Since my little jelly bean decided to arrive early, I have received many questions as to what happened, how and why she was born so early. She arrived at 33 weeks exactly and although she was early, she was a healthy baby girl. My little Ruby...
Here goes...
Ms. Ruby was born on Monday, January 16, 2012, at 9:52 p.m., which happened to Martin Luther King Jr. day and I was on holiday from work. That morning I had run to Target to pick up a few baby things and some groceries to stock up for Ruby's birth; however, after picking out baby items, I was weary and didn't have the energy to pick up the groceries, so I made the trip quick and headed back home. Once home I began washing baby clothes and organizing. Only the day before had my parents come to town to deliver a crib and dresser and help me to set up, arrange, and prepare. So, I was gingerly folding baby clothes and placing them in the new, beautiful dresser my parents had refurbished for me, when at about 4:00 p.m. my water broke. I made a few frantic phone calls to my doctor, doula, and of course, Mom. Everyone told me to go to the hospital to get checked out. The doctor's office told me that they really doubted it was my water that broke, but just to be safe it was best to get examined.
So, I went up to the hospital at about 5:30. By that time, a dull back ache was beginning. At the hospital, they put me in a gown and hooked me up to monitors right away. The contractions monitor showed mild "irritation" but no real contractions. My mom arrived at the hospital shortly before 6:00. My doctor, clearly irritated, came around 6:30, where he examined me and some fluid under a microscope and declared that I had a bladder infection and it was time for me to go home. By this time, the dull back ache had become a pretty hefty ache, but the doctor and nurse said that bladder infections could cause back aches. The doctor left, the monitors were taken off, and I was told to get dressed and go home. During this, the ache became so painful and intense I was throwing up. The nurse looked at me sympathetically and my mother pleaded with her that something was seriously wrong, but yet again, I was told to dress and go home. I said, even if this is a bladder infection, could I have tylenol. The nurse denied me Tylenol! She said I could get some at the pharmacy when I picked up the prescription for my bladder infection. Mom and I, baffled and terrified, slowly left the hospital at 8:30 p.m. I was doubled over in pain, couldn't focus, and barely could walk.
In denial and terror, my mother drove me to the pharmacy where she went inside to get the prescription. At this time I started to feel contractions. I believe I was having contractions the entire time but the labor in my back was so intense I couldn't feel the contractions in my tummy. But, waiting in the car, WHOA, did I feel them then! Finally, much to my relief, Mom came back to the car and quickly drove me home. I don't remember walking from the car to my apartment and the tunnel vision from that point on was so narrow that it seems like a dream. I labored in bed, on the couch, on the floor, finally on the toilet. The relief of sitting on the toilet brought on the urge to bear down. Mom frantically dialed 911 and the ambulance arrived at about 9:35 p.m... only 1 hour after we left the hospital...
The baby's head crowned in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and the paramedics pleading with me to not push was like asking the world to stop turning. I could only describe my body taking over like uncontrollable convulsions. I remember paramedics, doctors, and a slug of nurses running my gurney down the hallways of the hospital and arriving in a delivery room where a different doctor told me that it was finally ok for me to push. One and a half pushes and my precious baby, Ruby, was delivered at a grand total of 4 pounds 12 ounces and 18 inches long. The screaming and crying that baby did would cause anyone to believe she was an outraged full-term baby! One very kind nurse held Ruby up for me to catch a quick look before they rushed her to the NICU where they hooked her up to breathing tubes, feeding tubes, IVs, and monitors.
I held my baby girl for the first time 12 hours later. She smiled for the first time 12 hours later. I named her 12 hours later. She was baptized 15 hours later. But I fell in love the very first second.
