Babies

I witnessed my first vaginal delivery today.

I think I might be scarred for life. WOW. I know it's natural and that women have been doing it for millions of years but I've seen car accident victims who have bled less and lets just say that whole episiotomy business is kind of gruesome. It's probably worse when they let it tear naturally, but in the words of my Doctor tour guide, "It looks like a bomb has gone off in here." Personally it looked more like an atomic bomb than your every day run of the mill explosive, but you get the picture.

In the end she was all sewn up and everything looked almost back to normal, but it's amazing how some of the women are very calm about the whole situation (then again they don't really see the damage) and then some women totally freak out.

One of the ladies delivered the baby and then 5 minutes later was chatting up the nurses and asking when she could have sex again. Personally after pushing a watermelon through a hole the size of a raisin, that would not be my first question (particularly after an episiotomy). And then on the opposite side of the spectrum there's the screamers who you can hear from the elevators before you get to the ward, but I suppose if that's what relieves the pain then scream away. (As a side note they don't do epidurals here and only have IV meds which the mothers don't generally care for).

The husbands facial expressions are even better to watch than the birth itself. Some of them cry, some smile, some look like they're going to pass out, and some like todays new dad stare at the placenta with a look of curiosity camera in hand. No he didn't take a picture, though I can't say the thought didn't cross his mind. We couldn't help but to be excited for him, he sat there stroking his child, smiling giddily.

It was a little girl, 10 fingers, 10 toes, APGAR 9. Perfect.