Lissie's Birth Story - by Daddy

It is in my nature to freak out. Any of my classmates can testify to this. Back in my schoolin’ days, I could frequently be seen bouncing off the walls, pulling all-nighters, and re-reading every single word the last few moments before any big exam or project no matter how well prepared I actually was. Fortunately, I haven’t experienced any of that in a long while until Lissie’s scheduled birth started to approach with increasing speed.

Knowing exactly the moment my daughter would be born did not calm my anxieties or excitement any less. The C-section class, the breastfeeding class, the newborn care class, the books, and internet forums seemed to do nothing to prepare us for this moment now that it was here. (I did realize later that all that information had proven to be valuable.)

The night before her birth, Noreen and I were in such a high state of expectation that we were unable to sleep more than an hour. At 12:30 a.m., we both laid there talking. Did we pack everything for the hospital? Did we get everyone’s e-mail addresses? With the impending storm and flash flooding, what time did we have to leave for the hospital? We also discussed whether or not we were actually ready to become parents. Eventually, we were able to catch an hour of sleep.

When it finally came time for us to head out and despite having a list of everything needed for the hospital, I ended up leaving my cell phone behind – of all days! We met Noreen’s parents there and after a short wait, the staff efficiently, and with care, prepped us for surgery. It was nice to have a fetal heart rate monitor drumming away in the prep room. Hearing Lissie’s heart beating away at 139 bpm calmed us.

Before we knew it, the time finally arrived for the surgery to begin and our doctor wasted no time diving in there. I’ve known for a long time that I would probably cry the moment I saw Lissie. If only I were able to place a bet on that fact...

When our doctor said, “Ok, dad. It’s time,” I stood up to see Lissie being raised up and the floodgates let forth. One of the main reasons for all the eye leakage was how Lissie looked just like my late mother, especially her eyes. Her resemblance was apropos seeing as how my mother always wanted to have a daughter. Through the waterworks, I was able to stand by Lissie as they cleaned and weighed her and take pictures of her first moments out of the womb. I then took Lissie over to mom to finally start our family.

The remainder of our tenure at the hospital went by as smoothly as possible, albeit with short bouts of crying and lack of sleep. The staff’s expertise, knowledge, and level of care helped us to bond with Lissie quickly. And the hospital room didn’t feel so foreign with the grandparents and friends visiting us every day.

Those first few days with Lissie helped to solidify my confidence that I will do my best to be an exceptional father.