The wife wanted a girl but I was ok with either way…as long as it is a healthy baby.
We regularly attended the pre natal classes and it was very helpful. Eventually the D-Day neared and on a Saturday - 6th July, 2013 the wife was admitted to the hospital at 810 am. I stayed calm and composed – one of us had to. Chewing gum helped. The initial contractions were ok, the wife was able to manage but post lunch the contractions became long and painful. Dr G came, had a look and said the delivery would be done by 5. My heart started pounding. Wow! The wife’s pains started increasing, her water broke and each physical examination became painful. For each contraction, I started breathing with her. They were getting more and more painful with passing time. The wife was brave and handling it well. I felt bad for her and wished there was an easier way to deliver.
Finally it was labor time, I changed to pink overalls and went to the labor room with her. Although she was pushing hard, the grape (as we fondly called the boy from start) refused to come out and his heart beat stared dropping, with the umbilical cord around his neck. I held her hand through all of it. Finally Dr G suggested C-Section. That done and my son was shown to me. I was too worried about the wife to take a good look at him – born at 10:05 pm and 3.04 kg. He looked so fragile! Small little ball with a tube sticking out of his nose and helpless. He was wheeled to the NICU and was breathing was fast. The in-laws (Father, Mother, Sister) and I congratulated each other! I rushed down to admit B/O (Baby Of) the wife. Called and texted friends and immediate family with the good news. Our room was ready and I moved up there.
Sometime after midnight (Sunday), the wife was wheeled in. She was in pain. We slept on and off. In the morning, I went down to the ICU and saw the boy in tubes. It was an overwhelming feeling to be a father and be responsible for somebody's life. I gently stroked his tiny hands and he twitched a bit.
I saw him again the next morning (Monday) along with the wife. This time he was in the photo-therapy light box because of jaundice. With the goggles on and the tube sticking out from his mouth, I felt very sorry for him. The wife tried feeding him but he refused to drink. By 730 pm he was in our room. A light box was set up and back inside he went. He lay on a water bed in it. I put my hand in and it was warm! I wonder how the boy slept through it. First night of waking up, feeding him started. I was comfortable changing diapers. The wife had a tough time secreting milk. The nurse (god bless her) started formula feed and did a swell job of burping and putting him to sleep. We were feeling bad that his first milk was not breast milk. I also realized how important is to wash my hands well before touching him.
The next day (Tuesday) he was out of the light box and had a cradle. Dr G came and discharged the wife. Phew! One step done. The wife's challenge with secreting continued and the Lactation Specialist came in. She looked like she just got off the ramp (so fashionable!) and suggested Nipple covers which helped. Time to name The Boy and since we could not decide between 2 shortlisted names, tossed a coin and decided on the name :)
On Wednesday, Dr K came and discovered jaundice traces. Back under the lights he went. He got his first visitors! We were thankful that we had a such a good support system – family, friends, the doctor. Everything fell into place.
More visitors on Thursday. I filled up the forms for his Certificate Of Birth. I had to collect it from the nearest Municipal Office in a month’s time. The hospital also took a photo of him for their own version of the Birth Certificate. We were discharged and free to go! I drove very carefully. He was too small to be in a car seat. The Baby On Board sticker did not help much. Drivers behind honked. I wondered how many of them had gone through this experience of becoming a father and having to drive their new born home. We walked into our house, decorated and welcomed by family and friends. And then the 2 hour feeding concept started in the night. It was difficult but I slowly got used to the crying and waking up to help the wife if she needed assistance.
By Friday, we were drained and I don't remember when we woke up. Diaper changed happened every 4 hours as well. He was amassing so many diapers! Wondered what his carbon footprint would be. I wished there was a clean way to dispose diapers.
On Saturday morning, I went to buy more Pampers New Baby Diapers and a Philips Avent 11 Ounce Feeding Bottle. After that went to the hospital to collect his reports. Visit to Dr K in the evening, then visit to the hospital to take a blood test for the boy, picked up his Birth Certificate, dropped the wife home and then went to the hospital again to pick up the report. Thankfully no admission required.
