I almost didn't share this story.
I know now that every pregnancy, birth, and child are different. Completely different.
I shared so much of baby Robert I wanted to hide this child away from the world until I was certain no harm would come to him. But we still have a lifetime to go and I can only protect him from so much so here goes, the story of his journey earth side.
Dalton was born a week and 6 days late by the standard 40 week birth clock, but he came on his own time when he was good and ready.
I delivered him at Special Beginnings Birth Center. We barely made it because at 42 weeks you are no longer a candidate for the birth center, you have to deliver in a hospital. The last time I was in a hospital with a a baby I had to hand him over to a funeral director. There was no way I was going back there. No flipping way. So we staged an eviction to get him out before that dreaded cut off. I had 3 rounds of acupuncture, walked every day, took labor tincture, pumped and did some other extra curriculars. It finally came down to my lovely midwife, who met me in a snow storm the day prior, stripping my membranes that gave him just enough of a push to get things going. I met her at 4:30 on the 3rd and by 11:30pm that night we were back at the birth center ready to go. I had an amazing team by my side, including my midwife Myra, doula Lorrie Leigh, a nurse who just happened to be the infamous Ann Sober (owner/director of Special Beginnings, Robert, and all the friends and family who held our hands along the way.
In their capable hands Dalton was born in the water at 5:30am on the 4th. It got a little hairy there at the end. My babies don't like those last few pushes to get them out. His heart rate dropped a little too low and everyone was urging me (rather loudly) to push him out already. I obliged and they placed him into my arms.
It has been one hell of a journey...physically and emotionally. While I will always feel a part of my family is missing his birth brought a much welcomed dose of healing to our home.
Hug your babies for me today and tell them you love them.
