Ready to be a Father
I am enjoying the present period of being a father greatly. I go to sleep and wake with little wriggles and kicks under my arm or against me. It's fun thinking of three people in the bed. Our child is expected to be born in early January. Thank you for making it clear about not having sex when pregnant. What I have gained from the absence has been some innocence and peace that I had not realised was so easy. I was scared of nothing as it turned out. I did not end up isolated or tense but at ease about it. Nice preparation for time with my son/daughter. I'm slightly hesitant about starting up again as life is easier without sex.
I have been planning for this part of my life since I started going to playdays about eight years ago. I think I have been better warned than anyone could expect. I got to spend a long session with a newborn who was deeply scared after a cancer operation recently and saw her pop out of her distress at the end of two hours on the tones of my voice. I am looking forward to giving my newest dearest the best start I can.
The house is almost ready. There are four people (besides my partner) eager to help; I have many fathers around me; our RC Community is growing and friendlier than it has been. I would have liked to have re-emerged and ended oppression, but that will just have to be part of parenting.
Later --
I thought that you would like to know that I have the loveliest person I have ever met sleeping in my lap. He was born at 6.50 am this morning with a textbook birth of ten hours that went without medical intervention of any kind. The doctor guided my hands helping Christopher's shoulders out of Lynda. He is 3.89 kilograms and so peaceful. I got to welcome him into the world and hold him while he cried and shook straight after birth while Lynda was doing much the same with someone else. After about thirty minutes he yawned and peeked out at the world and snuggled into my chest. He was skin to skin with one of us for the first four hours after birth. The weighing and measuring was left till just before we left to go home.
We got to have just the birth we wanted at the birth centre attached to one of the larger maternity hospitals in Sydney. We were left to cuddle and snooze for seven hours after the birth, and so far Christopher has not left Lynda or my company.
Lynda is home too; she got a tiny scratch as her only injury and is very elated.
Paul Whyte
St. Peters, New South Wales, Australia