Sunday, June 08, 2014

The 1 hour homebirth of John Charles

Little Juanito (I know I said we're calling him Charlie, but every baby of ours has seventeen thousand nicknames so roll with me) is snoozing on the boppy next to me on the sofa, Cecilia is watching Spongebob (so holy.  Happy Pentacost Sunday!) and the rest of the family is at Mass (actually holy.  Hoping the latter makes up for the former) and I gotta just get this birth story tappy tapped out before someone decides he's actually a colicky baby or someone else goes back to work and I'm expected to cook and clean again and my brain goes back to mush mode and I can't remember where my other shoe is, what to speak of being able to retell our exciting tale of excitement.

Let's start with this: Even if we hadn't been planning a homebirth, this baby would have been born at home.  So it's a darn good thing we had a bunch of supplies around and a midwife who showed up to take care of everything as opposed to, you know, being in an even bigger panic because THIS BABY IS COMING RIGHT THIS SECOND AND CLEARLY THE WORLD WILL COME TO AN END.  Yes, I think things like that.


I've always been blessed with fairly quick labors accompanied by pretty short pushing phases.  But with my 4 hospital births I did always make it to the hospital (just barely with Paul, who arrived 16 minutes after we pulled into the parking lot.  But still: made it).  But this time....wow.  It really is one of the reasons that a homebirth is the best choice for our family, seriously.

So y'all remember Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, I didn't sleep.  I truly thought this was the beginning of the end of the waiting.  And even though it turns out that it was it sure didn't feel like it was when I had to go back to living life like a normal human on Wednesday afternoon.  I was so useless and sobby and angry at the world on Wednesday that Tommy even volunteered to stay home from work.  I guess he's seen me at the tippy tippy end of pregnancy enough times to know when I shouldn't be left alone?  Maybe.  But he saved me and our children from a terrible horrible no good very bad day no matter what the reason.

That evening I sent my friend Amanda an email demanding that she distract me on Thursday because more misery was sure to result if I moped about being angry at my broken uterus.  We decided she would come over with her kids in the morning before naps rather than in the evening after naps (cue providential foreshadowing music).

Then I drank a glass of wine and waddled my foreverpregnant self to bed only to be seriously blessed with the best night of sleep I'd experienced in months and months and months.  I woke up so happy, so refreshed, so ready to do all the things and Tommy looked at my face and my belly and said "I'd better stay home again."  Suit yourself, brotha.  But seeing as I'm never having this baby,  why bother?

After being together for over 15 years, I guess a man starts to know a woman...

So I threw in a load of laundry, washed the dishes, tidied up the house, got properly dressed, posted my 41 week belly shot up here on this blogge, did the stuff with the children that one does with their children, Amanda and her kids came over, we ate chicken salad sandwiches for lunch (note to self: demand chicken salad recipe), complained that my stupid jeggings WOULD NOT STAY UP, hollered at people not to get near the chicken coop that Tommy was priming with chemical-laden outdoor latex primer of extreme stinkiness, and generally tried to go about my day as if it were a regular day.

Now see here, folks- all day long I was having mild contractions.  But that had been happening for weeks and weeks and weeks.  If I alerted friends and family every single time a bit of hope sprang up in my heart, people would stop answering my phone calls and then we'd be in even BIGGER trouble come d-day (d for delivery, natch.).

So when our friends left at 2 p.m., I still had exactly zero plans to deliver a baby that day.

"Well, the coop is ready to paint so I guess we'll get started on that...." said my husband.  To which I replied "Can I help?  Can I paint it?  I need something to do."  And in accordance with rule 492 of Talking to Overdue Pregnant Women he said "OF COURSE WHATEVER WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY CAN I PLEASE MAKE DINNER AND DESSERT WHILE YOU DO ANYTHING YOUR DARLING HEART DESIRES AND ALSO YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL AND FUNNY AND BRILLIANT."

