Down the road of memories

I give you life

Elle POV

I know a lot about childbirth. I delivered several babies during my humanitarian trips through my studies and also as a doctor. I even spent a summer in India in a women's hospital where I did several cesareans.

But I have never experienced giving birth myself... and it's scary. During my last exam with my obstetrician, she checked my cervix to tell me that it was 1 cm dilated and 25% effaced. My body has already started to prepare for childbirth. But is my mind ready?

And to make the situation even more difficult, Noah has been assigned to work on a big case that takes up a lot of his time. He hopes to be able to reach an agreement with his client before the baby arrives so that he can spend a few days with me at home.  Being only 36 weeks pregnant, I told him he still had almost 4 weeks to close this file. But I was wrong…

The night before my 37th week of pregnancy, I went to bed early feeling uncomfortable as I felt little Lizzie low in my pelvis. I thought that lying down would help me relieve myself. When I went to the bathroom before bed, I noticed something sticky when I wiped it. Probably my mucus plug! But since I wasn’t having contractions, I didn’t pay attention to it and went to bed.

Before I snuggled up in bed, my phone rang with a message:

Noah: I’ll probably be home late tonight! My big case will be in court tomorrow. Is everything okay at home?

Elle : I’m fine! I’m going straight to bed. Little Lizzie is giving my pelvis no rest.  😔

Noah: Tell her to sleep peacefully! Good night my princesses! 😘

Elle : Good night! And don't spend the night at the office.🤔

Noah: I'll try!😉

I probably fell asleep quickly because I woke up in shock 2 hours later with a strong pain in my abdomen. A few seconds later, the pain disappeared. I lay in bed wondering if the pain would come back. 7 minutes later, I felt the pain rise in my abdomen last 15 seconds then disappear. Indeed, I have contractions!

I got up to take a bath. If it's false labor, relaxation should make it stop. I tried to relax in the bath while continuing to monitor my contractions. They didn't seem to slow down at all but rather speed up.  15 minutes later, my contractions were every 5 minutes and lasted 30 seconds. I decided to check my cervix and was surprised to measure it at 4 cm and 75% effaced. I am in active labor, I will have my baby in a few hours!

I got out of the bath telling myself that I would try to join Noah. But as soon as I set foot on the bath mat, I felt a big pain in my lower abdomen that made me scream before feeling water flowing between my legs. My waters have just broken... I have to go to the hospital as soon as possible! It's happening very quickly!

I felt my breathing getting choppy as I breathed through another contraction wondering what to do to get to the hospital as quickly as possible. Call Noah to ask him to come and get me or to meet me at the hospital? Otherwise call Lee? Call June?  I was so focused that I didn't hear the noises in the house at all until the bathroom door burst open.
- Elle, what's going on?" Noah said as he rushed to my side.
- Oh thanks, you're here! I've been having contractions for a good half hour and my water just broke. We need to go to the hospital now! Could you help me get dressed?" I asked before breathing through another contraction.
- What do you want?" Noah asked me as he walked over to my dresser in our bedroom.
- Anything that won't require too much movement." I replied as the contraction released me.