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Independence, MO —
As soon as I saw his precious little face the tears began to flow, which didn’t stop for several hours. My daughter and her husband allowed me to witness the birth of my first grandchild and it was the greatest gift I’ve ever received.
When they asked if I would be in the labor and delivery room with them my first instinct was panic. Could I stand to watch my daughter be in the pain of birthing a child as I remembered it to be? A lot has changed over the past two decades.
Her doctor was going to be on vacation the week of her due date so they induced her to have the baby on the day they chose. They showed up, but the doctor didn’t, as she was home with the flu. Inducing has become a common practice, not like years ago when, ready or not, the baby decided when to make an appearance. Thinking this process was going to take all day I was milling around the grocery store looking for magazines to take with me when she texted and said they were already going to give her something for the contractions. Already I thought, does she really have that low of a pain tolerance? Little did I know, she was just a few hours away from delivering.
I’m not sure what I was expecting to find when I arrived. The vision in my head was based on times past when women in labor were lined up in beds until it was their turn to make the trip to the white-walled, stainless steel, cold delivery room. Not only was she talking but she had makeup on, earrings and her hair looked good. I guess if you don’t wake up in the middle of the night screaming for your husband to get the car because the baby is coming, you have time to be more presentable.
The epidural shot is a wonder drug, as it took most of the pain away. When the machine showed she was having contractions every couple of minutes and yet she was still able to talk and look reasonably comfortable, all I could think of was how different the entire atmosphere has become for this miracle I was about to witness.
The comfy labor room, with oversized chairs, TV and plenty of nurses also serves as the delivery room, which sets the stage for a sense of being relaxed, comfortable and non-intimidating. There’s still good reason to call it labor as my daughter commented several times during the pushing process she wished she would have worked out more.
As soon as I saw his precious little face the tears began to flow, which didn’t stop for several hours. My daughter and her husband allowed me to witness the birth of my first grandchild and it was the greatest gift I’ve ever received.
When they asked if I would be in the labor and delivery room with them my first instinct was panic. Could I stand to watch my daughter be in the pain of birthing a child as I remembered it to be? A lot has changed over the past two decades.
Her doctor was going to be on vacation the week of her due date so they induced her to have the baby on the day they chose. They showed up, but the doctor didn’t, as she was home with the flu. Inducing has become a common practice, not like years ago when, ready or not, the baby decided when to make an appearance. Thinking this process was going to take all day I was milling around the grocery store looking for magazines to take with me when she texted and said they were already going to give her something for the contractions. Already I thought, does she really have that low of a pain tolerance? Little did I know, she was just a few hours away from delivering.
I’m not sure what I was expecting to find when I arrived. The vision in my head was based on times past when women in labor were lined up in beds until it was their turn to make the trip to the white-walled, stainless steel, cold delivery room. Not only was she talking but she had makeup on, earrings and her hair looked good. I guess if you don’t wake up in the middle of the night screaming for your husband to get the car because the baby is coming, you have time to be more presentable.
The epidural shot is a wonder drug, as it took most of the pain away. When the machine showed she was having contractions every couple of minutes and yet she was still able to talk and look reasonably comfortable, all I could think of was how different the entire atmosphere has become for this miracle I was about to witness.
The comfy labor room, with oversized chairs, TV and plenty of nurses also serves as the delivery room, which sets the stage for a sense of being relaxed, comfortable and non-intimidating. There’s still good reason to call it labor as my daughter commented several times during the pushing process she wished she would have worked out more.
It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever witnessed and the miracle of giving birth is truly a testament of one of God’s greatest gifts. I cried for the love of my grandson and for the relief my daughter was OK. She’s more of a woman than I had ever given her credit for.
In just three short months, it will be time for the birth of another grandson. My senior daughter and her husbands’ decision to experience this miracle alone was surely confirmed after they were told I cheered my grandson on rather loudly to come on out, asked questions continuously and then sobbed uncontrollably once he was born. It was a miracle in itself they didn’t ask me to leave.
My grandsons will call me grandma and I will cheer for them, cry for them and love them, all the days of my life.
Sandy Turner lives in Independence and writes this column for The Examiner. Email her at sandydownhome@hotmail.com.
