Somewhere Over the Rainbow

March 31, 2021

I am at my last ultrasound appointment for Unborn 4. My due date is tomorrow, April 1, and what a funny date to have. I always felt like a joke was being played on me having that due date, like I was on an episode of Punk'd for 10 months waiting for a crew to pop out an say "Joke's on you, baby is not yours, thank you for your time." But that never happened. I just have this doctor in front of me saying there is a chance I can be induced tomorrow when I follow up with my OB/GYN. They always worried my baby was "too small" with measured weight just over 6 pounds, and I always rebutted with 8 pound babies were "too big", so they want the baby out. Well we agree on something because so do I. I waddled out the office with one thing on my mind. I am going into labor tonight.

I take the stairs instead of elevator, I power walk to the train home, I stand instead of sitting, and I take some more stairs to get home. It's about 4pm and I walk through the door shouting to my household that this baby is being evicted tonight. My household consists of my partner, five year old daughter and almost two year old son. I retell my visit at the ultrasound appointment to my partner and enforce that I refuse to be medically induced. I will naturally go into labor tonight. I tell my daughter, who is ecstatic to get a new sibling, to get on her dancing shoes that we will dance the new baby here. She is more than enthused even though she has no idea what that actually means. We do not know the gender of the baby either and that is by choice. As we have both a daughter and son, we decided to let this one be a surprise. No one knows. My daughter is team girl all the way and is very hopeful for a baby sister, whom she claims she will raise as her twin, while my partner and I do not have a preference. My son is like "I am the baby."

We are cooking and dancing. There is no holding back tonight. I climb on the chair to reach up to the high cabinet instead of him reaching for me so he just spots me to ensure my safety. I climb down. I shuffle my way back to the stove to continue the preparation of my last pregnancy meal; white rice and beans with sautéed steak. There is laughter, music, and much happiness all around inviting the new baby to our world. My daughter and I are droppin it down down low while my son is bussin his own baby moves with us. This family is ready for Unborn 4 to come home. The mantra of the night is "Baby you are being evicted!"

It is 10pm. We call my sister in law, as she is designated baby sitter during labor and delivery, to inform her of the circumstance as I know this baby is coming by morning. She is now on alert and stand by. I shower now to save time, hospital bag is by the door, and so is my jacket.

Ready, set ...

April 1, 2o21

5am. I am sleeping, but faintly feel pains in my stomach and become confused as to why for a few seconds and then my eyes shoot open... it's happening. As I lay waiting for something else to happen, as if the baby is gonna come crawling out, I fall back asleep. I am awoken again with pain and this happens two more times before I begin to clock them. They are 30 minutes apart. I send a text to my mom and sisters at 7am saying, "Today is the day", then at 7:20am to my sister in law. She begins to get ready to come to my house. The door to my room suddenly opens, it is my daughter and she asks, "Is the baby coming?" Her Spidey senses were definitely tingling. I walk with her out the room answering yes and explaining the next sequence of events. We walk back and forth as we talk, stopping for contractions; she is holding my hand, and I could tell she is nervous. She is so brave. She has been preparing for this day, learning how to change diapers and asking many questions. Suddenly, I hear my son wake up.

By 8:30 am, I am sending a text to my sister in law asking her how long, I cannot wait any longer. Everything is intensifying. The surges are frequent but I am not timing them. My partner is taking care of the morning duties with the children while I wait hunched over on our bed anticipating each surge. I can hear the chaos of breakfast and diaper changing, and want to go help him, but I cannot. She responds that her ETA is 9:03 am. It is 8:40 am. I look up the ETA for a Lyft and it says 16 minutes. This is an eternity in the laboring world. I set it up. Whether she is here or not, I am getting into that Lyft and going to the hospital.

Fortunately, by the time I got to my house door and opened it, she was standing there about to knock. My focus was purely on my body, the baby, and the Lyft, so any pleasantry greetings were neglected. As I walked out the door, I then realized I lived on the second floor and had to walk down about 15 steps to reach the front door, then another 15 steps to reach sidewalk. I never had to do that my past two pregnancies, so this was a brand new challenge and one I will never forget. My partner is in front of me and I am yelling at him to go outside and grab the Lyft because we can't miss it, because I can't move any faster. I finally reach outside and see the car across the street. It is raining. He reverses into my driveway as I maneuver down the stairs to reach him. He is watching me make my way down and as I reach the last step, he rolls down his back window and yells, "If this is an emergency, call 911", then drives off.

It is 9:07 am and he drove off. I know the time because I looked at phone in shock. My partner begins to shout and half run after the car. He drove off? Why would he do that to me? In the rain? How am I going to get there now? I begin to feel anxious and I hear the neighbor across the street on their balcony yelling to call 911. I begin to say the same to my partner. I prepare to sit right there on my step and let nature take its course. What else could I do? At that exact moment, a car pulls up and a woman sticks her head out the driver's window and says "I saw that whole thing, get in, I will take you." The relief from this divine gesture plus the feeling of gratitude was so overwhelming I began to cry. All I heard was "Come in, come in" so that's what we did.

She told us her name and asked to be directed to the hospital, so I did. Whether she asked for directions to keep me focused or because she genuinely did not know, either way it did not matter, it was a good re direct of my focus. She and my partner did the small talk while I sat focused on my breathing and moving my body with the motion of the car. Love engulfed me during the seven minute car ride to the hospital and my heart continuously thanked this woman who came to our rescue. At one point, I looked over at my partner and realized we did not have the hospital bag.