So I'm painting and I'm painting and I'm squatting down and I'm standing and then I'm sitting on the ground then I'm foisting myself up again.  Then I'm cursing the mosquitos and finding the ugliest white painter's hat I can find and Instagramming a duck-lipped selfie and eventually Tommy calls us all in for dinner (yes, he was serious about that.  The best.).

Dinner was a pho-like asian noodle soup made with beef broth that he cooked himself, garnished with cilantro from our garden and goosefoot, that edible weed that grows like...um....a weed?  at this time of year?  Yeah.  Anyway, it was delish.

More contractions that don't deserve any mention.

More me wondering when they're going to become "the real thing."

Katie looks at the clock.  Sighs.  "Well, I guess today isn't going to be your birthday either, Chombie...."

Collective sigh around the table in response.

Tommy: "if we get out there soon, I bet we can finish the second coat on that coop before we need to get everyone in bed"

So he hops to the dishes while I toss the wet stuff from the washer into the dryer.

I go back through the dining room and say "So whose feast day is it tomorrow, Katie?  Maybe he'll come tomorrow.  It will be Friday after all."

She looks at our box of saint cards and replies "Uh...St. Norbert."

What is he the patron of?  She doesn't know.  The card doesn't say.

"Fine.  We'll just have to pray for his intercession even if we don't know his patronage.  It probably doesn't matter much anyway, right?"

It was only the next day, after all the crazywonderful happened, that I discovered this: St. Norbert of Xanten, invoked during childbirth for a safe delivery .  Not. A. Joke. People.

Now we're back outside, finishing up the second coat on that coop.  It's about 7 ish p.m.  Tommy drips some very unwashable latex paint onto the back of my shirt.  Lizzy says "Hey, the baby is probably waiting for you to ruin all your maternity clothes before he comes.  This is good!"

We finish up the coop.  I go inside to get Mary into her pajamas and down for the night.  I have my first very good, really obvious, this-is-probably-it contraction.  I look at the clock: 7:31 p.m.

I grab Mary, who really should have a bath, and I decide to skip the bath.  Ask for someone to grab the vacuum cleaner and leave it in the living room for me.  Baby into pajamas, into her crib.  I shut the door and another contraction starts.  I look at the clock: 7:44 p.m.

This is promising. Not definite, but promising.  

Watch out, disgusting carpets, I'm coming for you.  Start vacuuming.  Another contraction starts and this time it is a GOOD.  And it is only 7:48 p.m.  I'm counting the seconds while I watch the clock.  Katie tries to ask me a question.  I hold up my hand to make her wait.

"Are you okay?  What's wrong?"

Me, half whispering so as not to ruin it or get people excited for no reason "I think, maybe, baby could be born tonight after all."

Gasp!  "Well give me that vacuum cleaner, then!" she demands.

Okay, I need a shower.  As I walk toward the bathroom, Tommy comes in, dirty, sweaty, carrying all manner of tools and painting supplies in from our outdoor project.  

"I'm pretty sure baby is coming right now, for real this time and I need to get in the shower and I can't deal with anything else right now, okay?"

He pauses and nods.

I have another contraction while getting ready to get in the shower, then I have another while I'm in the shower.  As I get out and start shuffling across the hall to our bedroom I have to call to him.  "help.  I just.....help me walk.  You need to call Linda (our midwife).  I don't know what's going on but this is happening NOW."

We make it to the edge of our bed and the next contraction starts. It's 8:14 p.m.  Breathing isn't cutting it anymore. I have to make the dying cow sound.  Dying cow sound after just 45 minutes of labor?  Is that even possible?  That one lasts almost a full minute.

"You.  Call Linda.  I'll do this."  And by "this" I mean try and get into my nightgown and get the plastic shower curtain down onto our bed and covered with a sheet.  All before the next contraction starts.  I don't make it.  Every minute I'm stopping, bent over, injured cow moaning.  There is no way I can do this for 4 hours.  There's just no way.

