An Authority On 'Labor Day!'

Since I've birthed three children I believe I'm an authority on 'Labor Day!' Oh, yes, my dear friends, especially those of the male persuasion, I know from first hand experience what Labor Day is all about.

I was in our first apartment sitting on the couch with my mother-in-law about 10:00 P.M. while the men in the family played cards in the kitchen. Suddenly I felt wet. Not knowing for sure what the problem was, I excused myself and went to the upstairs bathroom. Water was flowing out of me like somebody had turned on the spigot. I grabbed a bath towel, stuck it between my legs and yelled for help. My hubby shot up the steps with a look of terror on his face."It's time," was all I could manage and away we went.

In 1969 once reaching the hospital,  I was entrusted to the night nurse, and my husband was led to the waiting room never to be seen again until AFTER LABOR AND DELIVERY!  Imagine that! For the next twelve and a half hours, I experienced the worst pain ever alone and extremely afraid. Occasionally the nurse would come in, check my heart rate and the machine showing the baby's activity and then leave me alone to suffer.

Somewhere in the melee, I was given an epidural to alleviate the pain. Then shortly after 10:00 A.M. that Sunday morning, I was wheeled into the delivery room. At 10:17 A.M. my first born was extracted from my womb, help up by the doctor for me to see, then placed upon my abdomen where she rested while the staff in the room sang happy birthday. Immediately she was whisked away to be cleaned, diapered, and tested.

Since I had the epidural, I wasn't allowed to sit up until 10:00 that night. I'd only seen my hubby for a short while after giving birth. He said our daughter was absolutely beautiful and he was the proudest man in the world. Good for him, but I had yet to get a close-up view of her, hadn't yet held her, and was in a whole lot of pain from the cluster of hemorrhoids throbbing in my posterior. Ain't Labor Day grand!

Finally the nurse presented my baby to me shortly before midnight. As I held her in my arms, tears streamed down my face. She was indeed the most beautiful creature I had ever laid eyes upon. Her skin was like that of a summer peach, her body perfect in every way, and she was peacefully asleep. I was supposed to be giving her a bottle, but never did. I just couldn't take my eyes off her. In those moments I promised her I'd be the best mom I could be, and that her dad and I would protect her with our very lives. I promised myself I'd never go through labor again!

However, thirteen months later I gave birth to my son. I was only in labor for about an hour, my husband was with me from the beginning until our boy was delivered after only thirty-five minutes at 12:42 A.M. He was far from beautiful since he had to be removed with forceps and he weighed almost 2 more pounds than his sister. He looked like he'd gone ten rounds in the ring. My hubby was the proudest man in the world for the second time!

Eight years later I found myself experiencing another labor day, On a winter night in February, 1978, we found ourselves headed to the hospital once again. I had a towel between my legs and pains were coming every two minutes. We figured we'd make it just in time to deliver. No such luck. I yelled and for eight hours, this time my dear husband got to see and hear it all. I was supposed to get an epidural, but with a shift change somehow it never happened. Instead I was wheeled into the delivery room where the doctor and nurses began the birthing process. NATURALLY! At first I didn't realize what was going on, and when I did, it was too late for the shot. I grabbed my hubby's hand and squeezed it so hard I could have easily broken his fingers. When the nurse asked him if he needed to sit down, I went off cursing and screaming about the pain I was in and nobody had offered me so much as a 'sorry' for your troubles!  The words I used are not printable, but you get the picture. At 7:57 A.M. our second daughter was born, our third and last child!

Yes, I'm an authority on 'Labor Day!' If you have any doubts, just return to the top of my blog and read it again, this time pay close attention though!