A Labor Day Birth

     The year was 2002 and the world had changed since my last child was born 2 year prior.  There was a terrorist attack on American soil 5 months before I got the news that we were expecting our fourth child.  I was two weeks shy of turning 25.  American's were still glued to their tv sets learning more about why we were attacked and hearing about anthrax cases sweeping across the nation wondering what will happen next. The America we knew had changed in a moment's notice. America will never be the same again.  Our children will grow up in a different world from what we were used to as kids. 

     We lived in Allegan, Michigan.  Besides what was going on in the world we were doing good.  Brian was driving for Sara Lee Bakery and was home every night.  We were just starting to debate on buying our first truck and becoming an owner operator.  I was attending college part time at Kalamazoo Valley Communtiy College and our oldest was in Kindergarten.  Life was good and we were thrilled when we found out we were expecting another baby. 

     I was a part of a mom's playgroup that met once a week.  We averaged about 7 to 10 moms.  We would meet at different homes or at a park.  Sometimes we would have field trips to a pumpkin patch or the local fire house.  It was nice mingling with other stay at home mom's and talking about issues of raising children.  My doctor's wife, who has a young child, also joined in on our group.  She really is a sweet lady.  There were times when we would talk about mistakes doctors make or how awful the delivery went of a baby.  I would look over at her and smile and say in jest, "I can't say anything bad about my doctor.  If I did his wife would clobber me."   She took it with humor and really her husband was a fantastic doctor.  They were active in church, their older children attended the same christian school my son was attending and they were very pro-family.  But it did have its awkard moments.  Towards the end of my pregnancy I didn't like talking about it at playgroup.  I was uncomfortable talking about my appointments with his wife right there.  I would think in the back of my mind, her husband has seen me where the sun doesn't shine and she KNOWS it.  It was all for medical purposes but it still made it awkward.  She was a registered nurse before being a stay at home mom so she was all ready to question how I was doing physically and when I was overdue if I was dilating yet.  I hated to answer her.

      At college I was just taking general classes.  One class was Children's Literature.  I felt like the people in class never seen a pregnant woman before.  It was a summer class which ended a week before my due date of August 21.  I was certainly showing in that class.  Some of the younger girls even would ask to rub my belly and some wanted to feel the baby kick.  I let them.  They thought it was neat to feel the kicking but generally I do not like to be touched by people I don't know.  I was certainly outside my comfort zone. 

     We decided to let Brian name this baby.  We didn't have an ultrasound as the doctor didn't seen a need in one.  For a boy Brian picked out the name James Reagan.  James because it is the most used name for the presidents of the United States.  There is James Madison, James Monroe, James Polk, James Buchanan, James Garfield and Jimmy Carter. The middle name Reagan was after our 40th president, Ronald Reagan.  I thought the reasons of the name were ridiculous but he picked out the name so I went with it.  He couldn't think of a girls name at all.  I couldn't either.  Brian said not to worry about it because he knew this one was going to be a boy. 

     Like my other children my due date came and went.  Time just ticked away laughing at me as I wait and wait for labor to begin.

     It was August 31, 2002.  Labor Day weekend came upon us.  My Aunt and Uncle came from Tulsa, Ok. to Michigan a year before and we decided to all get together, along with my mom, her husband, and my sister and her husband and children for a picnic at Little John Lake in Allegan.  The weather was beautiful.  We went swimming and the kids played on the playground equipment.  I even was swinging on the swings feeling the freedom of the wind in my face flying back and forth.  I was feeling good and having fun.  Labor at this point was the farthest thing from my mind.

     That night the excitment took a toll on me and I was exhausted.  I retired to bed a little earlier than normal.  Brian stayed awake watching tv.  About 3:30am I woke up from a deep sleep doing Lamaze style breathing.   Woo woo woo wooooo!  Woo woo woo woooo!  Woo woo woo woooo?   It took me a moment to realize what I was doing.  I had to think why I was breathing like that.  The answer to my question quickly arrived.  A heavy contraction shot around myself.  Fear quickly came upon me.  I let it pass.  I stood up and took a few steps to our bedroom door.  Another contraction.  I stopped to let it pass.  I looked at the stairs.  Can I make it down the stairs?  I called for Brian quietly as our three children were fast asleep in the room next to our room.  He couldn't hear me.  I had another contraction at the top of the stairs.  As soon as that contraction passed I dashed down the stairs.  Another contraction hit and I braced myself on the door to the stairway.  I managed to make it to the livingroom and found Brian just dozing off.  "BRIAN!  It's time!"

