April birthdays

In a few days we will celebrate yet another birthday at our house. I guess that's inevitable when one has a large family. This young man was the first of my children to be born at home.

After lunch sometime on the day before his due date, I began to not feel all that well. I blamed it on what I'd eaten. But later in the afternoon, my mother commented that she thought I must be in labor, just by the look in my eyes. Ah, the experience of mothers. Around 5pm I headed home in that awful Atlanta traffic. Yep, I was definitely having some contractions, and I dared anyone to pull quickly in front of me on the highway. LOL Made it the 30 minutes home. Cooked dinner for the children, then went upstairs to time these contractions. About 7pm, I determined I ought to phone the midwife. She was attending another woman, and yet so desperately wanted to attend me too. She advised me to get in the bed so as to hopefully slow things down.

She finally made it to my house about 11pm. I just looked at her and said "what do I do now?" She replied "Whatever you feel like doing" I was at a loss. I was so used to being told what I could and couldn't do when I was at the hospital. I didn't know what to do. I got in the shower. Gotta love that water beating on your back in labor. Finally, I couldn't stand up anymore, so I climbed into bed. A little after midnight, out came my "little" boy. Over 10lbs!

It was such a quiet peaceful birth. And he was so calm after the delivery. I was concerned, but the midwife assured me that he was fine. I realized that he was quietly looking at me....nothing wrong with him. When the midwife rubbed his back, he just "mewed." Within a few days, he let us know just how well-developed his lungs were! So that was the beginning of my advocating homebirth.