A Labor Day Birth

     The year was 2002 and the world had changed since my last child was born 2 year prior.  There was a terrorist attack on American soil 5 months before I got the news that we were expecting our fourth child.  I was two weeks shy of turning 25.  American's were still glued to their tv sets learning more about why we were attacked and hearing about anthrax cases sweeping across the nation wondering what will happen next. The America we knew had changed in a moment's notice. America will never be the same again.  Our children will grow up in a different world from what we were used to as kids. 

     We lived in Allegan, Michigan.  Besides what was going on in the world we were doing good.  Brian was driving for Sara Lee Bakery and was home every night.  We were just starting to debate on buying our first truck and becoming an owner operator.  I was attending college part time at Kalamazoo Valley Communtiy College and our oldest was in Kindergarten.  Life was good and we were thrilled when we found out we were expecting another baby. 

     I was a part of a mom's playgroup that met once a week.  We averaged about 7 to 10 moms.  We would meet at different homes or at a park.  Sometimes we would have field trips to a pumpkin patch or the local fire house.  It was nice mingling with other stay at home mom's and talking about issues of raising children.  My doctor's wife, who has a young child, also joined in on our group.  She really is a sweet lady.  There were times when we would talk about mistakes doctors make or how awful the delivery went of a baby.  I would look over at her and smile and say in jest, "I can't say anything bad about my doctor.  If I did his wife would clobber me."   She took it with humor and really her husband was a fantastic doctor.  They were active in church, their older children attended the same christian school my son was attending and they were very pro-family.  But it did have its awkard moments.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I didn't like talking about it at playgroup.  I was uncomfortable talking about my appointments with his wife right there.  I would think in the back of my mind, her husband has seen me where the sun doesn't shine and she KNOWS it.  It was all for medical purposes but it still made it awkward.  She was a registered nurse before being a stay at home mom so she was all ready to question how I was doing physically and when I was overdue if I was dilating yet.  I hated to answer her.

      At college I was just taking general classes.  One class was Children's Literature.  I felt like the people in class never seen a pregnant woman before.  It was a summer class which ended a week before my due date of August 21.  I was certainly showing in that class.  Some of the younger girls even would ask to rub my belly and some wanted to feel the baby kick.  I let them.  They thought it was neat to feel the kicking but generally I do not like to be touched by people I don't know.  I was certainly outside my comfort zone. 

     We decided to let Brian name this baby.  We didn't have an ultrasound as the doctor didn't seen a need in one.  For a boy Brian picked out the name James Reagan.  James because it is the most used name for the presidents of the United States.  There is James Madison, James Monroe, James Polk, James Buchanan, James Garfield and Jimmy Carter. The middle name Reagan was after our 40th president, Ronald Reagan.  I thought the reasons of the name were ridiculous but he picked out the name so I went with it.  He couldn't think of a girls name at all.  I couldn't either.  Brian said not to worry about it because he knew this one was going to be a boy. 

     Like my other children my due date came and went.  Time just ticked away laughing at me as I wait and wait for labor to begin.

     It was August 31, 2002.  Labor Day weekend came upon us.  My Aunt and Uncle came from Tulsa, Ok. to Michigan a year before and we decided to all get together, along with my mom, her husband, and my sister and her husband and children for a picnic at Little John Lake in Allegan.  The weather was beautiful.  We went swimming and the kids played on the playground equipment.  I even was swinging on the swings feeling the freedom of the wind in my face flying back and forth.  I was feeling good and having fun.  Labor at this point was the farthest thing from my mind.

     That night the excitment took a toll on me and I was exhausted.  I retired to bed a little earlier than normal.  Brian stayed awake watching tv.  About 3:30am I woke up from a deep sleep doing Lamaze style breathing.   Woo woo woo wooooo!  Woo woo woo woooo!  Woo woo woo woooo?   It took me a moment to realize what I was doing.  I had to think why I was breathing like that.  The answer to my question quickly arrived.  A heavy contraction shot around myself.  Fear quickly came upon me.  I let it pass.  I stood up and took a few steps to our bedroom door.  Another contraction.  I stopped to let it pass.  I looked at the stairs.  Can I make it down the stairs?  I called for Brian quietly as our three children were fast asleep in the room next to our room.  He couldn't hear me.  I had another contraction at the top of the stairs.  As soon as that contraction passed I dashed down the stairs.  Another contraction hit and I braced myself on the door to the stairway.  I managed to make it to the livingroom and found Brian just dozing off.  "BRIAN!  It's time!"

