanksgiving feast. Babies are blessings any time of year, but Christmas babies just seem special.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What fun, of course why you were telling your story I was thinking of my experience, water broke in a restaurant elevator, I had just finished a big Mexican dinner and had the stomach virus (Vomiting) during my whole labor.

    Happy birthday to your little boy!

    Carol

    ReplyDelete
  18. I went into labor during a birthday party for my two-year old daughter! She and her brother share the same birthday! How's that for timing?

    ReplyDelete
  19. What a sweet story! I have a dear friend who is due anytime and I am sending her this link to cheer her up...

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a tremendous story! I love that your labor coach was pregnant, too.
    By the way, your story parallels the one of my first birth. Due in early December, born in late October...broken water...the whole shebang.

    What a way to begin, eh?

    =)

    ReplyDelete
  21. How come these types of stories happen to us? Must be our pleasant personalities! Or luck! Or just because..... Glad you had the support of all those people while out and about! Just too cute a story about your "big baby." hugs, Sue

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wonderful labor story.

    I'm still chuckling over "you've got a big one in there".

    It's funny how time leaves the humor and helps us forget the pain.

    I guess if it didn't work that way no-one would have more than one child - ha!

    Thanks for the fun stop on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "L".

    This was great.

    A+

    ReplyDelete
  23. ah yes...baby birth stories are never boring, and always a bit different. :)
    Thanks for sharing yours!
    Susan

    ReplyDelete

Hi! Thanks for stopping by my blog. Please feel free to leave a comment. I read every message and appreciate that you took the time to say hello.

See you soon! La