     He looks at me dazed and confused, "Time for what?"

     "I am in labor!  We need to call your mom and get to the hospital."

     "I was just falling asleep."  he said very sleepy.

     "Well it looks like you are about to pull an all-nighter."  I headed for the phone.

     We call Brian's mom to come keep an eye on the kids.  I called my mom to come from Grand Rapids to meet us at the hospital.  I wanted her to be there for the birth.  In all the commotion Beth woke up.  She caught me having a contraction and got scared and started to cry.  I, then, started to cry.  I quickly pulled myself together and told her a new sibiling was on its way and Grandma was coming over.

     We made it to Allegan General Hospital.  My doctor was moving to a new house that weekend.  I joked with him saying that I bet he was glad I pulled him away from the house so he doesn't have to move boxes today.  He laughed and said if everything goes right he would be back home in a few hours working on it.

     My mom and my sister showed up in time.  Labor wasn't too bad and I got my dose of stadol to take the edge out of the pain.  I was the only one on the delivery room floor that early morning.  At 7:43am on September 1, 2002 a new baby entered the world.  We were overly thrilled that it was a boy.  We still didn't have a girls name picked out.  The doctor hands James to Brian.  Brian looks down at James and says, "He looks just like a little bear cub."  Then his nicknamed formed - Cubby and it is still his nickname to this day.

     Right after James was delivered another mom-to-be came in.  The nurses told me they had to do an emergency c-section on this mom and they will be right back to assist me.  I told them I understood and no problem.  Brian left shortly to get back with our other children and my mom and sister left to head back to Grand Rapids.  It was just James and I.  I was told, from past deliveries, that when I first stand up they want the nurses there in case I get dizzy and fall or other medical reasons.  So I sat there - in the same sheets I gave birth in.   James was getting heavy in my arms.  I was getting very tired of sitting too, not to mention I wanted clean sheets.

     A few hours pass.  I thought about using the call nurse button but I didn't want to disturb them in case they were still helping that other mom.  I lay James between my legs and stretch way over to pull the hospital bassinet closer to me.  I placed James in there.  He was sleeping and happy.  I needed to use the bathroom.  I look over at the bathroom door.  I was sure I could walk over to it.  I stood up.  I stayed up.  All is good.  I didn't want to leave James in the room all by himself so I wheeled him in with me.  I came out of the bathroom and looked around.  It was nice standing up.  Still no nurse to come and check up on me.  I look through some of the cupboards in the room.  One cupboard had clean sheets in it.  Praise Jesus.  I took off the old bedding and made up the bed.  At least I didn't feel so totally gross anymore.  It wasn't until several hours later (and past lunch hour) that finally a nurse came to check on me.  In my passive aggressive sort of way I showed her the soiled sheets and told her I wasn't sure where to put them.  A look of shock came across her face.  She looked at my chart.  "Wasn't there anyone who came in here earlier?"

     "No" I said in a matter of fact tone.  I think she realized that they didn't even come in to check vitals or anything.  She apologized and said they were all sitting in the nurses station watching tv.  Somehow I didn't feel much better hearing that.

     The next day we were giving the all clear to go home and I was so glad to do so. When I talked about his birth at the playgroup my doctor's wife was upset that the nurses slacked off.  She said it was probably because of the Labor Day weekend and many of them probably didn't want to be there.  She said I should send in a letter of complaint.  I told her I wouldn't.  It was done and other with and no harm was done.  She said she would talk with her husband about it so he can talk with those working there that weekend.   Being in the hospital room I felt like a hampster in a cage.  No where to go to except from wall to wall.  James was my last hospital birth.

"Cubby" James Reagan (2 months old)

    

Beware! The Lava Monster

     I love being outdoors, especially when I was a child.  My imagination ran wild with crazy ideas and thoughts.  I would feel invincible and unstoppable.  When breakfast was over I quickly tossed on shorts and a t-shirt and spend the day outside in our fenced backyard. 

