The Story:

The setting for this story, it’s the morning of August 10^th.  Chris and Jennifer arrive at the hospital ready for Jennifer to be induced for the long awaited birth of their third child, their first daughter.  Her name will be Jessica Marie and they have spent the last couple of weeks completing all the finishing touches so that Jessica’s arrival into this world will be a smooth and more importantly complete process.  Nicholas and Joshua, their first two children, were left in the capable hands of Jennifer’s mother.  An advantage of planned deliveries is that there are no panic moments like needing to find someone to watch the older children in the middle of the night when labor begins for the new addition.

That was how the story was supposed to begin.   What follows is their reality.

It’s 4:35am on Tuesday July 19^th.  In bed, Jennifer leans over to Chris and tells him those couple words that every man yearns to hear at 4:35am.  OK yearns is not the right word, and for all you gutter minded people, including Chris, he did not hear what he really wanted to hear.  What he did hear was “Hon, wake up, my water just broke.”  And like all great husbands, Chris immediately rolled-over and said “Are you sure you didn’t just pee yourself”.  For the briefest of moments I think Jen was unsure.  But no, she insisted that it was the real deal.  A quick phone call to Jennifer’s mom had her mother in route to their house.

Now, time for reality to kick-in, in a big way.  The Kam’s are not at all prepared for a “smooth and complete process“ for the arrival of Jessica.  As a matter of fact they are more unprepared than prepared.  Having a scheduled delivery allowed them a false sense of comfort that is now biting them in the butt.  Frantically Jennifer is running around the house trying to pack a quick bag, knowing that because her water broke, the baby was going to be delivered within the next 24 hours.

Knowing Jennifer’s history of rapid delivery, they are both a little nervous.  After Jennifer’s mom arrives, they quickly get into Chris’s truck to leave for the hospital.  Realizing that Jennifer is still leaking, Chris immediately jumps out of the truck and runs back into the house desperately looking for a towel.  With towel in hand he returns.  They get situated and are off.

Similar to the day Joshua was born, upon arrival at the hospital they find out that “something in the air” was causing lots of women to go into labor.  Luckily they are early enough that they get a Birthing room.  Later they find out that others arriving shortly after they did are placed into staging rooms.

It’s now about 5:30am and time to wait.  Because Jessica has decided that she wants out so early, a little under 4 weeks early, the hospital doesn’t have any of our records.  We are introduced to Nurse #1 who will be assisting us.  Several people and several rounds of questions later it’s about 7:00am.  Chris begins his “Come on wife, get to birthing” routine.  We find out that Jennifer’s OBGYN, Ted, is on vacation.  This will be the third and final birthing that Ted will miss.  Sorry Ted, we tried.  Maybe you can read and enjoy this story.  We are also introduced to nurse #2 who will take over for nurse #1 that is now going off shift.

After questions, changing, getting an IV and being examined it is determined that Jennifer is only about 2-3cm dilated.  The doctor covering for Ted, Dr. Price, decides, “We will wait to see what happens”.  I think this is doctor talk for “I’ll be in later, once I get more sleep”.

After a couple laps around the labor ward, watch out they have speed bumps, and nothing exciting on TV (I didn’t know Tony Danza has an AM talk show and I could only wonder WHY???), we continue to wait.  More “get to birthing” from Chris.  To kill time Chris goes to the cafeteria and gets himself a bacon, egg and cheese wrap.  It was very good!!

Nothing exciting happens until about noon (nothing but junk on TV too), when Dr Price decides that Jennifer could use a little help, the nurse connected the Pitocin drip.  Back to waiting.

Around 2:00 Jen is starting to feel the contractions a little more.  While the Dr is examining her he offers her some pain medicine to take the edge off.  Being a little nervous about a possible reaction Jen opts for a half dose.  Within minutes of receiving the medication she is looking more relaxed and acting a little giggly.  We are also introduced to nurse #3.  Nurse #2 was needed with another patient and since “we were not doing anything”, we got the “extra” nurse.  Chris makes another food run, again to kill time, and has some very good home made cream of broccoli soup and a chef salad.  He gets back at about 2:30pm, just in time for nurse #3 to tell us that Nurse #4 will be taking over shortly.  At this point the contractions are getting stronger and the medication is wearing off.

Show time!!!!  Nurse #4 arrives at a little before 3:00pm and introduces herself.  Jennifer is indicating that there is a lot of pressure and feels that it is time to push.  Nurse #4 indicates that she will check Jennifer in a moment once she finishes what she is doing.  Chris decides to pull back the blanket and take a look “under the hood”.  While he is far from an expert in birthing, there is one thing he does know and that is the sight of a baby’s head as it’s crowning, and that is in fact what he saw.  After Chris’s announcement of his discovery, the nurse calls the Dr, who is actually just outside the door in the hall.  Turns out, we are told, there is a “thing” that if the Dr is in the room, labor goes slow, but if they are out of sight, labor moves faster.

Within a few short moments, Jen is pushing, the Dr is pulling and I am once again trying like a mad man to hold up Jennifer’s legs.  You’d think they would have someone to help me since there are two legs and only one of me.  Jen is pushing so hard that she is actually pushing herself off the top of the bed, so now I have to hold one leg and pull her body down with my other arm.  The hole time encouraging her, like any good husband would.   Another good push and we have a head.  Small break, the last push and out comes the body.  The time of birth 3:00pm.  Chris is offered a chance to cut the cord but declines allowing the “professionals” the opportunity to “have the fun”.

Jessica Marie Kam is born 7/19 @ 3:00pm weighing 5lbs 13oz and is 19 inches long.  She is born a little under 4 weeks premature and at the time that I am writing this was doing exceptional, as is her wonderful mother.

Revised: July 30, 2005.