Mommy’s Favorite Gift

Throughout my pregnancy, my biggest fear was that my water would break in public. For that reason, I stayed within a ten minute walk from my house for the entire month leading up to my due date. Okay, so maybe it was because I had a massive watermelon in my stomach, so big that my belly squished against the steering wheel and if I moved my seat back any farther, my poor little legs couldn’t reach the pedals. At 24 weeks, my stomach looked like a normal nine month pregnant belly. At 37 weeks, I had gained about 40 extra pounds, all in my belly. I felt like I was going to topple over every time I took a step. And tying my shoes? Forget it. I couldn’t even see my feet! By 40 weeks, I was more than ready to have my baby enter the world, and I was ecstatic to find out whether I would be a mommy to a handsome baby boy, or a beautiful baby girl.

Finally, after hours upon hours of walking, a ton of raspberry leaf tea, and practically begging my little peanut to get the show on the road, on July 28^th, 2012, at 5:30am, I went into labor. This was it! This was the moment I had been waiting 9 months for!

I will be the first to admit that my labor was not nearly as horrible as my imagination had conjured it up to be. I knew it would be excruciatingly painful and I imagined I would cry and scream that I couldn’t go through with it, all while curling up in a fetal position willing the contractions to subside. I did cry and scream and finally after 38 excruciating hours of being drug free, I opted for the epidural. It was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Although giving birth completely natural was what I really wanted, at this point, all I cared about was that my baby would be happy and healthy. The epidural was critical for me getting some sleep and gathering the energy to push this watermelon out. The time came where the nurse said I was ready to push. So I pushed and I pushed and I pushed. I pushed for two and a half hours. There was talk of using forceps but it was decided the only way this baby was coming out, was with an emergency cesarean. This was real, after 9 months of being pregnant and 52 hours of labor, I would meet my precious little angel.

Meeting my son for the first time, was magical. Weighing 9 pounds 12 ounces, my little miracle was healthy, and is the most beautiful boy I have ever laid eyes on. I have always heard parents say “you don’t know what love is until you have a child.” At that moment, I knew exactly what they were talking about. I cannot imagine loving anyone the way I love my son.

The moment my son entered this world, my life completely changed. He is, and always will be, my first priority. We have both been through some struggles in his short 6 months, but he has taught me things, and helped me understand things, more than I could ever imagine possible. He is my inspiration. I believe we were all put in this world for a reason, for a purpose. Mine was to be a mother who could love someone unconditionally and learn from someone who has so much to teach me. Kaiden, I love you more than you will ever know. I love you to the moon and back, a billion times over!

 

By: Shianne Kauhausen, proud mother of Kaiden 7/30/2012