Hard to imagine that 40 weeks of waiting would culminate in going to the hospital without having any contractions. After taking diligent notes on how to recognize labor and all of the pre-warning signs, it was kind of a let down.... all my homework, down the drain. ;-)When the contractions began at 2 a.m. I was just waking up from a 2 hour nap. I was glad I was able to sleep, but felt a little bad that Sarah only got 20 minutes. But it was time to put into practice everything I had studied up on. "Breathe slow, relax, 4 breaths every minute."
Minutes seemed like hours, and what were hours now seem like only minutes looking back on it. Sarah remained focused, determined, and for a while even patient!
No one ever warned me how exhausting it would be just being her breathing coach and support. Now don't misunderstand me, I'm not comparing what I experienced to what Sarah experienced. But it is safe to be honest that "night labor" takes its toll on both mom and dad. So Sarah graciously relaxed the rule "no Mountain Dew for Al" for this one occasion.
Our journey down to the delivery room was eventful, as a contraction came half way down the aisle. I wasn't quite sure what to do other than to lend a knee and an arm to lean on, and keep repeating the mantra, "breathe, slow, focus, 15 sec...."
Oh yes, speaking of focus. Delivery room stools swivel. Do not attempt to hang posters of the St. Louis Arch with fireworks exploding on the delivery room ceiling standing on one of these things. Thankfully the nurse was there to hold my hand too. I never imagined all the positions I would find myself in as a coach, from ceiling walker, to bathroom support (where my first sarcastic comment of the night was echoed, “she is much too germ concious, she won’t leave here until she washes her hands,”) to birthing ball stabilizer.
It was about 5:00 a.m. when the nurse kept tempting Sarah with an epidural and promised it by 5:30 a.m. 5:30, 6:00, 6:30.... (seeing a pattern?) all came and went. This was the most trying time for both of us. This is where my second and final sarcastic comment came in. (Hey that’s pretty good for me.) In response to the comment, “I just want to stop this and go home,” I said, “We could do this at home, but then you would just have to do this with me alone, so I suggest we just stay here.” Sarah was gracious enough to not bite my head off.
When the drug man finally came in peddling his wares at about (ready for this?) 8:00 a.m. Sarah was exhausted and simply begging for a little rest. After questions were asked to my contracting wife, in which I’m not sure she heard any of them, she signed away her life for a little bit of comfort. I promptly stepped behind the curtain, because they would need drugs to wake me up from the sight of the needle.
With a little bit of liquid comfort running down her spine, the next hour flew by. About 9:00 a.m. Sarah’s parents had called the hosptial to see how things were going. We determined that when they arrived, I would take a break, let the experienced OB nurse called MOM take my spot, while I grabbed a bit of breakfast.
Or so we thought. While the nurse promised Sarah could simply relax and let her body naturally do its thing, the nurse decided to check Sarah one more time, much to the chagrin of my exhausted wife who simply wanted a nap. With these words, “Oh my, there’s the head,” the whirlwind of activity began (and there ended my only opportunity for breakfast.)
I had made a pact with myself that I would not be a willing observer to what was happening “down there,” but as I got my first glimpse at this wonder of creation, my fear began melting into love. And when this child rocketed rather unexpectedly 3 pushes later, there couldn’t have been any other feeling but joy.
Scissors, footprints, 9-10-10, a wife still laboring, I didn’t quite know where to look, or who to be with. Back and forth from daughter to wife and back. Finally with all the flurry of activity completed, I collapsed into the chair gazing at the two beautiful women of my life after the most surreal 8 hours of my life.
You prepare for that moment over the course of 40 weeks and yet the fun, the fears, the joys, the sorrows, and the mundane are all ahead. All that preparation for what amounts to be just the beginning of the most amazing journey of our lives.
All praise and thanks go to God through Jesus Christ our Savior that He has seen fit to bless us with Eden Ann and that He has brought us safely through this miracle called childbirth.