"You didn't grab the hospital bag??" I asked him.

"There was so much going on, I forgot."

"It was right in front of the door waiting for you." As I turn my head back to the window to brace for the upcoming surge, I get a glimpse of the driver in her mirror and we smile at each other. This is crazy I think to myself. He will just have to go home and get it once the baby arrives.

At my final "Make this right and the entrance is to the right" direction, the calmness I felt at finally arriving was comforting. She and my partner jumped out the car while I attempted to pull myself out. She ran inside to grab personnel and my partner stayed to help me. This woman is an angel. She comes with security and a wheelchair and all I could say was thank you. My body wanted to hug and embrace this woman, but Covid prevents us from making any contact. I did feel awkward just leaving her like that after what she just did for me, but time is of the essence and I had a baby to deliver. I hope she can feel how grateful I was. I overheard her mention her address during the ride, I will find her and repay her.

By this point, I no longer kept track of time. I assume it is a little past 9:30 am by the time I reach the delivery room. My all female staff empowered me even more. Each and every practitioner present was efficient, precise, gentle, encouraging, and best of all carried smiles that beamed genuineness. This all encouraged me to not face the pain with negativity and anger, but rather be aware of each and every surge knowing my body was bringing my baby closer to this world. The nurses undressed me and checked me when I heard she is 7cm, you want the epidural? No hesitation I said yes. They put the IV in my arm, and continued to set everything up when I asked when the anesthesiologist was coming. The surges were so intense at this point, I couldn't lay straight on the bed, I was half sitting myself up. The nurses worked around my position of preference instead of forcing me another way to make things easier for themselves. The midwife wanted to check me again before answering me because I overheard them saying since this is my third baby, it should happen very quickly. She checked me and I heard the words that every mother to be hears during her labor fantasies..."You are 10cm, push your next contraction"

WHAT!?! The voice in my head screamed. Every pregnancy I attempted to mentally prepare myself for a natural birth, no medication , and every time my labor started the pain was so intense I always caved and went straight to epidural. This time I had no choice and that was scary, but I trusted my body. This is what I always wanted, but never had the courage to push 100% through. My body is strong and has endured so much in its' lifetime and if it created this baby, it certainly knows how to birth it. And that is exactly what it did. At 9:57 am, my baby girl was born weighing in at exactly six pounds, 19 inches. Magical. All I could say was "I did it. I actually did it." My partner replied that I did and I was amazing. He also mentioned that he never heard a yell like that before. He said it sounded like I turned Super Saiyan (Dragon Ball Z reference) and leveled up.

That's because I did.

April 2, 2021

I felt rejuvenated and I was glowing. This birth was by far my best. I stare at my daughter and see the beauty the world is made of. I feel my strength and perseverance. My confidence has been boosted. All mothers feel euphoric after child birth, we are super women, but I felt this surge I never felt from my previous two. I knew it was because I showed myself up. I did what I always wanted to do and at the same time doubted my capabilities. I have been proud of myself in the past, but not like this. This was different. Then there was my saving grace, my driver. The woman who prevented a sidewalk birth in the rain. Does this automatically make her my baby's Godmother? I laugh quietly to myself at that thought. She will definitely be a friend for life.

April 3, 2021

We are preparing for discharge. My baby is perfect, the way every baby is perfect through the eyes of their mother. She has all 10 fingers and toes, all her hormonal and blood levels are in normal range, she was not even jaundice! My mom and daughter are waiting for me downstairs to take me home. Remember my partner left the diaper bag at home? Well because of Covid, if he left to go get it he would not be allowed back, which is what he did and exactly what happened. It was a great time for me to bond with my baby just me and her. Now it was time to head downstairs and meet her older sister for the first time. My life with three children begins now.

April 27, 2021

It is my son's second birthday and we are packing the car to head to a trampoline place. We see my hero herself gardening across the street; I've been waiting for this moment. The moment she can meet the baby she helped bring into this world safely and to give her a card we got her. It sums up exactly what she did for me that I felt no need to write anything additional, but my partner did. I do not know what he wrote inside, but I know is was from his heart. She is still someone I do not know as a person, but her gesture that day for me said it all. There's a gift card inside for her, but there is no amount high enough to express my gratitude. I would buy this woman a house if I had it like that. For now, I give her the card that says above and beyond on the front and inside says "Thank you for going there". As I said, sums it up perfectly.

Do not hesitate to do something for a stranger especially if that feeling compels you. Do not hesitate to help family or a friend either especially if you want to. Do not let fear prevent you from paying it forward when that one simple gesture can change everything for you and the other person. We make more of a difference than we give ourselves credit for and my neighbor taught me that lesson. She taught me to push myself through the moment I feel like giving up because that is the moment something unexpected happens. It gives you the confidence about yourself that one desires. So do it. Take the step. If you started something, go finish it. Go do that thing you have been thinking about and preparing yourself for this entire time. The feeling at the end when you accomplished your goal is an indescribable feeling. Go experience it.

My partner and I wave at our neighbor to gain her attention. She notices and crosses the street over to the car. We have card in hand and baby girl strapped in ready to meet her, such a magical moment.

"Hi! We wanted to give you this and for you to meet our baby girl..."