Anniversary night, 9/9/2008, 6:00 - 9:30 PM
What we wanted: a nice evening to ourselves, good food, good fun
Hope and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner on the night on 9/9. We went out and ate dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, enjoyed a quick dinner and headed home. We lay around the house, cuddling and talking about the future and, around 9:30, I stood up to head out to put on my hockey instructor hat. Right as I stood up, Hope got up and leaned against the wall as her first "real" contraction hit her. And then promptly ran to the bathroom saying she had just peed her pants.
Hockey night: 9/9/2008, 9:30-10:30 (11:30) PM
What I wanted: a quick trip to the rink to instruct some adult hockey players...money!
I was flummoxed. Hope kept saying how it was ok, I should head out to the rink. She was convinced that it could be another two weeks before the baby popped out. I finally headed out to the rink and called her before I stepped on the ice. She said everything was still ok...a few more contractions but nothing big.
At 10:00, the adult hockey clinic began. I was helping run the skating drills and around 10:30, I glanced over my shoulder (good ice awareness) and noticed Hope walking through the door to the rink. She was grimacing but smiling and laughing...all at the same time. I skated off the ice immediately and she was laughing and apologizing at the same time.
"I'm so sorry, I dropped my phone in the toilet!"
Her contractions had progressed and become more painful. During an especially hard contraction, she managed to sweep the phone off the sink counter top into the toilet. She fished it out immediately, and like any woman who comes from a long line of frontiersmen, natives, farmers and all around tough-guys, she began drying out the phone between contractions! To no avail. So she climbed into her car and drove to the rink to notify me that things had changed.
Is this how it worked before the cell phone age?
Labor at home: 9/9/2008 - 9/10/2008, 10:30 PM - 12:00 AM
What we wanted: our Doula, our home (until it was time), the presence of a few of our friends if they were so inclined, snacks and water, a hot bath at the hospital, multiple positions for comfort, music from our "Birth" playlist
I suggested that she could labor right there in the rink. She gave me a laugh and pointed me to the locker room. I followed her back to the house. For the first time in my life, the red lights were perfect. Every red light we hit, she had a contraction. By the time it turned green, she was ready to drive again!
At home, we called our doula and doc and were eventually instructed to head into the hospital. I was trying to time contractions, grab the last remaining things on our birth day list, pack the car and support Hope each time a new contraction hit her. Needless to say, I wasn't doing well. I felt like I was spinning my wheels.
Gibson, on the other hand, was lying there watching our antics with a look on his face as if to say, "I've seen this all before. It is nothing new, it will all be fine." No concern, no excited anticipation, just the calm dog we have come to know and love. Come to find out later the next morning, he had laid by her upstairs the entire time I was gone as she went through her early contractions. He never got excited, he was just there for her. What an incredible dog!
I went to grab and reload the Ipod. Hope took one look at what I was doing and announced that it was time to go. She clambered into the back seat, got as comfortable as she could be and we were off. I called Molly as we left the house and she said she would head over to look after Gibson.
Labor in the car: 9/10/2008, 12:00 AM - 12:30 AM
What we wanted: non-rush hour drive to our hospital, no road side delivery, green lights, no puking in the car
Well, it wasn't rush hour! I drove as quickly as I could without being stupid or putting Hope into the side doors of the car in corners. When we got off I-70 and onto Colorado Boulevard, we hit every red light on the road (all I could think about was this clip). All I wanted was a police escort to get me there before Hope blew up the back of the car.
We met our doula in the parking lot and went in through the E.R. Hope was progressing so fast that she was skipped past the other two laboring mothers who were there waiting to be admitted.
Labor...for real: 9/10/2008, 12:30 - 5:00 AM
What we wanted: natural as can be
Hope was taken straight past the Triage area of Labor and Delivery. There was no doubt that she was out of pre-labor. Straight to room 3. She was set in a bed and the baby was monitored externally for twenty minutes. She then labored in bed in various comfortable positions. We drew a bath so she could spend some time laboring in a jetted tub.
At this point, I went outside to move the car from the E.R. parking lot and to grab our bags of snacks, clothing, books and other goofy things. When I came back, her labor had intesified and she was struggling to recover between contractions. We moved Hope out of the tub and back to the bed. By this time, the contractions were so intense that it was all we (our doula, our nurse and myself) could do to hold her in a slightly suspended position. Contractions were every two minutes and Hope was gasping trying to rest for the minute in between.
Incredibly, all the time she was undergoing this incredible test and during her contractions, she was cognizant enough to exscuse herself when she burped. And to "God Bless" our doula when she sneezed. To apologize for making too much noise. Each time, it made the rest of us laugh and it allowed me a reminder to know that Hope was doing ok...she was still the same woman under the sheet of pain that was wrapping her up.
At 7.5 cm dilated, she finally said she couldn't take it anymore, she wanted an epidural. To my relief! She was exhausted and in a great deal of pain each time. However, the anesthesiologist was backed up by three other pregnancies and was not able to come in for about forty minutes. By the time he had arrived and applied the epidural, Hope was at 9.5 cm. She had gotten through the hardest part all on her own.
