Thursday, March 31, 2011

Life as we know it

It was a busy day for prenatal visits. I'm not sure why, but everything seemed a little rushed and maybe a bit hectic. That's why when I got a text from a first time mom saying she felt a little "crampy" I handed the phone to Girl Thursday and asked her to call and get details. She asked if the crampiness came in waves and if it felt the same as the braxton hicks contractions. Mommy replied that up until this point she had felt nothing.....never a braxton hicks! Girl Thursday advised her to start looking at the clock and see if there was a pattern to the cramps and to call back after an hour of observing. By the way, this young first time mom was still at work cleaning houses!
It was 45 minutes later when this mommy called back and asked if it would be ok to come over be checked because she thought she was feeling contractions. When she walked down the stairs some 20 minutes later, she was flushed but still smiling. I took her back to the room and asked Girl Thursday to check her. As Girl Thursday was checking with her right hand, she was showing me with her left hand the dilation measurement. We looked at each other in disbelief when we realized that she was a good 6cm!
She insisted on driving herself to the Birth Inn (her bag had been packed and in the car for a few weeks) So I called Girl Tuesday and off to the BI we all went!
It didn't take long for our mommy's mother to show up, then finally daddy made it. Daddy was a little overwhelmed and unsure of what to do, but mommy most definitely was prepared and ready for the birth.
She wanted in the jacuzzi. It took her several positions in the tub before she found the one that she liked. Rather than being in the tub longways, she sat facing us with her feet poised on the side for good leverage. It didn't take long before she was ready to push. Daddy was a bit squeamish and still unsure of his role in helping. After a few pushes, baby was out. The cord was clamped and I invited daddy to come cut the cord. After some skin to skin bonding with mommy,I draped a warm towel over daddy's arms and placed the baby in the towel. I told daddy to sit in the chair and spend a few moments just looking at his child.
As we attended to mom, I glanced in the direction of the chair. There was daddy, looking into the face of his newborn son with so much emotion spilling from his eyes. It was a moment. The very moment that the father son bond is made. The moment that a union becomes a family. The moment when he realizes that life as he knows it is forever changed. The moment that a parent realizes the awesomeness of Christ's love for us and our responsibility as a parent to train this child in the way of the Lord.

Mommy and baby are doing great, and this mom is another testament to the importance of being fit and active during the days of pregnancy.....it sure pays off in the end!
Baby Boy wt. 8lbs. 8oz. Born at 02:15 pm Total labor 3hours and 15 min. Awesome for a primip

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