Letters to Emma: The day you were born
posted in Letters to Emma, Viewed: 2064 timesIt was the morning of July 9th that I woke up in a panic. To be precise, it was 4:12am, July 9th 2007. During the entire pregnancy you had been pretty active. I used to call you my soccer player. In fact there were nights when I was sure you had scored many goals and even won the championship. Of course you’d have your down days, but I always “felt” you in some way which was a great comfort to me. But July 9th was different.
You were actually due July 20th but many of us knew you’d come early. There was no way you were going to wait that long. When I was 35 weeks pregnant, you measured at 41 weeks…and babies are supposed to be delivered at 40 weeks. Your Daadi thought you’d be born somewhere between July 5th and 10th. I felt sure you’d be born on July 9th. But the closer we got to that date, the more your Daddy and I doubted it since I wasn’t feeling any big contractions and I was hardly dialated. In fact we casually went to a portrait studio the day before you were born and had my pregnancy photo’s taken to remind us how big I was. We started believing we had another 2 weeks to go.
The night before you were born you had given me one single kick and then you were eerily quiet from that point on. At 4:12 the next morning I woke up in a fright realizing I hadn’t felt anything since that one precious kick. I tried poking you which would usually wake you but nothing happened. I got up and had grape juice in hopes the sugar would move you, but nothing happened. My daily chocolate milk usually had you jumping, but again nothing happened. I tried all the things that usually make you move with no success and I became terrified. There was no doubt in my mind that something was wrong.
At 8am your Daddy and I went to the hospital where they ran a series of tests. Your heart rate appeared fine but the nurses wanted to see more variation in the rhythm. Boy did they get some variation after a while. Your heart rate dropped from 150 bpm (beats per minute) to around 60. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by nurses having me do different things to get your heart rate back up. The doctor decided it was best to induce and thus the delivery process began.
But inducement wasn’t working too well for either you or me. I was in horrible pain and your heart rate would drop when I had big contractions. After a number of hours, it was decided that you would be delivered by cesarean.
When you were born, you didn’t cry and you were purple. But the nurses and specialists in the room fixed you right up very quickly and I finally heard your sweet cries of life. Dr. Carlson said it was a good thing we came in because it was time for you to come out.
You should have seen your Daddy when you were born. There wasn’t a prouder and happier father I’m sure. He had a smile from ear to ear and beamed. He even got to trim your umbilical cord. I thought you the most beautiful and precious creature when I saw you and every day that passes makes me love you more and more.
- Shannon