     He looks at me dazed and confused, "Time for what?"

     "I am in labor!  We need to call your mom and get to the hospital."

     "I was just falling asleep."  he said very sleepy.

     "Well it looks like you are about to pull an all-nighter."  I headed for the phone.

     We call Brian's mom to come keep an eye on the kids.  I called my mom to come from Grand Rapids to meet us at the hospital.  I wanted her to be there for the birth.  In all the commotion Beth woke up.  She caught me having a contraction and got scared and started to cry.  I, then, started to cry.  I quickly pulled myself together and told her a new sibiling was on its way and Grandma was coming over.

     We made it to Allegan General Hospital.  My doctor was moving to a new house that weekend.  I joked with him saying that I bet he was glad I pulled him away from the house so he doesn't have to move boxes today.  He laughed and said if everything goes right he would be back home in a few hours working on it.

     My mom and my sister showed up in time.  Labor wasn't too bad and I got my dose of stadol to take the edge out of the pain.  I was the only one on the delivery room floor that early morning.  At 7:43am on September 1, 2002 a new baby entered the world.  We were overly thrilled that it was a boy.  We still didn't have a girls name picked out.  The doctor hands James to Brian.  Brian looks down at James and says, "He looks just like a little bear cub."  Then his nicknamed formed - Cubby and it is still his nickname to this day.

     Right after James was delivered another mom-to-be came in.  The nurses told me they had to do an emergency c-section on this mom and they will be right back to assist me.  I told them I understood and no problem.  Brian left shortly to get back with our other children and my mom and sister left to head back to Grand Rapids.  It was just James and I.  I was told, from past deliveries, that when I first stand up they want the nurses there in case I get dizzy and fall or other medical reasons.  So I sat there - in the same sheets I gave birth in.   James was getting heavy in my arms.  I was getting very tired of sitting too, not to mention I wanted clean sheets.

     A few hours pass.  I thought about using the call nurse button but I didn't want to disturb them in case they were still helping that other mom.  I lay James between my legs and stretch way over to pull the hospital bassinet closer to me.  I placed James in there.  He was sleeping and happy.  I needed to use the bathroom.  I look over at the bathroom door.  I was sure I could walk over to it.  I stood up.  I stayed up.  All is good.  I didn't want to leave James in the room all by himself so I wheeled him in with me.  I came out of the bathroom and looked around.  It was nice standing up.  Still no nurse to come and check up on me.  I look through some of the cupboards in the room.  One cupboard had clean sheets in it.  Praise Jesus.  I took off the old bedding and made up the bed.  At least I didn't feel so totally gross anymore.  It wasn't until several hours later (and past lunch hour) that finally a nurse came to check on me.  In my passive aggressive sort of way I showed her the soiled sheets and told her I wasn't sure where to put them.  A look of shock came across her face.  She looked at my chart.  "Wasn't there anyone who came in here earlier?"

     "No" I said in a matter of fact tone.  I think she realized that they didn't even come in to check vitals or anything.  She apologized and said they were all sitting in the nurses station watching tv.  Somehow I didn't feel much better hearing that.

     The next day we were giving the all clear to go home and I was so glad to do so. When I talked about his birth at the playgroup my doctor's wife was upset that the nurses slacked off.  She said it was probably because of the Labor Day weekend and many of them probably didn't want to be there.  She said I should send in a letter of complaint.  I told her I wouldn't.  It was done and other with and no harm was done.  She said she would talk with her husband about it so he can talk with those working there that weekend.   Being in the hospital room I felt like a hampster in a cage.  No where to go to except from wall to wall.  James was my last hospital birth.

"Cubby" James Reagan (2 months old)

    

She Entered This World On TV

     The year was 1997.  Life was going great.  Our only child, Christian, was between 10 and 11 weeks old.  Summer was in full swing and we were enjoying being parents.  We thought our lives were complete. 

