Free Essay Sample: The Unforgettable Experience of Having my First Child

The day my first child was born happened on April 30, 1996. It is a day that I remember so vividly since it marked a huge turning point in my life. When my girlfriend first told me that she was pregnant, I was shell-shocked. I still did not believe that I was going to become a father. The notion of being a father sunk in with time. We were both measly 18-year-old teenagers at the time. My girlfriend, Sharon, had been my best friend since childhood, and she still is. The experience of having our first child was the most delightful, exhausting, painful, and glorious thing I have ever experienced.

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As a first-time father and a teenager, I had no idea what to expect. In as much as I had been babysitting since I was 12 for my little cousins and our neighbor, this felt entirely different; no instruction manual or someone was telling me what needed to be done. I had been reading so much about parenting ever since Sharon had said that she was pregnant and what I found was a mixed bag of experiences. Luckily for us, my mother and Sharon’s mother were very supportive of us. Perhaps this was down to the fact that we had grown up as close family friends. Luckily for us, too, our families were both well-endowed, so the financial aspects of starting a family did not strain us much even though we had both just completed high school and had no jobs. We were able to rent our own apartment nearby due to this. Furthermore, our families shared the same family doctor we had known for over ten years and trusted fully. I was thankful for these blessings as they helped me and Sharon to worry less.

During the pregnancy, I used to talk or read to the baby every night. I enjoyed it very much. It also made my girlfriend very happy. I had read that babies can hear you and will recognize your voice. I thought that sounded pretty cool, so I did that. It was worth it; I recommend this to every expectant father. I feel something in my eye writing this. It is so lovely; if I were to speak loudly now, my voice would crack. I had also secretly hoped that the baby would be a boy; I did not tell Sharon. I wanted a boy because I thought they were easier to raise; there is no scientific basis for this, though. When the doctor confirmed that the baby was a boy, I was elated. After learning that it was a boy, we started thinking of names. We both wrote down a list of all the names we liked separately and then we compared them. A few names were common on both lists, and we eventually settled on Brandon as a first name. Our son would be called Brandon. The second name was directly our family name, so not much choice in that.

It was about two in the morning on April 30 when Sharon told me that her water had broken. So, Sharon and I, along with our mothers, made our way to the hospital. I was getting excited yet nervous all at the same time. The day had finally come that our son was going to be born. I had read somewhere that women become mothers from the moment they conceive, and men become fathers when the baby is born. Looking back, I think that is absolutely true. The labor and delivery took a very long time. I was in the delivery room. This process was so hard for her but much less hard for me. Eventually, in the wee hours of the morning, Brandon was born. Thankfully, it was a natural delivery with no complications. I would let everyone know that, regardless of what you may hear, newborn babies are not cute. However, somehow, when it is yours, you get a thrilling and unique visual impairment that makes you believe yours is the exception. So, of course, Brandon was perfect.

As you would expect, there was a lot of crying. Brandon was so loud. When they put him on the scale to weigh him, I spoke to him. “Hey. I love you.” He suddenly stopped crying and turned his head towards me. I am fully aware that newborns cannot see, but I can swear he looked right at me. To this day, that was the most magnificent and beautiful thing I have ever felt. I still get goosebumps just thinking about it. I could feel my heart melt. I did not know that that would be a life-changing speech; it was the beginning of my love affair with my son and the continuation of my love affair with my girlfriend, now my wife. My love and respect for Sharon have grown tremendously ever since. Despite everything Sharon went through, all the delivery pain and pre-natal logistics, she tells me that Brandon is worth everything she experienced, and more amazing than she ever could imagine. It has been twelve years now, but I will never forget that night; every detail of it is tattooed right on my heart.

That was my heart-warming experience when my first child was born. It is a very emotional experience too. A mix of many different, sometimes conflicting emotions. One has to be prepared to go through it with a supportive partner, a patient heart, and helpful friends. It certainly has its ugly moments like when your partner is experiencing mood swings that you have no idea how to deal with, but by and large, birthing a new life is nothing less than a miracle. I feel incredibly lucky and blessed to have experienced bringing another life into this world and getting to watch Brandon grow into the charismatic and fantastic person he is now. Life is glorious; it really is. However, I recognize that some other people may not have had a similarly smooth experience and support I had, but the end should give you the strength to carry on. The journey teaches you to be a better person because, for all that moment, it is not about you; it is about a life that you have to create and nurture. Now excuse me, I have to get a handkerchief; there is something in my eye.