Lillian's Birth Story

My daughter, Lillian, was due on Christmas day; however she had her own plan. I went to the doctor just a week before she was born and he told me I was not going to deliver early. His exact words were, “You're sealed up like Fort Knox.”

Not even a week later, I closed the salon where I work full-time as a hairstylist and went home to bed feeling fine. I woke up at 2 AM thinking I had wet my bed but then realized my water had broken. I couldn't believe she was going to be almost three weeks early, especially since I had just seen the doctor and he said I would go full term! I called my parents and they came right over to take me to the hospital.

Two hours later, after I had arrived at the hospital and been put on a monitor, I still couldn’t feel any contractions and was in no pain whatsoever. My nurse didn't believe I was in labor since I was so calm. Ten hours later, the doctor came in and said that I wasn't progressing fast enough and I needed to be induced. His exact words were, “No pain, no gain.” I love male doctors; they just get right to the point.

After the Pitocin drip, my contractions were coming back-to-back with no rest in between. My body would have a contraction and then I would have a Pitocin contraction.

Miraculously, I lasted another three hours without any pain medication. Finally, I asked my doctor how much longer he thought I had to go because I was determined to have a natural, non-medicated birth. I had only dilated to a three, so I opted for the epidural and cried the whole time the anesthesiologist was putting it in. I wasn’t crying because it hurt, but because I was disappointed in myself, which was silly. Better to have a well-rested mommy than a tired and withered one.

After I got my epidural, I slept for a few hours resting up for the delivery. My sister and family arrived just in time. Lillian Mazelle Starr was born at 8:33 PM on December 7, 2005, weighing six pounds, 11 ounces. I only pushed for 30 minutes, faking it the whole time because I couldn't feel a thing–not even pressure–after the epidural!