When you’re super pregnant and people ask where you’re going to deliver, “home” is usually the last thing they expect you to say. You can almost see the wheels turning, “You mean, on purpose?”
My husband Jason and I are pretty scientifically minded – I tease him that half his PhD is mine. We did a lot of research with my first pregnancy and were compelled by what we found. Primarily we fell in love with the Midwifery Model of Care. We love being home, we love our midwives, and we love home birth. It’s been an awesome and unexpected journey.
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| Melody, 9 lbs 6 oz., 2006. Born after 3 hours of pushing. I. Hate. Pushing. |
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| Caleb 10 lbs 2 oz., 2008. Born in a hot tub. Remembered for the phrase, “Someone grab the baby!” |
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| Daniel 11 lbs 12 oz., 2011. Remembered for being super sized (I don’t recommend this). |
You know the stories about people that don’t make it to the hospital in time or deliver on the side of the road? I never thought that would be me since I’m so in tune with my body (ha!).
This time I went into labor three days after my due date. I knew I was in labor but the contractions weren’t regular and some of them weren’t very painful. I spent the day napping, listening to music, and emailing my friend Tara fully convinced the labor could stop or slow down at any minute.
Then they picked up for about an hour and I started to feel ambivalent about having my midwives there instead of wanting to be alone so I called and said, “I know the labor’s not stopping and I feel ambivalent, so maybe you should come.”
They got their stuff together and made their way up to Rochester. Meanwhile, my body very suddenly stepped it into high gear. A little while later I was telling my husband that he might be catching the baby. I wish I had a picture of the look on his face. Then I was pushing, and Sarah, one of our midwives, was on speakerphone saying, “Jason don’t worry, Debra will deliver the baby, you just need to catch it.”
My poor husband, who has never even wanted to cut the umbilical cord, had no choice. He caught Eli and very nearly threw him at me. It was miraculous.
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| Eli, 9 lbs 14 oz. Remembered for being caught by Dad. |
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| Eli receiving world class medical care – in my bedroom. |
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| Our 8th year with Meg and Sarah. We love our midwives!!!! |
Welcome home baby Eli. We’ve been waiting for you.
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