By afternoon there was no time to reflect on the meaning of what was occurring. I had reflected on this often. We had of course talked of it; the miracle of conception and the visible changes in Gabriela’s body, I had even accepted the notion that my body too had changed. Being a parent had been read about, discussed, dreamed and day dreamed about. We had purchased most of the recommended supplies long before this day.
The feeling that afternoon was that all of the preparation was leading up to a wild ride and today we were in line for that ride. Gabriela was monitored more closely in the afternoon. The shift changed at the hospital. It was all a days work on the one hand and for Gabriela and I it was absolutely unique. The contrast was stark. I watched the nurses for any indication that anything was out of the ordinary. They were workman-like and cool. We had not seen the doctor by late afternoon.
Gabriela was having regular contracts and pain, her round face occasionally contorted but she was still in good spirits. The ride had begun. The doctor had been called or consulted. Both the nurses and I were encouraging Gabriela as the light began fading outside. There were breathing exercises and the tenor of the activity in Gabriela’s body changed from the person who wanted some lunch to one holding on and taking advise from the nurses.
Driving to the hospital I couldn’t shift gears smoothly enough for Gabriela. The same had been true the evening before when we had gone in and she had gotten an injection to encourage contractions and delivery. The baby was late. It was mid-morning when we got to the hospital. The sky was low and grey the wipers on the car were intermittent, a typical November day in Portland, Oregon.
After an examination we were told there was a long way to go before delivery. They give you numbers in centimeters and it was a small number. I felt like I was ready for whatever came next, ready to be supportive and helpful in anyway. Gabriela and I spent some time together that morning waiting. We saw some medical personnel but not the doctor who would delivery the baby.
By afternoon Gabriela got hungry. What to eat. She continued to make progress however it was still slow. I got her some soup and crackers from the cafeteria of the hospital or a nurse brought her some soup. I don’t remember eating anything. The medical personnel were surprised that Gabriela wanted anything to eat and advised against her eating a lot of food but she was insistent and had some lunch.
We were in a private room with a couch for the father to sleep on and a good sized bathroom with a jacussi jet bathtub. The room had a nice stereo system and other amenities specifically for families, husbands and wives. A maternity suite. The room was a calm mauve with furnishings to match the walls, drapes, chair and couch. The room had a variety of lighting possibilities from very intense to soft with a lot of light around the bed which was where the baby would be delivered. The maternity suite was an area of intense competition between hospitals I learned. In the morning I had time to examine the features of the room, open cabinets and drawers and study the view out the window.
I don’t ever remember been bored, the progress we were told was slow all morning and even through lunch however by two in the afternoon Gabriela was having regular contractions and was uncomfortable. We did some of the breathing exercises we had practiced to help her relax. By mid-afternoon we were no longer waiting for something to happen.