I was crying, screaming, and kicking with every contraction. This was one of the most important and terrifying days of my life. This was the day I became a Mother. I been preparing for this day for 9 months. Reading “What to Expect when Expecting, taking Lamaze classes, and between all the doctor visits, I was ready. But the question still remains in my mind. “ Am I ready? “ Is any parent really ready?. As a young mother I strive to be a good parent and raise my children to the best of my abilities. Over the years I have asked myself one simple question, “Who makes a better parent?
One who is prepared with commercial text book skills, or the one with knowledge coming from experience? ” It was September 24, 2002 I manage to roll out of bed. This far along in my pregnancy, I could not see my feet. I would waddle like a penguin. With 10 days to go I grew more excited, yet couldn’t help but feel nervous. I must of unpacked and repacked my over night bag ten times a day, but still not satisfied that I had all the essentials. Double checking for receiving blankets, making sure I had enough diapers like a mad lady. Installing the car seat was a interesting process on its own.
Unfortunatly remembering to take the bag was the step I forgot to do. I must of called my husband’s cell phone every five minutes to make check if his phone was working. With all these concerns my stomach starts to hurt. The more I worry the stronger the pains. I didnt know what contractions felt like, so of course I didn’t think anything about it. After an hour had past and the pain did not stop, I realized I am in labor. I started to time the contractions, then immediately called my doctor. Labor was nothing like I read it to be.
Thinking to myself this is a piece of cake. Trying to recall what I had learned from Lamaze classes. I drew a blank. I knew the class coverd information on pain. It wasn’ t until the doctor broke my water bag, when I understood what child labor was really like. The pain was so unbearable that I vomited on my husband. At this point is when I decided on using an epidural. Nine months before I wanted to have a natural birth. Yes many of woman go through labor without the use of any drugs, but nothing could have got me ready for this type of excruciating pain.
This is when I realized no matter how much I read or researched from labor to child upbringing, that it was the hands on experience that brought me the knowledge, to prepare me for my second child birth. I believe it this experience helped me focus on what I really needed to know. Over the years of raising two children, I found parenting my second child to be a little easier. Because I use the knowledge from my past experience of my older child, to rear my youngest. And if I choose to have more children, then I will raise them each on an individual scale from past experience. That no book could have prepared me for.