     I came down with a severe sore throat combined with the flu.  I couldn't function.  I didn't want what ever was ailing me to pass down to my son.  With Brian working long hours it was hard to take on the mom role when I couldn't take care of myself.  I took a trip to the hospital to see if they can figure out what was wrong with me.  They asked if I was pregnant and I told them no.  The doctor said he would still test for that among other things that could be making me oosie.  Negitive results for pregnancy but positive for strep throat.  After a quick prescription I was quickly back on my way home. 

     A week goes by and I feel somewhat better.  I wasn't totally 100% but I could function.  I remember I was in the process of browning up hamburger when a familar smell loomed in the air.  I recalled that smell when I was pregnant with Christian.  It was the horrid smell of browning hamburger when I was pregnant.  My stomach started to do loops and twirls.  I could picture a light bulb flashing on above my head, I AM PREGNANT!  I thought back to the week prior when I took the hospital test for pregnancy and it came up negitive.  I kept telling myself that my nose was playing tricks on me.  It had to be something else.  As I was debating with myself my stomach told me that it was time for the mad dash to the toilet.  I think my body just confirmed what my brain was denying.  Shortly thereafter I went to the store for a home test.  I passed with flying colors.  It is now confirmed.  Christian was going to have a sibiling.

Christian was 11 months old and I was 8 months pregnant.

 

     This time I wanted to be ready for this labor.  I knew what to expect but I just wanted to better prepare my body for it.  We took a lamaze class.  It really did help me learn how to breath with contractions, the different stages of labor and delivery and how to make it a more pleasurable experience.  My body is going to do what it is going to do but anything to help it along, to me, is a benefit.  Our due date was set for May 11, close to 2 weeks after Christian's birthday.  We had an ultrasound to see if we were having another son or a daughter.  With Christian we never had an ultrasound so this was something special to see.  The tiny little butterfly heartbeat and the outline of the head was so facinating to watch.  I could just lay there all day and watch the screen and feel the movements inside of me.  When it came time to finding out the sex of the baby we couldn't do it.  Not that we didn't want to know but the legs were crossed in a way that the lady running the ultrasound machine couldn't tell.  I wanted a girl so bad that I told everyone that she is just a modest female.

     One main concern I had with my doctor was Brian working long hours and the trip to the hospital was an hours drive away.  There was a country hospital near by but I was still new to country living and I needed the city for comfort.  I wanted to go to a place that knew what was going on.   The doctor informed me that generally the second labors are quicker than the first one and he was worried too.  We both didn't want to have this baby at the Wayland exit.  He decided that it would be easier to induce.  The doctor told me he would check his schedule and possiblythe following week we would induce.  He would call and let me know.

     I was on pins and needles all week.  I kept the phone lines open waiting for the doctors call.  Nothing came.  I guess we don't induce.  Sunday night about 11pm the phone rings.  It was the doctor.  He apologizes for the late call but remember that he forgot to call me.  He wanted me to induce me that next morning and if that would still be okay.  I was numb.  The next evening I could be holding my new baby.  I told him that would be fine and we would see him there.  I dash back to the bedroom to wake Brian up.  He was already asleep waiting for his 3am alarm to wake him up.  I told him he needed to call into work because we are going to have a baby the next day.  That woke him up.  He also called his friend to watch Christian for the day.  He had a little boy also and it would be nice for him to have a playmate over for the day.

     The next morning we were rushing around getting both diaper bags packed; one to take with me to the hospital and one to drop off with Christian.  I left a message on my mom's answering machine, "By the time you listen to this message you will have another grandchild."  My mom, her husband and my sister's family took a vacation to Florida and wasn't due back to late that night.  When they left they had no idea that we were even talking about inducing.  This was a time before cell phones were popular so there wasn't a way to contact them to let them know.

     We had a girls name picked out but we couldn't think of a boys name.  We were racking our brains trying to come up with something.  I was so nervous thinking if we have a boy he will be nameless because nothing we thought of we liked.  Our minds were totally blank for a boys name.  We tried to think of a boys name before but now we were pressed for time.  We had 9 months to think of a boys name.  We can't have a baby then tell the nurses that we don't know of a boys name.  The drive was quickly ending.

