As I mentioned, #1 was born 5 weeks early. 35 weeks. Everything seemed great during my appointments. The Maternal Fetal Health Specialist told me he just could not get the last ultrasound image he needed. So I needed to keep coming back every month. (I think he was just trying to keep me from freaking out about my ADVANCED MATERNAL AGE. )
During my 34-week ultrasound, everything looked great except that baby boy was really big. We talked about scheduling the delivery for 39 weeks to ensure a healthy delivery.
The Sneeze at 35 Weeks
Four days later, we got quite a surprise. My husband was making evening fundraising calls in the office. At 8:00, he called it a night and sat down with me to watch some TV. At 8:02, I sneezed. I felt something wet and at first thought that I had peed a little. But it didn’t stop. My water had broken. No contractions. No warning. Just a lot of fluid all over our new couch and my husband’s new family car. I’m usually prepared for everything. Not this. I hadn’t packed a bag. I hadn’t taken the class. And I certainly hadn’t read the part of the book about premature babies.
Welcome to the World
We got to the hospital around 9:00 that night. They saw the soaked pajamas and skipped right past triage. By midnight there were still no signs of contractions so they started the Pitocin. 22 1/2 hours later with the midwife screaming at me that she was going to cut me open, #1 finally made his debut. (He still waits until the last-second to do anything I ask him to do.)
The time it took for the doctors to check him out and for the midwife to finish me up seemed like an eternity. I needed to hear that little cry. I needed to feel my baby breathe. I’d spent the last 26 1/2 hours worrying about his little lungs. Finally, that cry came. My husband made the victory sign from across the room and my sweet boy was brought to my arms.
I will always be thankful for that sneeze. Preemies tend to have more health issues, and my boy has had his share, but the midwife later told us that the umbilical cord was wrapped around my son’s neck three times. She didn’t need to say anything more. Baby boy arrived early because he needed to.
Those were the first two sleepless nights. At this point, I think I’m probably around 600. And that, my friends, is the reason you’re supposed to have your kids when you’re young.
Photo by gordonflood.com 
or who gets the yellow ball and who gets the red, you need to remind yourself not just of all the joys, but that all the challenges pass. There are always new challenges, but there are always new joys too.