Footling Breech Stands up to Birth

My first born is 22 years old today.  And while she is probably sick of hearing it, I love telling about her birth... While waiting for 1989 to arrive, I found myself nesting in my little 1 bedroom apartment in Edmonton; wondering if I was really going to be able to do any of the required parts of birth. I'd done nothing to educate myself about birth but somehow had the idea that the we would be just fine.  I was still young enough to think I was invincible and that nothing was impossible. I felt contractions as a mild inconvenience and didn't think much of them but knew that something was different.  Not knowing any better, I went into the hospital about 2 hours after I started feeling the contractions. Not being very empowered and feeling admittedly scared by this time, I took the first shot I was offered and drifted off to sleep.  By this time on January 1st, I was back in active labor and was feeling as close to ready as I would feel before hearing the words "dangling footling breech something something something... emergency C-section!" I was so naive, I had no idea what any of this meant and no one was taking a moment to explain anything to me.  I don't remember the rest of the birth.  But...  The real birth was hours later, when I was given my daughter. I fell in love with her the moment I saw her and knew that I would lay my life down for her. It was like I was born too.  I know lots of women say that. We say it because it's true. My baby knew that she was mine and ate like a trooper within seconds of arriving in my tired arms. My whole body woke up and I began to live in a different way than ever before. Began living for another human being.  The journey of parenting has brought so many challenges and joys. And now as I watch other Mom's be born, I see them learning and reading everything they can get their hands on.  The advice I wish I'd been given when I began this journey would have been to trust my body to know what to do and to follow the baby where ever she decides to take me.

Needless to say, she was ravenous after that many hours of separation and was not out of my sight for the rest of our stay.  She had the cutest little cry and sometimes when I really miss her presence, I play the cassette tape I have of her first laughter.  Aryn, as you return from Ghana for the second time, please enjoy your Birthday.  While you adjust to life back in Canada keep your feet under you as you make your way home ~ Mom Loves you!