So it begins...

Actually, it began around 2 a.m. on Monday, August 11, when Maria began having labor pains. The baby wasn't due for another 11 days, so we didn't get too worked up about it. False labor is fairly common. Around 7 a.m., we decided to get up, and the contractions we becoming more frequent. By 10 a.m., we were pretty sure she was going into labor.

We left for Presbyterian Hospital at noon when the contractions hit the 5-1-1 (coming every five minutes, lasting one minute, for at least an one hour). After four hours of natural pain which began getting violent to Maria's system, she asked for her epidural. It was like night and day after it kicked in. She was able to relax again, rest and still focus. Her cervix opened from four to 10 cm (the birthing size) in two hours. She labored down for an hour (pretty much waiting) while shift change occurred at the hospital. The doctors and nurses all switched, but everyone knew what they were doing. Presbyterian delivers about 6000 babies a year.

Maria began to push with her mom, aunt, sister-in-law, and me encouraging. I held one of her legs up like a stirrup with her aunt on the other, and Maria pushed like a trooper. At 8:52 p.m. on August 11, Donna Rose came into the world, and she already had a lot to say.

She rested skin-to-skin on Mom for a while before all the formalities. She was weighed (7 lbs. 6 oz.), measured (19 in.), given the eye goop and a Vitamin K shot. They inked her feet and put them on a piece of paper and the white T-shirt I was wearing. Donna Rose was officially alive and kicking!

Maria spent the next two days in the hospital with no complications. Just soreness for which she popped ibuprofen. Donna Rose had mild jaundice and skin splotches, but nothing serious at all. A healthy baby by all accounts. Maria's Mom spent the first night with her, and I spent the second. We took our baby girl home Wednesday night and have not looked back.

After taking about ten baby classes, I can say about half of what they tell you is beneficial. There was only one glaring lie they told, and it was about breast feeding. Most everyone agrees that breast feeding is beneficial, helps with baby's health and well being, but in every class (including the breast feeding class) they said babies instinctually know how to breast feed. Liars! All of them! Shame on them!

Once our baby was born, the truth was revealed. It takes a lot of effort and pain on Mom's boobs to breast feed, and baby does not take to it on instinct. It is learned behavior, and they say it takes a couple weeks of 8-a-day feedings for Mom & baby to get the hang of it.

For the first three days, there is no milk in the boob, only colostrum. This substance is good for babies and full of vitamins, but it does not fill them up. There was much crying & confusion for Donna Rose. She has learned to feed with a breast shield (a plastic nipple placed over the boob), but she will have to be weaned to raw boob eventually. Thankfully, Maria's milk came in on fourth day (it could've taken longer), and baby got knocked out by the thick first milk. It's kind of like living on half & half for a day. Her jaundice disappeared, and she crashed for long periods of time, which was a nice change.

We've had four lactating consultant visits (two in the hospital & two at the pediatrician), and we learned something every time. It's strange that all the tips couldn't be told at once, but I've learned not question the methods of baby teachers. It is now Day 6, and it continues to be the most difficult task with baby. They say we are doing well, baby gets fed breast milk via shield or bottle, and I still believe we will succeed with this first major challenge.

Strangely enough, the crying doesn't phase me too much. It's a lot like a bird trying out different cries. After being in a rock band (hearing loss) and continue to be a cab driver (plenty of patience), I handle most of what she throws at us. Those middle-of-the-night feedings are the roughest. Everyone has a breaking point, and it usually comes from the disorientation of sleep deprivation. Sometimes, Donna Rose doesn't want to sleep for awhile afterwards even at 3 a.m.. That's when the guessing begins. Are you hungry? Cold? Hot? Wet? Gassy? Need attention? Need to be left alone? Bounced? Rocked? Burped? Swaddled? Huh? What? What? Never forget that sometimes after you try everything, you should walk away and let baby calm itself down.

There are other small tales of the first week of baby like the breast pump search, the happy visit with Maria's family, and the emergence of poop, but let's just leave it at this: I am now a Daddy. I love both mama & baby, and I even like baby half the time. No matter what, Donna Rose is now in my life, and I have a big smile on my face.

Chris Jungle will try not to bore others with baby talk too often.