“Long day, long night, but it was worth it,” said Kristine Jarek.
Kristine is about two days into motherhood. Her son, Wyatt Neil came into the world Wednesday night.
She says as a first time mom, she felt all the emotions -- nervous, anxious, and excited.
“They just want a healthy baby, and things to go well and smoothly. That's a big anxiety for a lot of moms,” said Dr. William Morrissey, an OB-GYN Aurora BayCare Medical Center.
Dr. Morrissey is an OB-GYN who has been with Aurora BayCare for nearly twenty years. He says he’s delivered thousands of babies. He hears a lot of questions from first-time moms like how much weight should you gain, what resources are available and who will deliver my baby?
“You always want a fresh set of hands, fresh mind, and fresh body to come take care of you,” said Dr. Morrissey.
Dr. Morrissey says while your OB might not always deliver your baby, at Aurora BayCare, it will be a certified OB-GYN. Depending which doctor is on call; you could possibly meet them ahead of time.
He says it's important for women to have a good, open relationship with their doctor and don't be afraid to ask questions.
“Things are always changing, different recommendations come out and we like to stay on top of things,” said Dr. Morrissey.
Aurora BayCare offers resources like lactation and parenting education classes.
Kristine says for her, bringing Wyatt into this world was easy.
“The first half of the day nothing happened and then they forced water break and then a lot happened at once,” she said. “Yeah, it wasn't that bad, I thought it could be worse. But the epidural is wonderful.”
So what advice does this first-time mom have for others?
“Enjoy it. It goes fast” said Kristine.
And let's not forget about partners, what role should they play in first-time parenting?
“Support is the biggest part. You know you just gotta be cool, if you're cool, you're calm, she's gonna be cool and calm,” said Bruce Dannenberg, Kristine’s partner.
In the end, all agree, the best thing you can do is love your new bundle of joy.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you moms out there.
