Nora Rachel Cohen
For those of you who don’t know, my firstborn daughter was born last week. Here’s the 411:
Name: Nora Rachel Cohen
Time of Birth: 1:48 PM October 29th 2009
Weight: 7 lbs 9 oz
Length: 20 and1/4 inches
The Ordeal
My wife was induced into labor starting at 6:00 AM October 28th. Do the math with the above time of birth… yeah, that’s a long time. She was induced because she was dealing with Pregnancy-Induced Hypertension (PIH–meaning high blood pressure during pregnancy). Left alone with this, she could have gotten pretty sick prior to labor. Hence the induction.
I call it an “Ordeal” because she went a full 30 hours before being told she needed a C-section. This news was given to her after she’d had the epidural in for over 24 hours. I know, crazy.
So she had the C-section and naturally, 30+ hours after we started, the baby was out within 10 minutes.
It was worth every waking minute
My daughter is beautiful. Now just 6 days old, naturally she’s already changed everyone’s routine, dominated conversation and awake time, and just been her eat-sleep-poop-ing self.
Things I’ve already learned
- Diapers aren’t hard. Before my daughter was born, I had never changed a diaper in my life. I’ve changed a few since I got home, all unsupervised. Meaning, diapers aren’t hard, and guys shouldn’t be afraid of them. Heck, if I can figure it out, anyone can.
- Babies are tougher than they look. No, I haven’t dropped her on her head. I’m just addressing the common (as in I had it) concern among men that they’ll hurt their babies when holding them. That’s ridiculous. I know for a fact that my daughter likes to try to use me as a launchpad sometimes (she has very strong legs for a newborn). She also has big hands and can already grip and move things with some semblance of purpose. Needless to say, I’m pretty impressed this early.
- It’s a good idea to have a convertible crib AND a bassinet (or pack-n-play). We tried the first night home to put our daughter in her crib. I think 10 of her kind would be needed to get close to filling the crib. I think the space freaks newborns out. A bassinet is smaller. I recommend any soon-to-be dads encourage their wives to get one.
- Once you’ve seen labor (and C-section), graphic medical dramas don’t seem so daunting. I’ll admit it: I nearly passed out during my wife’s C-section. Actually, check that: I nearly passed out BEFORE the C-section. I choked up, I had a hard time breathing. I was hoping that the doctors couldn’t see me turn sheet white. A combination of no sleep for 34 hours, watching my wife go through immense pain for the 8 hours leading up to the C-section, and the adrenaline of having a kid combined to make for a nearly comatose husband.
- Babies recognize your voice immediately. Match up your face to your voice as soon as possible. My daughter knew my voice before I even knew her face. It’s pretty cool. My voice is very calming for her. And since she can see objects about a foot away from her face, I think she knows my face now, too. Important to match up the face and the voice.
I will learn new things every day. My life is changed forever. And that’s a good thing. I wouldn’t trade this for the world.
Until next time.
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Scott:
So so so happy for the 3 of you. When will you be introducing Nora to Squatters? Kidding yet kinda serious. Good for her and you to get out of the house and be around other humans once in awhile, right?
On another note, I’m secretly thrilled that you have a 20 wk head start on me as a dad. Looking forward to learning from/with you!
Congrats again…
dj
DJ:
Introducing her to Squatters? About 21 years.
Introducing her to the general public? We’re getting through the first four weeks before making that consideration (good for building the immune system, etc.)
Anyway, thanks for the congrats. As a father (me) saying to a father-to-be (you), it really is the most amazing thing you’ll ever experience.
Let’s meet up and chat once you’re back from the SoFresh cruise. You guys in town Thanksgiving weekend?
Scott and Lauren,
She looks like she’s doing great, and you two sound like you’re doing great too. I know what you mean about the bassinet – our daughter wouldn’t sleep in her crib until she was 6 months old.
Kids are amazing – every day is a new adventure with them.
Congrats again to you both!
Jon:
Thanks for the congrats. We’re going to try to transition Nora to the crib in a month or two, but right now (as you know), it’s survival mode so whatever works, right?
Congrats buddy. Helena beat Nora by less than a day. 10/28 at 5:28. And you’re definitely right in all your “Things I’ve already learned.” My favorite tip though? Swaddling is your best friend. Get her ‘really’ liking being wrapped up Chipotle style and you’ll always have an ace in the hole for when she’s wailing relentlessly.
And she’s got some pretty serious hair going there. Good work man.
Joel,
Congrats on the arrival of your second daughter, Helena. Beautiful name. Beautiful little girl you got there.
I wish swaddling would do the trick. In the hospital, Nora loved to be swaddled. The instant we got her home? Hates it. So far the trick seems to be using a finger as a pacifier.
Kind of crazy that our daughters will have birthdays back-to-back, huh?
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