An Unplanned Freebirth near Reading, PA
When Emily called her birth team to head her way, things took an unexpected turn…read on to hear her birth story in her own words!
I knew this was the day I’d prepare to meet my prince, as the light from the sunrise hit my face. It was followed by a night full of contractions. Sunshine is the meaning of his middle name, Sol. Exactly what my life needed at that time. June 29th 2022, I became a mom of two!
We headed out all packed and ready to welcome the newest edition to our family, peering out the window of the car in silence filled with anticipation. We arrived to the AirBnb around 9:00… Yes, we gave birth at someone else’s house! Starved, we order Domino’s. Cheesesteak pizza, pepperoni and chicken tenders delivered hot, but mama was in too much pain and gearing up for showtime to eat. I decided to labor in a hot bath, I found comfort in the water. Legend, my eldest son kept track of every contraction with an app. He prayed every day for a sibling and when God answered our request, he could not have been happier. We wanted him to be a part of bringing this baby into the world, so right by my side is where Legend stayed. A couple hours in, I texted my midwife and doula that I felt as though the time was near to bring Lennox earthside. 60 mins out at minimum, they headed out the door.
AB, my children’s father held my hand as he escorted me to the bedroom to labor some more. The pressure was so immense that I felt I needed to return to the bathroom. I had read in the Facebook group from a few mothers that sitting on the toilet may release some pressure and help move things along. Feeling like things were progressing rapidly, AB called the midwife, Christiana. Stern instruction came from the other side, “Get off the toilet, we are not having a baby there”. I proceeded to stand on my feet, with my left hand I reached down where I felt my baby’s head! IT WAS TIME!!!! It was time, but we were ALONE! I said to Ab, “You are going to have to catch him!” With no time to prepare, “I am going to call the ambulance” he exclaimed. Panic was written all over his face. The calm voice of my Midwife affirmed to me that my body was made for this. “You can do it, mama”, she reassured. With a roar, his head emerged. I remember feeling a sense of such relief in that moment. My body relaxed and took over with the next breath Lennox Sol Torres was safely delivered into Daddy’s arms. Unintentionally, unassisted we welcomed our son, at 12:10am.
Our 4-year-old proudly stood by in awe that his baby was a BOY and that he was here! Overwhelmed with emotion he let out a cry, tears of joy filled our eyes. We watched and waited for the first rise and fall of his chest, and for his blue vernix coated skin to turn pink. The sound of his cry was like music to my ears. The weight of his body finally on the outside of my body, now in the palm of my hands. I was so amazed that I really birthed my baby without any medical help.
Christiana arrived 45 minutes later and helped deliver my placenta and get me in the shower. I couldn’t believe I could just get up and feel the way I did after just having a baby. When I got out, there was no evidence a baby had arrived. With Lennox still attached to the placenta, we gathered in the living room where canvases of written scripture hung, waiting for our family to arrive. In came my Doula Megan next, who was also the photographer to document our birth. Following, my mother, sisters and best friend arrived to fill the home with more love and happy tears. With us as the audience, Lennox passed his bill of health weighing in at 6lb 15oz and 20.5in long. Exhausted, in the wee hours of the morning Megan and Christiana returned home and the rest of us to our beds, under one roof. There was something so beautiful about the fact that we had just birthed our baby down the hall and now we were snuggled soundly in bed… together!
