Postpartum Project | Mama H

Mama H + B

Labor Hours: 13 hours + 56 minutes 

“On June 4th, 2017 I waddled into Flowers Hospital with an overgrown belly and swollen legs like an elephant. It was 8 days before my original due date and I was so excited about my meeting my baby that the nurses had to give me drugs to make me rest up for the big day that was coming. 

The next morning at 5 AM I started the induction process. I was only dilated 1.5 cm and my contractions were wimpy; therefore, I was going to walk into my mother’s footsteps and deliver my bundle of joy WITHOUT an epidural. Ha, I was an idiot. After five hours are of being on the struggle bus I made the best decision of my life and got a 6 inch needle put into my back! I continued to struggle through labor for 7 more hours; however, I couldn’t feel my legs so it was all gucci.  

At my 12 hour mark of being in labor I spiked a fever of 102. Because my water had been broken for so long and my cervix had been checked multiple times, Brooks and I contracted a bacteria that was putting him into distress. I refused to get a C-section so my doctor loaded up my Pitocin drip, and I pushed out my 9 lb. 6 oz. little boy in less than 15 minutes!!! He was covered in an odd white film, his head was so coned it looked a foot long, his hair was red, his temperature was over 103, and he was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  

Brookins (Brooks) Warren Enfinger was born at 6:56 PM and before the clock struck 7 he was taken out of my arms and transported to the NICU. At 21.5” long and almost 10 pounds he was the juiciest baby in the NICU! He lost his fever the night he was born, regulated his own temperature, and continued to capture mommy’s heart through a glass window. Brooks was doing remarkable considering the situation; however, I was not. Not being able to have my baby sent my anxiety into overdrive. I had anxiety attack after anxiety attack. My body was exhausted but who cares about sleep when you can count down hours before taking a trip to the NICU? 

After spending two days in the NICU Brooks was finally cleared to stay in my room! Although he was healthy as could be  at that point my fever did not break so easily; therefore, I had to continue triple antibiotics all day every for 5 days. I gained an extra 30 pounds after my baby was born due to all the IV liquids, but it’s true what they say about breast feeding! Pop a tit in the baby’s mouth and you’ll lose it faster than you gained it!”