Lizzy calls my friend Virgnia who has offered to come again to play with the kids at one end of the house while we work on having a new one at the other end. 

Midwife is on her way.  Virginia is on her way.  Tommy looks at me, at himself and says "I'm going to take a quick shower. It'll be quick, I promise"

BE QUICK!

Now I'm on the bed on my side.  I'm counting my way through the contraction.  I'm wishing I had my notebook with all my prayer requests written in it.  "For everyone whose name I wrote down, I offer this up for them."  It's the best I can do.  90 seconds and it finally starts to taper off.  Then he starts punching or kicking or something and it ramps back up again.

"Please stop moving.  I just need a break. A little break, please."  Because there is no way I can do this for 3 or 4 more hours without any breaks.  I....just....need....a....break.

Tommy is out of the shower now.

Maybe I just need to pee.  Maybe that's what that feeling is.  Because it can't possibly be a pushing feeling.  No, no way.  That would be insane.  Not possible.  I need to pee.  Yes, that's it.

"Help me to the bathroom!"

So he does.  But we get there and no...this was not a good idea.

"I just....feel like all I can do is push....but that's such a bad idea"

"Okay, wait, wait.  Let's get you back to the bedroom."

Shuffle, shuffle, breathe.  Don't close your eyes.

Now I'm on the bed on hands and knees.  I decide to fight gravity and hopefully stall this whole business by putting my shoulders to the bed but keeping my hips up.

Another contraction starts.

"I'm pushing!  I'm pushing!"

When I try not to push, it's like a thousand hot needles are radiating through my torso.  As soon as I allow the push to happen, such a feeling of relief, of right-ness.

Now, Tommy has been there for the birth of every baby.  He's used to things looking and going a certain way.  But this time he says "wait.  I just....don't know what I'm looking at.  This doesn't look like a head.  I don't see any hair."

But I'm not scared.  I know he's head down.  I don't know what's happening, but whatever it is, I can't make it stop.

So I push anyway.  One push....breathe breathe...another contraction....two push....and it's finished.  He's out, behind me on the bed.  I can't see what's going on.

And there's a brief pause of silence then Tommy "Oh my gosh, he's still in the sac!" SPLASH.  Cry!  "Oh, hi buddy....there you are....it's gonna be okay."

Lizzy appears in the hallway.

"Here, hold up his head.  I need to find something to suction him."

(this is the part I call "if you are an over curious 11 year old girl, you might find yourself holding your 1 minute old baby brother on a Thursday evening so don't act surprised, okay?)

Meanwhile Katie is keeping all the other two littles distracted in the playroom.  Pay no attention to the crying!  Obviously Mary has just reverted to her newborn phase!

And I'm still there, on my hands and knees.  I haven't seen him yet because I don't want to risk tugging on the cord or messing anything up.

Tommy reappears.  "I can't find a damn syringe!"

"Suction him out with your mouth!" I yell.  Good idea.  "Lizzy, there is a pile of receiving blankets right over there.  Grab them.  Help daddy wrap him up."  She does.

And now he calms down, and they help me turn over carefully and I see my baby boy for the first time.  It's 8:35 p.m.

(ogle more pics of my sweet kids here)



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85 comments :

  1. This is so great, and brings back some intense-labor memories! Great job!

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  3. Oh MY GOSH, Dwija!!!! I can't believe it went so fast and thanks be to God your husband is handy with the bebes. Wow. You're incredible, so is your husband, your 11 year old, and especially your newest baby! Goose bumps, lady. And way to go typing it up whilst you had a very few minutes.

    Can't wait to meet you at Edel as I've been a reader /stalker for a while now. What a remarkable life you live!

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  4. Best birth story ever!! Seriously, and did you know it's good luck for a baby to be born in the sac? Supposedly, at least that's what I've heard :)

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  5. Wow. Just wow. You are amazing.