     We had a wonderful swingset with neat accesssories.  On one end was a swinging teeter-totter, followed by a swing.  Then it had a set of rings to swing on followed by another swing.  Just on the other side of that was a swinging bench then a metal slide.  The end of the slide can be raised up and when propped carefully it can be used as a level platform.  There was a small gap then there were a set of monkey bars.  There was a post that stuck out horizontally from each of the four corners of the monkey bars that each supported a swing.  At times we would stretch one of our swings chain links from one end of the monkey bars to the other side.  Creating such a long stretch raised the swing seat up very high but it didn't give much chain slack swing to it.  Nonetheless it was still fun to be sitting up high.  We even had a trapeese bar that we would hook up to another post of the monkey bars. 

     We had a strong tree that created a "V" shape near the base of the trunk.  From one of the posts that stick out you can swing yourself to the "V" of the tree.  In my imagination when I would pass through the "V" of the tree it turned into a porthole to take me to another world, a world of mystery and magic and adventures.  I would have to do some daring stunt in order to claim a lost soul and find my way back to the "V" and return to normal Earth.

     I was amazing at doing tricks on my swingset.  I could flip around using the rings or the trapeeze bar.  I could walk on top of the monkey bars from one side to the other and flip on down to the ground.  There was a bar that hung over the slide and it was nothing for me to twirl over the bar and hear the metal echoing sound of my feet hitting the slide.  I had no fear.  I was in my youth. When I fell I would brush myself off and get back up determined to master the trick I was trying to accomplish. 

     There was one game my sister, brother and I loved playing.  The Lava Monster!  One of us would be the Lava Monster.  Generally, since I was the youngest, I was usually picked to be the Lava Monster.  My other sibilings had to start at one end of the swingset.  Without placing a foot on the groud they had to shimmy their way across the swingset, jump from the slide to the monkeybars and make their way to safe, which was the "V" of the tree.  If a foot were to touch the ground then I was able to tag them and pull them into the lava (off the swingset) and they would become The Lava Monster.  Then it was my turn to skedaddle across.  I can still remember the burn and the blisters on my hand from gripping too hard on the top bar of the swingset making sure I didn't let go. 

     Unfortunally time took its toll and we grew up and moved away leaving behind our swingset and The Lava Monster.  That was a time before video games, before computers and cell phones.  This was a time in history where children relied on their imagination and creativity to pass the time.  Those where the good ol' days of summer. 

    

The Homebirth of Levi

     Almost exactly three years after we found out we were expecting our fifth child we realized we were expecting our sixth child.  Six was our magic number.  We both wanted six children yet none of them were planned.  It was a week before Thanksgiving in 2007and Brian noticed the same glow about me.  We took the pregnancy test and right away the double lines showed the truth.  I was pregnant. 

     We knew right away we wanted to homebirth.  We enjoyed the experience and comfort of having a baby at home.  There is nothing like the pleasures of having our children meet their sibiling under the roof of our home.  We waited until after the Thanksgiving holiday and made our call to Faithful Guardians Midwife Services to set up an appointment.

     We had three boys and two girls and I hoped for a little girl to tie up the score.  Emmaleigh Opal would of been her name.  Emma after my great grandmother on my dad's side, Leigh after the female spelling of Brian's middle name and Opal after my great grandmother on my mom's side.  Brian wanted the traditional spelling of Emily but using the spelling of Emmaleigh used a historical approach to it.  We couldn't agree on a boys name so that made me more hopeful for a girl. 

     My pregnancy went like clockwork.  Heavy morning sickness during the first trimester, feeling great during the second trimester and the normal aches and pains during the final trimester.  August 3rd was our due date.  I had a check-up with Laurie, my midwife.  She was feeling my round hard belly and a look of concern came across her face.  She palpated a bit more around my abdomen.  "I don't mean to alarm you," Laurie says, "but I think the baby may be breech."

     That was not something I wanted to hear on my due date.  I took a deep breath.  I didn't know what to say.  I was scared for the baby and for myself.  I never had a breech baby before.  Laurie continued on.  "There are some exercises you can try to flip the baby over if you are interested."  I nodded.  She went on to explain that by tilting the pelvis above the head the baby can rotate around and position the right way for birth.  She also wanted me to have an ultrasound so we can know for sure what position the baby is in. 

