Harold Arnold: Your Relationship Rocks Coach!

Monday, May 21, 2012

It’s a Boy

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Celia is in labor.

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Here she was, pushing, on the verge of giving birth, and all Celia could think about was that the birthing classes had been no help at all.  The epidural, however, had been a godsend, both relieving pain and helping her to maintain her sense of humor.  So she could laugh when Rob’s boss texted that the office had voted and wanted a girl, and when Rob kept getting the on-off wrong when he tried using the new camera his parents had given them.  They had lots of footage of the floor. 

“OK, Celia, you can rest a minute,” the doctor said.

“Are our mothers still here?” she asked Rob as she lay back.

“Yeah.  I don’t think they would leave if we paid them to,” he responded quietly.  His strong, firm voice grounded her.  They had decided ahead of time to keep everyone else out of the delivery room.  Celia didn’t want her mother, who would be no help, and she didn’t feel like she knew Rob’s well enough to keep her around when she was this vulnerable. 

“OK, get ready,” the doctor said, watching the monitor.  “Push.”

As Rob bent down to put his head next to her, Celia crunched and pushed.

“And there’s the head,” the doctor said.  “One more push”—

She pushed.

“And here’s your son!” the doctor said.  “Rob, come cut the cord.”

Celia tried to watch Rob cut the cord but she was too tired.  A moment later, the doctor put her son, wrapped in a towel, on her chest.

Rob leaned over and put his arm around Celia and the baby, so they could look at him together. 

“Hello, handsome boy,” Celia said.  “We’re so glad you’re here!” 

“I’m going to go tell our moms to come in,” Rob said, standing up.

“Wait,” Celia said.

What does she say next?