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LIKE TOTALLY A "VALET" GIRL

I went to the hospital at 1:30 AM but when they checked me I was just three centimeters so they sent me home. Apparently some policies had changed since 2006 when I had my first child under the same conditions. I was disappointed and frustrated with the on-call doctor. He doesn't know me ... I know me! "This baby is due today!" Through my tears, I looked to my husband for reassurance. Later that morning after little sleep, I took some time for myself. I did some walking and shopping, and had stronger contractions about 4 PM. I have a very high tolerance for pain so trusting that doctors opinion, I figured I still had plenty of time.

I got home and told my husband that he was not going to work that night, and that I was going to go to the bathroom and put some makeup on and do my hair and we would head back to the hospital and try again. Within a half an hour, I could barely stand. By the time we got into the car, I was in full labor.

Screaming with my butt in the air for 30 minutes all the way to the hospital ... trying desperately to not get my husband in a car accident; we raced. The moment I stopped being dainty ... my water broke. More specifically, it broke at the traffic light turn for the hospital. It was a huge rush of relief and enough of a brake from pain for me to tell my husband that I will need a stretcher ... not a wheel chair. We pulled into valet and Chris ran for help and the valet captain ran for a stretcher. By the time the nurse (Lisa Jo) got to me, the baby's head was crowning. She did what she could to undress me ... and make every attempt to get me to put my butt down. Then she coached me and was ready to catch.

I was literally delivering the baby in full few of anyone facing the front window of our car. I delivered with both doors open in our Honda Element (thank goodness for "French doors" and rubber floors). After pulling the rubber weather stripping off the door and biting my husband on the chest, Samantha Avery was born and wrapped up in my husband's Philadelphia Eagles fleece pullover. The cord was cut. About 15 female nurses and staff held sheets up around the car and held onlookers back as they moved me from the front seat to a stretcher. They sent my husband with the baby, and wheeled me through a lobby of applauding patients, staff, and guests. A security guard "high-fived" me and off I went to a delivery room to finish the birthing process.

A few of the amazing staff members followed me up to the delivery room, one of whom already had a picture to give me of Samantha Avery. After some paperwork, tests, and a tiny stitching up, the staff then loaded my husband up with cleaning supplies for our poor car. As Chris cleaned the car, I met with a few doctors and then was cleaned up and prepared for transportation to my recovery room. We stopped off to see our brand new baby girl who was six pounds, 15 ounces, and 19 inches long. She was the first baby delivered at the hospital who didn't at least make it to the lobby to be born.

My husband is now known as the "Valet Dad."

Learn more about this author, Mikki McLeod.
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