After asking me a few questions, Damaris determined that she would head right this way. Feeling quite sure that this was happening and knowing that my mother and Damaris were on their way, I went to bundle up on the sofa in the living room. I soon determined that I was much too cold and went to wake Chad and ask him to start a fire. We had never used our fireplace before, but when the electricity went out the previous day my mother had gone to Lowes and bought the very last grate. Chad sleepily joined me in the living room to start the fire, and about that time my parents arrived bearing their own small propane heater. Damaris arrived a few minutes later, now about 5:00 A.M. and filled our home with the very special sense that it had become the birthplace of our child and a well tended birthing facility. She checked my vitals and my father helped her bring her supplies in from her van. Daddy then left on his extensive search for more of the propane canisters to fuel the heaters and did not return until after the birth. I continued to labor and shiver on the sofa while the fire, the propane heaters, the flashlights, and the people I love began to warm and brighten our living room.
Damaris patiently helped us think through where we should set up for the birth. We had planned to use our bedroom, but the children were still sleeping in there and the fire in the living room was our greatest source of heat. We decided to pull the twin mattress off the bed in Caleb's room and put it in front of the fire. My contractions were closer and stronger, and it felt good to lie by the fire on the mattress. Caleb woke up, now about 5:30 A.M., and Chad brought him in to lie with me beside the fire. Caleb was so sweet and snuggled up beside me, and I remember Damaris smiling at us. Damaris had been trying unsuccessfully to get in touch with her assistant who was to attend and assist at the birth. We later learned that her phone was out due to the ice storm, and that her cell phone battery had died without her knowing it.
Damaris wanted to check my cervix and, when I was finally able to cooperate, she discovered that I was dilated to 8 centimeters. As Damaris and my mother discussed not being able to reach the assistant, my mother said that she could call her next door neighbor and best friend, Mrs. Andersen (a retired labor and delivery nurse) to help. Damaris agreed and Mama called Mrs. Andersen and woke her up. She said that she would come, but a few minutes later she called back to make sure that she had not dreamed the conversation! Damaris asked me if I wanted to get in the bathtub, but I decided to stay by the fire. Being in the tub during Caleb's labor brought his head down and he was born very shortly after, and I wanted to make sure that Mrs. Andersen got there before this baby was born. I told someone to go wake up Lilly because I knew that she didn't want to miss the baby's birth. Lilly's sweet, excited face soon appeared in the living room to tell me good morning and to remind me how excited she was to meet our baby. Around 6:30 A.M. I was standing in front of the fire, leaning on Chad, and Mrs. Andersen arrived. Chad saw that the fire need more wood and urgently excused himself to go split some more. I then somewhat more urgently said that he was not going to do anything but stand right there, hold me up and help me have this baby (transition!)
My moans had turned deep and bearing and Damaris and Mrs. Andersen knew that I was pushing. The sun was beginning to rise; it was minutes before 7:00 A.M. and the children were in the kitchen with Mama eating cereal. I had begun to kneel on the mattress that was still in front of the fire and to lean my arms on the sofa that had been placed behind the mattress. Chad was holding my hands, and I was making some good, loud birthing noises. Mama says that Lilly and Caleb looked at each other, put their hands over their ears, and took off running down the hall, away from their noisy mother. About the time they got down the hall, they heard the cry of their new, noisy baby brother, and they promptly came racing back to join us all in the living room. When I had turned around to face the fire and the beautiful new little boy who was lying on the mattress before me, I could hardly believe that he was really here and that I was actually through it. I credit my Creator, my husband, my family (both the ones living in my parent's house and the ones in the house next door), and my compassionate, competent midwife, Damaris, for this, my third, miraculous birth experience. I am so blessed!
Jacob Germeroth Parker was born in his home at 7:04 A.M. on Friday December 6, 2002. He weighed 9 pounds and 8 ounces and was 22 inches long. His brother Caleb was also born at home (10 lbs, 2 oz) and delivered with Damaris in December 1999. His sister Lilly was born at Mercy South Hospital in January 1997.
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The house was dark and cold in the early morning hours of December 6, 2002. I lay in bed with my husband, Chad, and our children, Lilly, almost 6 years old, and Caleb, almost 3 years old. The children were sleeping in our bed that night due to the cold. I had no idea what time it was because the night before an ice storm had resulted in the most widespread power outage on record in our region. Three times I got out of bed and went into the bathroom to sit on the toilet, light the small propane heater to stay warm, and read by flashlight. I had felt no contractions, but I couldn't help wondering if I were in labor. When I realized that I was consistently miserable lying in bed and sitting in the bathroom, I decided to find my way by flashlight to the kitchen. Chad had left out an old watch for me to tell the time of day, so I thought I may as well walk around the house to keep from freezing while I timed whatever it was that had me out of the warm bed at 3:00 A.M. So I walked bundled in warm pajamas, socks, slippers, and my heavy robe. I circled through my foyer, into the living room, dining room and kitchen carrying my flashlight and the watch. I could walk three laps, which took about four minutes before I had to stand by the stove and relax. I did this for about an hour before I decided to call my mother and ask her if she thought I might possibly be in labor. As we talked, I had to be quiet and relax through a contraction which is what the pains were feeling more and more like. Mama could not hide her excitement over thinking this was the real thing, and that gave me great hope that I might finally meet my baby. We ended our conversation agreeing that I should call Damaris.
