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Sunday, April 20, 2003
Miracle on Second Street
*cross-posted at yaaps
On Monday night Corrie hosted a Tea at her house for everyone to talk one last time about the impending birth. Bee had just arrived the day before, and had yet to meet some of us. When I arrived, Corrie was looking better than she had in days. The slight swelling of her face was gone, she seemed to be full of energy, and was very in tune with her body. We chatted, drank tea, and talked for the last time about what she would like to see happen on Birthing Day. We all left feeling very excited, knowing the time was near.
I called Corrie on Tuesday to check in with her, leave her my itinerary for the day, and inquire about her doctor's appointment. She seemed a bit down as she was relaying how her blood pressure was up a bit, there was some protien in her urine, and she was on 'the clock' with the doctor now. We talked about what she might do to help the situation and she seemed ready to look into her options. Later that evening she called back and proudly announced that she had figured out the problem(mostly relating to her kidney infection), and knew what to do aboout it. She, and I, were very relieved. We hung up to watch American Idol.
All night long on Tuesday after I went to bed, I kept thinking I heard the phone ringing. I'd bolt upright to answer it, only to hear a dial tone. Around 4 am I was up and could not get back to sleep really. I dozed a little bit, but then at 5:22, I got 'The Call'. I answered the phone, almost thinking no one would be there, to hear a cheerful Corrie announce that it was Baby Day. Yipee! I forced myself to take my time, and give her a chance to adjust to being in labor, and reflect on what she wanted out of this birth before I arrived.
When I got to Corrie's house, I walked in to her having a contraction, smiling all the while. She was filling the sink to do dishes. Oh no, we can't be having that! I chased her off to the tub and began washing dishes, starting laundry and doing a general pickup to insure that everything would be pleasing to a labouring woman's eye. She laboured int he tub for 30-40 minutes and returned downstairs in a lovely gown and robe. Bee had arrived with Cammie Leigh while Corrie was upstairs, and we were busy tidying up. We joined her in the front room to talk with her and support her with our presence. At this point she was just rocking and breathing through her contractions without missing a beat. We would pick up right where we left off when it was over. Mamaw arrived, and she and Bee went to sweep and mop the kitchen and dining room. Corrie and I sat and talked while she laboured, even hashing out the previous night's American Idol. Can you believe that horrid number Carmen was wearing?! As we rocked, I was paying attention to her signals and the general spacing of contractions. I knew it was not going to be much longer. I told her that I thought we should call L. and Amber to come over now. She agreed and I called them.
Tamara arrived right about the time I was calling the photographer and midwife. She was so excited, but very reserved, as not to interject any of her energy into the labour situation. We all sat and talked while Corrie laboured, stopping immediately when a contraction would begin. If it were not for these breaks in the conversation, I would have never guessed that she was in labour. L. arrived about 15 minutes later, just as Corrie began to prefer standing during contractions. We gathered around her, rubbing her back or touching her arm in support as Todd whisked up a delicous egg casserole in the kitchen.
After a 15 minutes or so, Corrie announced that she thought she might like to go upstairs, while there was still time between contractions to climb the stairs. Lisa, Bee, Tamara, and myself followed her up the steps. Corrie stopped at the corner of the hallway with a strong contraction and breathed through it, still chatting it up between them. After a few minutes Amber arrived and joined us to take a few pictures. She and Tamara went downstairs for a bit then, to give Corrie a little more space in the hallway. I was rubbing her back as she contracted, noticing that they were about 1-2 minutes long with only 30 seconds or so between them. I knew it would be very soon as she was grunting a little with each contraction now.
