This Virginia

Her due date came and went, and went, and went. Christmas Eve we had chili and songs by the piano, no baby. Christmas Day we had presents and the most delicious feast, no baby. Finally, on Saturday, fifteen days "late," my sister gave birth in her home to Virginia Kay. Here is my side of the story:

I got the call right before my phone stopped working. I drove fast. This was it, it had to be it. I was fired up, ready to do whatever was asked of me. Melanie was there with her husband and our mom. The two apprentices arrived, then a doula friend, and after fixing her flat tire, the midwife. I just missed Mel's first birth, a typical hospital intervention experience, and I witnessed her second birth, an amazing natural water birth. I was looking forward to being part of her home birth, seeing how organic the process could be. And wow. Mel had a kiddie pool inflated in her bedroom. Once her water broke, labor hit hard, and we started filling the pool. Unfortunately the pool was bigger than the hot water tank, so throughout the afternoon we did it the olden-day way, carrying pots of boiling water in for the woman in labor. Mel put her hair up Princess Leia style, and labored like a Jedi. The Force was truly with her, in the form of these beautiful people laying hands on her shoulders, pouring water down her back, and whispering affirmations into her ears. Much of the time, I was in the corner with the video camera, and I kept being struck by the beauty of the scene. Such concentrated support! Such positive energy! Humanity at its best! As Melanie shouted, "I can't do this!" we answered "You are doing this." If she forgot to breathe, we breathed for her. When she sounded like Britney, we did our best Barry White.
I can't say enough about how proud I am of my sister. She is a doula herself, and knows this stuff well. Through the whole process, she trusted her instincts, and she listened to the people she trusts. The midwife, who for thirty years has helped women give birth, stood back until she was needed, when it came time to push. And when she told Melanie to get out of the pool and walk to the bed, with the baby's head already out, Mel did it. Virginia's shoulders were stuck. [inhale] Intensity filled the room, as the baby's head was out and turning darker by the minute, because minutes did pass. My brother-in-law begged Mel to push, and she was doing so like the warrior that she is. An apprentice was getting the oxygen tank ready. Mom turned ghostly white and wide-eyed with fear. I stood with the video camera shaking in one hand, my other hand raised in prayer. Please please please. The midwife was a model of composure and wisdom, as she reached her hand in to pull the baby out. Virginia's body finally appeared, pale in contrast to her face, and when she let out a little cry... [exhale] You can imagine the wave of relief in the room. I think we all stopped breathing until we knew the baby was doing the same. Thank you, thank you, thank you. What happened after that is a blur. The team took care of the baby, took care of Mel.
Virginia weighed in at ten pounds even. She had a bit of palsey in one arm due to the experience, but it will heal itself, already is. One of the neatest things about the home birth, besides the fact that it displayed the power of a woman to do what her body is designed to do, was that every person there was lovingly and positively working together, believing in her strength and capability. And after it was over, even the midwife was there to share her feelings about the experience.
My littlest niece... I watched her grow inside my sister's belly, I sang Billy Joel's line "Come out, Virginia" to her, I witnessed her birth, her miracle, I saw the cutting of the cord, the Tree of Life on the placenta that fed her, the newborn exam, the look of relief and pride and love on her Mommy's face. Wow, wow, triple wow. Hmm, make that Wow infinity.