Sunday, February 8, 2009

Remembering My Pregnancies

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED?
Yes.

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes.

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Excited.

4. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
26

5. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
A pregnancy test at the doctors. The home pregnancy tests were negative.

6. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
My husband, of course. He was at a sportsman's show and kept calling home to see if I'd heard yet. The guy he was with must have thought he was a wuss because he couldn't be away from his wife for a few hours without calling home four times.

7. DUE DATE?
November 21, 1990

8. ACTUAL DATE BABY WAS BORN?
November 26, 1990 after induction.

9. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Almost every day for nine months. I carried a plastic bag in my coat pocket so I'd be ready when I was on the subway. I would feel my palms sweat and mouth water, I'd think, "It's time." I'd get off the train, do it, and get on with my day. Only the first of many sacrifices for my kids.

10. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Potatoes and bread. My husband would ask, "How are we having our potatoes, today?" One day I was in the mood for KFC and potato salad. My husband had made chicken and rice for dinner. The baby's wishes prevailed and he went out and bought me my heart's desire.

11. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Varicose veins. Thanks for that, Hanna. No, really thanks. I used to have nice legs.

12. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX?
Female

13. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
No, although I was expecting I'd have a boy because everyone who saw me was convinced that's what I was carrying.

14. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
22 pounds.

15. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yes, I had 3.

16. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
I knew. I always guessed. But I pretended to be surprised.

17. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
I developed a blood clot in my leg a week before delivery.

18. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto

19. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
Nine hours. It was only bad near the end.

20. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
My husband. We had a new car and it had cloth seats. He was so worried my water would break and I'd ruin the seat so he made me sit on a green garbage bag for the last month of my pregnancy. Imagine!

21. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
My husband. My obstetrician, who came in even though he wasn't on call, and a nurse. It was change of shift and I wish the nurse I laboured with would have been with me through to the birth, but hey, I know, nurses need to go home after a twelve hour shift. It's not all about me. :/

22. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Natural.

23. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
I had an epidural, no complications. It was wonderful, although I still felt the actual delivery.

24. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
8 lb 3 oz.

25. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN?
8:15 p.m. Monday, November 26, 1990

26. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Hanna Rebekka

27. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY?
18.

28. WAS YOUR SECOND PREGNANCY PLANNED?
No, but the timing was good.

29. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME?
Yes.

30. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS?
Thrilled.

31. HOW OLD WERE YOU?
28.

32. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT?
A pregnancy test at the doctors. I knew I was pregnant, even though two home pregnancy tests were negative.

33. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST?
My husband, of course.

34. DUE DATE?
August 24, 1992.

35. ACTUAL DATE BABY WAS BORN?
August 26, 1992 after induction.

36. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS?
Minimal, maybe five times in the whole pregnancy, so I was sure I must be having a boy since this pregnancy was so different from my first.

37. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE?
Chocolate.

38. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST?
Having to wear thick, support hose at all times (due to my previous blood clot in my leg) during an especially hot summer.

39. WHAT WAS YOUR SECOND CHILD'S SEX?
Female.

40. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING?
No, I was glad I had two girls because it saved on clothes since we were poor.

41. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY?
20 pounds.

42. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER?
Yes, I had one after she was born.

43. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW?
This time I was totally surprised, and wish I wasn’t because I didn’t look my best.

44. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY?
I developed a blood clot in the same spot in the same leg at the same point in the pregnancy as last time.

45. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH?
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto.

46. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR?
Four and a half. Half of the time as my first, exactly.

47. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL?
No one. I was already there for my appointment with my obstetrician when we decided he’d induce me, so my husband and my mom met me there.

48. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH?
My husband, my mom, the same obstetrician who delivered Hanna, and two nurses.

49. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION?
Au naturalle. They induced me, planning to give me my epidural once it was progressing, but then the anaesthetists got called away on emergencies, and they told me we had to “consider other options.” I was not impressed. “I want my epidural!” We gave laughing gas a try but it was just a distraction and did nothing for the pain. Anyway, compared to a delivery with an epidural, it was quite an experience. I can relate to millions of women who gave birth in the days before epidurals, but that’s where the nostalgia ends. Give me an epidural anytime.

50. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN?
No other medications.

51. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH?
7 lb 8 oz.

52. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN?
5:00 p.m. Monday,August 26, 1992

53. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER?
Leah Anneli

54. HOW OLD IS YOUR SECOND BORN TODAY?
16.

No comments: