My First Day

6th October 2000

Today I had the most moving experiance of my life!

It really started around 5 weeks ago. Mum and Dad were at Grandma & Grandad's for Father's Day lunch. On the way home Mum started getting contractions. Not just the normal Braxton Hicks that had been twindging away for a while, but a squeeze that was painful and purposeful. These continued and got stronger, but then eased off and stopped. Mum and Dad were excited, but a bit concerned because I was not expected for another three weeks. Those three weeks passed by with more anxiety and excitement because several times we all went to hospital with severe, lasting, strengthening and convincing contractions. Mum was tired. It was hard work carrying me around all day (and night). Sleep was difficult. It is not easy sleeping with three kilograms of baby occupying space normally reserved for lungs, liver, heart, stomach, intestines, colon, bowel and bladder. The anticpation was wearing both Mum and Dad down. They would get all set to have me arrive, only to find that after much hard work, very little had actually happened. The medical staff were wonderful at Swan Districts Hospital. Mum and Dad seemed to meet most of those involved with delivering babies. Anyway, my due date (27th of September) approached and my now sceptical parents were none too surprised when that date went past.

The decision was made to have me induced if it looked like I would try to go more than ten days past my due date. Accordingly Mum was admitted on the Thursday night (5th October) and preparations commenced for the induction. Some of the preparations caused contractions to start again. Dad had gone home for the night, but came back to be with Mum. By about 3.00 am (Friday 6th October) the contractions had eased off again and Mum and Dad got a little bit of sleep.

At 7.00 am the Doctor checked Mum and was pleased to announce that this time the contractions had really got things moving. Mum's cervix had dilated to 3 cm. The doctor was able to break the membrane sack that had kept me safe for more than nine months, and to insert a drip containing cyntosinin into Mum's arm to get the contractions REALLY going.

Our midwife was Marylou. Marylou was going on six weeks leave as of 4:36 pm. Marylou wanted to see me before she left. She did! At 12:47 pm after an exhausting morning for me and Mum, I was pushed out into the outside world. The first thing I felt was an unfamiliar coolness around my head, which had just been squashed almost beyond belief and endurance.

I yelled. Even before the rest of me was pushed out, I drew my first breath and proclaimed my displeasure at this new feeling. As I continued my journey out of Mum I felt hands take me and hold me (thank you Marylou for being the baby catcher that caught me!). I was still linked to my Mum by my umbilical cord so I was never far away at first. I was wrapped in a towel, that was good as it made me feel a little less cold.

Then, I saw her for the first time! The source of all my warmth, my sustinence, my entire world for nine months. The person through whom all things were purified, prepared, enhanced and lovingly given to me for life itself over nine self-sacrificing months. My beautiful, loving, mother. She held me close. I felt her warmth. I heard her familiar heart beat. I was close again to the ever-present rythm of her breathing. Oh, the comfort. Oh, the joy. I felt safe again. I love you Mum.

It didn't end there. A new source of nutrition and protection was suddenly thrust into my world. Breast milk! Somehow, without knowing what I was doing I felt the urge to suck as I nuzzled into the comfort and safety being provided in a new way as Mum cradled me to her. As I suckled at the breast for the first time, we looked into each others eyes and started the bonding that only a mother and her child can know.

The room, as it turned out, was quite crowded. There was Marylou, another midwife, Sue (our ante-natal class midwife who wanted to see the long overdue, many times attempted, Jones baby actually get delivered), two trainee nurses, the doctor, my Aunty Kathryn and my Dad. After a brief discussion my Dad was handed a pair of scissors and he separated me physically from my Mum by cutting my umbilical cord. It didn't hurt, the cord had stopped pulsing, it's functioning no longer necessary.

I was now able to be passed to my Dad for a hold. As he held me tenderly for the first time I could feel his heart beat too. There was something familiar about it. I remember feeling it through my Mum as they would hug or cuddle. I heard his voice as he gently said "I love you Joshua Daniel, I love you my son." for the first time face to face. I had heard this too as he had said "I love you" to Mum and to me before I was born. I could see the tears of joy as they ran down his face. The look of love he gave to Mum as he held me. I heard my Dad's prayer as he thanked God for a miracle, a miracle of new life.

The rest of the day was a blur of lights, scales, tape measures, new people and strange noises. I felt best being held close by my Mum. There were visits from my grandparents, my first bath, cuddles all round, flash photography and ... the ever present love and care of my Mum.

7th October 2000