Listen in on "Baby Peigh"

Each doctor's appointment seems to encompass more excitement. Tuesday's trip to our health provider was verification of such truth. Pilar and I entered the office with about as much anticipation as I can ever remember having, but no where near able to comprehend what we were about to experience. Even our annoyance from the fact that the doctor was behind in seeing patients and we were busy rushing to appointments of our own couldn't lessen the anticipation.

Eventually the doctor did see us. After weighing in and fielding some questions from the gallery the bell rang and the experience was under way. The technology that is available for pregnancies is really amazing. They call the small piece of equipment used to listen to the heart beat a "doplar." It works about like an ultrasound only is designed for sound versus sight. In addition it can give you a pretty good idea of what to expect from the weather the next day. "Well, let's see here. Your baby's heart rate is 145 and it's going to be partly cloudy tomorrow with a 40 percent chance of showers." I am kidding of course.

The technology that most couples are bringing into the appointments is equally amazing. In an effort to capture this moment indefinitely, I borrowed an Ipod from a friend with a microphone attachment. With this, I would be able to record the heartbeat as we were hearing it and share it with family, friends or simply listen to in a random moment when Pilar and I wander in a day dream about our child. However, as the doctor entered the room, I noticed she glanced at what was in my hand with perplexing look. It was a very quick moment, but her face seemed to say, "oh no - he's going to be one of those dads." You know the kind -- the dad that video tapes a child's first hiccup as if it was the most significant milestone ever recorded in child development. Well she might be right, but what I learned in the next moment was that there better be a gracious learning curve at becoming that kind of dad.

As the doctor began to explore Pilar's belly with the "doplar" device, I prepared my Ipod and steadied my emotions. And then a pronounced "thump, thump, thump, thump" began to sound. I did what any hiccup filming father would do, full of excitement I exclaimed, "Wow! Listen to that! Our child! Amazing!" This is no time for complete intelligible sentences. However, my excitement was returned with correction. "Um, sir, that's your wife," the doctor explained. Pilar laughed. I collected my excitement and hit stop on the recorder. While intriguing, Pilar's heartbeat would only be the preview to the main attraction.

Then out of no where this tiny little sound emerged. Again a "thump, thump, thump," only this time nearly twice as fast as what was first heard. This was what we had waited for. Strong and healthy, the baby stayed in one place long enough to give us about twenty seconds together. It was unbelievably amazing. But it wasn't nearly long enough. I could have sat there listening for hours. It is such a new emotion to feel so connected to someone whom we have neither seen nor heard nor communicated with except in these wonderfully surreal moments. Nonetheless there simply is no one else in this world Pilar and I would have rather been in the presence of than the pounding echo of our child's heartbeat. Then just as quickly as it arrived, it was silent again as our little guy/gal continued exploring its temporary home. With a deep sense of relief that everything was okay, I directed my attention back toward the Ipod in an effort to replay what we had just experienced. To my surprise however, all I found was a paused program ready to record. WHAT? I didn't capture this? How could I screw this up? My first real responsibility as a dad and all I had was the recording of my own voice exclaiming at the sound of Pilar's heartbeat and the doctor's less than compassionate correction. "Hiccup Dad" came with great intentions, but received a strong D+ for performance. I pleaded with the doctor to try again. "I have to get this right," I thought to myself. Unfortunately "Baby Peigh" was too busy jumping rope or whatever babies do in the womb for the doctor to find the heartbeat again. But "Hiccup Dad" is persistent. I called our friend Angela, a midwife with all the connections to all the "right people." She had access to a doplar and was willing to meet us the next evening to give it a second shot. Interestingly enough, this time it was even better. "Baby Peigh" was quite content to keep still for a couple of minutes and we were able to record each and every second. Perhaps you would like to listen in as we did! Click on the link below and be amazed!