     I cried on the way home.  Brian was there with the other children.  He seen the distress on my face and inquired what happened.  I grabbed a newborn outfit and said, "Our baby is faced this way," and I held the outfit upright, "should be facing this way." and I held the outfit upside down.  I cried some more and Brian held me.  He insisted we have a Cesarean at the hospital.  I told him I insisted we have the baby at home and not at the hospital being hooked up on crazy monitors. 

     We tried doing those exercises which are not easy when a person is 9 months pregnant.  We stacked all the pillows under my hips to elevate them over my head.  I must of looked like a sight but Brian kept encouraging me to keep it up for the best of the baby. 

     A few days later we were on our way to have the ultrasound.  I was more concerned with what position the baby was in over what sex our baby is.  She spreads the cold gel over my abdomen and rubbed her machine around me.  We heard the heartbeat sounding strong and watched it flutter on the screen pumping away doing its job.  We were confirmed that the head was facing down in the correct position.  We were so overjoyed with the great news.  Perhaps those exercises did work.  She looked further around to make sure everythng else was okay.  "Do you want to know if you are having a boy or a girl?" she asked.

     Relief set in knowing that all physically is okay with our little one and we welcomed in knowing if we were going to have a boy or a girl.  She scans the machine around.  "It looks like you are having a boy!"  she says happily.

     A boy?  I wanted my Emmaleigh Opal!  I was a little disappointed but God knows what he is doing and he wanted us to have 4 boys and 2 girls in our family.  Now here we are after our due date and we don't have a boy's name picked out.  The last thing I would need at that moment would be to go into labor.  We stopped by a cemetery on the way home and walked around.  Maybe an interesting name would pop out at us.  A few names we came across we would put it with our last name to see how it sounded.  Nothing was sounding good.  We spent the next few nights looking over the computer and looking in the phonebooks for names that would work.  My biggest fear now was going into labor and not being able to name our son. 

     Going over the genealogy again we came across Opal's father's name.  Levi.  I liked it and it still gave me Opal's connection.  Now we needed a middle name.  We looked over the family tree again.  We seen the name August.  We already were in the month of August and I thought since I knew our baby was going to be born in August and I have a great grandfather named August there would be a funny twist to his name.  So for a few days we were set on it.  It wasn't until a few days before Levi was born that my mom told us about how my grandpa, her dad, got his middle name Edwin from his Uncle Ted who fought in the WWI.  We debated between August and Edwin.  Edwin was our final decision for the middle name.

Halvor's 3rd Birthday and Levi 2 days overdue

     August 5th rolls around and I was 2 days overdue.  It was Halvor's 3rd birthday.  We were wondering all day if Halvor was going to have a brother for his birthday.  The night settled upon the Earth and no baby brother for Halvor.  So we still waited.  We waited and waited. 


     It was the wee morning hours of August 14th.  Brian and I were up late watching Con-Air when Braxton Hicks contractions started hitting real bad.  Perhaps it was the onset of labor but it was too early to know.  Eleven days overdue and any pain could be the one to start labor.  I couldn't get comfortable and it was too sparce to start timing them.  I called my mom to come up so she can be here for the labor.  Something was starting to happen and if not then it would be soon.  I had an appointment with Laurie later on that day so I didn't want to call her unless something was really progressing. 

     If it was labor then it stalled out by the time my appointment with Laurie happened.  I was starting to dialate but nothing to get excited about.  We talked about home remedies we could try.  One treatment that was mentioned was to eat pineapple.  We figured we would give it a try.  We stopped by Foster's Grocery Store on the way home and picked up a fresh pineapple.  This would be our first fresh pineapple we every ate.  We brought it home and the kids were impressed.  My mom sat with us around the table and cut it up.  It was so sweet tasting.  We ate so much that all of our tounges felt fuzzy.  We retired into the livingroom to watch tv and I took a small afternoon nap. 

     I awoke and stood up.  My mom was awake visiting with the kids.  Then a contraction hit.  I knew it was time.  I told my mom I needed to call Laurie.  I woke Brian up to help get ready.  We informed the kids that they would soon have a baby brother and if they needed anything to ask Nonna.  Aunt Bay, my sister, was on her way up from Grand Rapids.  We got everything ready and I was full of adrenaline in anticipation of a new baby.  Laurie comes in happy as can be saying, "This shouldn't take long.  We have a pro-birther here."  I had to agree.  My labors are all quick and easy.  I knew I would be holding our son by dinnertime. 