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  6. Wow. You are my hero. That was fast and intense.

    My mom had her 5th child on the front lawn. She always had long labors and walked through them. But she walked too much with number 5, and baby slid out right as she was getting into the car.

    It's amazing how women's bodies figure out what they're doing and just go for it.

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  7. Sobbing! I love birth stories so much and this is one of my all-time favorites. Welcome, sweet Charlie! You are amazing, Dwija. xoxox

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  8. That is amazing, Dweej! I love that Lizzy got roped into helping out, and that Tommy kept his cool - even with Charlie in the caul!

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  9. So awesome! I read all these home birth stories and wish I had known. Seriously. My babies pop out ultra quickly also. I would have loved this. Way to go!

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  10. What am amazing birth! My youngest was born still in the sack after a 2-hour labor. Such a cool experience! Many blessings on you and the new bebe:)

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  11. Wow Dweej. No one can ever say that you don't do things in a superhero fashion! Painting in labor, then baby boy born minutes later?! What?! Amazing, and I'm so glad he's here!

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  12. A one hour labor, papa catches him at home AND born in the caul? This is so so amazing Dwija. So many awesome things in one story. Congratulations.

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  13. Speechless. Wow…just wow.
    Thanks for sharing!

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  14. oh.my.gosh. might be the best birth story ever.
    what I really wanted to write was "holy crap" but I always feel weird about putting holy and crap together, but I still say it sometimes. So I just said it and then wrote it. Even though I wasn't going to write it, so I said oh.my.gosh. instead.

    Signed- 3 c-section mama that is completely overwhelmed by your awesome birth story.

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  15. So, so beautiful! I was praying for a June 6th birthday (after you passed my May 13 and twin prediction!) since my son is a Norbertine seminarian (-: Even though Charlie wasn't born on his feast day, I have to believe that St. Norbert WAS interceding for him and you! I hope you can visit St. Michael's Abbey the next time you are in southern CA for a prayer of thanksgiving. Keeping you in prayer..... and congratulations! And, I'm pretty sure you were right ;-)

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  16. Love it so much!! Congratulations, sweet friend. And in the caul?? So so cool. I laughed at the dying cow...I was just telling a mom in labor that the other day..."it's okay if you sort of sound like a cow...those are good labor sounds."

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  17. Awesome birth! Congrats! That sounds a lot like the birth of my 4th child....although her labor was a bit longer, but not much (about 2 hours).

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  18. That is too awesome!! A friend of mine had an accidentally-unattended homebirth too, except she didn't make it back to the bed ... her son fell out onto the bathroom floor!

    You are amazing, and baby is beautiful! Good job!!

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  19. What a fabulous birth story! And after the size of the belly throughout this pregnancy, you totally deserve such a quick labor! And the baby is beautiful! So very happy for you and your whole family!!!!

    (I think everyone reading this will now be asking for intercession from St. Norbert for all their future deliveries!)

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  20. WOW!!! What a great birth story, thank you so much for sharing with us!! And thank you for sharing about the dying cow sound... my firstborn is 3 and my hubby still (nicely) teases me about the sounds I made in labor, and now with another on the way I keep thinking about how I could maybe, I don't know, be quiet this time... lol! Praying for so many blessings on your family and new little Charlie!!!

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    1. No! Do not EVEN try to be quiet. It will make your labor so much longer and harder. Honestly the deeper the sounds you can make, the less pain you will feel. 100% true and factual :)

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    2. Agreed!! This last time, my doula was able to persuade me to stop making screeching sounds and to make deep noises (very much like a cow) and it made a huge difference. I could physically feel it helping. Also Dwija, this is SO amazing. Way to go!!! So beatiful

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  21. Wow. Amazing. Congratulations. And praise God! :)

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  22. Oh, heavens. This is a fantastic story. It reminds me so much of my accidentally-unassisted birth of Gabriel.

