Gigi's Blog » Tales of the Mortician's Wife

Luther’s birth story …

The morning was fresh and clear. I hopped out of bed, as well as a pregnant women could hop, and slipped downstairs for my morning quiet time and coffee. The house was blissfully peaceful as I kindled up the cookstove and put the kettle on to boil. Grabbing my favorite heart shaped cast iron pot, I prepared a pot of healthy, stick-to-your-belly oatmeal for our breakfast.
I’m sure I will have this baby soon … I thought, as I sat down somewhat wearily on my rocking chair near the cookstove. Perhaps this was a good morning to quickly pop out to the store and buy our youngest daughter her much-needed rubber boots for spring. Goodness knows, rubber boots spring holes when you need them the most.

A quick run into our local department store was a huge wake up call to me – I do my grocery shopping at 7 a.m. and usually have a lovely, quiet grocery store to wander through, without lines and with very few customers. Not this particular day — I did not realize the Covid crazy-shoppers were hitting the store in a mad procession at the same time! My normally quiet grocery store was jam packed with people, all hovering about the groceries and toilet paper (and pop and chicken fingers?) and creating huge lineups all over the department store. Wow, I knew I needed to get out of the store and leave the panic behind. With the purchased rainbow rubber boots, I headed back to my car (parked miles and miles away – and strangely enough, I thought, this walk could start labour!) and gladly returned to my safe haven of home.

The children were already eating their breakfast with their daddy and were ready for the day when I arrived home. Husband headed off to work at the funeral home and I called the children to order. Looking at the calendar, I told them this was probably the last weekend we’d have before baby -so I announced a nice long list of to-dos we could accomplish in the morning to get our house cleaned up.

I proceeded to the basement to clean up and tidy up the winter coats … lifting one box changed everything … yes, indeed, was that my water breaking? Hmmm. Oh dear …. yes, I think it is, I was thinking …. I walked slowly upstairs, shocked, as this labour was a little earlier than I anticipated … and dialed my husband’s cell phone number.

“I think you need to come home … I think my water just broke,” I said, shakily, into the phone’s receiver.

Husband headed right back home – after all, with eight babies, who knows how fast #9 will come? I sat down immediately and froze on the rocking chair. In the past, labour starts very quickly with water breaking so I was nervous to even move. I called the children back, told them to scrap the big to do list, just do your regular chores as we would be HAVING a baby that day! They were all so excited, jumping around, running to grab their brooms, change their clothes to their special baby day outfits and get the house ready for the midwives!
My husband arrived home – we called the midwives and then dialed up my mother in law to see if she would take all the little children to her house for the day. Most of my births have been in the night time so we have been able to have children home during home births. However, this time, being a day birth, it would be more appropriate if they were spending a peaceful, fun day at the grandparents.

Once the children were excitedly and with high anticipation packed up and ready for a day at the Grandparents, we waited for the midwives. The first midwife (a lovely, lovely lady) showed up and did some checking and confirmed, yes, my water had broken. Now it was time to just prepare and wait for labour …

Thankfully, the morning and the rest of the day was very peaceful.  I had a nice pot of soup on the stove, the house was cleaned (mostly) and things were pretty prepared.  My two eldest daughters (ages 16 and 13) stayed home instead of going to the grandparents – as they decided it would be a great day to be home to welcome their newest sibling! I was thrilled they wanted to stay and be a part of this special day. While we waited for labour to really begin, I went for a walk with my eldest daughter and our Basset Hound through the fields … she also baked some muffins to go with the soup for lunch and my other daughter went to town with daddy to purchase an infant car seat.

All was very peaceful.

We had to choose whether or not we would want to home birth or not as the baby was a tiny bit early by home birth standards – although it is rather intimidating to hear statistics and facts of a home birth vs. hospital birth and the reasons why maybe you should go to the hospital …. we opted for a home birth. With a great feeling of security and faith nestled deep in my momma soul, I knew home was the place to be. I had not even though about the CoVid virus and the chaos of the world outside, but I just knew home was the safest and best choice. By 2 p.m., my labour really began  …  with prayers and encouragement from the midwives, everything progressed just perfectly. By 4:30, it was time to enter the tub for a water birth … 10 minutes later … we were welcoming our newest little one into our arms – a boy! Our third boy!
! Praise God! A beautiful, healthy (tiny) boy – oh, I was so thrilled!

Thank you, Jesus – these are always my first words after a baby is born! He was here, he was healthy, he was safe in my arms and just beautiful. We called the two girls into the bathroom to meet their newest sibling – oh, they were so excited! Lyla was able to cut the cord – what a memory! I loved seeing the joy in their faces as they met their newest little baby brother, Luther.

Because Luther was born a smidge early (36 weeks) and was also tiny (5.1lbs) , the midwives strongly suggested he should be taken to the hospital to watch his sugar levels for 48 hours. After hearing the possible dangers of a small baby’s problems, my husband had left the bedroom and came back with the baby car seat and his coat on – he was ready to take Luther to the hospital. And yet I felt another great peace within. Home. Home is safe and here in my arms, nursing on demand. With much prayer backing our decision, we opted to stay home again- I truly felt peace with decision and did not have fear or worry. In fact, I told the midwife, “I have lots of faith.” I just knew in my heart the safest place for our tiny baby would be at home, in my arms, in the security of his healthy home. [I am so thankful that we have choice here in Ontario – choice to home birth and choice to make decisions in these situations. I am so grateful!]

Once the baby details were taken care of … 🙂 …  we called the grandparents to bring back the rest of the children. It was evening by this point and I knew the children were pretty anxious to meet their newest sibling. Once they arrived home, they lined up outside our closed bedroom door, giggling, shouting, anxious to see the baby and find out if it was a boy or girl …. they were so cute, waiting outside, yelling, “Let us in! We’re ready!”

My husband opened the bedroom door and in rushed a herd of happy children – jumping onto the bed and peeking into the bundle of blankets – a boy, they cried! Another boy! They were absolutely delighted! It was so wonderful to hear their happy cries.

God is so good and we are all so thankful and blessed to have this newest little baby boy to love, to raise, to cuddle and cherish. Every time I look into his sweet angelic face, I thank God for the blessings He has given us … and I am so thankful that little Luther is healthy and here safe in my mothering arms.

Laid sweetly against my chest every night, I sigh and lay my head on the pillow, whispering, “Thank you, Jesus, for filling my arms and heart again.”

P.S. Luther means, “Leader of the People” – I wonder what God has in store for our ninth child?