     I laid back in bed feeling the different stages of labor come across me.  I would lay on one side then rotate to the other side.  My mom would come in and try to pat my head but I had to shoo her away as I don't like to be touched while in labor.  She meant well but at the time it was like nails on a chalk board.  All I could do was hold a hand.  Things were going smoothly and I was calm the whole way through. 

    Looking out my bedroom window I could tell the sun was setting.  I knew something wasn't going right.  I should of had the baby by now.  I asked Laurie to check my dialation.  I was stuck at an 8.  I tried changing positions from one side to the other to help speed up dialation.  That didn't work.  I rolled up on all fours.  It helped with the pain but it my dialation wasn't improving.  I kept trying to keep myself relaxed but I couldn't figure out why I can't get past an 8 dialation.  I had pain like I never felt before and it lasted what seemed like forever.  I was quickly growing tired and felt like I couldn't go on.  I told Laurie that I needed to sleep and we can carry on in the morning.  She laughed and said the baby will be here by then and to keep patient.  Laurie brought in a birthing chair.  I looked at it and it scared me.  It looked like walker and uncomfortable.  Some women who have used it say it is very comfortable but I wasn't willing to give it a try.  I was determined to do whatever it takes not to use it.   Little did I know that my mom, who wasn't too comfortable about my decision on homebirthing, was very close in dialing 911.  My sister was holding her back saying being at home was my decision and to let me be. 

Levi Edwin

     Laurie decided to check the dialation again.  She learned the baby's arm was wedged up by the cheek which is what caused the stall in dialation.  It was as if he was wedged in there.  Laurie tried to pull the arm back so he can be birthed with ease.  Things happened so fast or that I was so out of it that I don't remember what happened.  But I do know at August 15, at 12:35am Levi Edwin entered the world weighing 8 pounds and 14 ounces and 21 inches long.  Right away I looked at his ears.  They were small and tiny.  He was a blue-eyed bald baby boy.   Even now, 4 years later, when Levi is sleeping his arm will lift up by his cheek.  For Levi it is his comfort.

Picture of Levi, Beth and I in Countryside Magazine
March/April 2009 issue pg 96

     Baby cries filled the house.  In a short time Beth and Ashton entered the bedroom to meet their new baby brother.  The rest of the children early in the evening fell asleep while waiting for their brother Levi to arrive.  Beth sat on my bed and watched Levi being weighed and measured.  She seen the placenta and Laurie showed her how the placenta works.  Most of all she seen me okay and knew I wasn't hurting anymore.  I told her all of that pain was forgotten about and it was replaced with love.  Brian comes in and gives me my "victory bar".  It was a nutragous that he bought for me at the onset of labor for me to enjoy afterwards.  My mom and my sister enter the room to meet the new memeber of the family. 

     Thirteen years prior when Brian and I were out for a date we both talked about wanting 6 children.  Our dream of wanting a larger family has been fulfilled with Levi.  Six is our magic number and 6 children is what God has blessed our family with.  I look back at the thought of wanting a girl.  I look at my younger boys and realized that God gave me a boy so his other brothers close to his age had someone to play with.  With the girls age difference it would of been hard for them to be close sibilings.  Perhaps a granddaughter will carry that name of Emmaleigh Opal.  Only time will tell.  In the mean time I am going to enjoy our family blessing.

The Family

The Homebirth Experience

     October brought a spectular show of the northern lights.  I had never seen such a view in the night sky.  It was eerie and amazing at the same time.  Brian and I watched the lights dance across the sky.  We were both moved by it.

     It was a week before Thanksgiving in the year 2004.  Brian and I moved from Allegan, Michigan to Osceola County, Michigan five months prior.  Our two oldest started attending a one room christian school 2 months ago and our third child just got out of diapers and our fourth child turned two and had no interest at that time to part from his diapers.  My husband was steadily working while I was doing the role of the stay-at-home mom.  Life was good.  This was a fresh start on a whole new chapter in our lives.  Little did I know that my chapter in life was about to change. 

