A new dad has taken to Twitter to tell the world about the dramatic arrival of his baby girl.
Marco Rogers ended up delivering his daughter at home when his wife Aniyia went into labour five days before her due date.
He started off by saying: “She was born in our house. In our bed. Just me and @operaqueenie. With my father in law also there in the house. No, this was NOT planned.”
So early Saturday morning, my wife wakes up with contractions. This is about 5 days early. But that wasn’t entirely unexpected.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
In order to get an impression of how far along his partner was, he turned to an app called ‘Full Term’ which helps to rate contractions (very mild, mild, moderate, strong, very strong).
Let me fast forward a little, because she labored normally for about 9 hours. We went from very mild to mostly moderate contractions.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
All this time she’s handling it like a champ. Breathing through it. Using her birthing ball. I’m massaging and encouraging.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
Despite the contractions, the couple was told to stay put by medical staff. It wasn’t long before things progressed further.
They said first child labor could be up to 24 hours. We called them once and they said “you’re doing great. Stay at home”.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
Then Strong contractions. Number 4 on the scale. I remember because it was the first time a sound involuntarily escaped my wife’s mouth.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
Once again, they were told by the hospital to stay where they were.
Okay, so we’ve done some solid laboring. We’re all proud of ourselves. But things are getting hectic. Time to go in to the hospital right?
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
We call Kaiser again. Tell them she’s having pretty strong contractions and they’re 5 minutes apart. (Get an app to keep track. Seriously.)
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
“We usually like to wait until they’re 2-3 minutes apart. That signals active labor is approaching.” Oh? Do tell.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
I’m a little worried. But we still think we have time. It’s only been about 10-11 hours. Plus my wife is still hanging in there.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
Not long after moving to the bath, Aniyia’s waters break and her contractions are coming quickly.
Let me tell y’all something. Most of us only know late stage labor from what we see in movies. Some of it is accurate, but not the sound.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
It’s not a scream, it’s not a brave grunt, it’s not tense teeth gritting. My father in law described it as a wail. Low and heart-wrenching.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
At this point Marco puts the hospital bag in the car but when he goes back to get his wife, she says she won’t make it.
Me: “We gotta go babe” Her: “I can’t make it.” Me: “Yes we will. We have to. Let’s do this.” Her: “Oh my god. I’m getting the urge to push.”
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
… … … “You can’t do that. Don’t push. We have to get to the hospital.”
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
He manages to get her out of the bath and moving towards the car but then this happens…
We’re at the garage. I’m mentally preparing for the wild drive across town with her screaming in the back. Like the movies right y’all?
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
My wife stops. She’s wailing. “I can’t. I’m gonna have this baby right now. I can feel the head.” She starts to *sit down in our foyer*.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
OH MY GOD YOU CAN’T DO THAT STOP PUSHING WE CAN MAKE IT WHAT DO I DO?
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
So I can’t really process the head coming out situation. My father and law and I are still thinking we can get her into the car.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
Aniyia tells Marco to get the What to Expect book and find the section on emergency deliveries.
I finally lay my hands on What to Expect When You’re Expecting. It’s been a godsend through pregnancy. I think it’s about to save me again.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
In a word. Nope.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
I go back upstairs. I’ve got the book in hand. I’m flipping through finding the section on emergency delivery.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
I walk into our bedroom. My wife is on all fours. I can see the top of my baby’s head. I don’t have time to read shit.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
The baby then arrives…
I’ve got her. She’s in my hands. My baby was just born. In our bed. In our house.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
But the trauma is not yet over as little Noemi Rose Rogers isn’t breathing at first. Thankfully, she spits up some fluid and starts crying.
She spits out some fluid. She wriggles just a little. And then she lets out one sharp, clear yelp. And breathes.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
Y’all let me tell you about my baby girl. Other than 2-3 yelps like that, she doesn’t cry at all. Her eyes are open and she’s looking at me.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
She has just been through the most intense ordeal. And she’s just like her momma. A trooper. Breathing. Handling it.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
I wanna catch the Holy Ghost and pass out. But I can’t,… cause, you know, I’m holding a baby.
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
It’s at this point that the EMTs arrive. Mother and baby were apparently monitored for two days but are fine.
Okay, y’all can relax. That’s it. That’s how my wife and I brought our child into this world together. In our bed. pic.twitter.com/XawXA9nMTA
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 8, 2016
And it’s clear that Marco is loving fatherhood…
I can now do a decent swaddle with her on my lap instead of on the changing table. #parentinglevelup #daddyselfie pic.twitter.com/jI1XVHKSQD
— Marco Rogers (@polotek) January 9, 2016
