18 Years Old, and Not a Clue What Labor Would Entail!

by Paige
(New York, NY)

I was 18 years old when I had my first child and had just graduated High School not more than a week before. My daughter was born 5 pounds and 11 ounces and 3 weeks early. I had given birth naturally without any medications because of the extenuating circumstances that I'll discuss in this article.

I had been awoken by my high school friend Shawna coming in to drop off her gift for me since she missed my baby shower. She woke me up, she came in and I was asleep and in my night gown, she offered to take me out to a game of mini-golf and I had agreed to it. I got up got dressed and we headed out to go to her house for some breakfast then mini-golfing. On the way to her house we got into a car accident with an older woman who ran a stop sign. She had a heart attack behind the wheel and I decided to go to the hospital with her ambulance so that I could make sure my child was okay.

At the hospital I waited 3 hours in the emergency room for a nurse to take my weight and blood pressure. Thank God nothing was seriously wrong because my daughter would have died. The hospital put me on a monitor and saw I was having minor contractions. I insisted it was because I had not eaten or drank anything the entire day, knowing from my own personal doctor that minor contractions were normal under those circumstances. Since there was a risk that I could have to go into an emergency c-section no doctor or nurse would okay me to have anything to eat or drink. I was not in my planned hospital, nor could I speak to my doctor due to the fact that at 18 I couldn't afford a cellular phone. I was admitted into the maternity ward where I shared a room with a family who was watching the BET awards. I was tired, hungry and had a headache, and I sure as hell didn't want to share a room a WHOLE FAMILY ( mom, dad, cousins, uncles, aunts, father, prig mom) singing and watching a LOUD program saying "OBAMA YA'LL" just about roughly every 10 seconds. I decided I needed to sign myself out.

I was told that my placenta could separate, and my daughter could die if I sign myself out. I decided to take the risk, and I'm glad I did. I had my own room, with just me my mother and my husband, and there I stayed for 2 days when I was in labor. I felt nothing until the last minute. My doctor induced me after 2 days, and I waited. I was going to be numb but I had no idea how dilated I was because when I finally felt enough pain to need the injection I was already too far along. Needless to say, I'll never make that mistake again. I didn't rip, I didn't need stitches, my daughter was born with the cord around her neck and silent. Luckily she was happy and healthy and I left the hospital just 2 days after. My daughter was born healthy and now she'll be 3 years this weekend and is the greatest blessing the Lord has ever granted me. My mother took pictures of the event that still haunt me and may one day haunt my daughter.