Wow, I just got back from hanging out with the men, and once again I'm thankful for the man bonding time. We all have some of the greatest wives around, but like women understand their own perspectives, we men understand the struggles one another face.
Well, I left off last time sharing about the final weeks leading to pregnancy, so this will be my last post about pregnancy before I head to fatherhood. Wow, I'm going to do the best I can to sensor my statements for that. So as our three pregnancies were very different and the timeframe of the births varied from two weeks early to one week late to on the due date, so were the births all different.
Isaiah - That first birth for parents is surreal. So many things happen for the first time, that it all seems like a blur, unless you're in labor for hours on end. When Faith's water broke early in the morning, we headed to the hospital. Now, here's what I don't get. The woman is in labor, she's in pain, and has a hard time moving, yet the first thing she must do at the hospital is sit down and file paperwork. Is she not in the hospital for two to three days anyway? I think there's enough time for that later. Anyway, I'll spare you the basic things that everyone goes through. After a while in the room, Faith began receiving her epidural. Now, this may make a few of you queasy, but she had to be stabbed multiple times in her back for that stupid needle to work, blood squirting out with each stab. In fact, one of the times the medicine shot through her veins and she almost fainted. Of course I'm making all kids of horrible faces, and the nurse has to remind me that Faith can see those faces. Anyway, the medicine finally begins working, and I'm feeling great because she's relaxed and I'm watching TV for the next few hours. Then everything starts happening. Faith starts throwing up, which no one warned us about, and then before we know it there's a baby. Men, get the camera ready. As for me, I had the camera in hand but had no idea what to do. I cut the cord and the nurse had to tell me to take pictures. Listen, I was not in the right frame of mind. I don't cry (my excuse is the doctor said my eyes don't produce tears) so the only thing to do was act clueless. Oh yeah, nobody tells you how grose labor is. And people don't tell you how grose the placenta looks. I'll leave it at that and let you experience it for yourself. From that point on, family and friends showed up, and everything was great. My greatest piece of advice here is let the nurses take the baby back so you can get some sleep!
Alexis - She finally arrived one week late, and Faith had no medicine. What a woman! Now, many of you may have taken classes to prepare for birth, but I didn't and I'm glad because I didn't lose any Saturdays and nights before birth, and they would have done nothing, because anytime I try to touch Faith, get her something, etc., she said, "Just leave me alone," and went back to her moaning and groaning. On a serious note, it sucks seeing your wife suffer when you can't do anything to help. On a lighter note, all that yelling and barbaric noise you see on TV is real. Faith was in so much pain that she got in the tub. Then I saw it; Lexi's head was sticking out of Faith in the water. "Hunny, what is that? AWWWWWW! I yelled for the nurse and before long baby two was born.
Audrey - Faith again had no epidural. There was nothing atypical about the third one, but I can only imagine how stupid I looked, with all the labors, when I was trying to soothe my wife. Men who are in touch with their feelings probably are great at this, but all I felt was awkwarndness. "Oh hunny, it's ok. You're doing such a great job! You're almost there!" Well, Audrey came out, and it was time for me to cut the cord. When I cut it, blood splattered all over my face. No one cared or noticed! There were about eight medical people in the room, and they were all working on Faith. It was disgusting! However, once you hold that baby in your arm, any negative thought become fleeting as embrace that perfect new baby.
While many of you have experienced labor and all its excitement, many of you have not. There is nothing that can prepare you for all the intricacies of childbirth, but as long as you view the process as a gift from God and as the last state to the birthing of that beautiful baby, you'll be amazed at the awesome reality before you.
Fatherhood, here we come!
Financial Tip of the Day:
Go through your house and find all the things you don't use or need. Have a garage sale and/or sell things are Craigslist. You'll be amazed how much "stuff" you have amassed and will make some money in the process.
Question/s:
1)Any great birth tips and or stories?
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