Today is my 2nd child's birthday. Forty-nine years ago today at 2:16 PM I gave birth to another beautiful baby girl. Funny how we never forget the births of our children. I can remember everyone down to the minute.
I was a bit anxious about giving birth. After all it was only 9 days until Christmas and I was already ten days late. I didn't want a Christmas baby, nor did I want to be 19 days late, I'm sure everyone who has had a child can relate to that last month of pregnancy.
Back then they let you go late- ten days, fifteen days, didn't matter. My sister was almost a whole month late. But I digress.
I had a doctor's appointment on the afternoon of the 14th of December, and hoped he'd get the ball rolling so to speak. After examining me, he said I was dilated and it could be any time, but if I wanted I could take a combination of orange juice, castor oil and baking soda. Never having experienced this or knowing anyone who did, I went to the store and purchased the items, came home and mixed them together. I proceeded to drink them. It only took a second or two for them to come up on me and I barely made it to the bathroom to rid myself of this awful concoction. Not one I'd recommend to anyone, by the way. Even thinking about it turns my stomach. I couldn't drink orange juice for years after that.
Okay so that didn't work. My older sister who lived next door, and her fourth child just a month before, was all for giving advice to help me go into labor.
On December 15th, her first suggestion was to stand next to a chair and do knee bends - ten of them I believe. Rest, do ten more. After about twenty minutes of that, I asked for some other idea. Funny as it sounds now, she recommended my husband drive very fast over railroad tracks. Okay, that wasn't going to happen. I wasn't about to wreck our car just to go into labor. Besides, I doubted that would work either
So she came up with a plan, go to the hospital and tell them I was in labor. The worst they'd do is send me home. Okay, I admit, by this time I was desperate so that evening my husband took me to the hospital. As luck would have it, I was experiencing labor pains - even though I didn't feel them. Few and far between, but they didn't send me home. Since I'd slept through my older daughter's labor, it didn't surprise me that I wasn't feeling them. However, I didn't deliver that night.
My husband went home and the next afternoon around two o'clock the doctor came in and broke my water. I heard him telling my husband he stripped my membranes. Did my husband ask what that meant? Heck no.
At any rate, after checking me again, the doctor said it would be a while and left. No more had he walked out of the room, I looked at the nurse and said, "my baby's coming."
She said, "no the doctor said it would be a while."
I shook my head and said, "NO, my baby's coming now."
I think more to appease me than anything, she checked me and yelled, "Someone stop the doctor. Her baby's coming."
Things happened pretty quickly after that. They moved me into delivery, the anesthesiologist and doctor arrived pretty much the same time and put me out. Yes, this was back in the day they put you
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to sleep to deliver
Next thing I woke up with them showing me my beautiful baby girl. I took one look at her and asked if they were sure that was my baby.
Of course they panicked and quickly looked at my wrist band and her bracelet and assured me it was my baby. I said okay and cuddled her close to me. After my first little girl being born pretty with just a little fuzz of blond hair, I didn't expect a baby with dark hair, let alone enough to make a curl on top of her head.
So Happy Birthday to one of my beautiful daughters, Kimberly Anne (Dowell) Dibble. I hope you have a fantastic day.
I was a bit anxious about giving birth. After all it was only 9 days until Christmas and I was already ten days late. I didn't want a Christmas baby, nor did I want to be 19 days late, I'm sure everyone who has had a child can relate to that last month of pregnancy.
Back then they let you go late- ten days, fifteen days, didn't matter. My sister was almost a whole month late. But I digress.
I had a doctor's appointment on the afternoon of the 14th of December, and hoped he'd get the ball rolling so to speak. After examining me, he said I was dilated and it could be any time, but if I wanted I could take a combination of orange juice, castor oil and baking soda. Never having experienced this or knowing anyone who did, I went to the store and purchased the items, came home and mixed them together. I proceeded to drink them. It only took a second or two for them to come up on me and I barely made it to the bathroom to rid myself of this awful concoction. Not one I'd recommend to anyone, by the way. Even thinking about it turns my stomach. I couldn't drink orange juice for years after that.