    Thanks be to God for a safe and beautiful delivery, and a healthy baby and mommy. Welcome, Baby JC.

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  23. Yay! You rock!

    I had a conversation with my in-laws yesterday... apparently when she went into labor with their oldest, Mom was in a shed painting a tractor bucket (?) when labor started.

    Mom: "I did NOT want to paint that stupid thing. You made me do it."
    Dad: "Well, you gave me two things that afternoon- a painted bucket, and a baby."

    So precious!!

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  24. I just love this. I love this so much! My fifth was like that. Born in an hour, barely got enough water in the tub before he was being pushed out. I had planned an at-home birth, too, and if I hadn't we would have been SO unprepared. God knows what he's doing when he leads us in that direction. And it's so wonderful, isn't it!? All that time you are 'overdue' your body is just quietly doing all the work that you would usually do in a few hours of intense labor, and instead you get this wonderful, quick, satisfying thing that is over before it even gets started! Good job and Congrats again!

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  25. I love, love, love reading birth stories and I'm pretty sure this one is my favorite ever! And because I'm hormonal it totally made my eyes well up with tears! Congratulations! What an amazing birth! What a blessing!

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  26. Wow. Just, wow. What a wonderful, incredible story. Congratulations to you and your whole family on that precious little new baby boy. He is beautiful.

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  27. Dwija That is one of the most excellent birth stories I've ever heard/read. And I had my 1st less than an hour after I made it to the hospital and my grandson came before his OB made it so I've heard and experienced exciting ones. I also think little Charlie is going to be well exciting to parent. He seems to be unpredictable and likes to do things his own way already. Congratulations again and give your sweet baby a snuggle for me.

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  28. A baby born in the caul is safe from drowning for life! Well, that's what they say. What I say is that you must have had a good strong sac -- good nutrition, right?

    That is an awesome birth story. When did the midwife show up, and was there anything to do when she got there?

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  29. woooaaaahhh....so awesome, what a story!!

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  30. Such an awesome birth story. SO awesome. Much awesome. ;)

    LOVE IT! Congrats a million times.

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  31. My husband delivered our #4 on the bed too! I had a sunny-side up babe the time before and labor took forever and ever, so we waited to call the doctor (planned home birth - he does home deliveries!) and he's an hour away and it was Chicagoland evening rush hour traffic. I remember that moment if sheer terror when I realized that I couldn't not push and the doctor was not anywhere close. But I love that it's one more thing we came through together.

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  32. Oh Dwija! Sobbing! What a beautiful story. I love that he came on a glorious day, a day when you were happy, and hopeful and busy, a day with your dear hubby home pampering you, a day dedicated to the patron saint of safe childbirth and delivery!!! Wow. Your story touches me deeply. Thank you for sharing it with us. And thank the Lord that you were already planning a home birth!

    And I just have to copy-paste this (so that I'll read it many more times and laugh louder and harder)... And in accordance with rule 492 of Talking to Overdue Pregnant Women he said "OF COURSE WHATEVER WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY CAN I PLEASE MAKE DINNER AND DESSERT WHILE YOU DO ANYTHING YOUR DARLING HEART DESIRES AND ALSO YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL AND FUNNY AND BRILLIANT."

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  33. Love. This. All of it. So real. So normal. So beautiful. So you. Thanks for sharing!

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  34. Wow. Wow. Wow.

    (But I secretly knew it would be this epic.)

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  35. Love this amazing story. Also, your husband is awesome.

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  36. Thank you for posting this! What a beautiful birth experience! Your body knows what it's about, mama... Thanks be to God for husbands and babies and all the birthday things. :)

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  37. This is amazing! So happy for you. And actually, this was helpful for me to read. My first delivery was a 21-hour pitocin experience. My second lasted only 3 hours, and I was so, so confused. I just couldn't fathom why I was feeling what I was feeling and was stunned when it was time to push. Reading this, I can see clearly now what was happening, it was just happening so darn fast, I couldn't process it! Congrats!

