SARA DOROTHY JOHNSON DANIELS
WELCOME TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!
(This is the story of my birth. It will be updated by my father from time to time today.)
WELCOME TO MY BIRTHDAY PARTY!
(This is the story of my birth. It will be updated by my father from time to time today.)
MOM WITH DAD IN O/R.
You go to all of the Natural Childbirth Classes and you listen to all of the stories. They tell you that there are very few situations in which medical intervention is needed. You believe that there are way too many unnecessary c-sections done by doctors that are in to much of a hurry to move on to the next patient to take the time needed to have a natural birth. You get a midwife instead of a doctor and you have your child in a state of the art medical birthing center that has a 2% c-section rate. 2% when the national average is approaching 50% or more.
And then you are told that you wife is having variable contractions. That the medical evidence is showing that after three days of labor her uterus is finally starting to show signs of fatigue. You see the pain that back labor is exhibiting. You are told by the midwife that the unborn child is starting to show signs of stress after so many hours of contractions. It is well after midnight on the third day and after trying to move the child into different positions, it still has not come down far enough to move into the final stages of labor....
The pain, the screaming, the erratic beating of the heart monitor, the signs of concern on medical staff who have attended thousands of births now.... Suddenly you realize that you are moving quickly towards the one thing that you hoped would never happen... Suddenly you wife tells the doula that it is time... And modern medicine swings into gear to save your child and your wife....
Now you are being asked to put on scrubs and you are moving down a hallway to a room where the atmosphere has changed from soothing music, lavender scents, comfortable surroundings....
Now you are standing in an operating room with the beeping monitors, sterile alcohol smell, and bright lights.... You are holding the hand of the woman that you would give your life for and she is telling you to make sure the baby is okay... Not to worry about how she is but to ensure that the child is safe... You suddenly realize that the fun and games associated with life are heading for a collision with the primal need to survive... You pray to your god in heaven and you hold your wife's hands and you wish you could take it all back.... You just want to return to before all of this but it is too late.... YOU REMEMBER THAT SO MANY OF THESE ARE DONE THAT IT IS CALLED ROUTINE... SELDOM TO ANYONE WALK AWAY HURT BUT YOU CAN'T HELP WONDERING IF THIS IS YOUR DAY AT THE ROULETTE TABLE OR WILL YOU LOOSE EVERYTHING AND WALK AWAY EMPTY HANDED...
AND SUDDENLY THERE IS LIFE
Very quickly and smoothly Sara was born. I will not get into the details but I would liken a C-section to Vietnam. If you are a woman you are on drugs and you are so happy that the pain is gone and that your child is born. If you are a man: There is something to be said for sitting in a lobby with a bunch of other men passing cigars out to anyone who will listen.
Sara did not want to leave the comfort of Kris. She moved once and gave a head fake and was able to slip back inside. The second time they grabbed her from the womb they had to get nurses to pull her hands away as she was holding on tight to Kris' ribs... She has very long hands like me and she was holding on so tight the doctor could not get her loose.
Sara liked it inside of Kris so much that she fought to stay and Kris wanted to see her so much that she tried for three days to push her out... Thus, begins what I think should be my life's true work: The constant negotiation between Kris and Sara for what is right for eachother.
7/2/2000 -- 1:39AM -- 7 lbs. 7 oun. -- 21 inches long
THE FINISHED PRODUCT
The best part about having a doula. Someone else takes the pictures....
Kris was sooo happy... I was relieved.
BACK TO THE ROOM AND TIME FOR THE BIRTHDAY PARTY
It was all over in 45 minutes and we were back in the room. Kris even ate some of the cake....
HIGH DRAMA!
MOTHER AND CHILD AT LAST
BABY SARA
1ST BATH FOR BABY SARA
It is all over.... Kris says she wants to have another... I have six years of therapy to go and have scheduled my vasectomy for Wednesday.... It may take me a few days to post the pictures from that operation!
Thank you all for the letters and cards and emails!
Sara would thank you but she is busy... Milk Addiction is a serious disease!
Sunday, 7/3/2000 -- 5:38AM -- Sara is now 1 day and four hours old!