My Baby Girl

Nine years ago at 1:05 am just after the smoke from the fireworks had cleared, my baby girl was born into a tub full of warm water. My little water baby. Sometime during the morning of the 4th, I started to feel those familiar pains in the back. We headed to the local mall to cool off and so I could walk to help progress my labor. We walked, and walked, and walked. My contractions became a little closer together (not much though) and so we called the midwife. She said she would meet us at the birth center to check how far along I was. It took all day and all night of small, bearable contractions to convince my little girl that it was time to come out and meet the world.

After a while of hanging out at the birth center (and walking up and down the cement stairs outside to get things moving along!), we walked over to the bowling alley next door. It was smoky and dingy (what one isn't?) so we headed back to the BC. Our midwife suggested that we go home and wait it out there where we would be more comfortable. It was a 45 minute drive home. About 30 minutes later I soon realized that I was in "transition" which means that you need to get the heck out of dodge. During the whole ride back to the center, I was at the point of wondering if we would make it or not. Hubby was quite nervous, running red lights and all, but luckily it was late at night and there were virtually no other cars on the roads.

Midwife helps me down the stairs into the hot tub room. I step into said hot tub only to discover that it was extremely uncomfortably hot. She runs back upstairs and quickly comes back with 2 trays of ice cubes that she drops into the water. I get in the rest of the way and figure out that leaning forward against the side of the tub is much more comfy than on my back. I still remember this one minor detail: while I was doing my heavy breathing (which by the way comes pretty naturally and you probably don't need lessons to do), I distinctly remember drooling all over the floor. Anyhoo, after a few good pushes, the midwife tells me to reach down and I'll be able to feel the top of the head. I was confused at first.....what? you want me to grab my own baby when she comes out? I soon realized that she was just giving me the opportunity to be the first to touch my child as she entered the world. I'll never forget that feeling. Ooey gooey baby head. It was THE best. As soon as she came out, the midwife lifted her to the surface and laid her on my belly, still halfway in the water to keep her warm.

When I delivered the placenta, the midwife allowed me to see it also. This is something that I didn't get in the hospital with my son. It might seem insignificant to some people (or WHY in the heck would you want to look at something that disgusting), but for me it was monumental getting to see what had supplied my child with all the nutrients she needed for the last nine months. I was then walked over to the couch to sit and nurse her for the first time, just minutes after she had been born. As she was having her first munchies, hubby brought me a bagel and juice, and then she pooped in my hand. It was a very touching moment. Bobby, who had just turned 4 years old, had been sleeping on the other couch in the room. He woke up in a daze and asked his new baby sister, "Wanna play trucks?" It was so cute. He was still pretty wiped out, so he fell back to sleep. My mom laid Jesse down right next to Bobby and we have the cutest picture of them sleeping side by side (I'll have to post it when we get our scanner working again).

Happy 9th birthday, Jesse!