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| Noun- the fourth child born to the Webster family |
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| during labor |
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| a fresh oakley doing "the pirate" |
Oakley Faye Webster
A point could be argued that child birth is the single greatest feat ever performed by humans. The counter argument is it has happened billions and billions of times so it cannot be that significant. On the whole maybe that is valid but there are two counter arguments to that. The first is that individually it is the most significant part of a person’s life for without it nothing else would be possible. Second is that the act can be performed by only one group, women. No man regardless of the leaps that have been made in science can reproduce this miracle. Being classified a man, and having watched Lenor give birth for the fourth time, I can only recollect in wonder the amazing task that has been performed. In a former life I would look for opportunities to put myself through physically challenging events. Yet it stands that all my accomplishments combined do not tally up to one night of 10 hours of labor and eventually delivering a baby standing up. That’s right I said standing up.
After having fallen asleep a few hours before Lenor woke me up at 10:30 to go to the store and get a hose that could be used to fill up the birthing tub. Although I was still half asleep I put 2 and 2 together and realized that it was go time. The next thought was, “Why can’t this ever happen during the day? Why always in the middle of the night?” Then she continued by saying that her water had broken and that the contractions were steady.
I quickly got dressed without taking a shower and drove on a rainy cold night to the only place open, Walmart, and walked aimlessly around that massive edifice to consumerism. I am certain the security people watching on the cameras were laughing at me as I walked circles not remembering half the time what I was even there to do. I eventually accomplished my mission and returned to a bedroom that had been turned into a delivery room, minus the bright lights. With Marlo’s arrival and to my relief I was instructed to go back to bed until further notification of my services was given. 2 Hours later I was startled by the sound of preparation and of an unfamiliar voice. Amy our midwife had arrived and was setting up everything one person would need to perform minor surgery. While I slept Lenor labored on, and I figured if the midwife was here it was go time again and that I should get up and get dressed. Lenor was dressed in some kind of Lamanite tribal war outfit consisting of just a bra. It was all a bit much to take in, in the middle of the night. But I was ready go.
Now is when the amazing happens. Lenor although dressed for battle, was as peaceful as the Dalia Lama. I knew not to speak to her if her eyes were closed taking deliberate breathes. This would be the pattern for the next few hours as she relaxed in the tub. Supposing it would go quickly much like Roen’s birth we were lively in anticipation. But a few more hours went by and a catnap was called for by everyone. But Lenor labored on stoic in her determination to stay within herself and allow the discomfort to wash over her and open the way for life. Watching her I caught myself a few times thinking “Oh yeah, I could totally do that.” She seems at peace, while the event has been described as “the 10” on the pain scale, thus producing an experience that is truly amazing to watch.
We told jokes and laughed and talked about high school and food in between contractions. During contractions the bathroom turned into a holy shrine to childbirth as we all watched in reverence the process of cervix dilation.
A few more hours went by and the look of tired was worn all over Lenor’s face. Sure we were all tired but nobody else had a constant tightening of our insides for the past nine hours. Another midwife named Cindy came over and it was determined that we needed to let gravity do some work. With me holding Lenor and her standing up she worked hard through one contraction while finally making a sound of release. Amy upon checking proclaimed that the baby was right there and just a few more contraction would do it. Quickly another one came, and then right on top of that another and it was topped with a primal groan of liberation. The head was out but the cord was wrapped so tightly around the baby’s neck that Amy could not get her fingers in to unwrap it. It was quickly determined that the cord was pulled so tight as to not allow the baby to come down any further and that the cord needed to be cut immediately. In a calm swiftness Cindy disappeared into a bag to find a clamp and scissors, but it would be to late as one more contraction and push let the baby make a full entrance. The cord was quickly untangled not only the two times around the neck, but once around the chest as well. The color quickly changed and a slight whimper was let out followed by a stronger and stronger one. It seems to be forgotten in this miraculous few minutes that we do not even know if this will be boy number 4 or the first storm of pink for our family. Seeing the face, the resemblance to Minerboy was so obvious that I was positive it was the former. But quickly after toweling off the birth, the proclamation rang out “It’s a girl!” I cried. I don’t know girls. We have no pink. We are really in for it.
We needed to get Lenor off her feet and onto the bed, because don’t forget this all happened while she stood. Mom and baby were checked, baby was eating, I was done crying, and we all marveled at what an amazing feat this birth was.
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| her first nap |
