True statement.
I birthed my second born, this toothless grinner, on I-26, smack dab between Exit 18 and Exit 19.
Sweet Ruby Catherine came screeching into the world surrounded by one foul-mouthed mother, one dazed father, two inexperienced EMS workers, and one much needed Good Samaritan.
Lessons learned from delivering my baby on the side of the road?
*When they say your second baby comes faster than your first, they mean from the first contraction to holding the little bundle of joy could happen in under an hour and twenty minutes.
*When you see emergency vehicles on the side of the road, don’t assume everything is under control.
*All strangers aren’t bad. Some strangers turn out to be nurses driving along the highway.
*God teaches you lessons about strangers and giving whether you think you need to learn them or not.
So why all the roadside delivery talk now?
A couple of reasons. The smiling chunk at the top of your screen turns two very soon, and her grand entrance into the world pushed me to think about the Delievery Kits Craft Hope is currently collecting (very basic supplies needed to help women delivery babies in Haiti).
Plus, I was wondering if there’s a way for people to get involved with Craft Hope without having to buy the supplies, make the kits, and then send them off.
Idea!
My friend Karyn, from Delicate Fortress Creations has put together Delivery Kits to send to Craft Hope for $8.50. For $8.50 you purchase an alcohol wipe, bar of soap, plastic sheet, latex gloves, receiving blanket, Purell packet, clean string, a gallon zip lock bag, and a handmade stuffed animal. Karyn collects the supplies, and she sends them off.
Is $8.50 more than you want to spend? There’s another option. For only $2.50, you can pay to have the kit shipped for someone else. Nice. Yep, you can get involved for only $2.50.
Now, obviously I'm not comparing myself to women in Haiti, but coming from someone who didn't have her baby hospital-style, I really see the value of a plastic sheet. Too gross? Sorry.
Please go see Karyn about premade Delivery Kits, or take a minute and check out the project directly through Craft Hope.
Linking-up with some fab women today.
44 comments:
Are you kidding me? Really? My second one took longer. Another reason to admire you, Amy. That sure is one for the baby book!
Our circle at church has been wanting to do something for Haiti for a while. I have a couple other options to pitch to them, but this sounds right up our ally.
You are such a good girl. Always urging me on. :)
Laura,
Um, not kidding, not at all! Baby #2 on the side of the road! Some day I will write the extened version. The whole thing was one giant miracle.
Oh, I hope you do pitch this to your church! I didn't put it in the post, but Karyn is also taking supplies. So people can really get involved on a number of different levels, or of course directly through Craft Hope.
And thanks for the encouragement, but not a good girl at all, just trying to spread the word about a good cause.
Oh my word! It seems like such a small kit of items to deliver a child. Hospital rooms are full of equipment!! And to think you did it on the side of the road!!!! I can't even imagine! My second was considerably harder and bigger to push out.
Now I know what to do with my charity stash for February!
WOW! And no, they weren't kidding about how fast your subsequent babies come. Just wait until #3 hits... :P
Rachel,
I know the above list is crazy when you think about what's available in hospitals. An alcohol wipe? Come on. Can you imagine?
Yes, spend that charity stash, girl!
ps Didn't I just see pictures of your second, and he is now six months? Crazy.
oh. yeah. wish someone had told me that the second child would only take 16 hours instead of 17.
i have a new ladies group at church....thanks for the ideas!
Andrea,
If and when #3 were to ever hit, I've already promised my husband I'd check into the hospital before my due date. . .two years later, and he's still a little shocked!
Great idea, I'll check it out! What a story of yours too - I'd love to read the extended version.
Kendal,
17 hours? Ugh.
Yes, great idea for your new group!
BFM,
Hopefully one day you will read the extended version in a book (fingers crossed!). Ruby's birth really changed how I view people I don't know. The nurse that stopped to help was amazing, and the whole experience made me evaluate what I would be willing to do for someone I don't know.