I was so proud.
This afforded us a moment for every one to rest. Hope could still feel the pressure from the contractions but even she was able to nap for about 45 minutes until it was time to push. I passed out on a sofa. Our doula watched the contractions on the little machine (that went boing!). Our nurse disappeared for the first time, likely to rest and check on her other patients.
Delivery: 9/10/2008 5:00 - 6:40 AM
What we wanted: a healthy baby, no C-section, no episiotomy
Hope woke at about 5 and announced that it was time...something had changed. The nurse arrived and pulled back Hope's blankets. The amniotic sack, which had yet to break, had appeared. It was pushing out just enough for us to see...almost like a little water balloon. The nurse popped the sack and Hope could immediately feel a relief in pressure.
The nurse began having Hope push with each contraction. Hope could tell each time a contraction started, even through the epidural, and eventually the nurse pulled the little stress sensor off and let Hope tell us when it was time to push. Things progressed quickly and we could soon see a little head and hair appear just inside. The nurse went and got Hope a mirror so she could see what was going on. At first, Hope seemed a little scared to look but her eyes went wide as she watched the baby's head get closer and closer with each push.
As an aside, I wasn't sure if I would be able to look at Hope's vagina during birth. It seemed strange to me that I would be able to watch our baby pop out. I glanced at the amniotic sack but once we could see the baby's hair, it was like I couldn't look away. I was so ready with anticipation that I couldn't look anywhere but at this new child we were bringing into the world together.
The nurse asked Hope to stop pushing around 6:15 as the baby was so close, it could pop out at any moment. We waited for another (seemingly interminable) 20 or so minutes until the doc arrived (our doc was not on that day). When she arrived, Hope pushed maybe three or four contractions worth and a new child was brought into our world. The doc immediately moved Baby Mukai onto Hope's belly and invited me to check the sex. I had to look twice just to verify that she was a girl. Between tears and laughter, I told Hope. The doc then invited me to come cut the baby's umbilical cord. The baby was swaddled and moved closer to Hope.
Hello for the first time, our precious little child.
The baby looked around, waved her fingers and outstretched hands about, cried momentarily and made us fall in love.
8 pounds. 20.5". A lovely little girl!
What we wanted: a nice evening to ourselves, good food, good fun
Hope and I had a wonderful anniversary dinner on the night on 9/9. We went out and ate dinner at our favorite Indian restaurant, enjoyed a quick dinner and headed home. We lay around the house, cuddling and talking about the future and, around 9:30, I stood up to head out to put on my hockey instructor hat. Right as I stood up, Hope got up and leaned against the wall as her first "real" contraction hit her. And then promptly ran to the bathroom saying she had just peed her pants.
Hockey night: 9/9/2008, 9:30-10:30 (11:30) PM
What I wanted: a quick trip to the rink to instruct some adult hockey players...money!
I was flummoxed. Hope kept saying how it was ok, I should head out to the rink. She was convinced that it could be another two weeks before the baby popped out. I finally headed out to the rink and called her before I stepped on the ice. She said everything was still ok...a few more contractions but nothing big.
At 10:00, the adult hockey clinic began. I was helping run the skating drills and around 10:30, I glanced over my shoulder (good ice awareness) and noticed Hope walking through the door to the rink. She was grimacing but smiling and laughing...all at the same time. I skated off the ice immediately and she was laughing and apologizing at the same time.
"I'm so sorry, I dropped my phone in the toilet!"
Her contractions had progressed and become more painful. During an especially hard contraction, she managed to sweep the phone off the sink counter top into the toilet. She fished it out immediately, and like any woman who comes from a long line of frontiersmen, natives, farmers and all around tough-guys, she began drying out the phone between contractions! To no avail. So she climbed into her car and drove to the rink to notify me that things had changed.
Is this how it worked before the cell phone age?
Labor at home: 9/9/2008 - 9/10/2008, 10:30 PM - 12:00 AM
What we wanted: our Doula, our home (until it was time), the presence of a few of our friends if they were so inclined, snacks and water, a hot bath at the hospital, multiple positions for comfort, music from our "Birth" playlist
I suggested that she could labor right there in the rink. She gave me a laugh and pointed me to the locker room. I followed her back to the house. For the first time in my life, the red lights were perfect. Every red light we hit, she had a contraction. By the time it turned green, she was ready to drive again!
At home, we called our doula and doc and were eventually instructed to head into the hospital. I was trying to time contractions, grab the last remaining things on our birth day list, pack the car and support Hope each time a new contraction hit her. Needless to say, I wasn't doing well. I felt like I was spinning my wheels.
Gibson, on the other hand, was lying there watching our antics with a look on his face as if to say, "I've seen this all before. It is nothing new, it will all be fine." No concern, no excited anticipation, just the calm dog we have come to know and love. Come to find out later the next morning, he had laid by her upstairs the entire time I was gone as she went through her early contractions. He never got excited, he was just there for her. What an incredible dog!
