Personal Pregnancy Experience

     My husband and I were married on 9-10-11 and were for some strange reason extremely eager to start a family. We, to my surprise, got pregnant the next month and were off to the races! I absolutely loved being pregnant, minus the unending nauseasness and weight gain. I remember throwing up in Bed, Bath and Beyond, pulling over on the interstate, throwing up in front of my high school students, I could go on and on about the whoas of my experience.   Things for me really got better at around 6 months, I wasn't sick anymore and had come to terms with gaining weight, so I was able to actually embrace pregnancy.
      I am the fashion design teacher at my local high school, so around 7 months the class started planning the annual school fashion show, which at the time I was excited about. Slowly the show became a burden and I quickly realized being a fashion show director wasn't going to be easy while being 8 months pregnant. My students and coworkers were a huge help, even inviting me to be a presenter at graduation and chaperone at prom.
       My husband best friend planned his wedding on mother's day and of course being me I had to drive 6 hours to attending the wedding, which I pretty much missed the entire thing. That same night I start experiencing back pain and noticed what I thought was the "plug." I made my husband drive me home the next morning and scheduled an appointment for that week. I remember begging my doctor to check to be sure I was not dilating and even do a heart beat check. She pretty much told me I was over-reacting and she was sure I was not dilated. After begging and even crying, my husband decided to tell the doctor we were not leaving until she check me and the baby. Upon checking us she realized I was 2 centimeters, but the baby was fine. She now wanted to put me on bed rest, but I told her I had the fashion show that Thursday and could not leave my students out to dry. When that Wednesday came, I had to pick up over 150 garments for the show, make sure all the models were in place, check sound and music, and just be everywhere at once. It was overwhelming and completely draining; I knew I made a bad choice. All of my students and coworkers were noticing my discomfort and that afternoon I applied for a substitute for Friday. I again made a horrible choice when I decided to attend my baby shower 6 hours away with my husbands family. I was completely uncomfortable and knew I was in labor, but continued to deny it. We were able to stay at the shower for 1 hour and I was ready to go, I refused to go to the hospital in a small town, just in case I was in labor I knew the hospital there was not going to be able to care for my premature son. We drove 6 hours back to Houston, Texas, straight to Texas Woman's Hospital. Unfortunately, I was in pre-term labor; the doctors were able to stop the labor with multiple medications, however I was now forced to be on bed rest at the hospital for the next two weeks. I am a naturally social and energetic person, so being trapped in a hospital room was complete torture for me. To top my experience, the day I was being discharged I was up early cleaning my room and getting ready to leave, the nurse came in and explained I needed to be monitored one last time before being discharged. I annoyingly laid down to get the monitor strapped on, I watched the clock eagerly for my 30 minutes to be over, 10 minutes left on the countdown and what happened!! Of course, my water breaks! Now the day I am being discharged I am in real labor and defiantly in shock and completely overwhelmed with the entire situation.  I had 6 different labor and delivery nurses and three doctors, none of which were mine. I could eat for 27 hours and being a hypoglycemic person I was in need of some sugar. My husband ran to Target to get an IPad, mom made it back, sister made it, and my close friend was there too. I was determined to have a nature birth, well that was until I was 8 centimeters and I felt like I was dying, so my husband talked me into getting an epidural (HEAVEN!) 11 hours later at 8;45pm we had our beautiful son; June 1, 2012, 4 pounds 13 ounces. He was born at 34 weeks, so he was rushed to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit where he stayed for 2 weeks. He was able to come home and has be growing bigger and healthier every day! Now my little man is 20 pounds and walking at 9months. I am so blessed everything worked out for the best. Even though I feel I had an extremely hectic and overwhelming pregnancy and birthing experience, I would not change it for the world. (I do not, however, plan on having any more children.... at least not any time soon!)