     Brian looks at me and smiles.  "You have a glow about you today." he says. 

     I look at him and smile.  "I don't know why.  I'm just having a good day I guess."

     "I think you are pregnant.  You have that same glow as you had 4 other times."  He was very pleased by the thought. 

      I thought for a moment.  I have been busy getting the house ready for Thanksgiving and helping out with the kids homework that I haven't stopped to think about "mother nature's" arrival.  Nooo. I thought.  I can't be.  However something didn't happen this month.  "Okay, we will go get a test." 

      Later on that evening I took the test and right away the test showed a positive result.  I stood there, with Brian hugging me, staring at the two lines in a daze.  Thoughts flooded my mind.  Can I handle 5 children?  Would Brian be home to attend the birth?  Where is there even a hospital or a doctor to go to?  Who would watch our young children?  Would any outside family make it up to where we live in time since I have quick births?  To put it plainly, I was scared.  I told myself I just wanted to get past Thanksgiving then I will think more about it. 

     One day while picking up the kids from school I talked with the teacher to see if she can do some recommending.  She was really the only person I knew in all of Osceola County.  Out of frustration of finding out the closest hospital was about 45 minutes away and worring about what to do with the children while I give birth I said, "It would be so much easier just to have the baby at home.  I have easy labors and I know what to expect."

     "You can."  said their teacher, "I know a lady who had several children at home with the help of a midwife.  Let me find her number and I will give it to you if you are interested." 

     A few days later the teacher gave me the lady's phone number to inquire more about it.  We talked for over an hour.  She made it sound so positive and even gave me the number to her midwife.  Afterwards, I talked it over with Brian.  He wasn't too fond on the idea.  He was worried about what if something happens.  I told him I wanted to set up a meeting with the midwife first and get some more information and we will decide from there. 

     I met with Laurie of Faithful Guardians Midwifery Service.  I was able to bring my young children and she has a box of toys to help keep them entertained.  She had diagrams, charts, models of different things to expect in labor, and literature and books on homebirthing.  She was very polite and happy for us having a baby.  Right away you get this calming feeling about her.  There was not a feeling of being rushed because of other clients.  She made you feel like you were top priority.  I never got that feeling from my past doctors.  She handed me two folders.  One was about her midwife resume and literature on what to expect during a home birth.  The other folder was filled with client testamonies.  I went home and read it all.  I was excited about having a home birth.  Brian went along with the idea but was still doubtful. 

      When we told our families that I was going to homebirth they were all shocked.  They informed us that this is the 21st century and hospitals are around for a reason.  They all were concerned for the safety of me and the baby.  I think they all were thinking that I would change my mind half way through.  Homebirthing is not very common in today's American culture.  I reminded my family that homebirthing has been around since Adam and Eve and civilization has not ended because of it. 

     During our meetings I expressed to Laurie one of my concerns.  With all my children, who averaged around 7 to 8 pounds, I ripped the perineum and needed stitches.  She said she can't perform stitches but she would drive me to the hospital and help me with that if needed.  I asked her about the baby and she said our baby would stay back with daddy and her team of assistants.  She said not to worry about it and the baby would be okay and knowing that I was a home birth the doctors will get me in and out quickly.  To me the sounds of hospitals and in and out quickly are an oxymoron.  All I could do was trust her and pray. 

     A few months go by and we decided to get an ultrasound.  We discovered we were going to have a boy.  We were not rooting one way or the other.  We already had 2 pairs and this one would make a full house.  Now for a name.  We both love genealogies so it was easy to decided that our baby will have a family name.  Brian wanted Sheldon after his grandfather.  I put my foot quickly down on that one.  It was nothing against his grandfather but it was the name.  I have seen one too many times the movie "When Harry Met Sally" staring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan.   Note the part from 7:35 to 8:17.  Everytime I hear the name Sheldon I think of this scene and I just couldn't name my child that.  Our next choice was Ole after Sheldon's dad.  Nope.  That didn't work either.  The kids started dancing around singing, "It's rolie polie ole" after a cartoon show on the Disney channel.  Nope!  That name is out too.  So we look another generation back and came across Halvor.  Halvor was the father of Ole and was born in Norway.  He immigrated to North Dakota and farmed there.  I couldn't argue against it except that it was a name people don't hear at all.  The name Halvor even means rock - protector.  After a while the name grew on me and I liked it.  I wanted a different middle name than the great great grandfather but I wanted it to sound good.  After more weeks of debating we came upon it.  Quinn.  Quinn means five.  He was going to be our fifth child born in 2005.  It was perfect.

