Name: Jonathon Jean-Louis | City: Boston, Ma | IG: @Jay_jeanlouis
Take us through your thoughts the moment you realized your child was ready to come into this world.
The moment I realized Aaven was ready to join us outside of the placenta, my wife, Jasmin had already been telling me throughout the day she was feeling some abnormal movements close to her pelvic area. Having had the to go bags ready, it was an easy transition to the vehicle. I felt ready, I had a mental check list of things to make sure I checked off prior to getting to and upon arrival to the hospital. I was thinking, WOW I am going to meet my son today and brief thoughts of planning his whole life for him while also having brief doubts of whether or not I will be the father I want to be. The nine months my wife held AJ inside of her I also prepared for nine months on how to be the best father I could be. I felt as though if I was mentally prepared for this moment there was nothing that could possibly come up that I wouldn’t be able to handle. Having an athletic background certainly helped the mental preparation and “pressure” that would be necessary for the next 24+ hours.
What were your physical, mental, and emotional feelings while in the delivery room as your child was entering the world.
Feelings of excitement, anticipation, and calm readiness took over me. I felt ready for the moment and ready to submit to my wife with whatever she needed to make the delivery a smooth process. The main emotion was excitement, I felt that I was going to meet a being that my wife and I created/manifested.
Describe what it felt like holding your child for the first time?
Holding my child for the first time felt like love, however I felt that emotion had been rewritten in that moment. I felt like I was reintroduced to a peace of myself and my wife in a physical form that we had only known through conversation or dreams prior to that moment. That moment and feeling could not be described in words, any day I think back to that day I could describe it in a different way of what that feeling felt like.
Do you have any advice for fathers who are expecting for the first time?
If I would provide any advice to future fathers expected for the first time, I would say first to embrace the full process of the pregnancy to the delivery. Truly embrace and submit to your wife’s needs (reasonably) while standing your ground to set healthy boundaries. Your partners body is going through things you couldn’t even begin to fathom and the best way to support her is to support and empathy. There is no guide to the process and every pregnancy is different so preparation is vital. Reading up a bit on the babies development and what your partner’s body is currently going through will certainly help. Communication is key, create a safe space for your wife to communicate her feelings and for you to openly share your thoughts or feelings as well. The goal is to be on the same page as your wife by the delivery date. There will be moments where she is in so much pain that you will have to speak on her behalf so it is crucial that you are able to deliver in that moment.
