My Story

This whole pregnancy, labor, delivery, and recovery has been easier than I imagined. I feel blessed.

On Tuesday, our 3rd anniversary, my school choir went to perform at Abravenal Hall. The other teachers and I joked that I just had to make it through the performance, then I could go to the hospital. Throughout the night, I imagined getting up on the stage and having my water break, having strong contractions, or something dreadfully embarrassing. Thankfully, the evening passed uneventfully. We got home around 10:30, had a little anniversary celebration, and went to bed.

Then, at 3 am, I woke up. I had a strong feeling that I was going into labor. I had some contractions that made me feel sick to my stomach, and I got onto the computer to do lesson plans for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. They were, by far, the least organized plans I have ever done. I didn't have any of my teacher manuals with me. Oh well. So, at around 7:30, Brian and I drove to school to take the plans and to prepare a few things for my class. My contractions had settled down a little, but I still had one here and there.

As we left school, I was a mess. I didn't feel ready to leave my students, and I kept seeing other teachers who just thought I decided to be done teaching because I wanted to. I was crying and worried, and an overall mess.

We went to the hospital, and Brian took me up to my doctor's office. I had planned on checking into labor and delivery, but Brian thought it would be better just to talk to my doctor first. What a smart, calm husband I have! The nurse checked me and said that I wasn't in labor and that I should go home.

I cried on the way home. But, I realized that I would be able to go back to school and finish preparing some things that hadn't been done. This helped me feel better. Brian also gave me a blessing that helped me calm down and helped my mind to focus. I felt renewed and strengthened.

Brian and I both went back to work. I let my substitute keep teaching while I worked on some neglected tasks. Then, I spent the last hour and a half with my class. I am so grateful for this last time. It helped me be prepared emotionally to be gone from them. After school, I kept working for a little while. I felt contractions throughout the day, but they were weak and maybe once an hour--nothing to be concerned about. At 4:10, I had one strong contraction that made me decide to go home and rest. So I finished up a few more things. By 4:30, I was having contractions about every 5 minutes and I finally got out the door.

Driving home was interesting. I am glad for my lamaze class. I got home and lay in bed, and the contractions were getting stronger and closer together. Brian got home at about 6 or 6:15, and we were in the car by 6:30.

We went straight to the labor and delivery unit this time. They made me sign all these papers. I felt like telling them, "I am having CONTRACTIONS and they HURT! Don't make me tell you what my phone number is! I don't know what this part about the pediatrician means! Can't you see I'm shaking?!" Finally, they let us go to a triage room, where I had to put on this gown that had all these snaps and ties. I couldn't figure it out and I was freezing and shaking. The nurse came back and hooked me up to fetal monitors. She also brought a warm blanket. That helped me relax quite a bit, but I was still shaking.

She said that I had to wait an hour before they would check me again so that they knew I was really in labor. Brian read to me and helped me relax during the contractions, which were shorter but just as intense. Then the nurse came back and said that an epidural would help my labor move more quickly. I was so tense that it was working against the contractions. I hadn't planned on getting an epidural so soon, but I'm so glad I did. I immediately stopped shaking and was able to relax. This was all around 7:45 or 8:00.

For the next 6 hours, Brian and I dozed in and out of sleep. At midnight, I had only dilated to 4 cm, but by 1:30, I was at 9 cm. I pushed for just under and hour, and our sweet Camden was born at 2:56 am!

After he was born, I started shaking again. I couldn't stop. It was terrible. Brian had to take the baby because I was just shaking so hard. After a long time, the nurse put Camden back in my arms, and my shaking stopped immediately. It was like a miracle to me.

Well, I could go on and on about the hospital (I had wonderful nurses the whole time.), but I just want to say how blessed I am to have my sweet husband and our new little Camden. Heavenly Father has truly blessed me, and I want to do all I can to take care of all He has given me.