Teacher Momma: A Birth Story To Remember (Part 3)

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Click here if you missed part 2

Carrying a growing child inside my very own body, is one of the most amazing, satisfying, and incredible things God has allowed me to experience. It's also the most taxing!

Many women can attest, that from the moment we see those bright pink lines ( blank-stare at our doctor as they present the news) all the way up to "go time", we flow through many emotions.

During pregnancy, we all have the ability to experience joy, fear, sadness, mourn, uneasiness, unsure, excitement and worry (not in that order, but you get my drift) which is why we go through great lengths to make sure everything goes as perfectly as possible.

We make lists of things baby will need, we borrow all of the pregnancy library books, we watch birth videos, read blogs, drool over all the updated baby gear AND clean the house like we're hosting The Last Supper! But, the one thing we seem to be most concerned about is the "birth plan" (get birth plan tips here).
Although I had my very own birth plan, there were a few things I prayed for specifically. I've always wanted a home birth on all fours with zero inductions, zero drugs, and complete calm in the room. I know that's asking a lot, but hey, can a girl dream? Well, did God have a surprise for me!

"I'll be right back, babe", hubby said as he ran to the van hauling his bag and mine.

I was standing at the table near the front door, bracing myself...another one was coming, but this time, I could no longer stand through it. It took me too my knees. So, there I was on all fours looking out the front door. It was raining so hard. There was not a speck of thunder....just nice, hard rain. I felt a small hand rubbing my lower back. Her voice ever so gently whispered, "it's OK, mom....breathe". My sweet ten year old daughter was comforting me. As I looked behind me, there stood my two sons, eyes wide open....they didn't say a word. As soon as I felt the contraction leave, I jumped up, told the kids I loved them and ran out the door.

"Honey, we've got to hurry", I said running down porch the stairs. I swung open the sliding door, let the captain chair all the way down and got back on all fours. Hubby was right behind me and he slammed the door shut. He ran on the other side of the van and quickly hopped into the drivers seat and started her up.

"Here comes another babe", I moaned to hubby as he turned to look at me, we locked eyes.... It hadn't even been five minutes since the last contraction! There was a lot of pressure this time and I felt a great need to push....but I didn't.

"Babe, should I call 911"?, he said while grabbing his cell phone from the belt clip.

"Yes, "Just in case". My eyes were fixed on the back window, watching the rain hit and roll down. I imagined that I was the waves of a great storm, the tides were high and then were low. Then I imagined that God was swinging me up to Heaven and back down again. I was zoned out! I could also hear hubby on the phone with the 911 operator.

"My wife is in labor.....yes....our address is..." Soon after, he hung up the phone and he turned to check on me.

I was already undressing!

You see, while hubby was on the phone, I had yet another contraction and decided to push.....well, in fact, I couldn't help it and the results caused the baby to crown!

"OH BOY", were the exact words my hubby used when he turned around. He could see baby crowning! He began applying counter pressure to my lower back (that was in my birth plan) when all of a sudden, another one came! I kept my eyes on the back window, riding my pretend waves and swinging with God, took a nice deep, open mouth breath, ....and pushed. Before I knew what happened, hubby had gotten out of the drivers seat, opened the sliding door and baby's head (and a left elbow) came popping out! I could hear hubby thinking....he was very quiet, until he said,

"Justin's head is out!"

I sorta knew that, but I wasn't quite sure how much more pushing I had to do.

"Oh goodness", I heard hubby mumble under his breath.

"Babe, let me know if you can't catch him, because I need to know if I need to grab him"

"No, honey, I'm gonna catch him"

"Don't let him fall....can you do this?"

"I won't let him fall...I'm gonna catch him....I won't let him fall"

I didn't find out until later that it was at this moment that hubby said a little prayer. It went something like this,

"HELP LORD"

All of a sudden, I see a police car pull up. I'm watching him as walks to the car, until hubby yells through the rain,

"she's having the baby, his head is out!"

By this time the officer was pretty much at the van already, so he took a "looksie"

"Oh Boy"

He then ran over to his squad, and began rumbling through it.

Meanwhile, hubby has the steady position of the worlds bests quarter back ( I think that's the right position). His hands were placed strategically as he held them close to the head of his son.

"Babe, here comes another one....don't let him fall"

"I won't babe"

With my gaze still fixed to the back window, I could see the officer running back carrying what looked like puppy pads as he was sporting baby blue surgical gloves. It was at that moment, I pushed one last time.

"Woah, I've got you little man....you're alright". I could hear baby Justin's voice through his gurgles. I turned to look at him. What a wonderful sight. Hubby was holding him so close, talking to him....everything was happening so quickly.

The officer returns to find that "it was a boy". He was frantically looking through his bag for an aspirator, but failed. That made him nervous. I wasn't nervous at all because I heard and saw him breathing normally (although I could hear that there was still fluid...he was fine) and his color was perfect. He then clamped the umbilical cord and began yelling at the EMTs....yeah, they were just now showing up.

"Hurry up, we need an aspirator over here....hurry up"

Once it clicked in the EMT's mind that baby was already here, they began running. They got to the van to find that daddy was holding the baby, mommy was still on all fours smiling at dad and baby...and officer, telling them how he needed an aspirator. In pure calmness, the EMT's cleared out what was left in baby Justin's mouth and nose and said,

"He's perfect....now let's get mom and baby into the truck"

There I was, not in my most modest fashion, I realized that I should probably cover up. My van's sliding door was still wide open and I live on a corner lot. Basically, if my neighbors wanted to, they could see all of my business! I asked hubby for his button up, but one EMT placed a warmed sheet over my lady parts and guided me onto the gurney, while another on wrapped baby Justin and carried him close beside me as they rolled me down the driveway. Before we even drove off, I was inside the ambulance truck,tucked underneath a warm blanket nursing baby Justin for the first time. Meet, Justin.