Tuesday 13 - Wednesday 14 Oct 1997 – That "Know it all" Nat’s Birth

After 12 years of trying and after 42 weeks of waiting the day was finally here. We went to the Royal at 8.00 AM on Tuesday morning to deliver our two week overdue first child. We already knew that it was a boy and had decided on the name Nathaniel (Mr Sinister in the X-Men's original name). It was going to be a very long day and night as Nat was already two weeks overdue in in no hurry to leave his warm hidey-hole. The first day passed with little happening, Deb lay in bed reading another Patricia Cornwall book while I fussed about somewhat. There were various tests through out the day but basically, if I recall correctly, it was a question of waiting for the the drugs to kick in and induce labour. Nat was going to be a big baby and the medical staff had decided it wouldn't be a good idea for him to get any bigger inside of Deb.

We had left the three dogs at home, Jasper, Sprout and Mumbles so I couldn't stay at the hospital full time. During the day i had to cycle home to feed and water and pot them. I can't recall if I spent the night at the hospital, I'll have to ask Deb, but the bottom line was that nothing happened on Tuesday and it wasn't until Wednesday morning that the little monster began to stir. Things developed slowly but eventually Deb was taken into the delivery room and things got moving. He did prove to be an enormous baby because he was finally delivered at 12.15 PM by Ventouse after the medical staff had cut deb down below to try and make more room. They finally pulled him out and the delivery room resembled an abattoir. Deb needed immediate attention to stitch her wounds so Nat was taken to the resuscitation room, accompanied by me, to ensure that he was OK. He was fine and after a few moments I got to hold him for the first time; he weighed in at a massive 10lb 12oz. I carried him back into the delivery room and passed him to deb who suddenly forgot about all the pain and established AN UNBREAKABLE BOUND WITH HIM THERE AND THEN, there was no post-natal depression or such like in this case; she'd waited far too long to allow that to spoil things.
While deb had Nat I left the room and found a phone; I immediately rang Deb's parents and my Dad but don't remember in which order. Deb was moved onto a ward and she and Nat rested. Later I went home, again to see to the dogs, before returning later in the afternoon. Below is the first photo I have of Nat and I together.


07/06/2010 by mysickbones on Zooomr

Deb and Nat remained in the hospital for the next few days and I visited twice daily, I think I had the week off work but I can't actually remember, until they were given the all clear to come home. I think they were released on the Saturday ( confusing because Han definitely came home on a Saturday) and Alf and Doreen, Deb's parents, travelled over from Redditch to see their first grandchild and bring him home.
After this life was never the same again and gradually, actually rapidly, one forgot that one had had a life before this child arrived. Nothing's Changed!