You're scrolling down your Facebook timeline and you see it. Another ultrasound picture of a blob, so someone else is pregnant. This isn't news. People get pregnant every day, but this time it is one of your friends. Someone you went to high school with. Someone you go to church with. Someone you were the Maid of Honor for at her wedding. All of a sudden, she's expecting a baby. She'll be becoming a mother. Her husband is going to become a father. One of your close friends is going to carry a tiny human around for nine months, and then give birth and their life will be changed forever.
Throughout the nine months, you never even think about what is going to happen after the baby comes. You probably never think about this because it isn't you. It's your friend. As their belly begins to grow, you find yourself buying little things at the store for them. Oh, a baby bottle and it is only one dollar? Sold. You probably even think, "Hey, baby stuff isn't very expensive." But you don't focus on the cost because you aren't the one having a baby.
Around month eight and nine, you notice that your friend is in a panic because she wants to have everything ready for the baby. You probably think, "Why? You have at least another month." But you forget that the baby could come early, but this thought never crossed your mind because it isn't you. You aren't the one whose life is going to change. You aren't going to become a mom or dad. You aren't going to have to take care of a child for the rest of your life.
And then it happens.
Your friend has made it to nine months, and the baby is coming. You're sitting in your history class and receive a text from your friend's mom saying she is going to get induced. This is your first time experiencing birth, and your friend wants you in the delivery room. The only words you can manage are "Oh, shit." You are suddenly scared because you are a part of this baby being born. Your life is going to change, too.
You get to the hospital as soon as you can, but had no idea when someone gets induced that it can take days. You called out of work, and you brought all of your homework. No one told you that you could have gone to work. After only a few hours of being induced, your friend has made no progress. Everyone is frustrated, and then the good 'ole family drama starts. Two families coming together waiting for a baby to be born, and nothing is happening.
Spending the night at the hospital isn't comfortable. Eating hospital food for three days is just as uncomfortable.
It's day three, and little progress has been made but your friends water has been broken. Now the clock is ticking. And so are everyone's emotions. Things keep changing, and everyone is confused and tired.
At this point, the doctor only wants your friends husband in the room. Roughly an hour later he comes running down the hallway into the waiting room. He's crying. Why? Because your friend is now going to have an emergency C-section. Once again, your thought is "Oh, sh*t."
About an hour later, the nurse pushes the baby down the hall and lets the family crowd around to see. There are just 12 people standing over this tiny human while they snap pictures. Shout out to your friend's mom who keeps taking pictures with the flash on, is she trying to blind everyone?
Quickly after, everyone starts to go home. After three days of hospital food, emotional roller coasters, and hundreds of phone calls, a tiny miracle was born on Wednesday, April 20, 2016 at 8:41 p.m.
