Boy oh boy, did he come out quick!

This was not the birth we had planned. For months I have been envisioning a home birth. A quiet, intimate affair. What went down was neither quiet nor intimate. It was bright, loud (mostly because of my yelling—probably would have freaked out our neighbors anyway). Oh, and the birth was quick. Like, really quick.

Here is the timeline:

9:30 pm on Feb. 17 after our first birth class...(We were so excited after class. Our teacher, Penny Simkin, made pushing out baby sound so empowering. Maybe I got over excited about the whole thing.) we got home and I begin to feel funny. Like the baby was resting heavy on my pelvis.

Felt like he was in there all sprawly-style. Scott took this picture, which he calls, 'dislocated baby'"
(Note protruding Hale on the left side there)

3:30 am on Feb. 18 — I wake up and have Scott rub my belly hoping it will convince the baby to move a bit. I decide that I will call the midwives in the morning to see if there is some trick to get the baby to adjust its position.

6:30 am — I wake up to do some yoga, but it just doesn't feel good. I look up the midwives number to see what time I can call.

7:15 am — I know something is going on. I wake up Scott "Umm, I think we should call the midwives." I worry that it might not be enough of an emergency, but then I almost collapse with pain and figure it is OK if Scott makes the call. Scott hands me the phone and the midwife hears my voice and says, "Honey, I think you are in labor. You got to get to the hospital." I don't remember panicking. I put toothpaste in my purse, but not a toothbrush and we left.

7:25 am — No time to think or be afraid. We are on the road and there is morning traffic on I-5 and I am yelling something fierce. I grab onto Scott's hand as he drives through red lights on Capitol Hill. I never think "Oh crap, I am in labor" I just brace myself against Scott's hand and the car door and scream from the gut.

8:05 — We arrive at Urgent Care. I am whisked off to a delivery room. Everyone was calm but acted swift. Some part of me knew it was an emergency, but I was so focused on getting through the pain, that I just went with it. I still felt no fear. I just felt I had to get this job done.

Scott was right beside me. I had his hand the whole time. I kept looking in his eyes. At one point, I remember he had my purse around his shoulder. There was no time to ask what to do with such a thing. He was in one of those hospital scrub outfits with my Queen Bee purse he got me for my birthday resting on his lap. It was such an odd sight and so funny, but there was no time or energy to laugh.

9:02 — There was some crazy pain. (And, damn I can't remember it. Our bodies and brains are amazing.) Hale True is born! I am reeling and remain reeling.

I felt so exhilarated after pushing him out. I felt like I really accomplished something. I was so in love with the nurses and the doctor that were there with me. One amazing woman was holding my hand, my leg so it would stay open and was taking pictures at the same time.

I felt like I had known them forever. I felt closer to Scott than ever before. I now we have a baby boy— I love this kid. In the end, I wouldn't change a thing about my birth experience.

It turns out it was everything it was supposed to be.