Our memories tend to get hazy as we age but every parent clings tightly to the memory of the day their child was born. I can still see the small green orb shaped CD player in the delivery room and hear Norah Jones’ “Sunrise” playing again and again because it got stuck on repeat while my wife was pushing during the birth of our first child.
We recently asked the dads of our Facebook community what they remember about the day their child was born. Here’s just a small taste of what you told us. Check out all the sun-kissed memories on the original thread!
Bryce Markovitz: The moment my son was born he wasnt breathing. I could hear his mom screaming at him to cry. I didnt understand why she was saying that. The nurses called a ‘code blue’ and asked for a specialist. About thirty seconds later a nurse walked in and said they are all busy…. there were about 5 nurses hudled around my son, all the meanwhile my sons mother was still screaming for him to cry. Nurses continued to call a code blue. About two minutes had passed and this guy (in scrubs, long brown hair) walks in, touches my son and walked out. The moment he left the room my son started crying. His mom exhailed a sigh of relief and also began crying. Nobody acknowledged the guy who walked in. My sons mom didnt even see him. He never said a word, just walked in, touched my son and walked out. I understand now why she was screaming for him to cry. So that she knew he was alive. I am eternally grateful to that man who came and left in a hurry…. without him, i may not have had the chance to raise such an awesome kid!
Tyler Hofmann: I was the first one to hold him, due to an emergency c section. I was honestly more worried about his mother than anything. But once he was in my hands I was able to focus on that. I don’t think I took a single breath as we walked away from her and down to the nursery. All that I felt was that I was at the mercy of God for the two life’s I cared most about that were entirely out of my control. It was life changing and thank God that everyone turned out healthy. It will always be the most important day of my life.
Tyler Hofmann and his newborn baby
James Chialton: Seeing these big eyes look up at me as soon as she came out. Thinking to myself how did I even create something that beautiful! She is a perfect mix of me and her mother! Nature did its job spectacularly!
Chris Baker: I was the first to hold both my babies I remember trying not to cry because I was trying to stay strong for mom I seen the pain in her since she went alllll natural w both my kids it was amazing to say the least but the one thing I’ll always remember is hearing my babies cry for the first time its forever stuck in my head
Mike Melroy: I remember getting a call at work from my daughter’s aunt. I didn’t know where my daughter’s mom was for 2 weeks and nobody would tell me. She called me, against my ex’s wishes, to congratulate me on being a father of a new baby girl. I was both relieved and hurt at the same time. Relieved to find out that my daughter was alive. Her mom and I tried to have a baby before, but it was miscarried. What hurt was the fact that I wasn’t included in knowing what was going on. I did at least get to go see her the next day. It was an awkward moment of bitterness over powered by the joy of holding my beautiful, tiny baby girl for the first time.
Alex Lee: I feel silly saying this but the moment my son was born it was like time froze still. Everything just stopped. As soon as he started to cry time unfroze and it was like a whirlwind. Everything was happening so quickly and then I was alone with him and his mother. Never forget that.
Brett Windon: The doctor making jokes about him crowning “your son, the Sharpei” and then him saving his life by unwrapping the umbilical cord from his leg and neck. Never been more grateful in my life. Thank you doc Edwards. The paintings on the wall. Most important day of my life.
William Kueny: I remember one of the nurses telling my now ex wife to stop kicking her. The nurse was holding one of her legs as she was trying to push. I told the nurse to get out of the way and I grabbed her leg and said “you can do this, I’m right here with you.” I never saw that nurse again.
James Kleineck: I had been talking to my son in the womb and he came out crying very loudly. I walked over and leaned down to him on the table as the nurses were cleaning him off and said, “hi buddy, it’s ok, it’s Dada. He stopped crying instantly. Amazing.
Please head over to the original Facebook thread to read more detailed, heartbreaking and very real memories from the Life of Dad fathers in our community, and share your memories of the day you welcomed your child into the world.
*Flickr photo by Tony Alter, used under Creative Commons license.