Labor and… a latte?
I was writing in a coffee shop a while ago when a man came in and bought a latte for his wife.
Beaming, he announced that she just went into labor and he was bringing the latte to her in the hospital.
And I thought…
a latte during labor?
That’s a girl after my own heart!
But the more I remembered when I was in labor,
the more I couldn’t exactly picture sipping a coffee. :)
I thought it was funny and cute, so I mentioned it on Facebook.
And I loved reading some of things people shared…
One friend said that her husband went shoe shopping while she was in labor and almost missed the birth.
Another said her husband went and got himself a hamburger, then came back and told her how great it tasted!
It was fun to hear the different stories, and I thought it’d be fun to hear yours too.
So…
What did your husband do when you were in labor?… Help you through your breathing, hold your hand and support you, bring you a latte, go shoe shopping?…
*For you dads, sorry this is a one-sided post! I’d ask you what your wife was doing, but I think I pretty much already know. :)
I would have loved to drink something during labor…if they had let me! My husband was by my side, with both kids, the entire time. I have to give him that. Now, the night he went home, leaving me with a baby that screamed all night? I haven't gotten over that one yet.
Well, I personally didn't have children, we adopted but my oldest son was right there during his wife's first labor/delivery but when the nurse wanted to hand him the baby to carry her to her mama, he was MIA. We couldn't find him for a LONG time. I think he went into the men's room and passed out:) Will be interesting, baby #2 is due in Sept – we'll see what happens then:)
I think the only way I could drink a latte during labor is if I had an Epidural! My husband did not leave my side. Once, he wanted to go downstairs to grab a soda, but I didn't want him to leave. My mother assured me it wouldn't happen fast, and it didn't, but I was so worried it would until he got back!
some of those replies were funny. I couldn't imagine. My husband was perfect. He stayed by my side the whole time and held my hand. He kept me calm, when I needed something he got it. He rarely left my side :)
For my second child, my husband was sick! Poor guy tried so hard to be supportive, but he was just sitting in the chair at the hospital looking miserable. I sent him home and my mom came to hang out with me.He did make it back in time for the birth though!
I couldn't drink either with any of my labors!With the first birth, I woke in the middle of the night with extreme pains 3 minutes apart. After showering and determining this was "it", I remember being ready to walk out the door and my husband at the sink ready to shave! With # 2, we were at a funeral and I noticed the baby wasn't moving much. Concerned I contacted the doctor who told us to come in and kept track of my "Braxton Hicks" which turned out to be real labor pains! He sent us to the hospital and I remember glancing at the speedometer which was reading 95 mph! Praise the Lord, we made it safely!With our third child, labor was moving slow and on the way to the hospital (an hour away), to use up some time, my husband (and I agreed) stopped at the mall to get a pair of shoes, while I waited in the car! He was with me each time (3x), the entire time. What a blessing he is!
No lattes! I was starving – hadn't eaten since breakfast and was going to get lunch after my regularly scheduled dr's appt, but they sent me straight to the hospital. I had a few spoons of jello there – but that was it before I lost all concentration on anything food-related! :) Needless to say, at 3 am (baby came at 1 am) I was starving with no food in sight! So my big lesson learned – stop at the drive thru before going to the hospital! :)My husband was pretty amazing, though. He jumped into the birthing tub with me (I had a water birth) to support me the whole time. And birthing tubs aren't exactly pretty.
My hubbs held my hand and walked the halls with me. Very good man to have in labor times. I am so thankful for him!!!! What about you?
Love hearing your stories! Braley Mama – Mike was by my side for both births. The first time (our daughter), I didn't have an epidural, so I don't remember as much about what Mike did (I think I had my eyes closed most of the time…lol!), but I know he was with me and encouraging me. The second time (our son), I was much more comfortable, so Mike and I were able to talk and enjoy the whole experience more. It was much more relaxing, although I still can't picture sipping a latte through it. :) (We did eat a whole pizza together afterwards; we were starving!)
