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Laura Thieme

Bizresearch President – 11 years - 2008

Fisher College of Business Lecturer on Search Marketing

OSU Russian Studies Grad – 1993

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21st November 2008

A Week From Tonight - I’ll Be Home With My Baby Girl, Melina

Can you believe it?  It’s officially Friday morning, but I’m counting this as still Thursday night - and yes, in one week I’ll be home with Melina, my first child, my first baby girl.  As she stretches around in my belly, late at night, still high in the tummy and in breech position, I wonder what she’ll be like outside the womb. 

People talk about “meeting her”.  I can’t wait to hold her.  I can’t wait to have that breastfeeding, motherly moment.  I can’t wait to provide something to her that she needs, straight from my own body.  God intended women to breastfeed and if we’re lucky, really lucky, the body works the right way in order for us to provide this.  I talked to a pediatrician the other night, at an open house in Dublin for expectant parents to meet pediatricians.  The doctor encouraged me to talk to the nurse about bringing Melina to me to breastfeed immediately, while in the delivery room.  My OB says, the recovery room is fine - it all depends on the hospital, nurse and doctor - but I want to push for a latch-on in the delivery room.  Of course, the latch could take a while, not just hours.  But this time with her, next week, is going to be hard but wonderful at the same time.

I’ve been weepy for a week now.  It doesn’t take much on TV, or something that goes my way for baby Melina to arrive next week, to set me off in a teary way.  Good tears - don’t get me wrong.  I’ve received a lot of help from so many people in the past nine months - in unexpected places mostly.  I feel very privelidged to have this fertility journey come to a conclusion in the next few days.  I am very lucky.  Your well wishes about Melina being lucky are nice as well - but I have yet to prove that to her in my opinion.  For now, I can say that I have benefitted most at this point.  Because a dream I’ve had since I was very young, to be a mother, is coming true.  I chose not to become a mother in my early 20’s, like many women do.  I regretted that decision years later.  But at 40, I am thankful, so very thankful for this opportunity.  I hope I can provide her what she deserves.  I pray she is healthy, and that my recovery is healthy as well.

Gratitude to God and to my friends is not enough, but all I can say is thank you to all who’ve read this fertilty journey from Day One, who’ve emailed me numerous times in support, called me, sent gifts, and continuously shared this passion, this desire of mine to be a mom.  I thank God for giving me the wherewithall to have a child, to endorse science, and to allow me this path, this journey.  Regardless of your personal beliefs, in my opinion and experience, you need God, science, and positive energy.  You need to believe that it’s possible.  And then you can’t give up when it doesn’t work the first time, the second time, or for me, the tenth time.  If you believe, you keep trying, and keep believing, and then take care of you and your spirit within.  It’s for all of these beliefs and energy over the past four years, that I’ve got this chance, this hope of meeting my daughter in just four days.

My tears well up, thinking of this moment.  I can’t watch a baby being born on TV without crying now.  What a moment you must feel when your child comes out of your body, and she makes her first noises, cries, and they pass her to you.  Thank you for that moment, that expectation - I would have at times, thought it wasn’t possible with my body - as a single woman, but in a few days, I get to believe based on what I see in front of me for the first time.  In the past, it was only hope, and now it will be reality. 

While tomorrow is heavy work responsibilities, Saturday is work-related and finalizing things around the houe, cleaning, etc. - Sunday will be quiet time I pray - to reflect, to anticipate, to prepare for yet another physical journey, a c-section delivery, to bring Melina into this world.  I seek your well wishes, your positive energy, your prayers on Monday and next week for both Melina and I.  We pray for healthy mind, body and spirit for both of us. 

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