Jonathan’s Birth Story: Part 3

Did you miss the beginning? Read Part 1: What was I Thinking? and Part 2: Sorting Through Baby Clothes & Contractions.

Put the Pedal to the Metal

When Tim walked through the front door, my mom told him I was in labor. Tim didn’t understand at first and thought my mom was joking. Then he heard me, from the tub, say that I was in labor and he would need to get things together to go to the birthing center. At that he knew no one was joking. He ran into the bathroom to see how I was doing. I told him I was fine, but a little nervous for the baby to be coming this early. I was 36 weeks and 5 days, so I was not quite to full term and didn’t know if this would cause complications for the baby.

Tim prayed with me and then hurried to get things together as I shouted reminders of what to pack and told my mom where she could find the things she and my dad would need for Emahry.

At 3:00 PM, Tim and I headed out the door leaving Emahry with my mom. We stopped by a friend’s house to pick up their extra cellphone, but couldn’t find it and at 3:11 PM we began our hour drive to the birthing center.

My contractions were now much stronger and I was thankful that I had taken a birthing class when I was pregnant with Emahry that taught breathing exercises to deal with the pain of labor. The deep, slow breaths that had sustained me throughout my long labor with Emahry were nowhere to be found. Instead “hee, hee, whoo’s” emerged from my fully reclined passenger seat. I also felt a strange comfort in tapping my feet along with my breathing.

Thankfully, Tim doesn’t mind speeding and got us into the birthing-center town in record time, 25 minutes later. At 3:36, just as we drove pass the midwives’ office my water broke. Ah, what relief! Even in the middle of labor I remember thinking how glad I was that we had placed a waterproof crib mat and a stack of towels on the seat.

Read On… Part 4: I Can’t Get Out!