I hurried downstairs to get the camcorder just as another one began. I could hear her moving to the bed and hurried back up the stairs to find her nearly leaping on to the bed(which is quite high). This is when she called out for L. to help her, so I quickly got us some gloves. L. lifted Corrie's gown(C. was hands and knees position)and we could see a tennis ball sized portion of the head. As Corrie's water had not yet ruptured, the pressure was intense, and she called out for L. to help her. I remembered that exact same scenario happening during my labour and immediately applied perenial support while L. did some massage. Corrie gave a very good push that moved the baby to near crowning and broke the amniotic sac. I was still applying support at both the top and bottom to help ease the 'I'm going to rip in two' feeling, and I could feel her physically relax when the water broke. She calmly breathed through a few mini contractions that pushed the baby to full crowning on their own, as she geared up for another big contraction. As the next one came she pushed the baby's head out completely. The cord was wrapped twice around the neck, the first one very loosely, the second one a little tighter, but no problem with getting it over the baby's head with a little work. I was applying perenial support and counter pressure against the baby's head to keep it from coming too quickly, while L. unwrapped the cord. I felt around the neck and did not feel any more cord, but double checked with L., asking if we needed to clamp and cut the cord, or if that was all. She confirmed that there was no more cord around the baby. While L. was unwrapping the final loop, the baby's head rotated and the shoulders were starting to come out. When the final shoulder was out, he emerged with the same push. I saw that we had a little Joshua, and quickly told everyone NOT to announce the sex to her. Corrie collapsed into her mother's arms in tears of joy, pride, and love. L. and I were rubbing him down to encourage him to breathe, then he let out a beautiful lusty cry that brought down the house. We were all crying and hugging. I asked Corrie if I could help her turn and sit so that she could hold him. We began moving her to a sitting position, but as she was kneeling, she reached for him. As he was handed to her, she caught a glimpse of a testicle. She was in complete shock, and announced that she had a boy. More tears, Todd was whooping and laughing, and we were all beaming.
She sat in her own bed with her sweet Todd at her side and gazed at her newborn baby. It was a picture from a painting. I feel so blessed that I was invited to witness such a miraculous event. Todd graciously allowed me to cut the cord, which I did with pride. I then took baby Joshua over to the scale that Todd had waiting for him. Nine pounds, two ounces! Whoa! I swore that she would not have more than a seven and a half pound baby. Corrie got up to shower while I stripped the bed, gathered the dirty laundry, and started a load of linens. I then got Joshua diapered and dressed in his new little gown, socks, undershirt, and hat. Corrie came back up dressed in a beautiful nursing set, and settled in to nurse her baby.
As I watched her bring him to her breast, I felt so lucky to be witness to birth, that way it is meant to be. She was surrounded by women during her labour, who were supporting her and giving her strength. She leaned on Todd when she needed his strength. We all gathered to help her rally at the end and welcome her precious baby into their family. I was overcome with love for Corrie, little baby Joshua, and Todd for letting me in to their secret utopia.
We each all cleaned up a bit more, and left her and Todd to explore and enjoy their new son. All was well with the world on that beautiful Spring day in April.
Note to Self: In one moment, time can cease to move on, and the whole world can be as perfect as a newborn baby.
*cross-posted at yaaps
On Monday night Corrie hosted a Tea at her house for everyone to talk one last time about the impending birth. Bee had just arrived the day before, and had yet to meet some of us. When I arrived, Corrie was looking better than she had in days. The slight swelling of her face was gone, she seemed to be full of energy, and was very in tune with her body. We chatted, drank tea, and talked for the last time about what she would like to see happen on Birthing Day. We all left feeling very excited, knowing the time was near.
I called Corrie on Tuesday to check in with her, leave her my itinerary for the day, and inquire about her doctor's appointment. She seemed a bit down as she was relaying how her blood pressure was up a bit, there was some protien in her urine, and she was on 'the clock' with the doctor now. We talked about what she might do to help the situation and she seemed ready to look into her options. Later that evening she called back and proudly announced that she had figured out the problem(mostly relating to her kidney infection), and knew what to do aboout it. She, and I, were very relieved. We hung up to watch American Idol.
All night long on Tuesday after I went to bed, I kept thinking I heard the phone ringing. I'd bolt upright to answer it, only to hear a dial tone. Around 4 am I was up and could not get back to sleep really. I dozed a little bit, but then at 5:22, I got 'The Call'. I answered the phone, almost thinking no one would be there, to hear a cheerful Corrie announce that it was Baby Day. Yipee! I forced myself to take my time, and give her a chance to adjust to being in labor, and reflect on what she wanted out of this birth before I arrived.
When I got to Corrie's house, I walked in to her having a contraction, smiling all the while. She was filling the sink to do dishes. Oh no, we can't be having that! I chased her off to the tub and began washing dishes, starting laundry and doing a general pickup to insure that everything would be pleasing to a labouring woman's eye. She laboured int he tub for 30-40 minutes and returned downstairs in a lovely gown and robe. Bee had arrived with Cammie Leigh while Corrie was upstairs, and we were busy tidying up. We joined her in the front room to talk with her and support her with our presence. At this point she was just rocking and breathing through her contractions without missing a beat. We would pick up right where we left off when it was over. Mamaw arrived, and she and Bee went to sweep and mop the kitchen and dining room. Corrie and I sat and talked while she laboured, even hashing out the previous night's American Idol. Can you believe that horrid number Carmen was wearing?! As we rocked, I was paying attention to her signals and the general spacing of contractions. I knew it was not going to be much longer. I told her that I thought we should call L. and Amber to come over now. She agreed and I called them.
