My mom had contractions on Sunday night, January 30 th, 2005 from about 7pm till around midnight and thought that I was coming that night, but I didn’t come then. On Monday, February 7 th, she woke up at about 2 in the morning having contractions. She had contractions all that day, but they weren’t very bad. That night at 11:44, her water broke in the bed and got my dad and mom all wet – that’s when dad called Gail (the midwife) to come.
Gail got there at about 12:15 am. My mom’s contractions got harder and stronger after that. She even got in the bathtub for a while to try to help them feel better – but then she got too hot and had to get out. At 3:33 in the morning.
I was ready to come out, so that is when my mom had to start pushing to get my head out. My head came out at 3:46 am and the rest of my body came right out during the same contraction (Gail just barely had time to unwrap the cord from around my neck before my body came out).
When I came out, I squirted my grandma Janet with amniotic fluid. My dad got to catch me when I came out. He said I was slippery and he felt the liquid running out of my lungs. Soon after that, I started screaming (and didn’t stop for quite a while). My body was all red. I had a lot of dark hair already.
They put me right on my mommy’s chest when I was born – that made me feel better. Gail weighed me in a net she had – I weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces. She also measured how long I was – 20 ½ inches, my head circumference – 13 ½ inches, and my chest circumference – 13 ¾ inches, and checked me all over to make sure I was okay.
My parents said I looked a lot like my dad – they said I had his hair, his ears and his feet and toes. I also heard them say I had his temper. My mom and dad seemed very happy after I was born. They kept saying they loved me and tried to comfort me. Grandma Janet woke up grandpa Fielden (I was named after him) to come see me – he slept the whole time I was being born.
I love my mommy and daddy and I feel very loved by them too.
This is Kathryn talking now: I am so glad I had my baby at home. It was oneof the best experiences in my life. We were a little hesitant to do it because it was my first child and I really had no idea what childbirth waslike, but now we are so glad we did and have absolutely no regrets. We want all of our children to be delivered this way if possible.