So it really happened. After all our worrying, concerns and fear that something would go horribly wrong, our beautiful little girl arrived relatively unscathed into the world. The original expectations of how the event would unfold (mostly derived from TV shows and first person descriptions) were far from the actual thing. It was far better than the fevered versions described by friends, in the bright lights and clinical setting, with nurses and doctors shouting things like "stat!" and "code something or other!"
Chelle's contractions had started on the morning of Friday Sept. 28 at 7:30 and had lasted until 11:30 that night. In that time we had tried the morphine and fentinal to little effect. Her contractions, two minutes apart and one minute in length had not changed during the entire time. That's 480 contractions, or one big contraction that would have been eight hours long. In that time, to our utter dismay, Chelle's dilation had only changed from one cm to three. The nurse began to discuss the epi, and between the Chelle's exhaustion and the pain she was experiencing, she relented. By 12:30 am the epi had taken effect and Chelle had dilated to 7.5cms, but more importantly most of the pain was gone and we both could relax. Tabitha, our nurse, turned down the lights and suggested try and get some sleep. In each delivery room the IWK provides a great big reclining arm chair for the father to relax in while waiting. I pulled it close to the bed and held Rochelles' hand. The only light was above the monitoring station where Tabitha kept a close eye on the girls' stats and occasionally entered some information into a computer. There was very little noise from the other rooms and the hospital seem deserted (although I later learned that the hospital was packed and that the rooms were sound proofed to provide privacy to the labouring ladies). Tabthia had set up a strip on Chelles' belly and was recording the baby's heart beat, which she played it for us occasionally, was strong and steady at 140 beats per minute. I watched the monitor and I watched Rochelle sleep, and at some point, I think during rythmic thrum of the heart beat, I fell asleep.
I woke about and hour later to the light coming from the hall way. Dr Murray had returned to the hospital to help delivery the baby. I'm told that most Doctors do not delivery their patient babies due to the unpredictable hours that labour brings and rely on the hospital staff to do so. Dr. Kim Murray, recommended to us from a friend, is an exception to the rule. She delivers most of her babies and refers only to her partner when conflicts arise. According to Tabitha, Dr. Murray is known to sleep at the hospital while waiting for her wards to produce, something that I think proves her wonderful dedication.
It was just Rochelle and I, Tabitha our nurse and Dr Murray. Things were calm. I mean there was tension, but the nurse and Doctor spoke quietly to each other and encouraged Chelle in clear and friendly voices. There was a quite warmth about the whole thing. The Doctor checked Rochelle's dilation and found her to be at 10 cm, it was time to start pushing.
Now, it was my intention to be involved with birthing process, but by being involved I meant swabbing foreheads, refilling drinking water and saying heartfelt words of encouragement. In the background. Instead, I found myself with one arm hooked around Chelle's leg and the other pulling her chin to her chest, directly in view of the business end of the baby making machine. I felt awkward, maybe even a little embarrassed for Rochelle's exposure.
She looked at me and smiled "Is this what you expected?"
"Uh...no" I mumbled.
"Me neither" She smiled again and squeezed my hand. I realized she was comforting me. Amazing girl.
Tabitha had her hand on Chelle's stomach feeling for contractions. The thing about the epi is that you can't feel when your body is contracting, so the nurse is constantly holding the abdomen to check for contraction, telling the patient when to push. She nodded to Dr Murray.
"OK Rochelle, push push push push, reach down deep, push push push push " Dr Murray encouraged Chelle. You could see the top of the head.
"You can see the top of the head." I said lamely. "Chelle, you can see the top of the head."
"OK here we go" Tabitha pointed out another contraction.
"push push push push" Chelle bared down and pushed with all her whole body, I though her head was going to burst. More of the head showed.
"Chelle, you can see more of the head" I pointed out.
"push push push push" Dr Murray was relentless in her pushes.
This went on for a while with Rochelle pushing as hard as she could, pausing only to wait for the contractions to start. Finally the head popped out, then the shoulder, then the whole baby! She layed on the sheet on her side between Chelle's legs. She was grey, slick and kind of rubbery looking. Because of the way she was laying I could only see one eye, it was closed. For a second, just a split second, my heart stopped. Then she cried out and it was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.
