Birthing Story

Tabitha Grace Thompson
Born May 20th, 2008
12:08 am ~ 7lbs even ~ 19 inches long

Welcomed with much joy by Derek, Rachel, Beth, Caleb, Miriam, Benjamin, and Lydia

Tabitha Grace's Birth Story
by Beth Thompson

Right before Daddy left for work on Monday morning, I heard Mama tell him that he might not be staying all day. The first thing that popped into my head was, “Mama's going to have the baby!!” Of course, I was very excited, we had all been waiting for the arrival of my sister for a long time, it seemed. As I later learned, Mama had had some bloody show that morning.

All the morning, as we ran our errands, Mama had contractions that were not very progressing at all. Mama had called our photographer, Mrs. Jones and our midwife, Nancy Giglio that morning. She eventually called them back to say that nothing was happening. So, we pretty much hung out after lunch; Mama took a nap and my brothers and sisters and I all played games, read books, and played outside. I was disappointed that nothing was happening, but at least I knew it wouldn't be forever until my sister was born.

At about four in the afternoon, Mama called Nancy again and Nancy said to come see her; that she would check Mama's cervix. So we all went over to see Nancy at about four thirty. I stayed in the office with Mama, while Caleb, Miriam, Benjamin, and Lydia played outside. Mama was only about two-three centimeters dilated, when Nancy checked her. Nancy said that, since this was Mama's sixth child, Mama's uterus was tired and would take a while to get started with labor. “Labor will probably get started tomorrow.” she said. The plan was for all of us to get a good night sleep, to come see Nancy again in the morning, when Nancy would check Mama's cervix some more and give us the “birth drink” to take home, and, if labor hadn't started by then, Mama would take the birth drink at about noon, and the baby would be born in the evening. So, we got up to leave, and as we were walking out the door, Mama had a “different” contraction. So, we all went home and had a mexican meal for supper, I took a shower, and then we all went to bed.

I had my evening/night devotions, turned out the light and sort of slept until, I would say about ten o'clock, when I woke up and heard Mama and Daddy moving around upstairs. Of course, I could tell what was happening upstairs, because Mama and Daddy had been in bed, all ready to go to sleep, when I came to say good-night. So I lay there, and lay there, and lay there for what seemed like forever. I could hear Mama and Daddy making phone calls out in the kitchen. I couldn't go back to sleep, I was so excited that Mama was in labor and that my sister would be born soon. Finally, Daddy came in to “wake me up”. I went out into the living room to look at the clock. It was ten thirty.

Mrs. Jones arrived at just about the same time I got out of bed. We took pictures together and, though Daddy and Mama worked together as a team during contractions, sometimes I would rub Mama's back or hold the “bed buddy” (rice pillow) on Mama's back. Then Nancy got here and I helped her carry all her bags, birth stools, and what-not into the house. I helped put out the sheets and shower curtains and towels at the end of the bed and on the bed. Mama and Daddy worked together for a while.

In the meantime, I was helping Nancy put all the herbs in water on the stove to boil for the postpartum herb bath. Then Mrs. Jones, Nancy, and I talked downstairs, until Mama wanted to get in the tub. Earlier, we had talked about that, if Mama got in the tub at transition, the baby would come in the wink of an eye. Nancy checked Mama and said that she was about nine centimeters and so Mama said, “Just forget the tub!” I went and woke up my sister, Miriam, who had wanted to be present for the birth.

Mama got into a hands and knees position, which easily got her to ten centimeters. She lifted up one leg, so that she was sort of in between hands and knees and squatting. I was in front of Mama, to catch the baby, as was the plan. Mama pushed once and my baby sister's head was born. I had been nervous at first about catching the baby, but when I put my hand on her head, the nervous feeling just stopped and I thought, “This is fun!” Mama pushed once more and Tabitha Grace slid out into my hands. She had a cord wrapped around her neck and over her shoulder, almost like a purse. Nancy and I unwound her cord and passed her up to Mama. She got dried of and started breathing and crying. Her Apgar scores were 9 and 10!! She was born very fast, so her head barely had anytime to be molded. She was born just past midnight, at eight minutes after twelve. I held her cord and felt it pulsing, which I thought was really cool.

After the placenta was delivered, Mama moved to the bed, where Tabitha nursed. Nancy showed us the placenta and we took pictures. Then my brother, Caleb came up, I clamped Tabitha's cord, which had stopped pulsing a while ago and was now cold against Tabitha's skin, and Caleb cut it. Then Caleb and Daddy brought up some snacks, some cheese, crackers, fruit, and cake. My other brother, Benjamin, came up and my second sister, Lydia came up briefly but was very tired so she went back to bed very soon.

Nancy gave Tabitha her first check-up. Tabitha's temperature was a little low at first, but we warmed her up pretty quickly. Mama had her postpartum bath and then we all went back to bed very, very happy.

Tabitha means “grace”, so Tabitha Grace is translated “grace, grace”. How Daddy and Mama chose her name was from a verse in Zephaniah that says, “they shall cry, “Grace! Grace!”. On the way home from seeing Nancy on Monday, we were behind a car that had a license plate that said, “GDSGRCE” on the license plate. She was also born on Tuesday. ( from the nursery rhyme “Monday's child is fair of face, Tuesday's child is full of grace........”)

Tabitha Grace is a sweet, sweet little baby and we are still praising God for the blessing of Tabitha Grace.

Tabitha Grace nuzzling with her loving Mother, Rachel Thompson