I didn’t enjoy my second pregnancy nearly as much as I did my first. I was having a lot of back pain, nausea, and don’t even get me started on the frequent hot flashes. I ended up bringing a fan to my studio and would work with it blowing in my face just to keep from blacking out.
I’d had a very quick labor with my first, so my doctor recommended that I get induced to insure my son would make his arrival at the hospital. At thirty three weeks, I still hadn’t dilated so I pushed the thoughts of ‘needing’ induction off and told him we tackle that mess at my next weekly appointment.
Fast forward to the night of passing the thirty-three week mark into the thirty-fourth week. It started with waking up laying in a nice little puddle of what I assumed I was urine. Nice. I hopped out of the bed and went to assure my husband who was in front of the tv that I was not in labor, but just needed to take a shower at three in the morning.
I barely noticed the hot water in the shower, I was more distracted by the lack of movement I was feeling. He’d always been a wild child, so him being so calm made me nervous.
That first contraction all but took me out. I think one of the misconceptions with fast (precipitous labours) is that it hurts less. Nope, sorry. You skip all the mild contractions and skip right to the extremely painful, can’t even stand or breath ones. You go from being calm to being all the way dilated and in the worst pain of your life with little to no warning. I watched my stomach shrink and contract and tried to keep from tumbling out of the shower. They say breathe through them. Ha. It’s hard to remember anything in those moments.
Dripping wet I managed to make it to the toilet before my legs buckled. I screamed for my husband who came running. I looked with tears in my eyes, ‘It’s too early.” I hadn’t packed my hospital bag, there wasn’t an ample amount of groceries in the house. Heck, he hadn’t confirmed his name yet!
I braced myself for another contraction as a million thoughts flooded through my head. He wasn’t due until the last days of February. We weren’t even out of January yet! The next few minutes were a blur of trying to find shoes, packing a hurried hospital bag, my husband running and getting our one year old out of the bed. Poor thing was so confused.
Moving as fast as in labour women can, we raced for the car but I already knew there was no way we were getting to the hospital with this little boy still inside of me. I was right.
My fourth and final contraction started as I reached the car door. Fumbling with the handle and throwing the door open, I collapsed into the front seat. I breathed out from holding my breath, slid my sweatpants down and caught my son. He was born posterior (sunny side up). He looked at me and I looked at him and felt my heart double and triple in size as I stared at this tiny, handsome little boy who was in such a rush to meet his family. He’s been the definition of peace since the second he was born, no tears and he never cried.
At exactly thirty-four weeks, Messiah was born six pounds and twelve ounces. By his second month, he was already ten pounds. He only spent an hour in the NICU.
Some babies come just a little earlier so we can love them in person for a little bit longer.
First moments in the world
Second week versus second month
About the Author:
Dominique is a licensed cosmetologist and business owner. She resides in Brentwood, TN with her husband, her son and her daughter. She has a textured hair website: Coily-Hair.com.
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