Exactly 7 years ago on September 26, 2006 I went into labour with Annika. I just remembered today that I had promised myself that I would take the time to write down her birth story just as I had done with Leila. I can't believe it was SEVEN whole years ago! That sounds like a lot... and in some ways it feels very long ago, but at the same time I can't believe so much time has passed!
I finished work at the sometime in the beginning of September and on September 26 I was exactly 39 weeks along. By that point I had pretty much gotten everything done on my list and was feeling very ready to meet my baby. I had made plans to have some fun lunch and coffee dates for the rest of the week, but the only thing I had up on that particular Tuesday arranging for a piano tuner who would be coming around eleven or twelve to tune our piano. Mike had joked that morning that I could have the baby that day, but I should just wait for the piano to be tuned since we had booked it a while back. I went for a long walk that morning on the 'Participark' trails and it was a very beautiful fall day and the leaves were changing colors. I remember stopping and feeling winded, wondering if I would be able to waddle my way back home.
I came home and found out that the piano tuner was only coming around 2:00, which was a bit annoying because I would have made some plans to get out of the house had I known it would only be happening in the afternoon. I was getting bored with all the waiting. I made myself some lunch and went to the bathroom like you do a million times a day when you're 39 weeks pregnant, and when I stood up, I had the sensation that i was peeing my pants! It occurred to me that maybe my water had broke, but it wasn't the "gush" or "splat" that happens in the movies. I was stunned and excited and scared and in disbelief that this might actually be happening! Once I determined that this wasn't just an "accident" (which would have been weird, right?) I phoned the Shared Care program to let them know what was going on. The midwife assistant that I spoke to on the phone told me that I needed to wait until contractions started before doing anything. I didn't need to come to the hospital until they were regular and five minutes apart, unless 24 hours went by with no action. Then I should come in regardless. She told me that the best thing I could do would be to go lie down and rest since there was a good chance I'd be up all night.
That was incredibly exciting to hear! Up all night? The baby is really coming?! As if I was going to be able to go to sleep upon hearing that news!
I decided to phone Mike so that I could let him know that my water had broken. I just wanted him to be aware of what was going on and know that I might phone him again if I needed him to come home quickly at some point. Also, he could think about starting to prepare sub plans, etc. for the next day. Other than my water breaking I wasn't feeling different in any way, so I wasn't panicked or thinking that he needed to come home.
This was way back in the dark ages when Mike didn't had a cell phone on him at school and he didn't even have a phone in his classroom. So the only way I could get ahold of him was to go through the office. This is how my conversation went:
Shirley the Librarian: "Hello, LWCA, this is Shirley".
me: "Hi. This is Sarah Janzen calling. I'm wondering if Mike is available, or if I could leave a message for him to call me back?"
Shirley: "Ooohh... is it the 'time'?"
me: Ummmm.... well... I don't know... my water just broke, but I don't think I'm in labour yet... I just wanted to talk to Mike?"
Shirley: "Hold on, dear. I'll get him."
********wait, wait.... wait....wait... for what seems like an eternity.....****
Shirley: "Hi, Sarah? He's on his way."
me: "Okay, thanks."
*******wait, wait, wait...*****
Click.
What? Why is the phone dead???
Seconds later, the Micra Machine came racing up to the front of our house, and Mike got out, slammed the door and came running breathless into the house.
Mike: "Are you okay?! I hear the baby's coming! Are you in labour???"
Me: "WHAT?? You came home?! I was just wanting to TALK to you on the phone! I didn't need you to actually come home!"
What the heck? That was kind of funny/embarrassing. It made me feel anxious that maybe I was just making this up since I was still a week early and that there really wasn't a chance that this baby was coming. But Mike, on the other hand, once he got over his shock, was pretty pumped that he got to make a dramatic exit right in the middle of his class (they may have clapped and cheered) and have the rest of the afternoon off! haha
And then the door bell rang. Of course... the piano tuner! So I hid upstairs since apparently I was in labour while Bob the Piano Tuner worked his magic on our piano. When he finally left, we tried to take a nap as I'd been ordered, but we were too excited. We packed the bags, Mike made sub plans, and had some supper. I just had toast because I'd read that you're not hungry when you're labour. After supper Mike watched some TV while I sat at the table working on a jigsaw puzzle that I'd started to keep me busy during my boring days at home waiting for baby to come.
As I was puzzling away, I realized that I was experiencing some lower back pain. It would start, get worse, and then fade away. So these must be the contractions I'd heard so much about! I got Mike to start writing down the times as they happened. By 8:00, they were really increasing in intensity, and by 9:00 they felt strong enough and were frequent enough that we decided we could head to the hospital.
On the way to the hospital, the drive was not fun! On the ten minute drive I had two or three really painful contractions where I was gripping the seat and trying to breath through them. I remember feeling very thankful that we had planned to deliver in Stony because I thought the drive would have been excruciating if we'd needed to have an even longer drive into Edmonton!
I made it to the intake desk and of course they were suspicious to see a first-time mom who was only 39 weeks along claiming to be in labour. But they checked me out and it turns out I was already 5 cm dilated. Hooray!
The next 6 hours are a big hazy blur of pain. I remember that it was peaceful in our private room, and we almost always had a nurse sitting with us because it wasn't very busy that night. We had brought our "labour music" and it helped a bit to distract and make a calm environment. I did NOT like being in the shower, i did NOT like standing up and I did NOT like lying down. The only thing that I could tolerate was sitting in a mesh Poang-type chair and I would just rock back and forth as each contraction came and went because the pain was in my lower back and that chair provided resistance that helped a bit. They never once offered me any drugs and the mind-set seemed to be that of course I could do this. Why wouldn't I be able to?
I think if I'd been delivering in a hospital that handed out epidurals, there were times were I would have gladly accepted, but since no one offered, I just soldiered on, silently rocking my way through the contractions.
At around 3:00 a.m. it was declared that I was fully dilated and would be able to being pushing soon, so they filled up the tub with water and called the midwife.
I guess it was around an hour of pushing. I don't really know the time too exact, but it was painful and crazy until the glorious moment of 4:20 am. when Annika Lily Janzen made her arrival!
We hadn't found out her gender and the suspense of not knowing if we were having a little girl or a little boy had been driving me bananas! The moment that we laid eyes on her was so special and surprising. She weighed a healthy 7 lbs, 14 oz. and other than some tearing on my part, we were both fine. Such a miracle and so much to be thankful for! Praise God!
We waited until after six (although the time passed quickly with getting cleaned up and showering, etc.) until we could make some exciting phone calls that our baby girl had arrived! We were sent home that afternoon (which looking back was a bit too soon), and thus began this crazy journey of parenthood!
We love you, Annika!!!
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