Born at home

Thursday morning, March 18th, I woke up around 1:30 feeling pretty uncomfortable. I used the restroom, got a drink of water, and tried to fall back asleep. I couldn't sleep. At 3 a.m. I started having contractions about every 10 minutes. I thought am I in labor? Are these really contractions? I even searched on the internet "Am I in labor?". I decided yes, I am! I woke Cesar up at 4 a.m. and told him about my contractions. I told him I was going to take a shower and then pack for the hospital. He woke up and started packing too. In the shower my contractions got much worse and much closer together. When I got out I told Cesar to call my parents. My dad was going to come over to our house and stay with Eli while my mom met us at the hospital. Cesar was trying to time the contractions, but by this time they seemed to be almost constant. I was finishing packing and Cesar got in the shower while we waited for my dad. I remember thinking that I hoped by the time we got to the hospital it wasn't going to be too late to get an epidural for my pain. The thought never crossed my mind that we would never make it to the hospital! I felt like I needed to go to the bathroom again so I sat down on the toilet and felt like I had to push. Cesar was still in the shower and he heard me let out a scream! Diego's head was out! I could feel the rest of his body moving around inside me; that was a very strange feeling. Cesar hopped out of the shower with shampoo in his hair and had a very scared look on his face. He told me not to push anymore! I told him it would be okay and to call 911. He rushed to get his phone to call. I was still on the toilet and Cesar helped me move to the carpet in front of the bathroom sink. He put down a towel and moved me. By the time I got to the floor the baby came all the way out! He let out a small little cry and then was just quiet. This was the scariest part for me because I wanted to hear him cry a lot so I knew he was okay. I remember saying, "It's okay baby, breathe...." Cesar handed the baby to me so I was holding him on my chest. Cesar quickly put some clothes on so he wouldn't be naked when the paramedics got there and he unlocked the front door so they could come in. They only took about 7 minutes to arrive. They knocked on the door and said "Fire Department!" We told them to come upstairs. They came upstairs and examined the baby a little bit, asked me if I felt okay and asked how much blood I had lost. I felt fine and never felt faint or anything. The paramedics cut the umbilical cord. Cesar got a baby blanket and they wrapped Diego up. They took Diego to the ambulance to wait for me. They brought a wheel chair upstairs and put me in it. They covered me with a blanket (my pants were still on just pulled down, I even had my shoes and socks on!). They wheeled me out and down the sidewalk and then onto a stretcher and into the ambulance. On the way out of our house I remember seeing the picture of Jesus we have hanging on the wall. I felt peace. They gave me an I.V. so that I could get pitosin at the hospital. They also gave me oxygen to breathe. I held Diego for part of the ambulance ride until I started having bad contractions. I still hadn't delivered the placenta. We got to the hospital and I kept having contractions. Then almost as soon as we got into a labor room, the doctor pushed on my stomach and the placenta came out with a lot of blood also. It hurt so bad! Cesar had called my dad and told him to just drive to the hospital, so my dad was waiting in the hall. Then my mom arrived and came in and held my hand while the doctor stitched me up (I had torn). This hurt badly too. I could feel a couple of the stitches while he was sewing me up! Ouch! Cesar and Eli arrived a little later. Cesar cleaned up before he got Eli out of his bed and then they came to the hospital together. Eli woke up with all the commotion. Cesar heard him say, "Mommy" and he told him to just wait. Eli is very patient and ended up waiting quietly and never cried! Thank goodness!

Everything happened so quickly. Cesar told me I remained calm the whole time and that I helped him stay calm too.

I'm so thankful that Diego and I were okay. I'm thankful that Cesar and I were both in the bathroom when it happened and not in the car or somewhere else. I'm grateful the paramedics arrived quickly and knew what to do. I'm thankful the placenta didn't come out until the hospital so I didn't loose too much blood at home. I'm grateful the hospital is close to home and the doctors and nurses took care of me and Diego.