The Day After the Big Day
What an amazing experience.
I was so thrilled when Ang invited me to attend Olivia’s birth. It’s been almost five years since I was privy to Emalee’s birth and although I’ve been invited to attend three between Emalee’s and Olivia’s, I haven’t been able to make it to any of them.
The two births I have attended (aside from my own children’s) have been very different. My sister got her epidural when she was dilated to 3 or 4 cm., and obviously, Ang was completely unmedicated. But you know, it really doesn’t matter one way or another. It’s a life changing experience to see a woman birth a baby in any fashion.
Ladies, our bodies - and our minds - are powerful.
I was awestruck by both the emotional and physical strength that Ang exhibited. That woman is STRONG - although I can’t imagine how she feels today; I am sore from tensing my muscles during transition.
Obviously it was physically tense for everyone in the room, but it was emotionally tense even more so. Much like the new mom and dad, I am emotionally drained today. Although as “the gallery” we were instructed just to watch, we somehow all made it to Ang’s bedside during the last few pushes. (Her doctor and nurse were fantastic.) We really ended up being part of the support team. It was quite an honor.
Standing so close I was taken aback by how watching her push brought back all of the feelings that I had in both of my children’s births. It really did shock me.
At one point I’d stopped taking pictures and was standing in the middle of the room reliving my own labors and deliveries and Vanessa startled me when she gave me a light poke and pointed out all of the fantastic shots I was missing. EEEK! I immediately stepped out of my musing and went back to chronicling O’s arrival, but the feeling stayed with me.
It felt odd, yet not so odd, to have all of those emotions brought back to the forefront. It’s only been 7 months and I’ve already forgotten a lot of how I felt. I’m so thankful that I can remember with prodding. Seriously, I’d go to a birth a week if it made me feel that way every time. (Maybe I wouldn’t need medication! Oh wait…if I relive Liam’s birth every week I might need MORE.)
And I can’t explain how much I loved taking the pictures.
The room was non-stop activity and raw emotion. I took more than 400 photos. And I would have taken even more, but I didn’t want to overstep any boundaries so I held back at first. However, after about the third time Vanessa assured me that I need not be timid I tried to melt into the background and the room was ablaze with lightening from then on.
I managed to get some amazing shots.
People. I captured the moment Olivia first opened her eyes - just. as. her. head. emerged.
(I have chills just thinking about it.)
And after looking through the 400+ photos, it was impossible for me to delete a single one. Every shot captures A Moment - even if it’s blurry. I suppose I’ll just task Neal and Ang with the whittling. They’ll get to it sometime in the next few years.
Neal and Ang - I can’t thank you enough for sharing your experience with me. Having witnessed O’s birth I kind of feel like I’m responsible for a bit of her life; like she’s a little bit my baby, too.
I feel the same way with Em and from the experiences I’ve had with her, I can tell you for certain that I’ll love Olivia like she’s my own. I’ll love her unconditionally and support her decisions as best I can - just like I will try to do with my own children.
(By the way Em and O (and Ethan O., Gabe, Sadie, Jules, and Ethan J., this goes for you too) - feel free to call me when you have a problem if you’re too scared to talk to your parents. I’ll do my best to help you determine your choices. (And hopefully you’ll decide on your own that telling them won’t be as bad as the way you’ll feel if you don’t. Because then I’ll have to tell them. And kiddos? (Whining:) I really don’t want to do that.))
I’m sure it will be challenging at times, but I am very much looking forward to the growth we’ll experience in being parents alongside you, N&A. I think we’ll learn a lot from one another.