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  38. Baby in the bag is super good luck :) My youngest was born that way, too. She's magical.

    So so glad it all went well and swiftly and beautifully! Many blessings to you and yours :)

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  39. Sooooo wonderful. I love how Tommy didn't freak. I make that low moaning sound too, even told my midwife last time that I was sorry I sounded like a cow giving birth, to which she replied"I've heard cows give birth, and you don't sound like that". That made me feel so much better!

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  40. I enjoyed reading this post and glad for happy birth. I hope you write the details of what happened next like when did the midwife get there, when did the rest of the kids find out? What did Lizzy say afterwards about being there just as the baby was born? Finally, were you right or was the ultrasound and tape measure right about the dates?????

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  41. That's awesome! #5 went similarly - just took 2 hours and 15 minutes. The first hour of which was spent timing contractions to make sure that I was REALLY in labor before calling the dr. Turns out he was coming from almost 2 hours away, and the nurse was an hour away. SO - dear husband caught the baby on the sofa bed. Nurse showed up 30 minutes later, and dr. 30 minutes after that :) That last hour went much like your one hour. Congratulations!!

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  42. Question: When doctors or midwives show up late after the baby is born, do they still send a bill for delivering a baby????

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  43. Such an awesome story! :) Thank you for sharing!

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  44. Oh my goodness, EPIC! Love love love :)

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  45. This is so freaking awesome, Dweej! My first birth (and only thus far) was under an hour. Jacob was scared he'd be delivering the baby in the car. I just pray that the rest of them are also fast as has been your track record. CONGRATS again!

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  46. Holy wow!!! That is a fantastic story!!!! Congratulations and welcome to our world, wee Charlie!

    Jill

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  47. Love this! I'm glad I'm not the only one who was surprised by the speed of labor and had an unsuspecting husband deliver the baby. And being born in the sac... wow... I didn't even know that could happen (though reading the comments here I guess it does). You and your husband were both superstars!

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  48. What?! Crazy and wonderful!!! So happy for you :-)

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  49. Praise God! SO thankful for your safe delivery of that beautiful baby boy! This was a fantabulous (English major liberty taken right there) birth story. Lady, you're a superhero! And high five to your husband for catching that baby like a pro. :)

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  50. You Dweej are a rock star!!! Holy moly, that is quite the tale of baby birthing...and the story with St. Norbert's patronage, too.cool. Hope you and baby Charlie are resting well! :)

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  51. Congratulations to your family! An Amazing birth story.

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  52. AH!!! This is like Little House on the Prairie to me - you just birthed a baby on your own and rocked it! Did the midwife come? Holy cow. You are awesome.

    Also, since it was the vigil of St. Norbert - totally claim it! I was born on the eve of St. Lawrence and my parents unknowingly named me Lauren. He is totally one of my bffs. Since then St. Teresa Benedicta (Edith Stein) has been added on my bday and she's one of my crew too, but I'm all about claiming the vigils. :)

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  53. Such an awesome birth story! Welcome Charlie!!!

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  54. I want the rest of the story NOW!!!! First breathe, first cry, nursing, midwife, kids!!! I anxiously await the rest of the story! And btw, this is making me very excited to welcome our next at home this December. :)

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  55. What an awesome birth story. I also want to hear the rest!

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  56. Holy Buckets! Born in the sac??? Wowza woman. You be strong with the birthin force!! I am so happy for you that Charlie is finally here. Yay!! St.Norbert ROCKS!!

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  57. All of this is THE best! Juanito!!!

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  58. Loooooove! My middle kid was also a caul baby :) so special!