I couldn't believe it and yet, somehow, with you I could! Yes, these don't happen this way in my family, though through prayers they admitted me with my daughter (even tho I was 5cm dilated without labor really starting!) and didn't send me home...otherwise??
wow! yes would love to hear the extended story and PRAY it's in your book!
and i had read about the idea before with the delivery kits...now need to DO SOMETHING about it!
I signed up to make a bag -- the kids and I are going to do this project THIS WEEKEND because if we don't it's going to casually float off the radar. Of course, now if it does float away, I have another plan of action!
I loved hearing about your roadside delivery -- can't wait for the full version! (You can omit the part about the need for plastic sheeting. We know...:))
What an exciting story. I love the lessons you learned from it. Glad you linked up with Jen.
So happy you shared a little of that fabulous story, but you must share the whole thing. You must! I know how serious the situation was, but you had me in tears laughing throughout your rendering. You know, your stubborn ways may have played a small part in the whole matter. You are a fantastic story teller, so don't hold out on us. That picture of little Ruby is adorable, and I can't believe she is turning two! You are beyond blessed with two amazing girls :)
I'm going to go check that out, but Amy, I just have to say, "Are you KIDDING me?"
Now you need a boy -- but just hang out at home till he comes, okay? :0)
How cuuuuuuute is your baby girl, she just wanted to come into the world with a dramatic entrance, so true of a girl :) What a blessing! And thanks for letting me know about the kits, that is way cool. Oh, and by the way, both of my babys, VERY SLOW with lots and lots and lots of epidural, LOL, you are one tough girly!
I love baby and delivery stories!! Can't wait to hear more. Can't believe I now know someone this has happened to!! That's going to be a fun story to re-tell once she's old enough. You know those ice breakers where you have to tell people one unknown or "odd" fact about yourself? She'll (and you) have everyone beat.
What a great idea for the women of Haiti. I can't even imagine not being in the comfort of a hospital bed while having a baby. My second one took about as long as the first (2 lbs bigger) and then it was an emergency c-section. I was hoping for quick, but the best laid plans...right?
Hope you can join up Thursday for Mama's Heart if you're not previously engaged.
:)Erin
Whoa!! This was my biggest fear with number 2, since he was breach and we live 30+ minutes (and 2 bridges) from the hospital. I had number 1 naturally, but in the hospital for goodness sakes - cannot imagine!! My hat is off to you and your husband. And thank the dear Lord for that nurse. Wow. Thanks for this awesome reminder and inspiration for why we should help with Craft Hope. I'm in!
She is a doll! and I LOVE her name! My daughter just had her third baby last night! In 4 hours and right before our blizzard we are to be getting today too!
I LOVE this Haiti project..I love how your heart gives Amy - I know it will be in a book one day. God sure loves to teach us in the most unexplainable ways...a stranger?
extended version soon?:)
xo
Jen and Courtney,
So thrilled you guys are in for this project! Everyone else, so glad you are stopping by and sharing bits about you. It's fun to learn more about everyone's baby stories.
Erin,
I so want to link-up with Mama's Heart! Im going to email you about this.
Amy, thank you so much for sharing your story and the Craft Hope/Haiti initiative!
Our third was the fastest. I told my husband to just deliver her at home but he said no. We ended up in the hospital with 10 minutes to spare. I love the drama of your story!
What a fabulous story, Amy, and a great idea to do something tangible.
I can relate to second children arriving faster. Around 1 hour, 20 minutes from water broke to delivery. Good thing we lived close to the hospital, though I thought he would be born in the parking lot. I remember screaming, "I want my epidural!" and the nurse telling me I couldn't even have Tylenol because it was time to push.
He's not slowed down yet!
Oooooohhhhhh wow! That baby of yours is so stinkin' cute too! Seriously? I want to hear the beginning and end of this. I want to hear husband's version~ha!
