Parenthood

I really wanted to write about the delivery of my new baby because I think it is something that I'm never going to get tired telling people.

I'm going to begin by saying that I never thought that something like that could happen to me. First of all, it was a surprise because my first baby took me 28 hours to deliver. My due date was on September 10th and the day before I went to an appointment at the obstetrician. I remember her telling me that the baby was super down and it was very likely that the baby could arrive by the weekend. But at that point I wasn't feeling anything. On the same day, we went for dinner to celebrate our friend's birthday and I also remember telling my husband that I wasn't sure if it was okay going so far from our home since I had watched a video where a woman had her baby in her car. We thought no, that can't happen to us. The next day, I woke up at 4:55 a.m. with mild cramps, and I asked my husband if he was sleeping. He answered, "Yes, I was."

I told him that I was starting to feel something but it was nothing to worry about, so I got up and I took a bath and I even was in the mood to put on make up and straighten my hair. By 6:30 a.m. I was feeling stronger contractions, but I said that I didn't want to go to the hospital so soon because I didn't want them to tell me that I wasn't close, so I preferred to stay at home. Then my husband called our friend to pick up my oldest daughter. At 7 a.m. I started to feel a really strong pain and with the urge to push with every contraction. I was confused because I never felt that way with Gaby, my oldest daughter. This time it was so different because I was without any medication.

My husband asked me if it was time to go, but I told him to wait for our friend. In the meantime, my husband was getting Gaby ready and I asked him to keep her away from me because I didn't want her to see me like that. The time passed, the pain was getting worse, and I couldn't help pushing. My body was doing it itself. At 7:58 a.m. I pushed so hard that my water broke and after that the contractions didn't let me get up. My Gaby was beside me rubbing my arm without saying anything, just staring at me. When my friend arrived I was lying down on my couch and she told me to get up and walk, but I told her that I wasn't able to do it. She held my hand while my husband and hers were putting Gaby's car seat in their car. By the time they came back my friend told my husband, "We need to call an ambulance right now", but my husband said no, because it was going to take longer to get to the hospital. Right after, I asked my friend and my husband to take off my pants and change my disposal diaper because I thought I pooped. When they were taking my pants off I said, "Help, help, I think I'm going to have the baby NOW!" and it was then they saw the baby's head.

My husband freaked out. I pushed two more times and the baby was out. I felt such a relief, but she wasn't breathing because she had her umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. Thank God my friend had clarity in her head and unwrapped the cord. Right after my baby was breathing and crying. All I could think of at that moment was how grateful and blessed I felt.

My husband called the ambulance in the middle of the chaos and his stress. The paramedics came 11 minutes after and helped us to cut the umbilical cord and took us to the hospital. I delivered my placenta when I got to the hospital. The doctor said, "I heard that you did my job". Everybody was amazed to hear what had happened and in such a short period of time.

Thank God my baby and I were perfectly fine. After 24 hours, we were home safe and sound with a story to tell for life and a proud husband saying that he had the blessing to help deliver his own daughter.