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  59. Best birth story ever! And seriously similar to my baby girl last August, minus 1 hour, minus one caul. The vacuuming, really, the vacuuming is the thing! Seriously, when you can pull yourself away from babymooning, you gotta read another homebirth story here:
    http://lovebecomesreal.blogspot.com/2013/08/hannah-roses-arrival-story.html

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  60. wow wow wow!! And you tell that so easily, so peace minded... i would be absolutely afraid of delivering on my own!!! congrats! lovely family you do have!

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  61. That sounds so much like my 4th delivery---where I told you I didn't recognize the "real" contractions and it was over in...actually, more like 30 minutes. Midwife didn't make it to that one either. How cool that he was born in the sac, and Tommy is awesome. You did great, Mama!

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  62. Best birth story ever! And what a cutie!

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  63. What an amazing story! Born in the sac… no midwife… could this be more exciting? Practical question… what is this box of saint cards you mentioned and is there a saint for every day?

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  64. What a great story. Amazing, Dwija. Kudos to Tommy!

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  65. What a story! I can only imagine how years from now the retelling of this story may go, "Remember the night Mama painted the chicken coop, made us some soup, vacuumed, took a shower then had Charlie on the floor of the bathroom?" All the best Dwija and welcome to the world sweet John Charles!

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  66. Great Googly Moogly!! That is one heck of a birth story!
    My 5th was born while I was on my hands and knees, too. Gotta be the most awkward position to give birth.

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  67. Oh my gosh. You are amazing and your husband is such a mensch!!!!! I think my husband could do it if the need arose, but I think he would greatly prefer the need never to arise.
    God bless you and your beautiful family!!!!

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  68. Did you see that one viral post that went around where a mom texted her husband to leave class because the baby was coming, then like 10 minutes later texted a picture of the baby instead? Oops. Some people just have to plan for those home births! Glad he is finally here because I needed some more baby pictures to get me through my last few weeks... ;)

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  69. Oh my gosh!! Yayyy! What a great birth story! My 4th was born at home... accidentally. :) 1 1/4 hour labor. It was the best. My poor husband, though.... :) Congratulations!

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  70. This is so fun! I'm about to have number 4 in 2 weeks, and kind of glad he's posterior so that maybe labor will take a little longer. It was only 2.5 hours from the time that I knew I was in labor last time, and I have to drive to a hospital almost an hour away!

    Your comment about the dying cow sound was so funny. My husband says he would recognize that sound anywhere. :)

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  71. You are a goddess. I'm so in awe.

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  72. My very pregnant little sister sent me this e-mail today, congrats and thank you so much for sharing with us! ~ your NH readers

    My life...
    1. someone just bought gas in KS with my credit card.
    2. I havent flossed in 6 months and have a dentist appt today.
    3. my faux lasagna might be a wee bit dry but smelled like heaven on earth last night.
    4. Googled how much Father Goose was on Amazon today... I'm craving that more than sushi right now.
    5. Holy birth story Dweej... have you read it?

    What does your life look like?

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    1. Oh my gosh, I NEED to start keeping a folder of fave blog comments!!! #thisoneisinforsure

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  73. Ahhhhhh!!! This is THEEEEE best birth story ever - from start to finish, the very, very best. I am so happy to have read it, now I can go to sleep peacefully and dream about it being my turn one of these years! :)

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  74. Ohmahgawsh, SAC?!!! If I were your hubs, I woulda passed out on the spot. So crazy. So happy your wait is OVER!! You were a total trooper. CONGRATULATIONS - he's a handsome little guy!!!!

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  75. Wow wow wow. This is the craziest edge of the seat birth story I've ever read. So glad you were prepared for a home birth!

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  76. I love your birth stories and I just love the way you tell them. The part during Mary's birth when you're singing a song (without words; I had to go back and look up that part so I remembered it right) and later realized what it was - goosebumps!!!!!

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  77. Best story EVER (and I'm a doula so I hear and see an awful lot of them.) I especially love that your curious 11yo got to help at the birth!! :)

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  78. I love that your husband was looking at the sac saying I don't know what this is! Lol

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