The Insider:
Thanks for talking with The Insider today. You sound like a busy man!
Matt Nadelson:
Yes, indeed–that’s putting it mildly!
The Insider:
Congratulations on your new son! When was he born?
Matt Nadelson:
Caleb Joshua Nadelson was born yesterday (April 27) at 8:36am.
The Insider:
Were you in the delivery room?
Matt Nadelson:
Yes, I was there from start to finish.
The Insider:
That must be a very powerful experience!
Matt Nadelson:
Yes! It was my second time. I did it for my son Daniel’s birth as well, though this time without a mask.
The Insider:
So the pandemic precautions are gone now?
Matt Nadelson:
They are. In fact, even most of the nurses, physicians, and other hospital staff no longer wore masks in the delivery room. That part caught me by surprise.
The Insider:
When did your wife Lev start to go into labor?
Matt Nadelson:
That’s a great question and we may never know the answer! Our original plan was to go to the hospital Tuesday to be induced into labor, since the baby was already two days past the due date. However, our older son Daniel got sick, so we didn’t wind up going to the hospital until Wednesday evening.
Even then, the attending OB/GYN almost didn’t admit us because he wasn’t sure Lev was deep enough into labor.
The Insider:
Was that the doctor who eventually delivered the baby?
Matt Nadelson:
No, that was a different one. The one who had to sign off on her being admitted never actually saw Lev. He had her examined by his nurses and PAs on arrival.
The Insider:
Was it your wife’s regular doctor who delivered the baby, or a third one?
Matt Nadelson:
A third one. Sadly, my wife’s regular OB/GYN never made it in.
The Insider:
These guys must see a lot of babies coming down the pike, as it were! Did they seem blasé about it?
Matt Nadelson:
They definitely did even though Katz Women’s Hospital, where the baby was born, is a wonderful place to have a baby. The rooms are all private and the staff and physicians are all more attentive and warm than what you would expect in a hospital environment.
The Insider:
Does it feel a little like a factory line?
Matt Nadelson:
It does at times, only because everything is very delegated and time sensitive. For example, the OB/GYN only gets called into the room in the final 10-20 minutes before delivery.
The Insider:
Interesting! Who is in charge before that?
Matt Nadelson:
Before that, there’s a revolving door of different nurses who come in. And they rotate new ones in and old ones out during labor, depending on their schedules.
The Insider:
How long altogether were you in the delivery room?
Matt Nadelson:
We were there from about 1:45 a.m. until about 4 p.m.
The Insider:
That’s a long time! Is it tiring, or are you just running on pure adrenaline?
Matt Nadelson:
When I went through it with my first son, I felt like I was alert the whole time. This time I knew what to expect, and the delivery itself was a lot quicker and smoother so I was actually able to get a small nap in before the final labor process began. The adrenaline was still there though, just more muted this time around.
The Insider:
Were there any funny moments?
Matt Nadelson:
My favorite was when moments before delivery, I asked the “team” who was going to be the photographer. My wife cringed and the rest of the group flashed me a dirty look. I quickly realized that what they thought I meant was for them to photograph the baby as it exited, rather than afterwards! When I clarified things, they assured me they’d heard a lot weirder requests than the one they thought I made!
The Insider:
And the most frightening moment?
Matt Nadelson:
After the baby came out, the doctor was involved in a lengthy conversation with the nurse on how to stitch my wife up. My heart dropped for a moment because it sounded like she had a bad tear, but it turned out to be pretty standard. It’s a teaching hospital so I learned that these types of conversations are not necessarily a sign of trouble.
The Insider:
After all of the waiting and planning and hoping, what’s it like to finally have the baby here? And importantly, is there anything else you would like to reflect upon now about this experience? The floor is yours!
Matt Nadelson:
It’s pretty surreal. The moment my older son met his baby brother for the first time was one for the ages and something I’ll never forget. I think seeing the two of them in the same room made it really hit me that I’m not just a dad again but I’ve built a family now. It feels like just yesterday that I was playing the role of kid in a family and now suddenly my role is completely different and so very important and meaningful.
At the same time, the exhaustion and practical challenges also hit like a sack of bricks once you come home and realize that caring for a newborn is 100 times harder when you also have a crazy high energy toddler running around. It’s two under two for us! Going to be some crazy times ahead, but I’m hoping to enjoy every moment even more this time now that I have some experience under my belt.
Great interview! I loved hearing about the delivery from Matt's perspective. You have a full house now - enjoy the craziness!! Mazel tov.
Judi
A real nail-biter labor and delivery! I almost started doing Lamaze breathing while reading it!
But seriously, may your family thrive and be surrounded by love and good health! Mazel tov!