     Our due date of July 22 came and went.  After the due date there is no telling when the baby will arrive.  It could be at any time.  I was very uncomfortable but that should be expected.  We were all set to have the homebirth.  I just needed the labor to get things started.  I read up on a lot of material in preparation of home birthing.  Some of the points I remember was picturing each contraction like a hug you are giving your baby.  Relax your body and breathe through the contractions.  Each contraction is opening you up more and more to make delivery easier.  I was ready for action.

     It was August 4.  The fair was in town and it was rainy.  We walked around the barns but the rides were too wet due to the on/off rain.  Disappointed we decided to go home.  I heard an advertisment on the radio about the Clare County Fair in the next county to the east.  After some relaxing we decided to go check things out there.  The rides were closed because of the rain.  More disappointment.  We walked around again and seen their barns.  Driving back the rain stopped and we decided to head back to the Osceola County Fair.  The rides dried off and the midway was busy with people.  We purchased the kids their wristbands so they can ride as many rides as they can.  It was fun watching them all on the different rides.  It was getting dark and the magic of the carnival lights illuminated the sky.  Brian went to take Ashton and Beth on a kiddie ride while Christian wanted to ride The Zipper.  I stood there with James in the stroller watching Christian spin around and up and down on the ride.  Then it hit.  Contraction!  I gripped the handle of the stroller a bit harder and held my breath.  This was it.  Halvor wanted to come out.  I look at the ride zipping along above me.  What do I do?  I thought, Do I have them stop the ride?  Do I let Christian finish the ride?  Where was Brian?  Do I leave Christian on the ride and search for Brian?  Can I even walk to search for Brian?  Then another contraction hit.  I froze.  After a short time and what seemed like three contractions later the ride stopped and Christian got off.  I was firm but quiet with Christian.  I told him we had to find Daddy right away.  We started off to find Brian when he came and met up with us with our happy daughters at his side.  I gave him "the look" and told him we needed to get home NOW!  He asked me if I wanted to stay in the midway and he will pull the van up and around.  I didn't want to create a scene so I told him I would walk with him to the van.  We had to stop several times for contractions to pass but we made it to the van.  I called Laurie and she said she was on her way to our house.  I started crying for fear and excitment at the same time.  She was reassuring that everything is going to be alright.  We got home and Brian told the young ones to head upstairs for bed and he would even bring his tv from his semi upstairs for them to watch tv.  I think the rides at the fair exhausted them because they fell asleep immediately.  Brian called his sister to come over to help with the kids in case they woke up. 

The night I was in labor, 13 days overdue.

     I put on a comfortable dress to give birth in and helped Brian get our birthing kit ready.  One of the assistants who lives close by arrived first.  She helped time the contractions.  Even though this was our fifth baby I could never figure out how to time contractions.  I just knew they were coming often.  I went and used the bathroom.  Looking around I felt so comfortable seeing my bathroom floor, my toilet, and my sink.  The midwife and her team were there for me unlike doctors at the hospital who would come in every once in a while and impossible to get a hold of in between their stop-bys. 

An assistant writing down notes on my labor.

      With my other children I had used stadol to take the edge off of the contractions.  This time there would be nothing to take the edge off.  I had to keep reminding myself to relax and pay attention to my body.  I need to take things at a contraction at a time.  The room was only lit by a small lamp in the corner.  I liked having the darkness around me.  It helped me concentrate more on what my body was doing.  I could feel my body entering the different stages of labor.  As the contractions were getting longer I would start off by saying, "Owie, Owie, Owie, Owieeeeeeeeeeeee, " peak of the contraction hits the starts to taper off, " eeeee i eeee i ooooooo."  Yes, I sounded like a bad version of Old MacDonald Had A Farm but it was funny to me.  Humor was taking my mind off the pain.  It was noted down that at 12:23 I started singing (in tune to She'll be coming around the mountain when she comes), "He'll be coming around the birth canal when he comes..." 

