Sarah’s Birth Story
My name is Sarah and I am now almost 21 years old. I found out that I was pregnant in July of 2007, but I already had a feeling that I was even before I knew for sure. This was going to be my first baby! Being only 19 and pregnant made me feel extremely nervous and a little scared to say the least.
My pregnancy was easy! I did not have morning sickness, but did feel a little sick for the first two months. I didn’t start to show until I was about 5 months, and I had been keeping it from my parents until that point. It wasn’t easy to hide anymore seeing as my belly stuck out like a sore thumb, so I broke and told them. They were a little shocked, but soon became very excited!
As the time approached I did not think I would EVER go into labor. I was NOT overdue but the pregnancy was starting to tire me out. I had my last doctor’s appointment the day before my actual due date, and I had my membranes swept. This did start a small pattern of pains that I didn’t think were anything out of the ordinary.
1am rolls around on the day of March 14, 2008 and my boyfriend was still at his job. I had been timing these “pains” I was regularly having since about 10pm and they were about 3-4 minutes apart. Earlier I had gone to visit my boyfriend at work. I had told him that I thought I was going to have the baby tonight, or very soon. Little did I know, I was right.
I went to the washroom and I had lost my mucus plug and was having a tiny bit of blood. I got so excited that I called my mom and some of my friends, and then my boyfriend. He was frantic at work! I was usually the one to pick him up but he told me I wasn’t allowed to drive to get him. His friend drove him home and the time I waited felt like forever.
He drove me to the hospital, and boy that was a ride! I was having contractions and they were causing me a lot of pain by that time. When we arrived I was examined but told that being only 2 centimeters was little enough for me to go home. We left and went home, but I was only home for an hour before I couldn’t handle the pain anymore. I was 3.5 centimeters when I was admitted and from there the labor progressed faster than anticipated.
From start to finish my labor was 11 hours. The doctors broke my water and gave me an epidural when I was 5 centimeters. In an hour and a half I went from 5 centimeters to 10 centimeters. When the doctors came in to tell me it was ready to push, they asked for a practice push first. They asked if I had done this before, but I said no. They were very surprised with my energy and ability to push as hard as I did. At 12:30pm on March 15, 2008 I began pushing. By 12:52pm Lucas Michael Gurel was born into this world. He weighed 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 21 inches long. He had a full head of dark brown hair like his dad, and blue eyes.
When he was put on my chest for the first time I cried and cried saying, “I love you baby, I love you baby!” This went on for at least 3 minutes straight. March 15, 2008 was the best and most defining day of my whole entire life. It was empowering and beautiful, and I would do it all over again.
Today Lucas is almost one year old. He walks everywhere and is getting almost too big. I have never felt as much love for a person as I feel for my son. He is my shining star and the reason that my life is what it is now. I will be 21 on March 22, 2009, 7 days after my son turns 1, and I don’t feel as though having a child young has put my life on hold. It has created a new path and a new outlook for me on the way my life is meant to play out. I am so grateful for this little life, and would NEVER change it for the world.