My Labor & Delivery Story

Once it was confirmed my water broke, that I was four centimeters, and how far apart my contractions were, I was moved to another room.  As I walked slowly to my room, I noticed a change in my body.  I could not stand up straight without my spine hurting.  I tried bending over in my room and squatting to get any type of relief.  This is when my birth plan started to go out the window.  The “plan” was to go completely natural with no epidural.  In order to do that, I needed to be able to walk!  We even brought my birthing ball to help me, but like I said, I could not straighten my back.  The nurses were asking me was my back hurting when the contractions came.  They wanted to determine if I was having back labor.  The answer was NO!  Even when I had no contractions, my back still hurt.  I felt the contractions only in my vagina, not my back.  As I was on all fours on the floor, I told my husband to get the epidural for me, I refused to be hunched over on the ground until delivery.  Like who wants to be on the dirty floor? Not I!  Gerald then asked me if I was sure for we had a discussion about if I asked and how he was to talk me out of it.  I explained to him that I did not want to stay on this floor, and how can I not have it, if I cannot walk.  Once the anesthesiologist came, he advised me that the epidural might not relieve the pain on my spine.  I had to try and see.  He stated he was only giving me a dose for my body type for he did not want me to NOT feel anything.  After I was given the epidural, I still felt my spine in pain.  I would try leaning on my side crunched over for relief, but it did no good.  That is when the nurses told me that Kaelin had turned over and his butt was pushing along my spine.  Throughout that pain, and with my contractions, I was still able to stay relaxed.  I had an amazing support system helping me.  I had my mommy, my mother-in-law and of course my husband in the room with me.  My dad would come in from time to time to check in on me as well.  I was surprised to see my dearest friend’s at the hospital so late at night waiting for Kaelin to arrive.  That really meant so much to me, especially when I seen T.J. who lives all the way in Los Angeles, and had work early the next morning.  Kaelin is so loved!  At about 10:30, I was told I dilated to a nine, and around 11:30 I was at a ten.  The nurses asked me if I wanted to try some practice pushes for they had a lady that was pushing for three hours, and they did not want the same for me.  Of course I said yes I would try!  I knew I was not that other lady, I was ready to meet my baby.  Terrell had came to check on me right before it was go time.  He told me to grind my teeth and push.  The same advise Tre’s auntie told her.  That advice let me know..I had to use that core of mine.

It was now time to push.  I had to wait for a contraction to come, take a deep breath, and push without letting the air out.  I had to push for ten slow seconds.  When I pushed with no air, I felt like I was going to pass out due to lack of oxygen.  My ten seconds, and the nurses ten seconds were off.  However, after two pushes, they were able to see the top of my baby’s head.  All I heard was “Look at all his hair.”  The nurses had me stop pushing, and went to go get the doctor.  I waited for about ten minutes.  I asked the nurses about three times if they could just deliver my son, but of course they would not do it.  Finally my doctor arrived, and I was ready to rock and roll.  While I was pushing, somehow the monitor came off and I could not hear Kaelin’s heart beating.  I asked them is he okay, and they fixed the monitor while assuring me he was okay.  Next thing I knew, I had to stop pushing.  For what?  I was not told.  Five minutes later, I was told to restart.  It is amazing how one can feel a  human coming out of your stomach.  I knew my baby was long when I felt like I pushed him all out, but his legs were still under my chest.  When he was all out, the relief my stomach felt was wonderful.  My son did not cry right away, and the nurses hurried him under the lights, instead of giving him straight to me as we planned.  That is when I became a tad worried, and as soon as he was under the light, he started to cry.  As I was looking at him from the side tears came to my eyes.  I found out Kaelin had a high stress level, so that is why they had to check him out right away before handing him to me.  While waiting, Gerald told me why the doctor had me stop pushing.  The umbilical cord was wrapped around Kaelin’s shoulders and doctor Easter had to hurry and cut it, for it was close to his neck.  While I waited to finally meet my son, I became I a tad jealous that my mom’s and husband all met him and I was not able to see him yet.  Once I finally was given my son, I instantly started balling.  It was one of the greatest feelings in my life!  The five-hour labor was worth it.  Gerald came to hug us as I cried holding our son.  Thank you God for this blessing!

I had my mom go get my dad since he had yet to know what sex I was having.  He came into the room with a huge smile and asked what I had.  No one replied, so I said his name is Kaelin.  My dad said. “A boy!”  We said yes!  I then asked my mom to get my brother and Terrell, Kaelin’s Godfather.  I wanted us all to spend time before the others came just incase they wanted to hold him.  I did not want everyone else to hold him just yet, but everyone came in so quickly, I was not able to ask them until everyone had already arrived.

Just about everyone special to us was there to meet Kaelin at birth.  His Nana, Grandma, and Papa were there.  His uncle Emmanuel, his Godfather, Megan, T.J, TaNisha, Linny, Teressa, Will and his great Grammy were all there to welcome him.  I thank you all for coming to welcome Kaelin at 12:14 in the morning!!!