My husband kept leaving to chat on the phone & to be honest I was okay with that because he is a jokester and that is the last thing I needed when I was in pain. :0)
Oh a latte! Sounds yummy in theory but in practice I would think the caffeine would make the contractions hurt more (since it makes other types of cramps and contractions hurt more- from experience) and the spike-then-crash in blood sugar probably wouldn't have done me right considering I'm hypoglycemic! ;) But I would have loved a nice Ensure to sip on. I brought them with my first but forgot to drink them. I was too busy throwing up. Then with my son I could have and should have had something to keep me going because by the time I was ready to push I was so tired and weak, but alas I forgot to bring Ensure. I think this time I will ask my dear husband to remind me to drink some Ensure if I need a pick-me-up. I will be a bit too busy to remember I think. :) Speaking of my husband, he was pretty great! The first birth he applied pressure to my lower back until the pain got so intense it didn't help anymore. Then since I was pacing like a beast in a cage he just sat there watching me with wide eyes. He pretty much let me just do my pacing thing, which I appreciated, but occasionally he'd tell me how awesome I was doing with this totally in love but sympathetic look on his face and I treasure that! When the baby was crowning I saw him wipe tears of amazement off his cheeks. He still "doesn't remember" crying… hehe…. When she was out he was totally adoring his baby daughter, just staring at her in his arms with a proud smile, but he didn't ignore me either, kept stroking my hair and telling me how amazing I was. He never left my side. With our son, he pretty much just watched me, offering a sympathetic smile and asking if there was anything I needed once in a while, as I paced like a caged animal. Apparently that is my coping method; pacing like a caged animal. At one point I got so tired I couldn't stand and lay on the bed for a while. He lay down behind me, not touching me during contractions (I can't stand touch when in pain) but holding or stroking me so gently between contractions. By the time I was pushing I was too weak and tired to stay upright so I asked him to hold me up. He did but I think he was disappointed not to be able to see the baby being born like he did our first since he was behind me holding me up. A few hours after both births he went out and brought me back some fast food. He's awesome and I am so blessed to have him! :)
My husband stayed by my side…he reminded me to breathe and held my hand. He loves coffee but he would have been too anxious if he left my side to go get one, lol.
During my first delivery I was shaking so bad I couldn't stop. My husband told me to "just relax" and I nearly punched him in the nose. He realized right after he said it that it wasn't really a good comment.During my second delivery, I was sitting in the chair having a contraction and holding my husband's hand. I remember squeezing really, REALLY hard and my face showed the pain. When it was over, I looked at him with a smile on my face and said, "This is SO amazing!" He got this dumb-founded look on his face and I asked him what was wrong. He said, "Remember in gradeschool when you were give a sheet of paper with two columns of items and you had to draw a line connecting the items that went together?" I remember wondering what in the world he was talking about but I said that yes, I remembered those. He continued with, "Well…I would have never connected the expression on your face during that last contraction to the you smiling and saying the words, "This is amazing!""
My husband would ALWAYS get hungry when I was in labor….and you'd think by the fifth time he'd plan ahead and bring food, but when I was induced with the twins he had to change OUT of scrubs and make a quick trip to the cafeteria so he would not pass out! He has always been a great support though, I was always glad to have my best friend at my side during such great moments.
Tim stayed right by my side from start-to-finish. I'm not sure I could have done it without him. He made me feel at peace in the midst of the pain (as peaceful as you can get when you're in labor, that is). ;)[email protected]
That is too funny. My husband trimmed our palm trees while I was walking on our treadmill trying to rush my labor along. We ended up going to get Chinese food because I knew I wouldn't be able to eat after I was admitted to the hospital. I decided to stay in the car while he went in and ordered it to go. I sat there keeping track of my contractions.
During the first one, he was trying to convince himself that a girl wouldn't be so bad after all (high heart rate hints at a girl). During another one, he was shoving the gurney with me and the dr to the OR for a STAT C-Section which the dr was trying to keep the baby off the cord (ramming is the right word- the hallways were cluttered)- and he leaned over me praying with his tears falling in my eyes while we waited for the anesthetist who they failed to announce "Stat" to to come so they could save my son, during the 5th one, he told the dr. after the schedule c-section and delivery that maybe I needed to be knocked out because I wasn't talking and that meant I was in distress.He has definitely been multi-tasking in the delivery room!After every one of them, he brought me a Whopper from Burger King!I craved them after every delivery! He is amazing!
My husband went downstairs to get food, after making sure I was settled in the whirlpool tub. Because otherwise I'd need him there to hold my hand for each contraction (which he did!). Then he sat in the main room, while I was still in the tub, and ate really fast so it'd be gone by the time I got out. He also made me drink a ton of water, holding the mug for me, so I wouldn't have to get an IV.