Labor Day: Marlie's Birth Story Part I

This post is overdue, but I hope you agree it is wort the wait. I spent a lot of time tweaking it as my memories of that day came back. You'd be surprised how much you forget when you are nearly passed out from labor pains. When I finally finished the narrative, I realized it was way too long for a blog post. So I have divided it into two parts. Be sure to subscribe to the blog to get the rest of the story. It's a doozie! Without further adieu, here is Marlie's birth story. It starts with dancing and ends in music...

It's the morning of August 14, and I am tired. Marlie kept me up the night before doing acrobatics in the womb. As I sat at the dining table with my mother-in-law, I remember thinking today would be a bad day to go into labor because I was so tired. My MIL suggests I go take a nap and I agree, but first I have an urge to dance! I go into the family room and turn on the Hip Hop channel on the TV. Eve's I Gotta Man is playing and I start droppin' it like it's hot! Afterward, I turn to go upstairs when I feel a wetness, then a trickle run down my left leg. I call out to my MIL, "I think my water is breaking!" She feels my leg and confirms it. I go into project management mode. I call the birth center and I am told to get ready and call in an hour with an update. I tell my MIL to call her son while I go shower and get ready. Today is labor day!
I shower and dress in the nightgown that I bought especially for today. It is lime green and looks like a summer dress. I go back downstairs and ask my MIL if she reached Damon. "No," is her reply. No?! "I called him ten times and he's not answering his cell phone," she says. I don't panic because I remember that we agreed that I would text him when it was time in case he was in a meeting and couldn't have his ringer on or answer his phone. I send a text. We sit and wait for him to call. Minutes creep by with no response so I call his desk...no answer. Okay, I am getting pissed. I go into the next room so my MIL doesn't see my frustration (she is a worrier like me). She follows me into the room and I can tell something isn't right when I look at her. Her right eye is all red and watery. She got so anxious that her blood pressure elevated, and she blew a blood vessel in her eye! I realize that the two us could wind up and the hospital if I don't act fast. I call the operator at my husband's company and explain the situation. They transfer me to security. I tell the nice man that my husband works there, I am in labor, and I can't reach him. He laughs and tells me he is on the case. I feel better already. Ten minutes later Damon calls. He is already in the car. I hold back the blue streak of curse words I had prepared to shout and just tell to drive safely. This is my first birth, so I know we have time, plus I need to stay calm and relaxed.


By the time Damon gets home, it's been and hour and a half since my water started to break. It continues to come in squirts and my contractions are far apart and mild. I call the birthing center to give an update. The midwife can tell that I am still in the very early stages of labor because I am so perky. She suggests I go walk for an hour and call back. Meanwhile, Damon is running around the house. I ask him what he is doing. He is searching for his cell phone, which he finally finds in the car! I also let this blunder slide because I am in the zone. We go outside to walk around the block, but come back after a few minutes due to the intense Texas heat. We decide to drive to Target near the birthing center to walk. After an hour, I am bored and even more tired. We head to Whole Foods hoping to benefit from air conditioning and free samples. Thirty minutes later I am ready to get this show on the road. We call the midwife who tells us to come in for me to get examined. We arrive a little after 4 pm and I am just 4 cm dilated. We must get labor progressing, so I start walking a circuit around the first floor and do pelvic squats every five laps for the next hour and a half. It works! The contractions are stronger and closer together. I have reached active labor!

To be continued...