As my baby birthday approaches next month I feel like it’s time I share my birthing experience. Enjoy!

There’s nothing like waking up on the day you know your life is about to change forever. It was Friday, February 23, 2024, around 8 a.m., and the induction date for my baby girl, Dru. My mind was steady and focused ready to meet her. Food? Not even a thought. I couldn’t eat before the c-section procedure anyway, so I channeled all my energy into preparing for a healthy delivery. Finding my Zen.

Rick and I were up, ready, and in go-mode. The car seat was strapped in the Tesla, hospital bags packed, and we made our way to Holy Cross Hospital. Walking in, the labor and delivery floor was eerily quiet, like not at all what I had imagined. I expected busy nurses, the hum of monitors, muffled cries of newborns, shit maybe even a few screaming mommas. Instead, it was calm and almost soothing. After a smooth check-in process, we waited in the pre-op area for about 15-20 minutes while they prepped my room. During that time, Rick and I texted family, letting them know it was almost showtime.

One by one, we met the doctors. Each of them spoke in soft, reassuring tones that immediately put me at ease. The anesthesiologist explained the spinal tap procedure, and the main surgeon even asked if she could pray with us, which was such a touching moment. Between ultrasounds, urine samples, and being hooked up to fluids, I felt a mix of calm and anticipation. Rick, suited up in scrubs and masked, stood by my side, his excitement mirroring mine.

When it was time to head to the OR, my nerves kicked in a bit. OR 1. That’s where it all happened—a detail I’ll never forget, maybe because I was binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy at the time. Stepping into the operating room, I was greeted by the same gentle, encouraging energy. The nurses and doctors reassured me, complimenting my calm demeanor, especially since this was my first baby. Their kindness was everything I didn’t know I needed.

Once I received the spinal tap, Rick joined me in the OR, and that’s when things got real. The sensation of being paralyzed from the waist down? Easily one of the scariest moments of my life. But I kept my focus on one thing: hearing my baby’s first cry. Rick talked to me nonstop, keeping me grounded and awake as I drifted off a few times. And then, it happened. The moment I’d been waiting for. Dru was here.

Rick immediately cut her umbilical cord. At first, she was quiet, just taking in the world, and then she let out her first cry. I’ll never forget that sound. She was alert, her eyes wide open, already trying to make sense of the blurry, bright world she’d entered. It was surreal.

Now, let me keep it real: things weren’t all smooth sailing. A minor hiccup (major in the moment) led to me needing an X-ray shortly after delivery because the techs miscounted their tools. Thankfully, everything was fine, but whew…what a fucking fright. Still, nothing could overshadow the joy of finally holding my baby girl.

I had a birth plan too, the whole “ideal scenario” thing, but the second Dru was in my arms, none of that mattered. Breastfeeding? Not really her thing, and honestly, not mine either. We figured it out together, though, and that’s what mattered. I turned into a breast pumping momma immediately.

After about an hour in recovery, we were moved to our inpatient room. It was all a whirlwind of information overload, nurses in and out, but through it all, there we were: me, Rick, and Dru. Our little family. Rick couldn’t take his eyes off her. The way he immediately fell in love with his daughter was beautiful to watch.

The next 24-42 hours were pure bliss. Family came by to meet her, and every visit filled the room with love and excitement. Shoutout to my child’s father. From the day he found out she was real, he’s been holding me down like no other. I don’t like to talk about it too much, remaining humble because I’m extremely lucky. He supported and poured so much love into me from jump being super intentional very step of the way. I am a mom. Me. A whole mom. Holding Dru in my arms feels like holding my entire world.

That day, and every moment since, has been a testament to the beauty of new beginnings. Dru’s arrival was everything I hoped for and more. My heart is fuller than I ever thought possible, and this journey of motherhood? It’s literally just getting started.

Xoxo, Drea