MANIC MONDAY- LABOR

MANIC MONDAY LINK


I didn't know that Americans have a Labor Day, but I learned it on Mo's blog. I then conclude that they are working only one day a year when it is "Labor Day" ! I think we should introduce this day here too.

But as we have no "Labor Day" now, I thought about my personal Labor Day. That was 34 years ago. The birth was foreseen not by a clairvoyant but by my gynecologist for the 20th August. As I was feeling like a fish in water and had no problems at all, I worked until the 19. In the 70th it was possible, today you have to take 1 month before and 2 months after birth, maternity vacation, payed of course. I preferred to take these 3 months after the birth I thought my baby would need me more then and not right now.

The 19th late evening I suddenly felt a sword crossing my belly and thought that must be it, the contractions arrive. I called my doctor. He told me to watch the time between the contractions and when it's all 10 minutes I should go to the Hospital. How to kill the time now ? We played a game, I don't remember what, and I counted the distance between the sword crossing on my watch. At midnight sharp it was time ! At least my child would be a very punctial one ! It was the 20th as foreseen.

We drove to the clinic and then I had to lay down on a bed and admired the ceiling. When the contractions arrived I panted like an old dog as I had been told. But then I got hungry. Very hungry called the nurse and asked for something to eat. The poor girl was shocked she told me that I was in labo(u)r and not allowed to eat, I could throw up. Now I got furious I was hungry and I wanted something to eat. Finally she had enough of my lamentations and arguments and gave me a slice of bread with jam. I think I never had such a good slice of bread ! I munched and panted until the doctor arrived and now he got furious. He screamed at the nurse but I stopped him and told him it was all my fault.

In between the baby had decided to change position and instead of a diving position it just sat up. An X-ray was done (there was not yet echographies) and I very much hoped to know the sex of the child. Of course it started already inside my belly to make me angry because it held his leg just in front of the critical point. So I still didn't know, was it a boy or a girl. But I had to have a ceserian.

With all this my labor had stopped, they took me in the operation room and knocked me out. Apparently I gave birth but I don't know how. Anyway when I woke up, I saw my husband's face above me and he whispered : "You have a little boy !" I don't know what I answered but he still tells me that today ! My answer was "Have you fed the cat ?"