My daughter Heather Dawn was born on the morning of March 11, 1998. I had kept my pregnancy with her a secret until I was seven months due to the fact that I already had three children and wasn’t sure how I was going to be able to handle another. So, to sum it up...I was having a very difficult time dealing with the pregnancy emotionally.

On the morning of her birth I woke up at the usual time, five am. At 5:30am I was sitting at my kitchen table having coffee with my husband. About 15 minutes later I felt my first labor pain. I knew immediately it was labor but at the same time I thought that for beginning labor pains these were really severe - almost breathtaking from the start.

I told my husband to get our other children up and dressed and take them over to his parent’s house. My plans were to take a bath, and when he got home we would leave for the hospital.

At 6:15am I got into the bathtub and five minutes later my husband left. While taking my bath my labor intensified. The pains were so hard and irregular I knew that the moment of birth was near. I got out of the bath and tried to walk to the telephone but I couldn’t walk. I sat down on the toilet and by this time was feeling the urge to push. I felt the baby’s head starting to crown so I stood up placing one of my legs on the side of the toilet seat. I pushed three times and there was my daughter! A beautiful 6 lbs. 13 oz. baby. The placenta was still attached inside me so I layed Heather down on some towels as I squatted waiting for the placenta to be expelled. Heather was not breathing so I knew I had to clear her airway. I took my finger and pulled mucus from her mouth and kept patting her on the back as I held her in one hand face down.

At this time my husband returned home to find his wife holding their baby. The look on his face - as I can sit back and laugh about it now - was definately a Kodak moment. He realized the baby was not breathing and phoned 911. While he was talking to the dispatcher Heather began to breathe. Huge sigh of relief for the both of us. The placenta then detached. As I had not cut the cord, we layed the placenta on top of the baby. The paramedics arrived very soon and cut the cord.

We cannot determine Heather’s exact time of birth other than we know she was born between 6:20am and 6:38am when the phone call was placed to 911. Anyway, Heather is now three months old and is doing great. Giving birth to her here at home was one of the most wonderful experiences of my life. Knowing I was the one who caught her coming into this world is an awesome feeling. There is no doubt in my mind that the miracle of birth can overcome any labor pains. While giving birth to her I was so fascinated by the fact that I was the one delivering her, my pains were not felt.

And last of all, I believe that Heather was brought into this world this way for a reason. After having such a difficult time accepting being pregnant, God showed me first hand the miracle of life. Giving birth at home is the only way to go. Nothing in this world can compare to that feeling. For the rest of my life I will treasure the special bond I have with my daughter.