FIFTEEN YEARS

‘You shouldn’t have to give birth in a place that people are dying’, I heard my son say as we drove off the parking lot.

‘I never thought about it that way’, I replied. The more I thought about that statement, the more I realised how grateful I was to have given birth to all three of my children in a birthing center. Hospitals always felt too sterile an environment for both the regular pregnancy checkups and the day of birth. But one of my greatest fears was that of being separated from my newborn and the risk of having my baby switched with another baby.

My son and I had both taken off the day from school and work in order to spend the day together for his birthday. Our first stop was Starbucks for his free birthday drink, where we discovered that there is a coffee version of the Frappuccino which tastes better and less sweet than the regular one. After one more stop to get one of his presents, we continued onwards to the next surprise.

As we drove up to the building, my son wondered where I was taking him. Until he read the sign on the side of the building. Austin Area Birthing Center. We had talked about him meeting the woman who brought him into the world years before, but never followed through with it. Today was the perfect day for it. Exactly 15 years ago today, Roswitha brought my son into this world. It was a most difficult birth, as my son was two weeks late. A timeframe at the Center when the pregnant mother is then required to be sent to the hospital. But she never gave up. And after a strenuous night, my son was born.

When we walked into the birthing center, my son was in awe of the look of the room. It was nothing like the sterile hospitals. I was unsure if Roswitha was even going to be working today, but I had gone to their website yesterday to see if she was still listed as a midwife, so I at least knew that there was a possibility of seeing her. When I mentioned my daughters, it all clicked for her as she recalled that she brought all three of my children into the world.

We had even further luck in that my son was able to see the birthing suite where he was born. The rustic cabin atmosphere with the fireplace and rocking chair were no longer there, but the renovation of the room was just as beautiful. Now there were three birthing suites with large birthing tubs, where there was only two when I was last there. All with the look and feel of a comfortable and luxurious home environment.

‘Why would anyone want to give birth in a hospital?!’, my son exclaimed as we drove away. He continued to marvel at the center and vowed to have his babies born in such an environment.

We continued on our way to get some plants for our home, then to Crumbl cookie for his free birthday cookie. The Wedding Cake cookie proved to be quite good with the cream cheese frosting swirled with raspberry. Once home, I started on the Bolognese sauce for the pasta whilst my son busied himself with attaching the wall mount pieces to his monitor. His main birthday present.

Shortly after we had arrived home, an intense rain started. A storm had arrived. The tree in front of the living room window blew around wildly as the rain and wind pounded its branches. The sound of distant thunder could be heard, as could the warning sirens nearby and the high school bell signaling the end of the school day.

We enjoyed our dinner and then my son blew out the tall candles on his carrot hazelnut cake. It was unfortunate that his sisters were unable to make it for his celebration. A combination of miscommunication and other school obligations. But we made it work, just the two of us.

‘Thank you so much for making this day special’, my son stated as the day came to a close. A truly wonderful day as we celebrated his fifteen years of life.