Okay so that didn't work. My older sister who lived next door, and her fourth child just a month before, was all for giving advice to help me go into labor.
On December 15th, her first suggestion was to stand next to a chair and do knee bends - ten of them I believe. Rest, do ten more. After about twenty minutes of that, I asked for some other idea. Funny as it sounds now, she recommended my husband drive very fast over railroad tracks. Okay, that wasn't going to happen. I wasn't about to wreck our car just to go into labor. Besides, I doubted that would work either
So she came up with a plan, go to the hospital and tell them I was in labor. The worst they'd do is send me home. Okay, I admit, by this time I was desperate so that evening my husband took me to the hospital. As luck would have it, I was experiencing labor pains - even though I didn't feel them. Few and far between, but they didn't send me home. Since I'd slept through my older daughter's labor, it didn't surprise me that I wasn't feeling them. However, I didn't deliver that night.
My husband went home and the next afternoon around two o'clock the doctor came in and broke my water. I heard him telling my husband he stripped my membranes. Did my husband ask what that meant? Heck no.
At any rate, after checking me again, the doctor said it would be a while and left. No more had he walked out of the room, I looked at the nurse and said, "my baby's coming."
She said, "no the doctor said it would be a while."
I think more to appease me than anything, she checked me and yelled, "Someone stop the doctor. Her baby's coming."
Things happened pretty quickly after that. They moved me into delivery, the anesthesiologist and doctor arrived pretty much the same time and put me out. Yes, this was back in the day they put you
Next thing I woke up with them showing me my beautiful baby girl. I took one look at her and asked if they were sure that was my baby.
Of course they panicked and quickly looked at my wrist band and her bracelet and assured me it was my baby. I said okay and cuddled her close to me. After my first little girl being born pretty with just a little fuzz of blond hair, I didn't expect a baby with dark hair, let alone enough to make a curl on top of her head.
So Happy Birthday to one of my beautiful daughters, Kimberly Anne (Dowell) Dibble. I hope you have a fantastic day.
OMG...more we have in common. I was a month and a day late with my first. He was due March 17 and came April 18. He was 9 pounds 9 ounces and 22 1/2 inches long. If they'd let him bake a little longer, he could have enrolled in Kindergarten. *lol* I also took that wonderful castor oil cocktail and couldn't even look at OJ for over a year. Thanks for sharing Kimberly's birth. Here's wishing her a great day.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Ginger. Kim only weighed 6# 12oz and was 20 inches long. My oldest and youngest weighed the most at 7# 6oz and 21 inches long.
ReplyDeleteWhew! The good old days of birthing--now, I hope, lost and gone forever. I evaded the castor oil, but had the "stripping," which was big fun, as we both certainly remember. Happy Birthday to Kimberly--and good on you, too, Mom!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Juliet. I can't say I minded going to sleep for the birth. My last one was natural (not planned). The anesthesiologist didn't arrive on time. Not that I minded being awake. All my labors were quite easy for the most part. I will admit, the last one was certainly more painful. LOL
ReplyDeleteWe all must have had those kind of experiences though no one gave me that dreadful cocktail you guys had. My 2nd son was a month late 8 lbs 10 oz but he was 23 and 1/2 inches long. Was really glad to see him go. I also had a natural one after 72 hours of disconnected contractions at 2 PM doctor did one last exam before a C-section. Water broke. She was born breech at 2.03 PM
ReplyDeleteLoved this, Roseanne. I can certainly identify. My second daughter Andrea was two weeks late. She came on February 12. (Abraham Lincoln's birthday). Funny thing is, I had been writing a report on Abraham Lincoln for a college history class, and the semester had just ended. My husband said, "I bet that baby is waiting for Lincoln birthday to make an appearance." Sure enough.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Janet and Sandy, for your comments. Births are amazing things. No matter how badly we want them delivered, it's all on their ow time. My first child was five days late, Kim was ten days late, I don't mind telling you, I was really worried my third would be fifteen days late. Thank God she wasn't. She presented me with a whole new set if issues. Maybe I'll write about my first birth and hers in March when they were both born.
ReplyDelete