mysecretlife's blog post - Men cry more.

Today I spent the day in labor and delivery for one of the clinicals I have to do for my job. Got to see two babies born. I won't ever not be impressed and moved by that. One 17yo mom had a little boy. Her SO was in with her and the nurse in charge ask if he planned to stay for the birth and he said yes. We asked if he thought he would be OK and his cocky little self said he had seen it all on the Discovery Channel and was ready. Needless to say we had a pretty good idea what to expect. Before it was over he was propped up in a corner about to pass out. Mom did great. Her labor progressed so rapidly she did not get her epidural and had very little pain meds. She did great and so did the baby.

Number two was a little bit older couple, both mid 20's. This birth went a lot slower and dad did a lot better. He was very supportive but very excited. It was so cute. When the baby was delivered and the cord cut the doc placed the baby on mom's belly for a few moments before the nurse in the room took her to the warmer and to assess her. Dad came over to the warmer and was watching them dry her and stimulate her. They asked him her name and he told it but then said I've been calling her Laney for 3 months and just bust out crying.

I told the nurse I followed later that I thought L&D could be the neatest job in the world but also the most heartbreaking if things did not go well. And when things don't go well they are usually very bad where babies are concerned. I've coded babies in the ER that died and that's the worst feeling in the world. But you just cry with the parents and do what you can and have to move on. I look at my kids and grandkids and wonder how in the world I would have ever dealt with that and am so thankful I never had to. My heart goes out to anyone who has lost a child. Loosing any loved one is hard enough.

Well, two more days and I will be making a decision about someone. I gave myself a deadline. Actually I gave her a deadline to do something or tell me something. Maybe not fair because she does not know I did it. Still if she did, that might influence her decision and I don't want to do that.

You all have a good evening and take care.