"My Wish Came True"

Have you noticed?  There is a veritable flood a new babies just about everywhere you look....in supermarkets, in libraries, in line at the post office, and most especially here in Blog World....they're everywhere!  And if it isn't new babies, its pregnant mommies-to-be.  Lots of be-here-soon babies.  

Even though its been a LOT of years since I had a new baby of my own, I do remember being pregnant.  I was one of the really lucky expectant moms.  Not too many queasy, nauseated mornings and those I did have were easily alleviated with a few saltines.  I was underweight when I became pregnant (98 lbs.....hey, I was only 19 and 5'2", I just hadn't had my final growth spurt yet!)  Anyway, my total weight gain was reasonable, my blood pressure stayed pretty much where it belonged, my complexion cleared up, and I felt beautiful!  Really! 

I don't remember hearing a lot about all the things that could go wrong.  I anticipated a "normal" pregnancy and that's what I got.  (God is no dummy, He knew I wasn't equipped for anything more challenging!)  Even labor and delivery were textbook easy! Although "easy" isn't a word I would have used at the time. (Dang, childbirth without much in the way of meds HURTS!) 

Now this was before Lamaze or any other kind of childbirth class.  No breathing, no panting, no duomas, no underwater births.  Birthing Coach???  What was that?  A vehicle of some kind??  Daddies did not come into the Delivery Room!  Ever!  (Not that I wanted him to!!)  Basically, you went to the hospital, did what they told you, screamed for a while, and then got your baby a few hours later!  Not exactly enlightened!!

Spinal anesthesia was in use at the time, but I was never offered that option, which was ok with me, because I remembered my mom's less than wonderful experience with a spinal when Little Sis was born.   I had never heard of an epidural (I don't think anyone else had either!)  So that left "Twilight", which as far as I was concerned was totally useless.  It was "supposed" to relax me so I wouldn't really feel too much.  HAH!  Even now, all these years later, I can remember the whole thing -- vividly. I should have known better than to go to a male OB/Gyn!

Actually it was the Delivery Room nurse who was no prize ....Oh, how I hated her after a while!  The only thing she kept saying was "Breathe through your nose,  close your mouth and just breathe through your nose."  It wasn't until a lot later, that I figured out she was just trying to get me to quit screaming!!  Quit screaming???  Can you not see what I'm doin' here???  You can't scream with your mouth closed!  I'm proud to say....it didn't work!!   I screamed as much as I wanted to!  I think I was a world-class screamer!  (HA!)

(Short Side Story:  Dr. B. was from Germany or Austria and was very "Old World" in manner, demeanor, and speech.  It always just about cracked me up at every visit when he came into the exam room, reached over to shake my hand, ask politely how I was, and then proceed to hoist my feet into the stirrups and go on to a vaginal exam!   He was a very sweet man, but it still makes me laugh.)

Anyway, the saving grace about my labor and delivery was that the whole thing only took about nine and half hours....that's right, from first contraction felt at home around 11 pm to that final push to complete the process at 8:30 am -- 9 1/2 hours!  And that includes the hour and a half when things appeared to stall for a bit! I was in the actual delivery room for a little less than 1/2 hour.  Like I said, I was one of the very lucky ones!

Back in those days (Cripes!!  I sound like a freakin' Pioneer!  It was 1966 not 1866!!), ultrasound had not yet become available for use in pregnancy.  NOBODY knew the sex of their baby until that very last minute when you'd hear from the doctor, "It's a ____!"   That was OK, because I was convinced I knew anyway.  I was having a girl.  I wished for a girl.  I wanted a girl.  I knew nothing about boys.  If it was a boy, it was going back!!  My baby would be a girl!  That's all there is to it.  There was no other option!

I was so sure we were having a girl that we didn't even select a boys' name until a week before the baby was born...just in case.  But I knew and I was right!  Our little Rachlet was here and she looked like the Big Guy, right down to the birthmark he had on the back of his neck.  And she was the most beautiful newborn I had ever seen.  She was 6 lbs, 7 oz. and was 17 in. long (I think....it was a long time ago!) 

After I was back in my room, I'll never forget the LPN who brought the baby to me for the first time.  She laid the baby on my tummy and started unwrapping the blanket from around her.  The nurse pulled out each hand and foot and individually counted ten fingers and ten toes.  She showed me the birthmark.  She pointed out her cute little shell ears! And then she left us alone to get acquainted.  It only took about 6 and 3/4 seconds and I was in LOVE!

She was my little girl and she was the best thing that ever happened in my whole life!  I treasure every moment we have together.  My little girl is all grown up now with her own little girl.  Still I know in my heart and my head that she has been and remains the best daughter in the whole world.  

So now, when I look around and see so many babies and expecting moms, it makes me both happy for them and a little sad for them.  Happy because together they have a wonderful journey ahead of them and a little sad because I know they'll never have what I had....the Best!

"My Wish Came True".  I hope their's do too!