There are few things in life that are going to be burned into your memory as deeply as the birth of a baby. Your wedding day, graduation day, and perhaps sad days like deaths of loved ones are going to be in your mind forever, but there is nothing like welcoming your baby to the world. This is a time that most women look forward to, but also fear as they wonder how much pain they are going to have. In the end, though, for the most part, they mostly remember the wonder of meeting their new child for the first time.
The birth of a baby means a new life has come into the world. When you have your first child, everything in your life will change. You plan, prepare, and think about the future while you are pregnant (or while your spouse is pregnant), but nothing prepares anyone for the feeling they get when they hold their child for the first time. This is when most people realize what they are made of and how they feel about the future. Those that are scared find strength, and those that were very somber about pregnancy and birth now find humility. It's an amazing experience.
Even after all is said and done, you are going to be overwhelmed long after the birth of a baby. You will look at your baby sleeping or playing, and you will think about how that baby is a part of you and someone else and how, without you, that baby would not be who they are. It is a very humbling experience to know you have produced a whole new human being and that this human relies on you entirely for its very life. For some parents, these moments never end, even when their children are grown and have moved from home.
When you are having your baby, remember that there are a few other people who are being deeply moved by the birth of a baby. This baby is their grandchild. When your own children have children of their own, grandparents are born as well. Grandparents love their grandchildren as much as their own babies, but they do not have to put in all the hard work. They can simply hold them and enjoy them, but then when they get hungry or cranky, they can hand them back to mom and/or dad. They feel the miracle of their own children all over again when they meet their grandchildren.
Remember to give all your attention to the birth of a baby. This means taking the time to be sure someone documents everything for you. You may not want to have video of the baby coming out, but perhaps you do. Have someone to take pictures, any videos you want, and someone to have the presence of mind to save small mementos like ID bracelets and the like from your hospital stay. These are all going to be treasures that you are going to love to look at time and time again throughout the rest of your life.