On Monday, January 16, 2006, around 5:00 or 5:30 AM, Aimee woke me up and told me she was in labor and had been for a few hours. She took a shower and I went back to sleep. Around 6:00 AM she woke me up and told me it was time to get ready. We started timing her contractions, which were slightly irregular, which after an hour only lasted for 30 seconds at four or five minutes apart. I put together our bag, dressed Daniel, and called the Swintons to tell them we would be dropping off Daniel in a few minutes. In the meantime, we called the nurse midwives at Vanderbilt and told them we were on our way. We soon realized there was no time to drop Daniel off; we needed to leave.
Around 8:00 AM, Aimee and Daniel started down the stairs to the car while I turned off the lights in the apartment. Aimee cried out, “Help! James, help!” I ran out the door and tried to get her down the stairs. When that didn’t work I tried carrying her back into the apartment. She wouldn’t budge. Daniel was crying. I tried to give her a blessing but Aimee said, “I’m having the baby! See!” She pulled down her pants and the baby was crowning. Our neighbor, Bridget, dashed out of her apartment. I told her to get a blanket or towel; we were having the baby.
Somehow I had the presence of mind to call 911. With the cell phone smashed between my shoulder and ear, Bridget handed me her bedspread and then stood with Daniel at the top of the stairs. I caught our daughter as she was pushed out with the next contraction. The operator instructed me to clear the baby’s mouth and nostrils. She began to cry. He then instructed me to place the baby on Aimee’s stomach and to get a string to tie off the umbilical cord. Bridget pulled out one of her shoelaces and handed it to me. We could hear the sirens approaching and within a minute the firefighters were there. A few minutes later, the ambulance arrived. They cut the umbilical cord and wrapped Rebekah in an emergency thermal blanket. Fortunately, it was around 45 degrees, which was unseasonably warm for mid-January. They lifted Aimee onto a stretcher and wheeled her to the ambulance. Daniel and I stood at the top of the stairs and watched the emergency response team do their work.
Daniel and I were instructed to go to our car. We sat in the parking lot for several minutes and that’s when I knew everything was going to be okay. It happened so fast; there was no time to be scared. Adrenaline and the survival instinct kicked in before the fear had time to take hold. I called my dad and father-in-law and told them Aimee had delivered the baby. After what seemed like ten or fifteen minutes, but was probably only three or four, the ambulance pulled out and we followed behind. We raced down Highway 70 at 70-75 mph, watching the cars part the way. Aimee told me later the driver said there was no real emergency. He just wanted to get to the hospital quickly. We arrived to Vanderbilt University Hospital and Aimee delivered the placenta.
Our daughter was born on the stairs outside our second floor apartment. Today is her third birthday.
Around 8:00 AM, Aimee and Daniel started down the stairs to the car while I turned off the lights in the apartment. Aimee cried out, “Help! James, help!” I ran out the door and tried to get her down the stairs. When that didn’t work I tried carrying her back into the apartment. She wouldn’t budge. Daniel was crying. I tried to give her a blessing but Aimee said, “I’m having the baby! See!” She pulled down her pants and the baby was crowning. Our neighbor, Bridget, dashed out of her apartment. I told her to get a blanket or towel; we were having the baby.
Somehow I had the presence of mind to call 911. With the cell phone smashed between my shoulder and ear, Bridget handed me her bedspread and then stood with Daniel at the top of the stairs. I caught our daughter as she was pushed out with the next contraction. The operator instructed me to clear the baby’s mouth and nostrils. She began to cry. He then instructed me to place the baby on Aimee’s stomach and to get a string to tie off the umbilical cord. Bridget pulled out one of her shoelaces and handed it to me. We could hear the sirens approaching and within a minute the firefighters were there. A few minutes later, the ambulance arrived. They cut the umbilical cord and wrapped Rebekah in an emergency thermal blanket. Fortunately, it was around 45 degrees, which was unseasonably warm for mid-January. They lifted Aimee onto a stretcher and wheeled her to the ambulance. Daniel and I stood at the top of the stairs and watched the emergency response team do their work.
Daniel and I were instructed to go to our car. We sat in the parking lot for several minutes and that’s when I knew everything was going to be okay. It happened so fast; there was no time to be scared. Adrenaline and the survival instinct kicked in before the fear had time to take hold. I called my dad and father-in-law and told them Aimee had delivered the baby. After what seemed like ten or fifteen minutes, but was probably only three or four, the ambulance pulled out and we followed behind. We raced down Highway 70 at 70-75 mph, watching the cars part the way. Aimee told me later the driver said there was no real emergency. He just wanted to get to the hospital quickly. We arrived to Vanderbilt University Hospital and Aimee delivered the placenta.
Our daughter was born on the stairs outside our second floor apartment. Today is her third birthday.
4 comments:
I remember being very excited for you guys, and being thankful that that never happened to us.
Happy birthday, Rebekah!
That is an amazing experience. Scary, but amazing. Congratulations on the successful delivery and beautiful family.
Thank you for publishing this amazing story. How did the 3rd birthday turn out?
I remember the call from Aimee's parents and absolutely freaking out on your behalf.
Your daughter is a treasure - and so is that wife of yours who I adore.
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