I went to grab and reload the Ipod. Hope took one look at what I was doing and announced that it was time to go. She clambered into the back seat, got as comfortable as she could be and we were off. I called Molly as we left the house and she said she would head over to look after Gibson.
Labor in the car: 9/10/2008, 12:00 AM - 12:30 AM
What we wanted: non-rush hour drive to our hospital, no road side delivery, green lights, no puking in the car
Well, it wasn't rush hour! I drove as quickly as I could without being stupid or putting Hope into the side doors of the car in corners. When we got off I-70 and onto Colorado Boulevard, we hit every red light on the road (all I could think about was this clip). All I wanted was a police escort to get me there before Hope blew up the back of the car.
We met our doula in the parking lot and went in through the E.R. Hope was progressing so fast that she was skipped past the other two laboring mothers who were there waiting to be admitted.
Labor...for real: 9/10/2008, 12:30 - 5:00 AM
What we wanted: natural as can be
Hope was taken straight past the Triage area of Labor and Delivery. There was no doubt that she was out of pre-labor. Straight to room 3. She was set in a bed and the baby was monitored externally for twenty minutes. She then labored in bed in various comfortable positions. We drew a bath so she could spend some time laboring in a jetted tub.
At this point, I went outside to move the car from the E.R. parking lot and to grab our bags of snacks, clothing, books and other goofy things. When I came back, her labor had intesified and she was struggling to recover between contractions. We moved Hope out of the tub and back to the bed. By this time, the contractions were so intense that it was all we (our doula, our nurse and myself) could do to hold her in a slightly suspended position. Contractions were every two minutes and Hope was gasping trying to rest for the minute in between.
Incredibly, all the time she was undergoing this incredible test and during her contractions, she was cognizant enough to exscuse herself when she burped. And to "God Bless" our doula when she sneezed. To apologize for making too much noise. Each time, it made the rest of us laugh and it allowed me a reminder to know that Hope was doing ok...she was still the same woman under the sheet of pain that was wrapping her up.
At 7.5 cm dilated, she finally said she couldn't take it anymore, she wanted an epidural. To my relief! She was exhausted and in a great deal of pain each time. However, the anesthesiologist was backed up by three other pregnancies and was not able to come in for about forty minutes. By the time he had arrived and applied the epidural, Hope was at 9.5 cm. She had gotten through the hardest part all on her own.
I was so proud.
This afforded us a moment for every one to rest. Hope could still feel the pressure from the contractions but even she was able to nap for about 45 minutes until it was time to push. I passed out on a sofa. Our doula watched the contractions on the little machine (that went boing!). Our nurse disappeared for the first time, likely to rest and check on her other patients.
Delivery: 9/10/2008 5:00 - 6:40 AM
What we wanted: a healthy baby, no C-section, no episiotomy
Hope woke at about 5 and announced that it was time...something had changed. The nurse arrived and pulled back Hope's blankets. The amniotic sack, which had yet to break, had appeared. It was pushing out just enough for us to see...almost like a little water balloon. The nurse popped the sack and Hope could immediately feel a relief in pressure.
The nurse began having Hope push with each contraction. Hope could tell each time a contraction started, even through the epidural, and eventually the nurse pulled the little stress sensor off and let Hope tell us when it was time to push. Things progressed quickly and we could soon see a little head and hair appear just inside. The nurse went and got Hope a mirror so she could see what was going on. At first, Hope seemed a little scared to look but her eyes went wide as she watched the baby's head get closer and closer with each push.
As an aside, I wasn't sure if I would be able to look at Hope's vagina during birth. It seemed strange to me that I would be able to watch our baby pop out. I glanced at the amniotic sack but once we could see the baby's hair, it was like I couldn't look away. I was so ready with anticipation that I couldn't look anywhere but at this new child we were bringing into the world together.
The nurse asked Hope to stop pushing around 6:15 as the baby was so close, it could pop out at any moment. We waited for another (seemingly interminable) 20 or so minutes until the doc arrived (our doc was not on that day). When she arrived, Hope pushed maybe three or four contractions worth and a new child was brought into our world. The doc immediately moved Baby Mukai onto Hope's belly and invited me to check the sex. I had to look twice just to verify that she was a girl. Between tears and laughter, I told Hope. The doc then invited me to come cut the baby's umbilical cord. The baby was swaddled and moved closer to Hope.
Hello for the first time, our precious little child.
The baby looked around, waved her fingers and outstretched hands about, cried momentarily and made us fall in love.
8 pounds. 20.5". A lovely little girl!
2 comments:
I read the entire story word-for-word, even though I had heard it already, and got to the end with the family photo, and promptly burst into tears of happiness. Seth - the look on your face says it all.
Congrats, Hopie and Seth......your baby girl,Emi is absolutely beautiful. I pray for our Heavenly Father to continue to give you strength for each new day. She is truly a gift from above and I know you know that. Steve and I will be on our way to Cleveland early in the morn for his procedure. So glad to hear about your delivery before we left. Love, A. Nelda
Post a Comment