Her Story

Well, this birth story was much easier medically, but a little trying on my nerves! For the past week, the hospital was giving my doctor a hard time about the hospital being really full. So, Wednesday, I woke up feeling some contractions around 10 a.m. I thought, these are probably just Braxton Hicks, don't get your hopes up. I went out for a walk for about 45 minutes and they were getting worse, so I called Joe and the hospital. The hospital said call them back when they're closer together and longer. Then, my doctor called and said that the hospital said they wouldn't take me; they were too full.

Okay. My doctor said, tell them you'll have a home birth then. I'm sitting there thinking, good God. Choices: the government hospital (my doctor said it was a pit) and no Joe, a hotel birth, a birth in my doctor's clinic. Of course, I would have gone to the government hospital because they would have drugs. At that point, my doctor wanted to scare the hospital into thinking she would actually go and do a home birth.

I was trying not to stress as my contractions got more intense. I called the hospital, and they said come in. Simple as that! They never once mentioned to me that there was no room. For the past week, they've been telling my doctor that.

Joe got to the hotel, about an hour or so before we went to the hospital. I was so glad to see him, as I had been worried that he might not make it in time. Thank you baby for coming when the close border is open! We got in a taxi and drove up the very winding path to the top of the peak where the hospital is.

I was having pretty strong contractions at this point and the taxi driver was worried! We got here, though, and I was so relieved! The hospital has been awesome for this birth experience. We went right to the delivery spa as they call it. I had my own midwife during the entire birth. My contractions were getting unbearable to me, so I got an epidural. Thank god for epidurals. Honestly, I have absolutely no idea how anyone gets through a natural birth. No thank you!

As my doctor had promised me, this epidural was way better than the one I got in Egypt. The pain of the contractions subsided but I could still feel enough to push. They gave me cytocin(?) to speed up the contractions and before I knew it, it was time to push.

My doctor was very careful and helped me to push her out with only a small episiotomy. It didn't take long. This birth was cool because they actually handed her right to me when she was born. Sophia they took away and messed with her for a bit before we even heard her cry. Joe got to cut the cord and went with her to be weighed and measured. 3.77 kilos, about 8 1/2 pounds. Small, compared to Sophia!

I was up right after the delivery and had a warm shower. The only bad part was there was no twin room available, so I shared a room of four. That was a lot of crying babies the first night. Now, I've moved into a twin and the other lady's baby hardly makes a peep.

Little girl is very good, not too fussy. She's golden haired and we haven't seen too much of her eyes. The only problem? What to name her? We thought Eden; then we thought Josephine; then we even thought Juliette. Nothing is perfect. We have until Monday when we have to do the birth registry! We must commit. Funny, we aren't the only ones. There are two other people who can't decide either.

All is well. I have one more day in the hospital. Sophia was really missing her mommy and I was missing her, but we're doing a little better now that we're in the same city. Sophia has been good with her sister, but of course, she wants to get up in her face a bit too much. It should be lots of fun with two!