My hubby told me that after what I went through during delivery, nobody can intimidate me anymore!  I said, “Yeah, I can tell people: ‘Don’t mess with me, buster - I’m a momma!’”

The Lamaze practice paid off.  Daniel not only helped me keep my focus during the labor and delivery, but I managed to go through the whole thing without an epidural block!  (The block would have meant I wouldn’t feel any pain, only pressure, and would have impaired my ability to push during delivery.)  And this was despite the fact that our baby’s head is about twice the usual size for Southeast Asians (imagine my OB-GYN peering down during delivery and saying with surprise, oh the head is big, not small) AND the baby was face up (which means the back of his skull was pushing against my spine, adding to the pain).

There were complications with the baby who had to be resuscitated twice.  I was praying so hard for all my guardian angels to help my baby.  We really thought he might not make it.  I couldn’t see what was happening, I could only hear the doctor and nurse doing something.  Poor Daniel was holding my hand and seeing all the blood I was losing, and looking around to try and see what was happening to the baby.

I have to say that we chose the right hospital and doctor.  He not only helped me deliver normally, but he got a good pediatrician and nurse to be in the delivery room, ready to resuscitate.

And so Michael Gregory Jager was born, and he had to struggle to live in his first minutes in the world.  This is good, and he will be a fighter for the rest of his life.

I am now home, writing this after breastfeeding my baby from 12:40 to 1:30 AM.  Daniel has been so supportive since the birth.  And earlier tonight, we lay down and hugged next to the baby.  I told him, It doesn’t get better than this!