Your daughter is adorable! What a pretty name too. I just read an article a few weeks ago about a local woman who gave birth on the side of the highway. It was during the snowstorm we had, so naturally transportation was super slow and the baby came a lot faster than they expected, lol. The dad had delivered it because the ambulance couldn't get to them in time. And their 2 year old was in the backseat too. Craziness! I can't believe you did that! You're a brave woman, that's for sure!
These kits are an awesome idea for Haiti women. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Amy, maybe you should buy one of these kits to keep on hand. ;) Wonderful story here. I'm amazed at what mothers do to bring us all into the world. My wife has done it twice (not so dramatically) and it is a remarkable thing.
My thanks also to Karyn for helping with this project.
oh, my goodness - on the side of the road? I'd read that book! :) I love it when God puts the right people in our life at the right time. I'm going to check out the Delivery Kits now - what a great idea! (I didn't realize you were in NC either - I'm not far from Winston Salem)
T,
Congrats! How exciting. A grandbaby last night.
Karyn,
Of course, thank you for having the brillant idea of making kits for Craft Hope!
Cheryl,
Um, yes I can relate. I thought that somewhere in this whole process, I'd end up with a strong dose of something. . .like morphine. Ha!
Laura and Marlece,
Thanks, we think the above pictured darling is pretty cute too! And Marlece, my husband's version is pretty funny. He remembers it a tad different than I do(of course my version of the story is the correct version!).
Amanda,
I still don't know the eastern part of the state as well as I should. I think I am 5ish hours from you?? I need to look it up.
What a great project, Amy! How great to be able to make a difference with $2.50 or $8.50!
~my second was FAST too...but not that fast~
All I could think is one day that sweet baby and friends are going to have a contest for weirdest thing to happen to them and she will so win! haha!
My goodness...I am sure she is so fun after that entrance.
I love that you can buy one of those kits to send to those who need them...I bookmarked the page and will be back to look later. What a wonderful idea.
This happened to my sister in law's niece who just happened to be in my Alpha group. Her baby gift from her husband was the detailing of her truck. LOL What a blessing this has been. I'm definitely going to go over to your friend's site and purchase a few birthing packages. (PS - I know about your point of the plastic sheet!)
That's a great idea! I'll probably be helping out with that. Thanks for sharing, and as for you, that is one crazy story! you go girl
Michelle and Tabetha,
Thanks for your interest in this project! I'm super excited.
I didn't even stop to question whether or not the story was true. I thought, yep, sounds like Amy! And yes, I believe some roadside strangers are actually angels. Started thinking that the night I rolled my car over. God is good. Hope to read the extended version of your story some day....
We are waiting any moment for a call that my newest grandblessing is going to be born. We're in an ice emergency so who knows if my daughter will end up with a story like yours. ;-) This sheltering project is so special.
Interestingly enough, you're the second person I know who had a child on the way to the hospital. My student teacher last year told me she had her third in the parking lot of a Casey's with two young emergency responders to "help". Fortunately, neither of them were her students!
You know what's funny about strangers helping in times of need. Often, the people I don't know who have helped me out when needed are the people I would have avoided at any other time. What does that say about me?
Love the kit idea--will totally do this!!
What an amazing story! And it's just like you to connect it to a way to give. Thanks for sharing both, Amy!
Thanks for sharing, Amy! I agree with Lori that full disclosure is necessary to understand the true miracle of this story!
That's awesome. All of it, from the interstate delivery to the delivery kits to the opportunity to offer the grand luxury of plastic sheets.
I would love to read the extended version! I'm glad it all ended well, what a cutie pie!
This is a cool idea (the kits, not having your baby on the side of the road,haha) She's a doll :)
Wow! What a story and a great cause! I'll head over to donate!
Visiting from Mrs. 4444's sampling. Nice to meet you!
I very nearly had my second like that too. If we hadn't reached the hospital on time, she'd have been born on a scooter!
holy moly. you are my hero!!!
love that you're getting involved with the birthing kits. amazing how simple it is to make a difference in developing nations, isn't it?! we also give birthing kits with our medical work in papua new guinea. a few dollars worth of supplies can make ALL the difference!!
well done.
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