a home birth

Early in the morning on Shad's birthday, I had the opportunity to attend the birth of my friend's little boy, in her own home.  She called me at 5:00 a.m., sounding like she was in labor, but not konwing how long it would be.  She'd been in labor for just one hour when she called.  I laid in bed for a while debating whether I should go right then, or wait until later that morning after Shad had gone to work.  About ten minutes had passed, when my friend's husband called back, and asked if I would pick up the video camera from my friend Stacy if she wasn't coming.  I told Shad I felt bad going because it was his birthday, and he said, "It's someone else's birthday too."  So I went.  After getting myself together, I drove over to Stacy's and she came out and hopped in the car with me.    We drove the fifteen minutes to our friend's house, and by the time we got there, little baby boy was already making his entrance into the world.

If you've never witnessed the birth of a baby, it's truly a miracle.  This is Natalie, who after just two hours of labor, was able to hold her new baby boy.

I've had three children of my own, but always with a limited point of view.  It was really neat to be able to witness it as an observer---a lot less painful too :).

When Stacy and I showed up, it was just the two of us and the two (almost three) of them.  Travis (the husband) "caught" the baby while Natalie did all the hard work completely on her own.


  The midwife (in the Bob Marley shirt, which she claimed wasn't hers) showed up about twenty minutes or so after he was born, and checked everything out to make sure all was okay.  She had to climb two flights of stairs with her leg in a cast (but I dare say the labor was harder).

Big brother Noah woke up shortly after the midwife arrived and loved holding his new baby brother.

Eventually, big sister Mia woke up, just as eager to hold her new little brother.

Stacy took a turn with the new arrival as well.  She filmed some video shots with her camera, and was very helpful with getting whatever things the midwife or anyone needed during the whole process.  I pretty much just took pictures.


Welcome to the world little Orion.  Thanks for letting me be there for your miraculous entrance.

And I was still able to make it home in time for breakfast.