Active Labor

We were at the hospital for a total of 14 hours from check-in to delivery with the "active" (or painful, even with the epidural) part lasting about 1 1/2 hours. The final "push" was about a half hour and surprised me how quickly it came. When they wheel in that gurney loaded with tools into the room, the mood instantly changes. He's coming. And when the towel was draped over Linh's chest (to lay the baby right after he's (and we were hoping he didn't become a "she") born (and for me to eventually cut the umbilical cord), it dawns on you that in a few minutes, the baby will soon be out. It all happened so fast. And I didn't faint. Cause it was real gross. I think if Linh would've had my view, she would have fainted. But it also was extremely fascinating (as was the circumcism, which I also had to take part in (holding Spencer down) and I didn't faint there either) as there's something to watching your child being born that takes out grossness of the blood, guts, and whatever other stuff was pouring out of Linh at the time.