My Son, My Hero: A Living Testament (Pt. 1)
Every first time mom envisions their delivery day to be easy and full of joy (after the actual birth, of course). The joys of holding her baby for the first time, attempting to breastfeed (or bottle, if she prefers), and all the attention from family and friends. No first time mom imagines anything bad will happen beyond a terribly long and uncomfortable labor and delivery. For me, it was no different, except that my labor and delivery lasted no more than five hours... such a blessing that was, too. My birth plan included doing it without drugs, but my contractions were so close together that I wasn't dilating. My nurse encouraged me to get the epidural before it was too late, even had my mom talk me into it, and I gladly accepted as I barely had time to breathe between contractions. The thought of not dilating and prolonging this pain was worse than the idea of not being "brave" and doing it naturally. Everything else about the birth of my son, however, was anything but normal.
