( This was written by my Dad. While I was there for the entire event, it was a real big day for me, so his recollection of it is clearer than mine. To see a blow up of any picture, just click it. Then use your browser's "back" button to return. )
Sound
Bite
Hannah
was born at 1:51 pm on Saturday, September 20, 1997. Monica
delivered at the Maternity Center outside of Washington, DC.
It was a remarkable delivery. Arriving about 2:30 am,
we both took a short nap and were awakened by the duty nurse about 6, saying
that we needed to be up and moving if we wanted to have a baby that day. 
We were instructed to go have a walk around the track at the high school
next door. After about an hour we returned, had a bite to eat
and some coffee. Monica's contractions were coming pretty good by
this time, about 3 minutes apart and lasting about a minute.
We got into the jacuzzi to try and ease some of the pain, and I think it
may have helped but the contractions were getting ever stronger by then.
After
about 2 hours in the jacuzzi, we got out, and the contractions were really
kicking in. We labored in our room for the next hour or so,
the midwife helping to massage Monica's back while providing a calming
influence. She left briefly to attend to another delivery,
and Monica told me it was time to push. I ran to get the midwife,
and she came back to check Monica. With another 1/2 centimeter
of dilation to go, Monica laid down on the bed to slow the contractions
while her cervix had time to open fully. It wasn't long before
the midwife gave us the "go-ahead" to push.
This relatively short time was intensely painful for Monica. Hearing reports of "easy" deliveries of the females in her family, Monica was convinced that hers would be similar. She had taken no medication and by now any thought of easy delivery was long gone.
Monica was amazingly strong through this rough period, and even though
I witnessed it, I still cannot believe it. After about 40 minutes
of pushing - Hannah was born. She immediately rested on Mamma's belly,
while I was given cord-cutting instructions. The pain was forgotten,
and the immense joy overwhelmed us. Monica would later say, "It was
incredibly painful, but it was SO worth it.!"
The rest is now being turned into history, and our beautiful daughter continues to amaze us. Monica's recovery has been as remarkable as her birth experience, and we're all getting on delightfully.
