Raiden Gregory – Gig Harbor, WA

It was the day before the 5-year anniversary of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. I was only one day past my due date but very uncomfortable with the summer heat. I was lying in bed getting very emotional watching all the TV movies of the attacks. I started feeling uncomfortable and kinda crampy and realized that I was probably going to have a Sept. 11th baby. I made myself see it as though I was bringing new life in on day when it needed it most.

Raiden Gregory was born at home on September 11, 2006

Sure enough I went into labor at about 4am, just as i had done with my daughter 3 years before. I spent my entire labor with my daughter in the tub but with this one I waited till much labor. That is the nice thing about the tub. It is there whenever you decide to get it and ready and warm. My labor had stalled out for a while due to stress and my midwife asked everyone to leave. within the hour my contractions picked back up again and I told my husband to call the midwife. He looked at me with such calmness and said we could handle it for a while longer. He was so calm. He was so intuitive. He knew when my contractions were coming even when I was too zoned out to pick up on the signs. he would pull me into a standing position and we would just rock back and forth. He added some nice counter pressure on my lower back as the contraction built. He was so great.

Finally they got close enough together that I knew it was time to call her. She came right over and checked me and I was 7cm. I got in the tub, and just as I had done with my daughter, I went from 7cm to 10cm and pushing within minutes. Not that we had checked again, but my contractions turned into pushing without me even trying to. I had straddled over my husband in the tub and he continued to push on my back as I pushed out our baby boy. He was hoping to catch this time as well, but reducing his wife’s pain was more important. our midwife gentle caught our baby and handed him to my husband underwater and let my husband bring him to surface. We soaked in that tub for nearly 20 minutes comfortably before we cut the cord and moved to the bed. How nice to be at home in your own family bed only minutes after giving birth.

-Heidi, mother of Raiden Gregory