Chelle's contractions had started on the morning of Friday Sept. 28 at 7:30 and had lasted until 11:30 that night. In that time we had tried the morphine and fentinal to little effect. Her contractions, two minutes apart and one minute in length had not changed during the entire time. That's 480 contractions, or one big contraction that would have been eight hours long. In that time, to our utter dismay, Chelle's dilation had only changed from one cm to three. The nurse began to discuss the epi, and between the Chelle's exhaustion and the pain she was experiencing, she relented. By 12:30 am the epi had taken effect and Chelle had dilated to 7.5cms, but more importantly most of the pain was gone and we both could relax. Tabitha, our nurse, turned down the lights and suggested try and get some sleep. In each delivery room the IWK provides a great big reclining arm chair for the father to relax in while waiting. I pulled it close to the bed and held Rochelles' hand. The only light was above the monitoring station where Tabitha kept a close eye on the girls' stats and occasionally entered some information into a computer. There was very little noise from the other rooms and the hospital seem deserted (although I later learned that the hospital was packed and that the rooms were sound proofed to provide privacy to the labouring ladies). Tabthia had set up a strip on Chelles' belly and was recording the baby's heart beat, which she played it for us occasionally, was strong and steady at 140 beats per minute. I watched the monitor and I watched Rochelle sleep, and at some point, I think during rythmic thrum of the heart beat, I fell asleep.
I woke about and hour later to the light coming from the hall way. Dr Murray had returned to the hospital to help delivery the baby. I'm told that most Doctors do not delivery their patient babies due to the unpredictable hours that labour brings and rely on the hospital staff to do so. Dr. Kim Murray, recommended to us from a friend, is an exception to the rule. She delivers most of her babies and refers only to her partner when conflicts arise. According to Tabitha, Dr. Murray is known to sleep at the hospital while waiting for her wards to produce, something that I think proves her wonderful dedication.
It was just Rochelle and I, Tabitha our nurse and Dr Murray. Things were calm. I mean there was tension, but the nurse and Doctor spoke quietly to each other and encouraged Chelle in clear and friendly voices. There was a quite warmth about the whole thing. The Doctor checked Rochelle's dilation and found her to be at 10 cm, it was time to start pushing.
Now, it was my intention to be involved with birthing process, but by being involved I meant swabbing foreheads, refilling drinking water and saying heartfelt words of encouragement. In the background. Instead, I found myself with one arm hooked around Chelle's leg and the other pulling her chin to her chest, directly in view of the business end of the baby making machine. I felt awkward, maybe even a little embarrassed for Rochelle's exposure.
She looked at me and smiled "Is this what you expected?"
"Uh...no" I mumbled.
"Me neither" She smiled again and squeezed my hand. I realized she was comforting me. Amazing girl.
Tabitha had her hand on Chelle's stomach feeling for contractions. The thing about the epi is that you can't feel when your body is contracting, so the nurse is constantly holding the abdomen to check for contraction, telling the patient when to push. She nodded to Dr Murray.
"OK Rochelle, push push push push, reach down deep, push push push push " Dr Murray encouraged Chelle. You could see the top of the head.
"You can see the top of the head." I said lamely. "Chelle, you can see the top of the head."
"OK here we go" Tabitha pointed out another contraction.
"push push push push" Chelle bared down and pushed with all her whole body, I though her head was going to burst. More of the head showed.
"Chelle, you can see more of the head" I pointed out.
"push push push push" Dr Murray was relentless in her pushes.
This went on for a while with Rochelle pushing as hard as she could, pausing only to wait for the contractions to start. Finally the head popped out, then the shoulder, then the whole baby! She layed on the sheet on her side between Chelle's legs. She was grey, slick and kind of rubbery looking. Because of the way she was laying I could only see one eye, it was closed. For a second, just a split second, my heart stopped. Then she cried out and it was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard.
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