A Very Fast, Christmas Eve Baby
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First of all, a few facts. This baby was baby number five for me. And with all previous deliveries I have need pitocin to help me to finish dilating. We live in a southern California mountain community and there are no obstetric doctors at our small emergency room so I was having the baby at the nearby mountain community at about a 45-minute drive.
It all started on Christmas Eve morning at 4:45 am. We were all sleeping and I felt a sensation so I sat up on the side of the bed and as I did my water broke but just a bit leaked. So I woke my husband Patrick and said my water broke we gotta go to the hospital. He quickly got up and dressed and said, "Are you sure? He's not due for two more weeks." I said, "Yes," and I called the hospital to tell them we were on the way.
We then woke the children and put them all in the back seat of the Corolla as no one was available nearby to watch them, and started to the hospital. I was still having no contractions and told my husband it would be okay. I knew contractions had to be timed and I wasn't having any as of yet. Then my water broke hard and gushed as we were driving about five minutes into the drive. Then I started contracting. First one, then five minutes later another. I told my husband, "See? It's okay. Just keep driving - they're still five minutes apart." The next came at only three minutes later, and the next two minutes after that.
Then I said, "Oh, my God! Do you feel his head?" to my husband as he trying to drive, he said he didn't. At this point it was maybe 25 minutes into the drive. Then in one more minute I said, "Oh, my God! His head is coming out!" My husband turned the inside light on and looked could see baby crowing as he was driving. I said, "Pull over! He's coming out!" My husband said, "Let me find a safe place as were on a two lane mountain road with no area to pull off." I said, "No time! Pull over now, right now!"
As he jumped out of the car and came around, the baby's head was out to his ears. I reached down and felt a head and an ear. He said, "Well, push him out." I tried and he inched out to right above shoulders then stopped. He said, "You gotta get him the rest of the way out!" I said, "Okay, I feel another contraction coming. Just catch him." And with that he came the rest of the way out.
With my feet up on the dash of our Toyota Corolla and the children ages 11, 6, 5 and 17 months in the back seat watching. He quickly grabbed the towel that I had taken with us and handed me the baby and put him on my chest and we wrapped him in the towel. I checked his mouth with my finger and he didn't really cry too much but was moving. Then my husband got back in and we continued to drive another 15 minutes to the hospital with the cord still attached and the placenta still within me. We reached the hospital just as my mother pulled in the hospital parking lot, and I yelled at her to get the other children out of the car.
Then the emergency room doctor came out and cut the cord while I was still sitting in the front seat, and they took the baby in. Then they gave me a towel to hold between my legs and helped me to get into the wheel chair and took me in. The baby was placed in warmer and given oxygen and examined.
Little Patrick was 7 pounds, 3 ounces, and pronounced "perfect" by the pediatrician on duty at the hospital. My doctor came in about then quickly delivered placenta said I had no tears and was fine as well. We were released with a clean bill of health on Christmas Day 2000 with the best present and most excitement ever.
