The contractions started around 2 am on Sunday, January 16th. After timing the contractions and a call to the on-call OB, we were put in holding mode for much of the day. The magic number was 4. Contractions 4 minutes apart were the cue for us to come in.
Around 1 pm, Renee's water broke. Another call to and from the answering service led to the decision to go to the hospital. It took about an hour to get Renee ready to go, she had tried a hot shower to help with the back pains.
By the time we left for the hospital at 2, contractions were about 4 or 5 minutes apart. Walking was difficult. One contraction to the stairs. Another on the landing. Another at the bottom. Another getting into the van. Okay, it is starting to get a bit scary how fast and hard they are coming. 5 or 6 more contractions on the way, about one every 3 minutes, now. 4 more on the way into the hospital and up to Labor and Delivery. It is now 2:30 p.m.
Contractions and an aching back are making Renee miserable. Her first check shows that she is already 7 cm dialated. After 4 sticks, they finally get an IV started. Fluids help a bit. Then the drugs go in. What a world of difference. Renee's back is tolerable now and she begins to relax. Contractions become easier to tolerate without the back pain. Renee is able to rest a bit now despite the stronger (and longer) contractions. Good drugs.
A little after 4:30, Renee starts to regain some level of alertness. She feels that her body is pushing without her help. Yup, a check confirms that she is fully dialated and can start to help her body push. The next three contractions go by quickly, or so it seems now.
And then Rhiannon Irene joined us in this world at 4:58 p.m. She weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces. By all measures she seems healthy and strong. My prayers ask that she stays that way always.
I'm not sure what I expected out of this process. I guess you never really know until it happens to you. I don't think I could ever really explain it, but other fathers out there know what I mean when I say that she is the most precious thing to me in this world.
I really need some sleep now, so I'll add more later. I'll even try to get Renee to help. For now, that's it. Enjoy the new pics. God bless.
Dean