40 weeks pregnant

Finally 40 weeks pregnant and my due date has arrived, May 26, 2008. At this time I was anxious to go into labour. I was ready to deliver and meet my little Ansale'wit (Angel in Mi'kmaq). I was scheduled to see my Doctor at 8 am that day. When I saw my doctor, she said I was only open 1.5 cm. I was determined to go into labour, therefore; I went for an hour walk immediately after my appointment.

At around suppertime, I started to have contractions, they were not strong, but they were consistent, every 5 minutes. I knew that my labour had not started yet, although I knew that my body was preparing itself. I had let my family know that there was a chance that I would be going into labour sometime during the evening. At around 10 pm. I decided that I would walk around the block, to keep my contractions consistent. I walked for about a half hour, then decided that I should rest up. I went home and went to bed.

It was midnight when I was woken up by sharp abdominal pain. I looked at my watch, and five minutes passed when I got another sharp cramp. I was in labour, I wasn’t nervous, there was no time to be. I waited for an hour to pass before I went to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, the contractions had got more intense. I was open at 3.5 cm’s. Before I knew it, I was in the delivery room preparing myself for childbirth. My water broke when I was 6 cm’s dilated. Before I knew it I was I was 10 cm’s dilated and ready to push. I pushed for 44 minutes, and at 8:49 am I gave birth to my daughter Anayah Ansale’wit Swanson Larocque. She weighted 7 pounds 14 ounces and was 19 ¾ inches long.

The moment I saw her face, I fell in love unconditionally for the first time. I was over welcomed with affection for my daughter. It’s true what they say, you forget the pain of labour when you see your baby’s face for the first time. After all I experienced with Labour and giving birth natural without the epidural; I must say, I have a new level of respect for mothers.