I woke up this morning at 0545, when my bedside light turned on. I kissed my husband before he left for work and lazed just a while in bed, rejoicing in how autumn has encouraged my children to sleep just a little later in the mornings. But finally, I needed to start the day, so I sat up and took my blood pressure. It was 104/65.
When I was at this point in my pregnancy with Louis (34 weeks, 3 days), a nurse woke me up to take my blood pressure before she went off shift. It was greater than 160/110, just as it had been on the overnight check.
After breakfast and morning chores, I got the kids packed up and we headed out to library storytime, where we sang songs and listened to stories and played a little game. Afterward, we played in the children’s area while I chatted with a few other moms about breastfeeding while pregnant and whether tandem breastfeeding might increase the baby’s risk of allergies (conclusion? probably not).
At that time during my pregnancy with Louis? Our maternal-fetal specialist came into my room to tell me that we needed to have our baby sooner rather than later.
After a quick lunch on the go, the kids and I headed to ALDI to do our grocery shopping. The lady behind me in line commented on how brave I was to have three so close together. We packed up our groceries and headed home. We got stuck behind a train and I scrolled through Facebook while we waited.
At that time during my pregnancy with Louis? We did a external version, attempting to rotate Louis to head down so I could begin an induction for a hoped-for vaginal birth after cesarean. We got him head down, but his feet were down too – and as soon as our maternal-fetal specialist’s hands were off my abdomen, Louis popped back into the transverse position he’d been favoring for most of our pregnancy. We began preparations for a repeat c-section.
This afternoon, the kids and I finished our lunch at the dining room table before settling in for a “rest time”. I read a chapter of a novel, a chapter of a birthing book. I scrolled through Facebook some more. After Daniel got home from work, I sat on the couch with him and my children. We talked about our days, about what we’ve read. The baby kicked his sister and brother, who were crawling all over me.
At that time during my pregnancy with Louis? Extra nurses were called in to hook up extra IVs – most of my veins were already blown from my past four days in the hospital. Other technicians came by to hook up heart monitors. A catheter was inserted. My robe was cut up my back to allow the anesthesiologist access to my spine. I curled in a fetal position for a spinal. My abdomen was cut. The terse words “meconium staining” were spoken. My son was born silent. The awful sound of suctioning and, at last, a cry.
I rose from the couch to change Louis’s diaper. Washed my hands. Started cooking supper. Rejoicing all the way that I was officially more pregnant than I had ever been before.
Today was a most extraordinarily ordinary day.
Thank you, Lord.
