she says

On the cruise, she thought we were calling her bathing suit a baby suit. She called the hot tub bubbles.

birth story - mommy's version

Nile was visiting from Germany and staying with us. So maybe it was the walking we did around the city, although I walked everywhere before that, too. Maybe it was Bhangra Against Bush that pushed me over the top.

Arun's dad's mother in Kakinada had passed away, so a couple days into Nile's visit Arun went to Richmond to be with his parents. Should we worry that it was 2 weeks before my due date? Guess not, but I do have to say I didn't want him to leave. But I wasn't alone since Nile was there and everyone goes past their due date with their first baby, right?

So, Arun left Sat am and Nile, Priya and I went to a BBQ at Priya's friend Yohe's (sp?) friend's place on the Upper West Side. It was a nice day so we sat outside and ate and ate and ate. I remember I ate a ton of food. After we left there we went to see Vanity Fair at a movie theater near there.

Nile and I got back to our place at about 1:00am. At 2:30 I woke up with cramps at the bottom of my belly. I thought it was because I ate too much or maybe didn't drink enough water, so I drank some water and went to the bathroom. Not that it's of any consequence, but I was also sleeping on Arun's side of the bed.

I don't think I was able to fall back asleep. I went to the bathroom probably 2 or 3 times with diarrhea and then threw up what was left in my stomach. By this point I was worried about getting dehydrated so I was trying to drink a lot of water, but I would just throw it back up. Nile woke up to use the bathroom and I was lying in bed not sleeping, so I called to her and said something like, "I think I might be in labor." The stomach cramps were still there - coming and going. She talked me into calling Arun. It was about 3:30am by this point. I had to call his parent's home number (can't remember what was wrong with his cell) and wake up his mom. I told her I thought I was in labor and to wake up Arun. He said drink water and rest, which I had already tried. But, to let our denial play out as long as possible, I tried it again. I called him back and he had found a flight that left Richmond at 6am.

Now the order of events get a little fuzzy. I remember calling Yael, our midwife, but really wanting to wait until it wasn't the middle of the night. I think I waited until 5ish. I paged her and there was no answer. I think I tried to sleep again, but the contractions were coming to quickly to fall asleep in between. Around 6 we tried to page Yael again and she called back. (those times are probably wrong) I sent Nile out to get me some Gatorade to sip on. I tried to take a shower, but it was *not* relaxing. In the shower I started moaning through contractions which seemed to help a bit, but I was in far too much pain to be getting in and out of the shower by myself. I wasn't sure how I was going to get out. Nile came back with the Gatorade as I was getting out. I remember trying to decide what to wear. I think I didn't want to wear pants, but ended up putting on loose fitting green capris and a tshirt. At some point Nile timed some contractions and talked to the midwife on the phone. I remember being surprised that it hurt so much.

There is a blank in my memory from there until Arun called to say he was in a cab coming home from the airport. I think by then I was kneeling on the floor with my arms on the birthball and really moaning/yelling through the contractions. The sun was up. I remember Arun getting home and him talking to Yael on the phone and then calling the car service. Nile was sitting at the dining room table and looking a little overwhelmed. I was so glad he was home, but he seemed to be panicking a bit. I was feeling good between contractions, but they were getting really intense.

Nile didn't come with us to the hospital. We slowly make our way down to the car between contractions. Down the hallway. Contraction. Elevator. Contraction. Lobby. Contraction. Side walk. I had to stop just before getting in to the car for another one. I was on my hands and knees leaning on Arun in the back of the car. Arun was giving directions to the driver. I was embarrassed that I was making so much noise. I scared the driver so much that he drove a half a block past the hospital. Arun made him back up down 10th Ave. Good thing it was Sun morning.

Out of the car. Contraction. Sidewalk. Contraction. Doorway. Contraction. We had to share our elevator with some one on a gurney. I was yelling through the contractions.

When we finally got to the Birthing Center the nurses came to help me and asked us to wait in the conference room because our birthing room was not ready. I was yelling that I could feel something coming and I thought I was going to have the baby right there. I took off my pants and they put a bunch of chucks under me. I thought it was the baby's head, but it was the amniotic sac bulging and then bursting. They had another midwife come in whose name was Sylvie because Yael wasn't there yet. She told me what it was and to relax. I think I actually did relax for just a second.

Our room was ready right after that and they had me waddle my way down the hall with the chucks between my legs. Once in the room they got me a birthing stool and I sat on that and leaned on the foot of the bed. This is where the pushing started and this made everything before this seem like cake. It was the most powerful, painful thing that has ever happened to me. It came in waves that overtook my entire body. I felt my insides stretching stretching stretching. I remember screaming as loud as I could with every one but my screams were no where near as intense as the pain. Yael was telling me to use my energy to push down but it was hard to focus on anything.

Then there was a baby. And no more contractions. A baby! A real baby! Not just a sack of potatoes or an alien. Arun came to hug us. Yael asked me what I had, so I looked and it is a girl! which totally surprised me. She cried. I cried. Because I was glad it was over and because there she was in person and she was beautiful and brand new. That was at 9:49am.

Then there was a placenta that I don't remember much about. And then there were the stitches that sucked a lot. It took forever and all I wanted to do was touch our new baby. There were 100 phone calls. They finally got us all settled in bed and nursing and Mia pooped a huge sticky meconium poop all over our sheets and blankets. It got everywhere. After cleaning that up we snuggled in for a nap but I didn't sleep. Eventually, we ordered Indian food that was gross. I took a shower with help from a nurse - possibly the best part of the hospital stay. She handed me the soap and made what would have been a very embarrassing situation funny. I felt great after the shower. My mom and Doug got to the hospital that afternoon around 5pm and we left the hospital at 8pm.

I don't remember many details about the first night or the next couple days except there was a lot of taking the nursing pillow on and off. I do remember having an overwhelming urge to be touching Mia at all times. It made me very uncomfortable when other people held her for too long. Not Arun so much, but anyone else. I also remember that at night I wasn't upset about not sleeping because I loved looking at and touching Mia so much. Monday my dad and Ben, Leela and Pop, and Mutt and Shubha came for a quick visit. Melissa came for a couple days that week. My mom stayed for 2 weeks and then Arun's mom came for 2 weeks after that.

she says

she calls Nala 'wawa' and water 'baboo'.

she says

She calls beans bee and says thank you when she hands something to me.

she says

She says uh-hoe when ever something drops or she sees something on the floor.

She loves Elmo even though she has never seen an episode of Sesame Street.