Simon’s Birth

Simon Nathaniel Burkard
Born: Friday, July 16, at KW Hospital; Weight: 5 lb 12 oz; Length 18.5 inches

On Thursday, July 15 Volker and I spent the early part of the day in New Hamburg trying to get the house we were renting ready to move into in two weeks. I mostly puttered around int eh flower beds while Volker papered. Volker had to work the evening shift at the House of Friendship so we had to be back in Kitchener by three. My little sister, Cheryl, was to spend the weekend with us so we picked her up before heading back.

For the last couple of days the baby seemed to really push against my ribs when I was in the car, making driving uncomfortable. I particularly remember Volker’s driving that day; it was worse than usual.

Cherie and I spent a little time in the flower beds that afternoon and evening but I was very tired so we sat around a lot and went to bed early. I didn’t sleep much before Volker came home. He had to get up to be to work again by 6:00 am so he came to bed promptly and we both fell asleep.

I was awakened suddenly by what felt like a sharp kick to the bladder by Junior. I realized I was leaking; I went to the bathroom. It was 3:20 am. I sat on the toilet and seemed to urinate. But I wondered a little when there was no colour in the water. All week I had felt constipated though nothing seemed to help relieve the pressure. I continued to feel the Braxton-Hicks contractions that had been bothering me through much of my pregnancy. I worried that the baby might be born early. I didn’t want a premie that I would have to leave in the hospital the I went home. (I remember my Mom leaving my sister behind in 1962.)

I went back upstairs to Volker who was still sleeping. Groggily he listened while I told him what had happened. Neither of must know what was happening or what we should do. I considered calling Mom and asking her advice, but 3:30 in the morning is not a nice time to receive a phone call. Maybe I should try to sleep — Volker was in favour of this choice.

While we were discussing the possible course of action I got my first contraction. It felt so much like a gas pain that I just went to the bathroom again and thought little more of it. By 3:50 we decided to call the doctor. My doctor, R H Austrup was away at the time and Dr Lawson was on call. He listened to my story and very calmly told me to go to the hospital to be checked over. He made it sound like I would likely be there only a short time before going home again. Or at least, this is what I believed. I didn’t even pack a bag or take anything along.

I woke Cheryl up and told her we were going to the hospital. Volker called Mabel Steinmann who lived upstairs and asked her to keep an eye on Cheryl. We got dressed and left.

As we drove I felt a few contractions, this time realizing what they were, but they were mild and caused little discomfort. As we crossed Victoria St at King the signal light for the railway crossing started to flash. We sat there waiting while a long freight train passed. We thought it rather funny.

We got to the hospital, parked the car and went inside. It took a few minutes to get checked in, then I was taken upstairs. I was again leaking as contractions squeezed my uterus. Two nurses took me into a labour room where I undressed. There were more papers to sign. I was shaved and my contractions were timed. Three minutes apart, but still not bothering me much. Volker was allowed into the room.

I still didn’t know if this was the real thing. All I could think of was that the baby wasn’t due for another four weeks. All the baby equipment was in New Hamburg because he wasn’t to be born until after we moved. Volker called Glenn Jantzi to explain that he wouldn’t be in to work at 6:00 am. A nurse came in, gave me a sleeping pill, told me to sleep between contractions, told Volker to go home and sleep, they would call him when the baby was ready to come. When she left I asked Volker to stay until I fell asleep.
It wasn’t more than 15 minutes later that the contractions got very bad. Suddenly I couldn’t concentrate on breathing anymore. My whole body seem to defy what my brain was trying to tell it. The pain was terrible. I didn’t know anything could hurt so much I asked Volker to call a nurse. It seemed I had to ask many time before he agreed to do it.
The nurse arrived just as a contraction had subsided. She asked if the sleeping pill was working. I said, no. She thought I looked more relaxed. I said I share didn’t feel it. At that point another contraction came on. Oh, it hurt! I wanted to cry, but there were no tears. I couldn’t understand why on one would do anything for me. Volker and the nurse tried to get me to breathe as I had been taught in prenatal class, but I couldn’t. My whole body was fighting the pin in my abdomen. Gradually the pain lessened.
“Did you have an internal examination?” the nurse asked. I hadn’t.
“Well, you are pushing. You’re ready to deliver!”

Neither Volker or I could believe it.

Volker went to get dressed in his greens and I was taken down the hall to the delivery room. I was given permission to push if I felt like it, it would relieve the pain. I pushed, but the pain seemed worse. It seemed like ages till the anesthetist came to give me an epidural. I had to blow so I wouldn’t push anymore while we waited.Things were going too fast and the doctor had not yet arrived. I finally got the epidural and the pain lessened.

With the pain gone I could concentrate on other things. In the overhead mirror I could see the tiny dark patch that was my baby’s head. Volker hadn’t arrived yet and I was worried he would miss the birth. The nurse tried to reassure me that he’d make it in time.

Finally, everything was ready. My legs in stirrups, I was covered, the doctors were ready and Volker was at my head. The nurse put her hand on my belly so she could feel the contractions.
“Push like you did before.”

I pushed had till she said I could stop. And again. After the second push the baby’s head was out! No sooner was his head out then our son began to howl (though at that point we still didn’t know it was a boy). With one more push his little body was out and the doctor announced our son. It was 6:06 am.

The doctor help up a bluish-red, tiny, little baby with wet dark hair and the tiniest turned up nose. I remember the umbilical for was blue and white, looked almost like lace.

Simon was laid on my tummy while his passages were cleared out with a tiny tube and suction and the cord cut. It felt so good to have his warm weight on the outside of my tummy! Volker remembers that Simon’s head was very pointed.

After Simon’s birth Volker and I were both too interested in our new son to pay any attention to what the doctors were doing with me. He was taken to a warmer behind up and although I couldn’t see much Volker watched as the nurse inspected, injected, detected, and did all sorts of this to this brand-new person. Simon’s response, besides crying, was to have a good pee.

After the nurse was done with him she wrapped him in a blanket and handed him to me. He stopped crying for a few seconds and then started again. Volker also held him for a bit. Then he was put onto an incubator to keep him warm. As the doctors had finished with me the three of us were left in the room by ourselves for an hour. Volker and I marveled at the miracle that had just happened! We were overjoyed. The Lord had been so good and so near! Simon was not impressed and just continued to cry.