You were due in early October, around 10/8/79 but you decided it was nicer inside, and so you grew an extra pound or so and stayed in an extra 2-3 weeks. My midwife, Chris Johnson, decided it might be good to send me in to the hospital to see her back up doc, Philip Goldstein, so we made the appointment and early that Friday morning of October 26th, 1979, we headed into Sinai Hospital for a non stress test. I seem to remember it was a cold, grey day, and it was raining, off and on. You passed your test with flying colors, but I was so tired of being pregnant, so I asked Dr. G if there was anything he could do to get labor going. He was happy to comply, and he swept my membranes and then we went off to walk in the rain around Baltimore to see if that would help. We stopped and had a big breakfast at a diner after the visit to the hospital and then we went downtown Baltimore to walk around. We stopped at the Baltimore City Salvage yard and looked around at all the cool stuff they had. No labor yet, except for a few annoying contractions. I felt like I could barely walk, seeing as how it felt like I was carrying a 10 lb bowling ball in my pelvis. I remember it being so cold and rainy. I guess your sisters stayed with Mom Mom that day.
We finally went home to wait it out and see what was going to happen. We got home in the afternoon, and I probably took a nap. Some of it’s fuzzy now, but I remember the highlights.
Later that evening, it became apparent that labor was beginning, and not going away, so we called our midwife, and our friends and birth photographers, Hank & Suzy. Brenda Roberts was there with us too. She & I were very close and she is still a good friend. And of course, Sunshine & Jess were there, asleep. I think Sierra was at Mom Mom’s still. When I look now at the photos that Hank took while I was in labor and giving birth, it’s amazing to me that I was completely unaware of him there.
I remember walking back & forth from our bedroom to the bathroom and having to stop and get on all 4’s when a strong contraction came. There was a point, around 11 or so, when Chris checked me and I was at 7 cms dilation. I labored on a couple of hours and she checked me again; still 7 cms! Hmmm...I was pretty tired by then, so decided just to lay in bed and rest a while through contractions. Dad rubbed my back and Chris massaged my feet, so I could stay loose. After an hour of that, she checked me again...still 7, and you were facing sunnyside up, which explained the longer labor and the persistent backache, so at that point, she made me a strong cup of the nastiest tasting tea I had ever had. It was made with squawvine root and black cohosh. She put lots of honey in it and I drank it down.
She then had Dad spread a couple of newspapers on the floor and had me get in a deep squat until I had a BIG contraction! Wow, I couldn’t move. Before a few more minutes passed I had another big long contraction and all of a sudden you must have turned and dropped down, because my water broke with a splash and I had to PUUUSSSH! I couldn’t even stand up so Dad and Hank lifted me up onto the bed and Dad sat behind me so I could sit up to push you out. It took a little while, it didn’t happen fast, which was good, because I really did not want to tear.
I remember her telling me to put my hand down to feel your head once it was out and the amazement I felt at that, knowing you were almost here. Then out you came and you were so quiet at first, a little shocked to be out I think. I remember her handing you up to me and realizing you were a boy, and what a shock that was! A boy? After all this time? We had picked out your name when I was pregnant with Sunshine.
The atmosphere was calm and peaceful throughout my labor, I remember listening to Joni Mitchell’s album Blue, over and over again, until it was imprinted indelibly in my consciousness.
After you were born, Hank and Suzy went downstairs and prepared a feast of a breakfast, just as the sun was coming up..I think you were born between 3:30 and 4 am. You weighed 10 pounds even and were a big happy baby. As you can imagine, there was a big party at our house all that day and into the night, but I just stayed upstairs in my bubble and people would come up to say hello and admire you. For once, I was happy to miss the party...
Your birth made me a midwife, or set me on the path.
