Shaver's Razor

Welcome, Caius William Shaver!

Here is the story of Caius William Shaver…so far. His story is really the product of a lot of love and hard work from his parents (especially his mommy) to bring him into this world. Caius William Shaver was born June 7th 2010 at 2:07PM weighing 7lbs 7 ounces and measuring 20 inches.

But, I should begin by telling you that Elaina and I arrived at the hospital with a birth plan. Yes, a birth plan is a list drawn up by parents of what processes you favor so the nurses and doctors are all well-informed of your desires and what you are willing to consent to during this very tense, complex, and truly life-changing process called CHILD BIRTH.

We had a birth plan.

As soon as we arrived at the hospital, the birth plan was effectively thrown out the window. As with many things in life, what you could never foresee happening somehow becomes reality.

Elaina’s water broke just after 4PM on Sunday evening thus beginning the next 22 hours of labor. That’s right…22! However, by 8PM, with no real contractions setting in, we became concerned and went to the emergency room. Our birth plan originally called for most of early labor to proceed at home and we intended to allow labor pains to move naturally into active labor without an epidural and to avoid at all costs a C-section. But complications arose once her water broke causing the hospital and doctors to place her on a 24 hour deadline to deliver or prepare for a C-section.

Elaina endured an intensified labor process for the first 14 hours at the hospital due to the medication that had to be given to induce contractions that had yet come on naturally. In the final hours of labor, Elaina opted for the epidural when she realized her weakened condition (lack of sleep and rolling contractions every 2 minuets for 14 hours) would jeopardize her ability to push during delivery.

Once the epidural took effect, it slowed her labor process and spread the contractions farther apart –exactly what we didn’t want it to do. Evidently, labor must always go forward and gradually become more intense until the baby is delivered. So you can’t go backward and have your labor slow down in process. Thus, the reason for the next step. After 22 hours of labor, our doctor strongly suggested a C-section operation.

This was a hard moment for me and Elaina both. I think we were both relieved to know this whole labor process would soon be over but it felt like we had to give up everything we wanted and planned for in this momentous event and turn it all over to the very thing we fought so hard to avoid.

I was suited in scrubs and led to the operating room where the doctors were preparing Elaina for surgery.

I saw it all.

The moment was very raw and visceral. I saw my wife on a table looking at me. I saw doctors working hard…hands moving quickly with no concern of being gentle or polite.

I saw a doctor reach in and bring my son into this world. It was shocking. This dynamic living thing shuddered and cried in front of me lying on my wife’s belly. But it wasn’t just a thing. This boy wore the evidence of me and my wife on his face.

He was so fragile and small. But he commanded my attention and love by simply opening his eyes.

Today, Elaina is recovering nicely and we both are happy and back at home with our new-born baby. Our plan was ruined at the word “go”, but in the end, with God in control, we got everything our hearts wanted!

I’ve posted some pictures for you to see the happy family.