He's here! Luke Joshua: 7lbs 8oz, 20"

To say I'm learning a lot would be the understatement of the year.

I will start with this tidbit though: I have witnessed childbirth. Yeah, I watched a human being come out of another human being, into our world of light and air--and it was cathartic.

Just to catch you up, we called in to Labor & Delivery yesterday, May 16, @ 5am per orders. (we were due on the 8th) We were then scheduled to arrive at 6am to induce. We were pleased not to have to wait around any more--luckily, we were totally ready. By totally ready, I mean 2 days' clothes for each of us, toiletries packed, laptop/bag with camera, charging cords, books, CDs, DVDs, pen & paper, etc... (Note to 1st timers: ALL of this must be packed & staged, ready to go @ a moment's notice within 2 weeks of your due date. Also, your [Chicco hopefully--they rock] car seat must be installed/ready to go. )

SO--by 7:30 ish, Erin was in bed, all hooked up w/ the oxytocin drip. Also, she had 2 monitors strapped to her belly: 1 monitored the baby's heartbeat, complete with audio. The woosh-wooshing sound of his heartbeat was a constant in our room until he arrived. The 2nd monitor tracked Erin's contractions on a real time running graph on a monitor above the bed. It was neat--I could see a spike of (uterine) muscle contraction coming on and I'd say something like "Okay, Baby--we're approaching a swell--breathe deeply and center your chi..." Meanwhile, our beloved nurse, Amy, checked cervical dilation regularly until about 10cm, at which time our anesthetist began Erin's epidural. I was told to sit down--men, do it--because so many of us have fainted upon seeing the needle/fallen & busted our heads open or worse. Erin didn't even flinch; she barely noticed said needle. From that point, after her water was broken, she was in hard labor, but she wasn't in much discomfort, despite the fact. We watched contractions come and go with clock-like regularity, until about 3:00ish, when Jan & I flanked Erin, held her legs up, and worked with the nurse to coach Erin through pushing. The brilliant part about the aforementioned contraction graph: you can see when a contraction is coming on, then coach mom as she supplements these with pushes of her own to send baby down. It's all about rhythm, yall.
We read/listened/learned a lot about the pros/cons of epidurals, but I'm here to tell you, my friends: it has come a LONG way since the 60s. They don't hurt--Erin still can't feel any soreness at the site; I'll blog about any long term effects if we see any. It didn't have any adverse effect on baby. It was a great way to fly for Erin, and I know she'll never have another youngin' without it. :)

By about 4:30, it was ON with a capital O. We could see his hair emerging first--I told myself I wouldn't look--that I'd just focus on Erin--but I looked. I couldn't help it. I was glad I did...it's an experience not to be wasted. Per Erin's orders, I won't get too graphic in detail here, but I will say this: I've always seen Erin as this fragile thing. She's so dainty and delicate, and can't handle too much stress or vigorous strain or whatever. This perception is now changed forever. Erin was so calm and so centered, breathing when told, pushing when told, just a plain soldier, working towards her goal. She was unflappable. She did not even break a sweat. She was tough as nails! I read once that Spartan wives and mothers were revered as the real warriors of Sparta, the metaphorical shield behind which it's citizens truly rested. Can't have soldiers without mothers. Anyhoo--I will never call Erin fragile or delicate again. I'm sure any guy will have a new--totally awestruck--perception of "toughness" after watching a woman give birth. Luke arrived intact, 7lbs 8oz, 20 inches of healthy baby boy. Looks EXACTLY like me. They cleaned him & handed him over, and I was amazed at how calm he was. He didn't squall and holler like the ones in the videos; even through last night, Luke was calm like his momma.

OH YEAH...I cut the cord! I wasn't planning on it, ya know, but hey, you only live once, right?

After a few hours post-pardum we were moved from Labor Delivery to a "Mom & Baby suite" where we're still hanging out. I "slept" in a chair last night that lays back like a 1-man futon--not stoked about it. We woke regularly to change (me) Luke's (VERY POOPY) diapers and feed (Erin, breast) our little man. Circumcision: check. Hearing test: 100%! Hearing test has come a LONG way too (from clapping loudly next to baby's head to see if it startles him--true story) and the technology is amazing! After a few electrodes are placed around baby's head/neck & audio buds on ears, the signal is played, and it graphs baby's brain waves on a screen--you're seeing his brain react to the sounds in real time; it leaves no room for confusion.

Okay, I think I'll sign off--I just wanted to get all these thoughts out & post them before I get delerious & forget them. Daddy Out.