On February 28, 2013, I spent the entire day nesting and preparing for our little one’s arrival. That day I was 37 weeks and 4 days pregnant. Surprisingly my water broke around 5:30pm. Contractions started within minutes. At the time, Cody (daddy) was at the commissary, and rushed home even though I told him to take his time. When he got home, I took some time to eat dinner (no telling when I would be able to eat again), while Cody got the entertainment stand we were trying to sell out of the car, and the carseat installed. Within an hour, we were at the hospital, strapped up, and monitoring contractions, which at the time were uncomfortable, but tolerable. At my first check around 6:45, I was 6cm dilated. By the time Cody came back from checking me in, 15 minutes later, I was already 8 cm dilated. Which, unfortunately for me, was too late for an epidural. The contractions were close and very painful. Even though I had to pee, my midwife would not let me up, and I had to use a bed pan and get my bladder drained. I tried anything to get comfortable, but the pain was so bad. Cody told me later I ripped is jeans (there were no bed rails to grab on to) and I could be heard all the way outside the maternity ward. Around 8:00 pm, I started getting the urge to push, and was 9 cm dilated. I pushed for nearly an hour and a half. Finally my doctor tells me the baby’s head was not coming down. He slapped me with the one thing I did not want to hear, C section. Thinking back, I wish I had tried more (walking, squatting, etc.) to get him to come down naturally. But at the time, the pain was so intense I quickly asked how long the spinal block would take, agreed and signed the forms. I was covered up and wheeled off to surgery with just a few minutes to say goodbye to Cody (husbands are not allowed in surgery here in Germany ). I was conveyered onto the surgical table and wheeled into the pre-op room. Still in extreme pain, I had to lie there flat on my back until all was set up, and my doctor came him. He held me as the anesthesiologist started my spinal block, the contractions went away, and my legs became warm and tingly. This was totally opposite from how my top and arms were feeling, which was an intense shivering cold. I was finally brought into the operation room and surgery began. At 10:13pm, Sean Michael Brown was born (18 days before his due date). He weigh 3310 grams(7 lbs 5 oz), was 50cm(19.7 in) long, and his head was 33 cm(13 in) around. Though I did not get to see him until a couple minutes later and then only a brief second before they whisked him off to be cleaned, and checked over. After what felt like forever, I was all stitched up, and taken to a recovery room to monitor as the block wore off. Nearly 2 hours after he was born, I was in my room, and in walks my husband with our precious little boy. 2 hours, and I finally got to hold, kiss, and snuggle the best gift in the entire world. Baby and I spent the next 5 days in the hospital recovering, and working hard to get him to breastfeed. On March 5th, we finally got to go home to begin our journey as a family.
Kristen is an Army wife and mother to 1 year old, Sean. She currently lives in Germany where she is learning to balance life between working, being a wife & mom, and getting fit. While the majority of her pregnancy was easy, she managed to gain 75 pounds, on top of already being several pounds overweight, and ended her labor with a c section. She has become determined to get healthy and fit for herself, her son, and future pregnancies. Not to mention getting beach body ready for their move to Hawaii. She is passionate about eating healthy and reaching goals, and is committed to make this a lifestyle change.
"There is no way to be a perfect mother but a million ways to be a good one!"- Unknown
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