What I'd like to see is some way to apply this type of system to baby due dates: "Baby, you were supposed to be here on Monday. I'm sorry but that's going to cost you a few thousand dollars." I can't think of any other way to encourage these kids to be born on time. In fact, even this method probably won't work either seeing as, based on my experience, newborns really struggle to come up any kind of money.
So, I guess we'll just go with the tried and true track of parents everywhere: covering the enormous costs our children incur while understanding that said children will never even notice this charity much less thank us for it. (On a completely unrelated note, a big "Thank You." to Mom and Dad for just about everything.)
Actually, we are thankful Juliet Sophie Verhaaren (that's her name so I hope you love it) decided to come when she did. Two Mondays ago Hilary went to the doctor and she was a 2cm dilated and 50% effaced. "Great" we thought, "she'll go into labor any time." You may remember that Jack was 10 days early and required a only a very short labor and we thought child number two might follow suit.
The week passed uneventfully. Which is to say it passed with many, many contractions but none that actually felt like labor.
When Monday (the due date) came around again we found that not much had changed in regard to dilation and effacement. Even so the doctor agreed that we could schedule an induction for early Thursday morning. Quite early in fact. The appointment was for 5:30am and we had to call a hour early to make sure there was room for us.
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday pass with, if anything, fewer noticeable contractions than before. But at least we know that Thursday is the day. We set our alarms for 4:30am and try to get some sleep (this is not actually possible).
Ah but well did Robert Burns point out that, "the best-laid schemes o' mice an' men Gang aft agley," for at the jolly old hour of 2:15am Hilary went into labor. Therefor, early we went to the hospital and at about 3:00am Hilary checked in with 5cm dilation.
After jumping through the hoops at triage and hurting enough to request an epidural (which was put in exactly when my phone reminded me it was 4:30 so I needed to get up and call the hospital) Hilary was again checked at 5:20 at which point the nurse discovered she was 10 cm and could have a baby at anytime (and excused herself to call the doctor).
The doctor was quite punctual, but was then called away to preform an emergency C-section. Meanwhile, we sat waiting for 2.5 hrs (fully complete) for doctor to come back. When she, at last, got back Hilary pushed for a whole 5 minutes and then we had a new baby girl at 7:53am.
Juliet Sophie Verhaaren
11/29/2012
7lbs 15oz, 20.75in
