10/22/2024
A full moon baby is not as common as popular culture might have you believe. Last week’s beautiful moon was a little extra special, for with it arrived sweet baby Josie.
Josie waited a little longer than any of her siblings to arrive earthside. Thursday night, I was full of hope for a middle-of-the-night wake-up call, as it seemed like labor was getting closer.
(One of the hard jobs as a midwife is to curb your enthusiasm , when families ask: is this really happening? and all you have to go on is your gut. Many of you have experienced this from me and other midwives – vague and noncommittal answers like: soon! Or, I’m hopeful. Or, we’ll see! Try to get some rest.)
Lo and behold, my phone rang just after two! It seemed like labor was starting, though the pattern was a little different from usual, so we gave it 15 minutes before heading out. I arrived at their house in the wee dark hours accompanied by the beautiful supermoon. We were going to have a baby that day, maybe before the sun came up, although both parents were still a little in denial and expecting something that would linger into the morning and maybe even the afternoon.
Not long after I got there, the youngest woke up and was simply not interested in going back to sleep. She made her way downstairs after we got the birth tub set up and were filling it with water, which was an amazing distraction and a real draw! She also just wanted to be with her mama, touch her sweetly. A little voice asking, “what doing?” and “baby” sounded throughout the labor. She wasn’t phased for a moment.
Not long after, her older brothers woke up – those sounds from labor can be confusing and even a little scary if you don’t know what’s going on. I checked in with each of them and told them their mama was working hard, and that she was OK. I encouraged them to find each other, and they did – in the living room where the labor was happening. This was not part of the plan! But they just settled in, and asked questions, checked in. In the meantime, this baby was getting closer and closer.
Her mama, M, was working hard - M asked me to check and make sure, see how much work she had ahead of her: just a tiny bit of cervical tissue, her baby's head was low, and her bag of water was intact. Her water had always been broken in the past, but not this time. I had enough time to tell her what I felt and write down the time, when she said “AnnMarie!” with a fierce look in her eyes; I could see the top of her babies head beginning to emerge. I turned to my apprentice Mae, and said, “Get the bowl!” (with the birth kit, which was both unspoken and understandably, unexpected). She said, “get what?” And said: “Everything! Her head's out.”
Mae passed everything closer and we turned to witness this beautiful baby swimming out into the water, to see her mother‘s hands reach out and gather her up, bringing her to her chest. To see this scrunched up little face, ready to take on the world, singing out her first words with her whole family right there. I don’t think I will ever forget the awe on her siblings’ faces, the pride and relief on her dad‘s face, and the sheer joy on her mom‘s.
Josie was born before sunrise, Friday, October 18, 2024. 9 lbs. 8 oz. and 21 inches long with tons of vernix and lots of dark hair. Welcome to the world, beautiful Josie!
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