Narrative essay

Becky Harlan (Lee)

Mr. Neuburger

Eng. 101-104

30 January 2013

                                                                  Narrative Essay

My Fifth Born

I found out I was pregnant with my fifth child in November of 2010. I was very surprised because I thought I was finished having children. This was going to be a challenge because I had already given away all of the baby things. My youngest child, at the time, was almost two.  So there was no need in keeping the things that he outgrew. The journey of starting all over begins.

The first trimester of my pregnancy was filled with the haunting presence of morning sickness. It wasn’t just during the morning it was more like all day sickness. It was absolutely horrible! Smells and the thought of certain foods would make me throw up a little in my mouth. Not really but that’s what I thought was going to happen. It would hit me as soon as I opened my eyes till I lay down at night. And it would be like that till the beginning of my second trimester.

During my second trimester I started feeling a little better, but the nausea was still nagging me from time to time. No energy and not feeling like I was part of everyday life were taking its toll on this old lady. I still had four other children to take care of so I couldn’t just lie down and die, even though that is exactly what I wanted to do. It was time to get up and put my big girl panties on and toughen up a little.

When the third trimester finally approached me, it turned out to not be so bad. A little pain here and there but it was bearable. A lot of kicking and stretching was going on in my belly. I really enjoyed feeling this little life squirm around and letting me know that there was actually a little person in there making my belly so big instead of just looking fat. Everything was going great all the way up to the Fourth of July. I decided to have a get together for the family. It was just a small gathering at my house. The kids were running around having a blast and everyone was enjoying themselves, all except me. I started to have some painful contractions towards the afternoon. This couldn’t be!! I wasn’t due for another month! I kept thinking to myself that this was just false labor. Maybe I ate too much or I didn’t drink enough water or even maybe I was on my feet to much that day. Whatever it was I needed to fix it and quickly.  I went through the rest of the day without letting anyone know about what was going on. I didn’t want to be the rain on anyone’s parade.        

Eventually everyone went home and I finally got a chance to sit down and put my feet up for a bit. I drank some water and just rested. The contractions started to lighten up and I started to settle down. That night while I was sleeping I kept waking up to a few pains, but they were nothing serious. When I woke up the next morning I was having just a few contractions here and there so I’m wasn’t too concerned at the time. I continue to go about my busy day.

The next few days I had a few contractions but nothing steady. They would last for about thirty minutes off and on sporadically throughout the day. My girls knew there was something going on because they were trying their best to help me out as much as possible. Such big helpers they were. Making me sit down and waiting on me hand and foot. I began to feel a little spoiled.

On the sixth of July, I woke up and something was not right. I had a bunch of energy and felt pretty good. I decided that there were a lot of things that just had to be done that day. So I start cleaning the house from top to bottom. Every little nook and cranny had to be cleaned. The children did not like me very well this day. They were so used to the mom that had nothing left in her, barely having the energy to get up and use the restroom. Finally I get the cleaning done so it is time to sit down and take a breather. I sit down and start to relax in the recliner and the contractions hit with no ending. I let this go on for about 3 hours till I say something to my husband. Of course he thinks it is just false labor, so he asks if he can take a nap after he finishes his sandwich. I told him that this was the real deal and we should probably go to the hospital since this was way too soon for the baby to come. At this point the contractions are like three minutes apart and not letting up. He finally gets the clue that I mean business.

On our way to the hospital I decided that I was hungry and if they are going to admit me into the hospital then I needed to eat now because once you are in there they will not let you eat till after the baby is born. This pregnant mama wanted buffalo wild wings!! And that is exactly what I got. I ate all of my food after I complained about how spicy they were. Off to the hospital we go.

We finally arrive at the hospital and we go in. I get checked in and the nurse checks me and then calls my doctor. His decision is to admit me because I live about forty- five minutes away. It still hasn’t dawned on me that I was having my baby soon. I especially didn’t think about the fact that he was going to be a month early. I breezed through the labor because as soon as I got into the bed I told the nurse that I wanted an epidural. This was my fifth child and I wanted this one to go by easy. All my other children I suffered through the pain. I think I deserve to have at least one pain free labor.

The time finally came when I was going to meet this little guy that was giving me so much stress. He came into this world as a six pound nine ounce bundle of joy. Just the cutest little baby boy. I thought he was doing very well until I was watching the reactions of the doctor and nurses. They let me hold him for a couple of minutes and then they took him without warning and had to take him straight to the NICU. After waiting in suspense a nurse finally came in to talk to me about what was going on with him. Since he was born four weeks early his little lungs were not fully developed. He was having a real hard time breathing. I was in shock! I asked her how long he was going to be in  the intensive care unit and she couldn’t give me an answer on that. I didn’t know what to expect because I have never been through anything like this.

I was taken to my room upstairs without my little man. That was a hard concept for me to accept. He didn’t room with me, I couldn’t hold him and I didn’t know when I would get to even see him. The first few hours should be bonding with your new baby. Not being all alone with the thoughts of what was to come. I could hear all the other babies down the hall and all I could do was cry because I didn’t have mine with me.

The next day I got to go down and see my son, Braxton. He was covered with wires and machines. He had a tube going down his throat to fill his little lungs with oxygen, which was keeping him alive. He was heavily sedated so he barely moved. I had a hard time even touching his little hands because I was afraid I was going to hurt him. I spent all day right there by his side. Just in case he would wake up but it never happened. The next day they took the tube out and he was now starting to breathe on his own. The nurse came to me and asked me if I wanted to hold my son? I said absolutely!!!! It was such a special, overwhelming moment for me. I just soaked it up.

He ended up having to stay in the NICU for eleven days. And finally it was time to bring him home. It seemed like eternity since I had him and now I was bringing him home. He was all mine and now it was time for me to experience the long sleepless nights and all the diaper changes that I longed for since he was born. Weird I know! But I looked forward to it. Since the time I brought him home till now he has been the happiest, easy going little person. I have definitely been blessed with Braxton.  I’m so happy things turned out the way they did. I couldn’t imagine not having him in my life. Braxton Lee is full of life and brings happiness and joy to each and every day I wake up to see his precious little smiles!