It was a day of visitors on Sunday. 4 families!
We regularly attended the pre natal classes and it was very helpful. Eventually the D-Day neared and on a Saturday - 6th July, 2013 the wife was admitted to the hospital at 810 am. I stayed calm and composed – one of us had to. Chewing gum helped. The initial contractions were ok, the wife was able to manage but post lunch the contractions became long and painful. Dr G came, had a look and said the delivery would be done by 5. My heart started pounding. Wow! The wife’s pains started increasing, her water broke and each physical examination became painful. For each contraction, I started breathing with her. They were getting more and more painful with passing time. The wife was brave and handling it well. I felt bad for her and wished there was an easier way to deliver.
Finally it was labor time, I changed to pink overalls and went to the labor room with her. Although she was pushing hard, the grape (as we fondly called the boy from start) refused to come out and his heart beat stared dropping, with the umbilical cord around his neck. I held her hand through all of it. Finally Dr G suggested C-Section. That done and my son was shown to me. I was too worried about the wife to take a good look at him – born at 10:05 pm and 3.04 kg. He looked so fragile! Small little ball with a tube sticking out of his nose and helpless. He was wheeled to the NICU and was breathing was fast. The in-laws (Father, Mother, Sister) and I congratulated each other! I rushed down to admit B/O (Baby Of) the wife. Called and texted friends and immediate family with the good news. Our room was ready and I moved up there.
Sometime after midnight (Sunday), the wife was wheeled in. She was in pain. We slept on and off. In the morning, I went down to the ICU and saw the boy in tubes. It was an overwhelming feeling to be a father and be responsible for somebody's life. I gently stroked his tiny hands and he twitched a bit.
I saw him again the next morning (Monday) along with the wife. This time he was in the photo-therapy light box because of jaundice. With the goggles on and the tube sticking out from his mouth, I felt very sorry for him. The wife tried feeding him but he refused to drink. By 730 pm he was in our room. A light box was set up and back inside he went. He lay on a water bed in it. I put my hand in and it was warm! I wonder how the boy slept through it. First night of waking up, feeding him started. I was comfortable changing diapers. The wife had a tough time secreting milk. The nurse (god bless her) started formula feed and did a swell job of burping and putting him to sleep. We were feeling bad that his first milk was not breast milk. I also realized how important is to wash my hands well before touching him.
The next day (Tuesday) he was out of the light box and had a cradle. Dr G came and discharged the wife. Phew! One step done. The wife's challenge with secreting continued and the Lactation Specialist came in. She looked like she just got off the ramp (so fashionable!) and suggested Nipple covers which helped. Time to name The Boy and since we could not decide between 2 shortlisted names, tossed a coin and decided on the name :)
On Wednesday, Dr K came and discovered jaundice traces. Back under the lights he went. He got his first visitors! We were thankful that we had a such a good support system – family, friends, the doctor. Everything fell into place.
More visitors on Thursday. I filled up the forms for his Certificate Of Birth. I had to collect it from the nearest Municipal Office in a month’s time. The hospital also took a photo of him for their own version of the Birth Certificate. We were discharged and free to go! I drove very carefully. He was too small to be in a car seat. The Baby On Board sticker did not help much. Drivers behind honked. I wondered how many of them had gone through this experience of becoming a father and having to drive their new born home. We walked into our house, decorated and welcomed by family and friends. And then the 2 hour feeding concept started in the night. It was difficult but I slowly got used to the crying and waking up to help the wife if she needed assistance.
By Friday, we were drained and I don't remember when we woke up. Diaper changed happened every 4 hours as well. He was amassing so many diapers! Wondered what his carbon footprint would be. I wished there was a clean way to dispose diapers.
On Saturday morning, I went to buy more Pampers New Baby Diapers and a Philips Avent 11 Ounce Feeding Bottle. After that went to the hospital to collect his reports. Visit to Dr K in the evening, then visit to the hospital to take a blood test for the boy, picked up his Birth Certificate, dropped the wife home and then went to the hospital again to pick up the report. Thankfully no admission required.
It was a day of visitors on Sunday. 4 families!
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