Happy Birthday Alexis - WOW!

Twenty-three years ago, today, I was lucky enough to participate in the miracle of life. Not having had children myself, this memory becomes more and more precious to me. And as the years pass I still remember so many of the details of that day.

My dear friend Robin made a decision to become a single parent. I was supportive of her decision and in the process, she rewarded me with the designation of "labor coach." I was thrilled. I took my position very seriously, attended all of the birthing classes, made lots of notes in my workbook and readied myself for the day.

After a late-night, false alarm we decided that I should just stay at Robin's until the baby was born. So, I packed up some clothes and moved in for the countdown. I was working and was in my second year of graduate school. Robin gave me a "beeper" so I could be on alert. I carried a change purse of quarters. Yes, it was a time when cell phones were not so common place (and the ones that were available were the size of a shoe box).

It was a Friday and I was spending the day in classes. We knew the time was close. On my first break I tried to call the apartment. No answer. I went back into class and commented to my friend that Robin hadn't answered. Perhaps she was in the shower; perhaps she had gone for a walk. I tried again at the next break. No answer. I made my classmate beep me to make sure the beeper was working. At lunch time I called again. No answer. I called the doctor's office to see if they heard from her. Yes. Robin was on her way to the hospital with her mother. It's "SHOWTIME!"

I packed up my books and headed to the hospital. When I got there Robin had her good-natured smile on her face and laughed out "I guess I'm going have a baby." I held up my workbook and said "I'm ready to coach". And so it began.

As I consulted the pages of my "how to birth a baby" book, Robin went in and out of contractions. We sat up, we sat in the rocking chair, we watched a soap opera, we went to the bathroom, we ate enough ice chips to sink the Titanic. The TV programming turned to the six o'clock news. Doctor Hanft hadn't arrived yet. There was still time. The contractions started getting closer and more intense. I could see from the window that rush hour traffic was in full swing; how is the doctor going to get here in time? Robin started asking the question, "where the hell is he?" Back in the bathroom; back to the rocking chair; back to the bed.

"I want drugs NOW!" "Sorry, it's too late, you're going to have do without." "I need to go to the bathroom." "No, you're going to have the baby - Nurse, oh Nurse, I think we have lift-off!"

Sure enough, the time had arrived. The nurse threw some scrubs at me and said it's time to change. Now, not really thinking ahead, I had shown up to the hospital in a rather lovely aqua silk skirt and blouse; high heels and fully accessorized in a matching aqua and gold necklace and earrings. I put my scrubs on and the lovely little head covering. I looked at the the paper booties and realized that I was going to have to keep my heels on. Great, I'm going to help deliver the baby in high heels. I covered the heels with the paper booties. I forgot to take off my jewelry.

The nurse brought in a cart, re-positioned the bed and we began the last phase of "he he" and "ha ha" breathing techniques. "Try not to push." "You shut up." "Where is Dr. Hanft?"

At some point the door flew open and there was the dear doctor. He moved quickly into position as the accompanying nurse dressed him in scrubs. "Traffic" he mumbled. "You should have left earlier," I retorted. And so it began. Push, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, Relax. Push, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10, Relax.

Dr. Hanft looked at me and laughed, "What do we have here, Scrubs by Ralph Lauren?" My jewelry perfectly matched the scrubs. I was looking good for Alexis' arrival.

And, then the miracle began to unfold. I could see the head crowning. They moved a mirror into position for Robin to watch. "Oh my", I thought, "she's a big girl." As I watched her shoulders squeeze through I winced. Robin whimpered. Wow! Oh, wow. . .here she comes. . .Oh, wow. "Stop saying wow. ..is she alright?" She's perfect. .she's a big girl, but she's perfect.

Alexis was presented to her mother, Robin. The umbilical cord waited. Robin looked at me and said "go ahead". "Really? really? Wow." I carefully took the surgical scissors and "snip." And there was this beautiful baby girl. . .crying and squirming and stretching outward. A miracle. I watched as the nurse cleaned her up and was told I was to accompany her to the nursery. WOW.

Robin picked up the phone to call her parents in the waiting room. She made the call while Dr. Hanft was giving her an episiotomy. What a woman!

It was a Friday night and I wanted to call everyone and tell them how wonderful it was to be part of this thing called child birth. I believe everyone was out at "happy hour". WOW. ..I sat quietly, at my home, with a scotch in hand. WOW!

Happy Birthday Alexis. I still look a you and say "WOW!"