HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIN!

It's my son's birthday today. He was born six hours before Mother's Day in 1977 in the Jessie McPherson Hospital of the Queen Victoria Memorial Centre in Melbourne. Built in 1912 the hospital was demolished in 1993 to make way for the QV Village, which incorporates the Queen Victoria Women's Centre in the sole remaining hospital tower. I lament that this historic building is no more because many Melbournians, including myself were born there! Although there is a day gap between my son's birthday and Mother's Day this year, there's reason enough to make the connection and celebrate the two occasions. Although it was thirty-three years ago I can still remember his birth like it was yesterday. I admitted myself to hospital at the first sign of a contraction because there was a taxi strike in Melbourne and I was worried if I'd waited longer I might not be able to get from Armadale into the city in time. I listened in my own delivery room to many babies being born ~ the hours dragged on because nothing appeared to be happening with me. My doctor Dr Warrick-Newman (gynecologist and obstetrician) checked in on me and then went off to purchase a gift for his mother, because Mother's Day was the next day. Although I followed the Lamaze method of childbirth (devised by the French obstetrician Dr Ferdinand Lamaze), which involved breathing to control pain, avoiding medical intervention during childbirth, having a friend or loved-one there for support, and having low-lighting in the delivery room so as not to startle the newborn, I did have my labour induced. So, Erin was born after two hours of rapid contractions at 5.40 pm on the 7 May, 1977 ~ he didn't cry (the Lamaze method insisted that the child not be turned upside down and hit on the bottom) ~ he was quiet and happy. I was surprised that he was so quiet because he'd been active in uterus, particularly when I listened to music or watched horror films. Indeed, just before he was born I'd finished reading 'The Life and Death of Adopf Hitler'. After he was born the midwife combed and re-platted my extremely long hair and I ate sandwiches and drank cups of tea with Erin laying happily at my breast. This event still rates as one of the happiest moments of my life ~ I'm sure I'm not the only mother who thinks in this way ~ life is so precious! I've said it somewhere on my blog before, but I'll say it again ~ I'm so fortunate that my son incarnated into my life - he brings me much joy. So, 'Happy Birthday Erin' and 'Happy Mother's Day' (for Sunday) to any mother reading this blog.