Daniel's Epic Escape

Let's start this post with the providential part. To the minute the baby was born, Cam was half way around the world, landing helicopters, and praying, "God, this could be the moment my wife is giving birth."

And, minutes before that on a freeway in San Diego, Cam's mom was praying to God, "Bring Rachel to Camlon's thoughts and prayers now...." as we raced to the hospital. As Cam shared this with me this morning, he said, "Be sure to tell my mom about the timing of it all because she loves it when this happens."

Yes, when God proves so faithful in connecting us together from afar for these certain moments of life. And reveals his plans in very mysterious ways.

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The Birth Plan: aka. My Plan
For most women that are about to give birth, they are asked to think through a course of action for when labor begins. Do you want medication? Do you want music? Lights on low? Etc.... Of our four babies, Eric (#3), was the closest one to follow any sort of birth plan that I had in my head. I had read a bunch about hypno-birthing and knew that would work for me. Not the chanting or imagining some beach, some where......but just to relax through the increasing pains of labor, knowing that would help labor progress the fastest.

So, my birth plan for baby #4 consisted of this:
1. Hopefully arrive at the hospital and meet the mid-wife of my dreams
2. Get into my breathing, relaxing, calming groove
3. Have a baby!

Pretty simple, right? Hard to mess that up. Well, it is hard to mess up step 3. Everything else this time operated entirely under Murphy's Law. Apparently, Providence has an amazing sense of humor.

Camlon's mother, Jacki, has been an instrumental force during all my labors and Daniel's birth was no exception. From our home delivery of Finn, and the births of Ally and Eric, she would tell me gently to relax my shoulder here, slow down my breathing, or toward the end, when howling like a coyote through the contractions sounds best to me, she would chide gently, "Rachel, use loooooooooooow tones......." The past few weeks, I was filled with longing and anxiety for this babe's birthday. My constant mantra, "Low and Slow....."

A few weeks ago, a friend from high school, Jill Hovatter, posted on facebook how her baby girl had "escaped from the womb." I thought it was such a beautiful way to write about a birth or to even think of it in that way, rather than say....... an eviction!!


The Real Story:

I get up early Monday morning, 6ish, to this sky.




I feel labor coming on half way through my bowl of Grapenuts. I stop eating and look out the window and think:

"Well.......this is the worse time to go into labor."


Even with all the planning I had to do with Camlon gone, Monday morning was my plan's Kryptonite. There was a lot to take care of in a short window of time. My body skips over what most women experience as early labor and I can get confused. "Is this an I-ate-something-bad-cramp" or "Am-I-going-to-have-this-baby-in-an-hour"??. Jacki does not let me contemplate such extreme denial. We get the kids straight for school, I decide I have time to take a shower (mistake), get my shoes on, but I decide to leave them untied (greatest decision of my life to date). We jump in the silver minivan at 7:45am, just in time for San Diego morning rush hour. Where do we need to go? Straight to the heart of downtown, of course: Balboa Naval Hospital.

My thoughts were never that I'd go into labor at this time of day. Who does that?? Most labors begin at night by some magical force of a full moon... I was more worried about calling my helpers in the middle of the night, hoping they'd pick up their phones. Luckily, my neighbor and closest helper, Kathy, had not left for work yet and came over right away to help with the kids and organize the rest of their day.

Back to the freeway, I'm already gripping the armrest through contractions. We are intelligent ladies and opt to take the expressway, giving us an extra 10 minutes we would squander later. Right at our last merge to the hospital, we take the wrong way and literally end up in the heart of downtown. I'm on the side of the seat at this point, clawing the door handle. I have my window down and feel the rain cooling me off, keeping me from passing out! Jacki's talking on the cell to someone at triage giving us directions. Our Honda Odessey was carefully going through red lights and weaving around slowpokes.

We finally arrive at the checkpoint......behind a motorcyclist who is checking every pocket in his entire flight suit for his ID! Jacki's yelling out the window, "She's in labor!"

At this point, I'd like to remind you about my 3-step birth plan. Through all this drama, I was still trying to get to that place of relaxation. I was trying to go to my happy, Sloooow, loooow gentle place that Jacki encourages me in.... Somewhere downtown, Jacki suddenly calls out, in the middle of my low and slow breathing, "No Rachel. You need to breath high & fast. High & Fast." And she demonstrated. WHAT??? I'm confused. For only a moment.

"Oh, right. This is the Let's-keep-the-baby-IN breathing."

Get it. Fantastic. High & Fast. High & Fast.

We arrive and park by the entrance, and Jacki sets off for a wheelchair. I stay for a few minutes with the car door open, the rain coating my shaking arm. It feels so good. I can't wait there. I get out and walk to the lobby (or "quarter deck" by Navy lingo) before the next contraction sends me to my hands and knees right at the automatic door. Talk about an entrance! Several corpsman surround me and ask if I'm OK. If they wait 30 more seconds I can answer them, but by then, I see Jacki's feet and know we are set to go! I get into a wheelchair and we are off to labor and delivery. It could have been "smooth sailing" (sorry, couldn't resist) except that the wheelchair had a bad wheel just like old grocery carts. We bang into the elevator door and jerk around corners. Oh that sweet lady did her best to steer and I did an amazing balancing act with most of my weight on my hands.

Jacki may insert more here b/c all I remember from the room is us getting there, the OB saying, "Complete. Complete. 10 cm," and then being told to push. The only thing I (Jacki) would add is that we had a very dramatic entrance into Labor and Delivery, after calling ahead, talking to the lady in Triage on the way through downtown San Diego, calling from the desk to get a wheelchair, bursting through the door, all 15-20 or so people standing behind the desk just stared at us! They, obviously, must not be used to women coming in ready to push. OK, back to Rachel.... Remember, I didn't tie my shoes!! I got on the bed faster then a leaping dolphin! About 15-20 minutes later, Daniel was born. Camlon again picked the best name. His middle name is Elliot, after Jim Elliot. I was so happy. And, after he was born healthy and I'd realized we made it......I knew I had quite a story for Camlon! He can not wait to get home. Our favorite quote from Jim's diary,

"Wherever you are, be all there."

He may have heard that elsewhere, but it resonated with him as well... He lived his life with that passion.

Daniel also has a sweet heart-shaped birthmark and the biggest surprise of all that he gave us....

9 Pounds, 12 Oz.


A full 2 pounds heavier than any of my other babies. He already looks and eats like a one-month-old.





Our next adventure will be reuniting with Daddy on that pier as a family of 6.

Soon......

God Bless all Mid-wives and MacGyver for a Mother-in-law! Her last feat......jimmy rigging our baby car seat to fit the baby using only.....................drumroll.........one of my broken hair-ties. Honestly. Bless her brave soul for being here during this time! Her last thoughts as we were leaving labor and delivery that morning.......

"You know, Rachel. If that baby was 7 pounds like your other babies, we would have had that baby in the car."



Providence.

Welcome little Daniel. :)