Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Babies, babies, babies!!! I can think of nothing else.

So those of you who have been reading this blog all year might remember that I had a miscarriage early last spring. It was immediately followed by another. You might also have noticed that my blogging became sporadic and irregular over the summer, as I was thrown into the worst depression (a familial trait) that I have experienced since college. The tide broke in early September, and apparently all I needed was a positive outlook to make this thing happen, because I almost immediately became pregnant again. I managed to keep my mouth shut about it this long (quite against my nature), but yesterday confirmed that my hormone levels are perfect and, most importantly, that we have a regular heartbeat. I can remain silent no longer. I want to shout from the tree tops that I am pregnant! I'm pregnant, I'm Pregnant, I'M PREGNANT!!!! Now all I can do is pray that nothing goes wrong again. It is still early days, but I feel like the more people out there rooting for me, the better off I am.

Now that things are on track and proceeding appropriately, it's only logical (or hormonal) for me to start panicking about what exactly I have gotten myself into, right? My mind keeps returning to a scene from from Illusions and Ignorance: Mary Bennet's Story by Eucharista Ward (later republished by Sourcebooks under the title A Match for Mary Bennet), in which Elizabeth gives birth to her first child. I will not transcribe the entire episode, as it frankly terrifies me, only my favorite part, which focuses on Mary's emotions as she sees her sister in such terrible pain:
Darcy reached the top of the stairway, sent Delia to summon Mrs. Bennet, and said he would go for the surgeon immediately. Meanwhile, Mary struggled to keep Elizabeth on the bed, pushing with her knees while holding her writhing sister's hands. Lizzy's fitful jerking seemed always to hurl her to the bed's edge, her hands clenching harder with each jerk. As intermittent shrieks escaped through Lizzy's clenched teeth, Mary felt her own tears rising, and she fought them off. Lizzy's face, bathed in sweat and contorted in pain, made Mary long to bathe it with a cool damp cloth, but she had neither cloth or a free hand to hold it. Mrs. Reynolds tried to still Elizabeth's legs, saying "There, there, Mrs. Darcy," and she held one foot down while raising the thin gown covering her mistress' legs. Mary, seeing blood, turned away and could not look more. She concentrated on her sister's pain-wracked face and fought down her own panic. What could she do to relieve her? All the while a terror within her warned: if this is childbirth, she should have no part of it. She would certainly tell her father she had no wish to marry, not ever. She was sure of that now.
I once felt precisely as Mary does at this moment, after my mother gave birth to my sister when she was forty and I was thirteen. However, just like Mary does in this wonderful novel, I eventually realized that it is worth it (though I find myself extremely thankful for the existence of epidurals). As I proceed through the next seven and a half months, I will endeavor to not dwell on my terror. Frankly, at least at present, my nausea, simultaneous hunger, and body aches make me want to just hurry up and get the whole thing over with, regardless of my labor fear. I am likely to write about this experience at length, and hope you will all bear with me as my brain fogs over and I babble incoherently. Your support and good wishes mean more to me than I am currently capable of articulating. And so I ask if you would please pray, meditate, or project your happy vibes my way - whatever suits your fancy. In return, you will have my eternal gratitude.

14 comments:

  1. * Hugs * for you. I shall pray that everything goes fine. Have a lovely week and many more to come :)

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  2. What a lovely post. We are most certainly rooting for you!!! Lots of happy and healthy vibes your way!!

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  3. I am very happy for you - and will attempt to remember to pray. :-)

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  4. Congrats! Congrats! Congrats! I'm so happy for you, Alexa! We will be praying for you and your little one!

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  5. Thank you all! I am such a bundle of crazed emotions that your sweet messages have made me cry (happy tears). I truly appreciate it!

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  6. I'm delighted for you, Alexa! :) All the best wishes!

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  7. Congratulations. That's terrific. I feel so pleased for you.

    All the best,
    Tony

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  8. Congratulations, Alexa. What happy news! I'm sending prayers and positive thoughts for you, your husband, and especially for your precious baby.

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  9. Congratulations!
    I know you can do it! My mother had us at 35 and 40 and I never had the opportunity to be around relatives that had babies. So when I had my own I was a bit overwhelmed. Now I'm on almost 7 grandchildren. Amazingly enough watching my daughter carrying this 4th is still an emotional rollercoaster. The illness, fatigue, possible problems still plague a mother/grandmother's heart, but as in the past I know that things will be okay. I sincerely wish you all the best and yes the struggle is worth it. I recall reading the book quoted above and it was very heartwrenching. I'm not sure I may have had to skim that part as its so emotional for me. We're so glad you share your experiences, emotions, etc. What an incredible journey!

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  10. Thanks Pat! I really appreciate it!

    And thank you Suzan, especially for sharing your own experiences. Though I've always liked children (worked with them for a good chunk of my life), I never wanted my own until I met my husband. Even then, I delayed attempting it for several years, but after that first pregnancy ended in miscarriage, I no longer had any doubts. I'm still scared, but I now know it's worth it. And I have a very good feeling about this one. The timing just feels right.

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  11. Oh, Alexa, I am just reading this now. What wonderful, wonderful news! You will certainly be in my prayers these months -- and they will pass quickly. What a privilege it is to be a mother! It's like you're God's deputy, teaching your little child to talk and walk and read and think ... and love. What an adventure! There's nothing like it!

    Hugs,

    Laura

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  12. Thanks Laura! In all honestly, I don't care how quickly or slowly these next months go by, as long as I make it past the first trimester this time. Things still look good, and I'm just trying to stay calm and think positively. I really appreciate the good wishes and hugs!

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