BirthStory

The Birth of "Artist Boy"

My son was conceived at a time in my life when I had pretty much given up on ever having a child.  I had fertility problems, several miscarriages, and was so sure I was never going to have a baby. 

But God knew what he was doing and all the tests, all the drugs, all the perfect timing paid off and I got pregnant.  And this time it was going to happen.  I spent from my 3rd week until the middle of the seventh month without my husband.  He was in the Army and part of the 101st First Infantry rotation to the Sinai.  He left me skinny and came home to a very big woman! I gained way too much weight, but when the doctor told me to gain three pounds, I thought he meant a week, not a month.  Pizza junky!

The Birth of Julie Yvonne

Julie Yvonne, December 31, 1965

My second experience of childbirth was distinctly different from my first. Instead of starting single and ending married, I started married and ended single.  Instead of losing weight, I gained in anticipation of morning sickness that never happened.  Instead of being delivered by an intern, Julie was delivered by an experienced doctor; and yet, he was unprepared for my behavior in the delivery room.

Julie was conceived when I thought I was already several weeks pregnant, resulting in my thinking she was overdue when she was actually premature. Instead of leading up to the event with false labor, because my water had broken and the placenta was parting, labor had to be induced.  However, this was still a fast and easy birth, with a labor of just under an hour.