Birth Stories - Maggie

Mathew S at Catholic Dads was asking about birth stories, and I thought these would make a good set of posts in light of Fathers Day yesterday. Maggie was our first, we had a virtually trouble free pregnancy. We did all of the Lamaze classes, which I hated. I thought the breathing exercises were good, but some of the over the new age elements were irritating. But all is well, I still remember the breathing exercises. Don't let me give you the impression that I was not excited about our coming little girl - I was. And I talked to her frequently. I wanted to get her use to that lower voiced guy. I cup my hands where I thought her head was, and in a deep voice say "hellloooo baby" and "hellloooo Maggie" once we found out she was a girl. On the evening before the big event, Lynn tells me that she thinks it is time to go. Now, this may sound insensitive, but it was not the best time. It was the first Notre Dame game of the year, she tells me very close to the end of the. Now, I learned in Lamaze that the labor would take quite a while. I was trying to convince her to stay home as long as possible (at least until the game ended). I know, I know - I am horrible for that. Don't worry, I have been told. I was right though. It was a long labor. We got into the hospital early evening one night, and she was not delivered until 9 the next morning. And Lynn went drug free until early morning (and then it was the stuff that only takes the edge off). I still say she would have been more comfortable at home than in that hospital room. But the excitement came at the end of the story. Something was wrong and things were not progressing. The nurse determined that the reason was that the umbilical chord was wrapped around Maggie's neck. The doctor came in and they decided that they had to deliver her as far as possible so they could cut the cord from around her neck. As a dad, who could only count and encourage his wife - this was pretty hard. Lynn was pushing - she had no idea what was going on down where the doctor was. But I could see the fetal monitor. I could see the heartbeat dropping as the chord tightened with each push. It is hard to sound encouraging and count while you are fighting crying. I have told my wife, I am not sure why Dad's are allowed in the delivery room. I think it is to learn how utterly helpless we really are. But the doctor pulled her through enough with the suction cup and cut the cord from around her neck. All was OK, though quite scary. Maggie was crying loudly - I sure was glad to hear that. And she got really quite when I said "hello Maggie." I guess all that talking to her in the womb paid off since she recognized my voice.