     We made it to Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.  The best of the best hospitals around.  I was ready for the inducing gel and the cups of ice chips.  I wanted this to go fast.  I even had my search-a-word book to help keep my mind busy.  The doctor comes in and says channel 13 WZZM is doing a segment of what to expect in births and wondered if they could talk with me.  I thought that was thrilling so I agreed.  Time marched on and no one from channel 13 WZZM showed up.  Then a few contractions hit. 

     I remembered my breathing.  They weren't real bad but enough to know that our new baby was on its way.  A nurse came in and I told her I was having contractions.  She walks over to the beeping monitor that keeps track of the baby's heartbeat, as well as mine, and the contractions.  "Nope," she tells me, "you must be having braxton hicks (false labor) because nothing is showing up."  Then she leaves.

     The contractions are coming more frequently and a few more times when the nurse comes in I tell her that I am in labor.  She assures me that it is in my head because nothing is showing up on the monitor.  I start to doubt myself but I know something is happening with my body.  Another nurse enters the room.  This time I was having the contraction.  She looks at me and asks if I am having a contraction.  I told her I have been but the other nurse didn't believe me.  This nurse looks over at the monitor and gets a puzzeling face.  She places her hand over my round belly and just feels for a moment.   A pain surged underneath and I started doing simple breathing to help ease the pain.  To confirmed that I was indeeded in labor.  She looks back at the machine.  Nothing was registered.  She apologized and said that the machine must be broken and they quickly exchanged it for another machine.  After having a few straps placed around my belly and wires hanging off of me I was starting to feel like how Frankenstein's monster must of felt like. 

     Labor was getting intense.  I totally forgot about WZZM channel 13 news coming to interview me.  I closed my eyes and concentrated on my breathing.  I laid on my side.  One hand grasped the side bar while the other hand looked like it was conducting an orchestra.  My wrist and my fingers were moving in rhythm to my contractions.  For some reason helped ease the pain.  I am sure it looked funny but I didn't care.  My eyes were closed so they couldn't see me.   Soon I kept hearing a strange beeping sound.  It wasn't coming from the monitors but it was nearby.  I could hear my husband telling the nurses that his work is paging him.  Oh he better not take a load! is all I could think.  I wish I had the muscles to talk to give his company a piece of my mind.  Brian reaches over to use the hospital phone to return the call.  Marv, the dispatcher and knowingly full well that we went into the hospital that day to have a baby, was calling to see if Brian wanted to take a load out that night!  Brian alerted Marv, "My wife is in full labor and is about to have a baby very soon!  NO!  I CANNOT TAKE A LOAD TONIGHT!"  I am so glad my husband chose the right anwser, as if there was any doubt.

     For a quick second I opened my eyes long enough to glance at the clock.  It was near 6pm.  I remember thinking that I could be holding my new baby in time for Jeopardy, one of my favorite shows.  It was time to push and in a matter of no time we added a new baby to our family.  When the doctor announced it is a girl a great relief came upon me.  I no longer needed a boys name!  She was a girl, just like we prayed and hoped for.  A beautiful 6 pound 11 ounce, 19 inche long girl. 

My sweet Elizabeth May 6, 1998



     I looked up at Brian to see his reaction when something caught my attention right over his shoulder.  There was a man standing there with a camera.  I gasped in shocked.  I looked around the room and there were some of the staff from WZZM in my room!  I am a very private person and I had no idea they would be there during the delivery.  They must of entered the room while I was concentrating on my breathing and my contractions.  I wanted to quickly look for that button on my hosptial bed that would make the bed fold up in half so it can hide me.  I was so embarrassed.  I think the look on my face spoke a thousand words and the camera guy knew what I was thinking.  He said, "Don't worry.  I didn't video anything private.  It only shows your daughter being lifted up and handed over to your husband."  That wasn't the point.  Obviously I know they are not going to show anything personal on TV.  It was the fact that HE was in there and could see something personal. 

     Throughout our stay at the hospital our daughter was known as the little tv star.  I have to admit, after looking over who is there during her birth, it is neat to see crew of WZZM Channel 13 News.  It aired on May 20, 1998.  They interviewed someone else but it showed our daughter being born into this world.  I thought our life was going great.  It is now only getting better!