Fatherhood y'all.
Nothing I have done in my life prepared me for this incredible life change. Those of you who are fathers know exactly what I am talking about. I read all the books ("Be Prepared" was my fave!), blogs, articles and took all the advice my guy friends gave me. Then, an incredible thing happened, I heard her first cry, the doctor handed her to me and all of a sudden, everything I read and heard did not prepare me for the moment I held that little life for the first time. Here are some "things the books don't teach you."
1. They don't tell you what to do when the nurse notices your daughter isn't breathing right.
Amia's first night, she was struggling to breathe. She was doing something called "Retractive breathing." Retractive breathing is when a newborn has to inhale with her ribs because she is having difficulty using her lungs. The nurse proceeded to tell me that sometimes babies who continue to breathe retractively will get tired and cannot continue to breathe without assistance. The nurse used the acronym that no parent ever wants to hear: NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). I have never experienced a scare like that in my life. I stood outside the exam room bawling my eyes out because I was so absolutely helpless. Luckily, Amia's breathing began to regulate and the nurse said that I could put her in the crib to sleep. Then came my first fatherhood moment...I kindly thanked the nurse but I decided I was not going to let my daughter leave my arms if she was having breathing problems! I did not sleep the next two nights at all. I held Amia in my arms all night while she slept. I kept staring at her to make sure she was breathing. It was incredibly exhausting and I would do it a million times over if it meant my daughter would be as happy and healthy as she is today.
2. On the lighter side, the books don't tell you that you should probably wait a few minutes after you hear the first poop! Unfortunately, I heard my daughter poop and I immediately jumped to change her diaper...even though Megan asked, "Are you sure she's done?" The answer to her question was no, Amia wasn't done, but I had no idea. As I was changing her diaper...well, I'll let you figure out what happened next!
There have been many other "the books don't teach you that" moments, but these two definitely stand out to me. I'm reminded of when Jesus left the disciples after he appeared to them and ascended back into heaven. I can imagine the disciples were in the same realm of thinking as I was; the same kind of helplessness; thinking "but teacher, you didn't teach us this!" Jesus, while he may not have taught the disciples everything they needed, absolutely did not leave them alone! Jesus said that the Father would send a helper. John 14:16 says "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever", John 16:7 says "...if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. but if I go, I will send Him to you" Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit! He sent his Holy Spirit to help us in his physical absence. The disciples received the Holy Spirit just as Jesus promised and they were used to change the entire world!
As I continue on this journey called fatherhood, Jesus reminds me of the same thing he said to the disciples...that he has sent his Holy Spirit as my Helper to help me watch over and raise my daughter! Wow! What a promise. I may run into many more things that "the books have not taught me" but through the Holy Spirit, I have a wonderful counselor; and guess what? I take solace in the fact that through the Holy spirit, my God has given me a book that does indeed have all the answers!
Until next time friends,
Ryan G
Child of God; Megan's Husband; Amia's Daddy
Nothing I have done in my life prepared me for this incredible life change. Those of you who are fathers know exactly what I am talking about. I read all the books ("Be Prepared" was my fave!), blogs, articles and took all the advice my guy friends gave me. Then, an incredible thing happened, I heard her first cry, the doctor handed her to me and all of a sudden, everything I read and heard did not prepare me for the moment I held that little life for the first time. Here are some "things the books don't teach you."
1. They don't tell you what to do when the nurse notices your daughter isn't breathing right.
Amia's first night, she was struggling to breathe. She was doing something called "Retractive breathing." Retractive breathing is when a newborn has to inhale with her ribs because she is having difficulty using her lungs. The nurse proceeded to tell me that sometimes babies who continue to breathe retractively will get tired and cannot continue to breathe without assistance. The nurse used the acronym that no parent ever wants to hear: NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). I have never experienced a scare like that in my life. I stood outside the exam room bawling my eyes out because I was so absolutely helpless. Luckily, Amia's breathing began to regulate and the nurse said that I could put her in the crib to sleep. Then came my first fatherhood moment...I kindly thanked the nurse but I decided I was not going to let my daughter leave my arms if she was having breathing problems! I did not sleep the next two nights at all. I held Amia in my arms all night while she slept. I kept staring at her to make sure she was breathing. It was incredibly exhausting and I would do it a million times over if it meant my daughter would be as happy and healthy as she is today.
2. On the lighter side, the books don't tell you that you should probably wait a few minutes after you hear the first poop! Unfortunately, I heard my daughter poop and I immediately jumped to change her diaper...even though Megan asked, "Are you sure she's done?" The answer to her question was no, Amia wasn't done, but I had no idea. As I was changing her diaper...well, I'll let you figure out what happened next!
There have been many other "the books don't teach you that" moments, but these two definitely stand out to me. I'm reminded of when Jesus left the disciples after he appeared to them and ascended back into heaven. I can imagine the disciples were in the same realm of thinking as I was; the same kind of helplessness; thinking "but teacher, you didn't teach us this!" Jesus, while he may not have taught the disciples everything they needed, absolutely did not leave them alone! Jesus said that the Father would send a helper. John 14:16 says "And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, to be with you forever", John 16:7 says "...if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. but if I go, I will send Him to you" Jesus was talking about the Holy Spirit! He sent his Holy Spirit to help us in his physical absence. The disciples received the Holy Spirit just as Jesus promised and they were used to change the entire world!
As I continue on this journey called fatherhood, Jesus reminds me of the same thing he said to the disciples...that he has sent his Holy Spirit as my Helper to help me watch over and raise my daughter! Wow! What a promise. I may run into many more things that "the books have not taught me" but through the Holy Spirit, I have a wonderful counselor; and guess what? I take solace in the fact that through the Holy spirit, my God has given me a book that does indeed have all the answers!
Until next time friends,
Ryan G
Child of God; Megan's Husband; Amia's Daddy
I love this and am super happy for you and your family. Keep bringing joy and light to this dark world..����
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