I must put this down on
paper screen so that I DO NOT forget. Another thing I must remember is that I can't compare this to my story. They are different as day and night and who needs to compare?
I was asked many months ago to take pictures of a new born girl after she was born. ME?! I can't imagine my pictures being worth anything-thats why I don't charge. I thought about it and decided I just couldn't give her what I feel she deserved. She could be happy with them, but I wouldn't want her "settling." There are photgraphers with hundreds of dollars worth of equipment while I have one that I got for Christmas from my dad 3 years ago! I don't alter my pictures in any computer program either. I have nifty little settings that I have to do manually on my camera before I take the picture and that's good enough for me. Instead I offered to take pictures of the birth! No I had never been to ANY birth but my own. Not even a cat- ours never live long enough to get pregnant. I was lucky because the week she was due Tommy could possibly be off the days AFTER her due date. It being her first I figured she would go over due. I was wrong! She was induced Saturday in St. George. I planned on Mesquite. Baby had different plans of course. She text me at 2:35 p.m. NV time and said she was at a 4. I told her to text me when she gets to be around a six. I figured that if she progressed to a six in 2 hours she was going a centimeter an hour. That being fast for a first time birth. I again was wrong. She text me half an hour later and was at a 6 1/2. I hoped in the car since I was in Overton doing a story about a BBQ event at Lin's for work. I cut it short and drove home. I then told Tommy that Megan was in labor and I planned to take pictures. I had never told Tommy the months before that I planned on trying to be there, well because......he would think I am weird. He thinks I do the strangest things-like taking pictures of a birth. Especially when I have to admitt I don't know-know Megan that well. He on the other hand knows Megans husband Kasey well and wouldn't even share the same cup if he had the choice. So when I told him he looked at me strange and said, "well I guess you won't be coming home tonight. That could take all night long." I said I doubt it, they way she is progressing. We kissed and off I left-a little stinky and sweaty from being outside. Pulling into St. George I asked how far she was and said that her dr hadn't came in yet. So I stopped at K-mart ( those are still around!) and picked up some lotion for my feet! Yes my feet! She text me then and said she was at an eight! It was 3:30. I went potty and paid. When I got there I told a quick story about my
AWESOME haircut. The dr. then checked her again and announced she was ready to push! It was 4:00 NV time. I had just made it! Let me just say-she had an epidural and couldn't feel a THING! What a concept! I was shocked at the possibility. I
hid placed myself behind her bed to give her privacy during her birth. That sentence is what I think the english language calls and oxymoron? Back there I was the furthest away. I made a mental checklist. Corner where I could puke if needed. CHECK. A landing where I wouldn't knock over any cords, plugs or bags if I were to pass out. CHECK. An obstuctive view, but not too obstuctive. CHECK. A wall where I could lean up against if I swooned a little. CHECK. In the end I thought I was going to pass out, the room was suddenly SO hot, and yes I did swoon a little. Had to lean back and take deep breaths. I was nervous. Megan pushed like a champ, man! I mean it. She was down to business. Later I found out that she too had no clue what the heck she was doing or how to do it. She had me fooled. Soon she started to feel the heaves coming on. I dropped my camera and turned my back while she threw-up. I was the closest to her (the dr. was closest to the baby) during the delivery-I plugged my ears and never even heard, saw, or smelt a thing. Who knows if she threw-up like a lady or drunken sailor. I was humming yankee doodle. Like I said- I wished to giver her the up-most privacy. I can't tell you what happened during that small time frame. It was over and she said she felt much better. Poor Megan. I started to feel sad for her having to go through this. The mother in me kicked in. I wanted to brush her hair and tell her how great she was doing. It would have fell on deaf ears, probably. So instead I childishly played with her hair. I love my hair to be played with. My mom did it to me growing up. Too bad I've been grown for years apperantly-cause no one has done that act since. And that's what I did from time to time as they positioned Megan from side to side to comfort Macey as she continued to drop her heart beat when her mom was placed on her back. She favored Megan's left side. She had started pushing at 4:00 NV time. An hour later after all the above, Macey was being helped by a pair of forecepts. She needed a gentle pull to help her past the pelvic bone. They were ony used during one push and then relinquished. Megan pushed Macey Lynn out at 5:09 NV time. The reason why I say this is because I had on a NV watch. This birth absolutly amazed me! Megan didn't grunt, scream, yell, swear, or sweat during the entire process. Nobody held her hand during the entire process, which I found to be absolutly BRAVE. All she needed was a couple hand squeezes from her main squeeze. The nurses were OUTSTANDING! And so was she.
From this experiance I have come to these 2 conclusions.
IF (that's a big IF) I ever have another baby I will have no help what so ever. Yes I will birth like a cave women in any position I please. No one will be stretching or pulling on my cervix. I will not have a nurse force down the baby with their hand on top of my belly. I will not have an epidural that might or might not work. OR I will have my babies via c-section. Yup from one exteme to the other. I have NEVER encouraged c-sections even though I was forced to have one with Estella's condition at birth. Viewing a birth has changed my view. Everyone should experiance a viewing of a human birth. Even young children, I feel. Life is amazing as well as the healing process.I feel that although both cases will cause great pain to me as the mother-I will not allow my baby to have to endure pain. They, I'm sure will have a lifetime to feel that later on.