Tamara arrived right about the time I was calling the photographer and midwife. She was so excited, but very reserved, as not to interject any of her energy into the labour situation. We all sat and talked while Corrie laboured, stopping immediately when a contraction would begin. If it were not for these breaks in the conversation, I would have never guessed that she was in labour. L. arrived about 15 minutes later, just as Corrie began to prefer standing during contractions. We gathered around her, rubbing her back or touching her arm in support as Todd whisked up a delicous egg casserole in the kitchen.
After a 15 minutes or so, Corrie announced that she thought she might like to go upstairs, while there was still time between contractions to climb the stairs. Lisa, Bee, Tamara, and myself followed her up the steps. Corrie stopped at the corner of the hallway with a strong contraction and breathed through it, still chatting it up between them. After a few minutes Amber arrived and joined us to take a few pictures. She and Tamara went downstairs for a bit then, to give Corrie a little more space in the hallway. I was rubbing her back as she contracted, noticing that they were about 1-2 minutes long with only 30 seconds or so between them. I knew it would be very soon as she was grunting a little with each contraction now.
I hurried downstairs to get the camcorder just as another one began. I could hear her moving to the bed and hurried back up the stairs to find her nearly leaping on to the bed(which is quite high). This is when she called out for L. to help her, so I quickly got us some gloves. L. lifted Corrie's gown(C. was hands and knees position)and we could see a tennis ball sized portion of the head. As Corrie's water had not yet ruptured, the pressure was intense, and she called out for L. to help her. I remembered that exact same scenario happening during my labour and immediately applied perenial support while L. did some massage. Corrie gave a very good push that moved the baby to near crowning and broke the amniotic sac. I was still applying support at both the top and bottom to help ease the 'I'm going to rip in two' feeling, and I could feel her physically relax when the water broke. She calmly breathed through a few mini contractions that pushed the baby to full crowning on their own, as she geared up for another big contraction. As the next one came she pushed the baby's head out completely. The cord was wrapped twice around the neck, the first one very loosely, the second one a little tighter, but no problem with getting it over the baby's head with a little work. I was applying perenial support and counter pressure against the baby's head to keep it from coming too quickly, while L. unwrapped the cord. I felt around the neck and did not feel any more cord, but double checked with L., asking if we needed to clamp and cut the cord, or if that was all. She confirmed that there was no more cord around the baby. While L. was unwrapping the final loop, the baby's head rotated and the shoulders were starting to come out. When the final shoulder was out, he emerged with the same push. I saw that we had a little Joshua, and quickly told everyone NOT to announce the sex to her. Corrie collapsed into her mother's arms in tears of joy, pride, and love. L. and I were rubbing him down to encourage him to breathe, then he let out a beautiful lusty cry that brought down the house. We were all crying and hugging. I asked Corrie if I could help her turn and sit so that she could hold him. We began moving her to a sitting position, but as she was kneeling, she reached for him. As he was handed to her, she caught a glimpse of a testicle. She was in complete shock, and announced that she had a boy. More tears, Todd was whooping and laughing, and we were all beaming.
She sat in her own bed with her sweet Todd at her side and gazed at her newborn baby. It was a picture from a painting. I feel so blessed that I was invited to witness such a miraculous event. Todd graciously allowed me to cut the cord, which I did with pride. I then took baby Joshua over to the scale that Todd had waiting for him. Nine pounds, two ounces! Whoa! I swore that she would not have more than a seven and a half pound baby. Corrie got up to shower while I stripped the bed, gathered the dirty laundry, and started a load of linens. I then got Joshua diapered and dressed in his new little gown, socks, undershirt, and hat. Corrie came back up dressed in a beautiful nursing set, and settled in to nurse her baby.
As I watched her bring him to her breast, I felt so lucky to be witness to birth, that way it is meant to be. She was surrounded by women during her labour, who were supporting her and giving her strength. She leaned on Todd when she needed his strength. We all gathered to help her rally at the end and welcome her precious baby into their family. I was overcome with love for Corrie, little baby Joshua, and Todd for letting me in to their secret utopia.
We each all cleaned up a bit more, and left her and Todd to explore and enjoy their new son. All was well with the world on that beautiful Spring day in April.
Note to Self: In one moment, time can cease to move on, and the whole world can be as perfect as a newborn baby.