Larkin's Birth Story

Larkin was due to arrive on July 8, 1997. We were a little disappointed when he didn't arrive on the expected due date, but God knew when he was to arrive and it just wasn't then. Well a whole week went by and still nothing, no signs whatsoever. I was a little frustrated and of course scared I mean this was my first child and I didn't know what to expect.

Wednesday, July 16th came and still nothing all morning or afternoon. My husband and I decided to go do laundry at the laundrymat. that night. I wasn't even thinking I was going to go in labor. I was sitting and reading a magazine and..... my water broke. I couldn't believe it, my husband and I were just talking about how funny it would be if I went into labor there at the laundrymat. We called my parents and had my mom take me home to get my bag and take me to the hospital while my husband got the laundry together.

We arrived at the hospital, 15 minutes later. Contractions hadn't hit, until 5 minutes after I was at the hospital, about the time my husband got there. I had to have most of my labor in the waiting room because the labor rooms were all filled up and I had to wait until one opened up. I just kept thinking, "Oh, great, I'm going to have my baby here in the waiting room!"

Finally, I got a labor room. Thank God! Contractions didn't start getting bad until about 3 hours into my labor. At this point I couldn't even stand my husband touching me or talking to me, when contractions hit. I felt bad and apologized. My mother was the only one I could stand talking to me.

She helped me through my contractions. I knew my mother kept wanting to cry, I mean her little girl was having a baby.

The doctor came in to check my dialation around midnight, and I was at 4 centimeters. About 30 minutes later he checked again because there was no break in between my contractions. I was now at 8 centimeters. At this time I was getting more scared, 2 more centimeters and I'd be in the delivery room giving birth to our little miracle.

I was finally at 10! They wheeled me into the delivery room. At this point I wanted my husband of course! I started to push as the doctor said I could. I kept thinking, "What about that urge to push, I didn't have it?" I tried different pushing positions, but wasn't having any luck. Then the doctor told me "Stop pushing because I pushing on a closed door, we're gonna have to do a caesarean section." I was thinking. "Oh, great I don't think this doctor knows what he's doing!" By then I really had the urge to push beyond belief, I kept pushing all the time they were prepping me for the section and when they wheeled me into the surgery room. Then another doctor came in and took over, he walked in saying, "She can push we don't need a c-section!" I thanked God for this doctor. It's as they say the Lord works in mysterious ways.

After about 30 minutes of pushing Larkin was finally here at 5:12 on Thursday morning, July 17th. My husband and I both cried when he was finally here and we heard him cry. My husband let me hold Larkin, first, I don't know I guess it was because all I went through, carrying the baby for 9 months and the pain of labor and delivery. My husband just kept saying, "I'm proud of you, thank you so much for giving me a child, a son!"

As they wheeled me in the other room the doctor says,"You have a healthy, 8 pound 3.9 ounce baby!" Then my husband (new daddy) and my mother (new grandmother) came in the room with Larkin. I was just so happy and relieved he was here and healthy, actually I think it was relief to have the labor and delivery over with. I was physically and mentally tired, by this point.

Thank you lord, for this beautiful miracle you gave us!