Cabernet and C-sections…Post Edit at the end..
We savored our dinner that night. Appetizers, salads, main course, dessert, coffee. We sat with good friends and laughed for hours like we had nothing waiting for us at home. I even took a few sips of Jen’s Cabernet. She promised not to tell anyone.
Jed helped me gently from my chair when the evening had to end, and helped me catch my balance while standing – all nine months pregnant me.
The few sips of wine and suddenly rising after an evening of lounging brought immediate and hot color to my cheeks. My lips formed a smile as we kissed our friends good-bye and I took deep breath as the reality set-in that this was our last night out before our second daughter arrived in just a few weeks.
18 days away from our scheduled c-section.
I brushed my teeth, washed my face and changed into my ditsy rose print pajamas and settled onto the couch for the late news as the first pain came. Hard. Surprising. Foreign. I caught my breath and tried to relax as the pain subsided. Ten minutes later, the pain returned.
I thought about the conversation at my last appointment. After an emergency c-section a month early with my first baby, I wanted a chance for a natural delivery this time. The first time I had a midwife, birthing classes, plans for a natural birth, no drugs. I didn’t even get a chance to go into labor for any of that to happen.
So we made two plans – a scheduled c-section date but if I went into labor early, a natural birth we could have.
I giggled softly between the pain knowing that this was my chance.
I called my doctor and she told me to labor at home if I was comfortable with that and come in when my contractions were four to five minutes apart. The hospital was a four minute drive.
So I labored joyously at home anticipating her arrival.
At four in the morning I could barely breathe, the contractions were hard and close together. I climbed the stairs to wake Jed to let him know it was time, I called my aunt to come stay with Eloise, and I packed a small bag while taking breaks to brace myself against the wall in pain as the hard labor continued. The pain had ignited me into action.
As I grabbed my bag and started my descent of the stairs I felt liquid run down my leg as the next contraction consumed my body. Instinctively my hand went between my thighs to stop this release.
And as I brought my hand back up to steady my descent I saw it was covered in blood.
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This memoir written for The Red Dress Club writing prompt:
“Give me a memory of the color red. Do not write the word ‘red’ but use words that engender the color red when you hear them. For example: a ruby, a tomato, fire, blood.”
Post Edit: No one loves a good cliffhanger? I had a placental abruption. Not very common and very scary to say the least. We ran every light on the way to the hospital while on the phone with my doctor. They met us at the entrance with a gurney and full team. I’m not sure a c-section was ever performed so quickly before. Esther arrived healthy and simply beautiful. Sure my plans were changed, but holding that sweet babe made me realize what was really important. 
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