My side

Hey everyone,

Obviously, Sarah isn't feeling up to writing her summary of the experience so I thought that I would (Nick). My side of the story will be a teaser, because I am not going to tell you all the wonders and the details of my heart. Sit back and relax though... The labor was long, the tears came, the squeals are delightful and the hair... well, you better sit down to take it all in.

Sarah started having good contractions on Wednesday morning at 3 am. I, being an energy conservationist, slept snugly until 5 am. The draining of the tub water woke me up. The bath didn't ease the contractions and they got stronger but more sporadic too. We tried to time them, some were 3 min. apart, some were 10 mins. Soon, around 5:45, we left to the hospital. It was chilly and foggy- we couldn't see the road. It was going to a crazy morning!

We got to the hospital around 6am and the contractions kept coming but we were excited. The Dr. broke her water around 8am. Sarah got a dose or two of Phenol around 9:30 am and then came the Pitocin to speed up the contractions. When they checked her, she was still only at 2.5 cm (1/2 a cm since Monday!) The epidural was next at noon. Contractions got stronger and stronger and Sarah was glad the epidural kicked in. By now it was going steady, she had dilated to a 4.5 then at 3 pm she was a 6. By 4pm, the nurse said she was at an 8 but the doctor came in and said to get ready to push.

I watched as Sarah pushed for an hour. It was then that the Epidural started to wear off. I watched as building pain marked it's way across my beautiful wife's face. She pushed for another 30 min but she wasn't making much progress. the baby's hair was all we could see. Sarah started cried when she felt like her pushing wasn't doing much. The baby was just stuck. The Dr. looked at the heart beat of both her and the baby and decided to get a vacuum. By the next contraction all was in place, poor Sarah grimacing from the mounting contraction- the epidural long since worn off. Push one came, the Dr. pulled and pulled, push two and the head crowned and slowly worked its way out. Molly squeaked as her body came out. Through tears, I hugged my torn and battered wife. The baby Molly was wrapped and placed into Sarah's arms.

I was so, so proud of my wife. My miracle of a baby "girl" (thankfully the ultrasound had proved its credibility) holding on to my finger. It truly was a miracle. Now as I sit staring into the face of my little daughter, knowing she was 5 years in the making, an answer to so many prayers, fasting and dreams. I know creation of life is a miracle I will not ever take for granted. I don't fully understand how it finally just worked for us. I don't know exactly why it happened this way. But, I do know God has surely blessed me and my wife with a miracle. May I ever be worthy of his Miracles if they are always as tender as this one.

Ok, stop crying now, I'm done.

Nicholas Kieth Sidwell, I'm my daughter's father and my wife's best friend.