Halvor Quinn 10 lbs 2oz 22.6 inches long

     Brian was at my side the whole time.  I mostly stayed on my side curled up.  This was our bed I was in, our room and our sheets.  I never imagined how relaxed I could be during labor.  I didn't have the tv on or the radio.  It was me singing badly while others listened.  Warm olive oil compresses were placed on my perineum to help stretch it out and make delivery easier.  It was time to start pushing.  After only a few pushes Halvor Quinn entered the world at 12:35am on August 5.  Our fifth child, born on the fifth of August in 2005.  Yes, Quinn does fit for his middle name.  

Brian holding Halvor

     My first few thought of Halvor wasn't the traditional awww.  I first glanced at his head and noticed his ears were tightly pressed against his head.  His ears are deformed!  Poor litle guy.   I didn't say anything.  The midwife must know.  There isn't anything she can do about his ears.  Other than that he was simply adorable.  Little did we know then that the ears were just pushed back to his head from the birth.  The next morning his ears popped out just like the New Year Baby.  Laurie looked Halvor over and weighed and measured him.  He was 10 pounds 2 ounces and 22.6 inches long.  TEN POUNDS!  We were shocked.  I asked Laurie if I ripped.  I was expecting her to say yes but she said not at all.  I was even more shocked.  The hot oil compresses did the trick.  Out of my 4 previous labors this was one of the easiest and it was done drug free and Halvor was my biggest.  Brian, who was doubtful at first about homebirths, thought the whole procedure went smoothly and was glad that we did it.                                                
                                                                        

    

Halvor getting dressed for the first time.

    









Brian puts his hand on my shoulder, "My sister is here and wants to see the baby.  Do you want visitors?"

     Shocked that I didn't even hear Teresa come to the house,"Of course.  She can see Halvor."  I straightened up myself to look somewhat presentable.  Entering the room was Teresa, her husband Mike and our 15 year old niece Chelsea.  Chelsea, who is Brian's brother's daughter, was spending the night with her Aunt Teresa's that night and came along.  A replay of the entire night flashed before my eyes and the uncomfortable noises I was making plus my awful singing.  I looked up at Chelsea, "I am so sorry you had to hear that." I sheepishly said. 

     "There is one thing I learned."  she paused, "when I have a baby I want drugs."  We all laughed. 

     The next morning was an experience I would never get at the hospital.  Brian didn't want to distrub me so he camped out on the couch.  In the wee morning hours almost 3 year old James came into the bedroom and fell asleep on the other side of me not realized that his new baby brother was sleeping on the other side of me.  A few hours later Ashton comes into our bedroom and lays down.  Halvor soon wakes up for a feeding.  Ashton pops her head up and looks over in shock,"A BABY?"

   "Yes, your new baby brother has arrived."  Ashton looked in amazement.  James quickly shot up and looked over and gazed at Halvor. 

     "I need to tell the others."  She runs out the room and dashes up the stairs.

     In record breaking time I heard little footsteps pounding on the steps making their way into our room.  Christian, Elizabeth, James and Ashton gather around our bed examining their new baby brother.  We counted his fingers and his toes.  They gently patted his thin smooth hair.  They watched as I changed his diaper.  They look and seen this creamy white chunk of flesh-looking piece sticking out of  where Halvor's belly button should be.  I had to explain that what they seen was his umbilical cord.  They looked further down into the diaper.  Thick,goopie, tar-like substance filled the diaper.  The kids cringed at the sight of it followed by, "Ewwwww".  It was that moment of having all the children surrounded on our bed was like the cherry on top of the sundae.  It made the whole birthing process that much more worth it. 

I am holding Halvor with Ashton (age 4)

     I got up and got a load of laundry going and start fixing breakfast for the kids, something I couldn't have done in  the hospital.  It was nice out and I decided to hang the laundry up on the line.  While doing so Laurie, my midwife, swings by to check on us.  She was happy to see me walking about with ease and Halvor was doing good. 



     Halvor fit perfectly in our family.  All the fears and worries I had when I first found out I was expecting had vanished.  He completed our family and was the first of the Moyer  to be homebirthed in our household. 

clockwise Halvor, Elizabeth (6), James (soon to turn 3),
Ashton (4) and Christian (7)

Our 5th born.