. maura .

I was due on November 30, 1999. That day came and went, like most first pregnancies...they never go on the right date!! So at my appointment that day the doctor told me that because of the babies kidney problems, he wanted to get her out of there as soon as possible. So they booked me in for December 2, 1999 at 8:00am. Obviously I was a nervous wreck and did not sleep a wink the next 2 nights! I really wanted to do the normal labor thing in the middle of the night with all the excitement and all that...but it just wasn't going to happen. I did everything between November 30th and December 2nd...but nothing worked! I walked vigorously around the neighborhood, rode my bike etc...nothing worked! Those are all wives tales!

I arrived at the hospital on December 2nd at about 7:45. I was soooo scared because I had been up all night thinking about it and worrying that something could go wrong. As well I was worried about the baby...not knowing what she would need when she born. I still didn't know if they have to take her kidney out right away or not. I did not know what sort of emergency there would be when she entered the world. The doctor was late...tied up in the OR. He came at 11:00 and checked me. I was almost ready to go...so he broke my water. I was told to get up and walk around. I made the stupid mistake of giggling when I heard the lady next door screaming her head off in labor."Why would anyone scream like that?" I thought to myself...I was punished for making fun of her later! I had no idea the pain involved and what I was about to experience or I would not have laughed at her! I walked for a while and started having cramps at about 12:45. By 1:45pm I was really feeling them. Korey, my boyfriend, arrived at 2:00pm after a 2 hour trip from university. I was so happy to see him. The pain intensified. They decided to put the PITOCIN drip on me because the doctor wanted to get things under way and did not want me in labor. long. I still thought, at this point, that because this was my first pregnancy I would be in labor. for approximately 12 or more hours. They cranked the PITOCIN up and I was in severe pain...to the point where I was on the verge of passing out. They called an anesthesiologist ASAP because they were worried about me. He came quickly and I think I am in love with him! He took all the pain away. As soon as he put it in the doctor came in and said I was ready to push...not at all what I expected to hear that soon. I pushed for only 45 minutes and was able to keep the epidural on full. They said that if you don't push well enough they have to turn it down. So I pushed as hard as I could...even though I couldn't feel myself pushing at all.

At 7:10pm Miss Hailey Catherine Watson arrived. I was so shocked at the site of her! She had thick black hair...not what I had expected at all. She was beautiful! Korey took one picture and that was it. I did not want video cameras or cameras of any kind anywhere near 'that area'!! No thanks!! I do wish I could have seen it myself though because I was lying in a really weird way and was not able to see her come out.

In the end, Hailey did not have to be rushed away as soon as she came out. But she did have to spend a week in the Intensive Care Unit...which was not fun. I missed out on having her in my room with me and it was very hard to see her hooked up to all those tubes and living in an incubator.

For a first pregnancy and delivery...I was very lucky! Aside from the immense pain that almost caused me to pass out, I was very lucky! I was only in labor. for 5 1/2 hours. It went by a lot faster than I though it would too.

Hailey is growing like a bad weed. Some of her hair fell out...but not much!