Baby Jack

And here they are... Jonathan and baby Jack.

My stepson Jonathan became a daddy yesterday afternoon (January 31st). His son Jack was 20 1/2 inches long and weighed 7 lbs 14 oz.

Both mother and son are fine now, but the delivery was a bit of an ordeal.

Lindsay's water started to break Sunday morning. I know that because she mentioned it when she contacted me for people's addresses so she could send out thank you notes for shower gifts. She said her and Jonathan were waiting for contractions to start.

They didn't start right away, but she went to the hospital later that morning. While there, the rest of her water broke.

She still didn't go into contractions, though, so they gave her pitocin. Then contractions started... but she spent the next 24 hours or so trying to bring Jack out into the world. As time went by, we became anxious. We went to the hospital late Monday morning and waited outside the room awhile, but of course couldn't disturb her. We left and came back in the afternoon, with the older kids, once they were home from school.

Lindsay was dilated to 10. She pushed for four difficult hours before the decision was made to give her a c-section. We're not medical experts, but that seems like an unduly long time-! And Jack seemed to agree... when he was finally delivered he had a large, dark bruise and abrasion on top of his head. He also had a high fever and an infection, probably from being inside his mother so long after her water broke.

By the time we got to the hospital the second time, his fever had fallen down to "only" 101. We were startled to hear that his condition was such that the Walters, and even Lindsay, had not been able to hold him yet. He was in intensive care and hooked up to all kinds of monitors.

Jonathan was with Lindsay throughout her long effort, holding her hand, helping her drink, encouraging her. When Jack was finally born, Jonathan accompanied the poor little guy to the ICU, so Lindsay could be sewn up and attended to.

Jonathan came out (in hospital scrubs) and explained the situation to us. After awhile we were able to see baby Jack, but not hold him, when Lindsay was moved from intensive care (where she finally got to hold Jack and feed him) to a recovery room.

After we saw Jack, we went home... Lindsay, Jonathan and the Walters were exhausted.

We came back the next day and got another look at Jack in the ICU. We were so relieved to see him awake and looking much, much better. His fever is gone but he still has a touch of the infection left. I'm betting that will disappear fast because while we were there Lindsay was able to go to him and feed him and hold him for a good hour. He was very hungry and the best medicine in the world for him is his mother's milk.

We didn't get to pick him up, but we held his little hand and looked into his eyes. We left the hospital feeling like he's going to be okay.

Lindsay is such a trooper! What a strong, calm young woman. And Jonathan, to paraphrase Susan, is acting like he was born to be a dad. You couldn't ask for a more attentive, helpful young father. He would go back and forth from solicitously bending over Lindsay, to see how she was doing, to walking over to ICU to check on Jack, to making all of us worried grandparents, aunts, and uncles (I'm talking about Emma, Leila, and Michael here) feel like the hard part was over. We're just so impressed with him... when did he become such a mature, responsible adult??

And Lindsay's parents, the Walters... let me say how great they are. So easy to be around, so gracious and inviting. The next time we see Jack will probably be Sunday, at their home. We'll be able to hold him on our laps and maybe even see Susan and her mother... they will be flying over for a short stay for their own first meeting with baby Jack.