REBECCA & ALLISON'S PAGE
Discovery Channel Online
This page is devoted to my two baby girls, Rebecca Annice & Allison Skye, and how I have coped with raising two small children who are only 15 month apart.
Rebecca was born Oct. 7, 1992 at Texas Women's Hospital in Houston, TX. The doctor that delivered her was Dr. Leroy Leeds. She came into this world at around 8:00pm Wed. night, weighing in at 7lb 10 1/2oz. When I went into the hospital earlier that afternoon, I had already dilated to 4 cent., so she obviously was ready to make her entrance! Now, I had been through a previous delivery 7 years before (my daughter Mimi), so I knew what to expect. When Mimi was born, I had taken Lamaze classes with my husband Jim, so I had the idea that I would try to have her without taking drugs. Needless to say, when my eyes started rolling back in my head, and I was leaving fingernail marks in my husband's hand, the epidural was a welcome relief! So when Rebecca came along, I again thought that I would try birth unaided by pain relief. But the labor was much more intense (due to induction), so again I said, "GIVE ME DRUGS!!!". But I really felt that it was better by far for my babies to born without the chance of drugs being in their system. So what did I do when my third one was born? I had her at home!
Allison was born Dec. 29, 1993 at our home in Channelview, TX. She was delivered by Mickey Friedrichs, a midwife located in Pasadena, TX. She was born at 3:22am Wed. morning. Earlier that evening, Jim, my mother (who had been there for all three deliveries), my sister Beverly and I had gone to eat at Monterrey's Tex-Mex Cafe' (This was about 7:30pm). While sitting at the table I started feeling twinges. I was hopeful that it was the real thing, but wasn't sure. So after our meal, we went over to K-Mart to pick up a few things. Off goes Mom and my sister in this direction, off goes Jim in that direction, and I'm left pushing Rebecca in a cart. By this time the labor's getting a little uncomfortable, but not painful. When that breathless, squeezing feeling would hit, I would just lean on the cart until it was over. (I wonder how I looked? Ready to explode, no doubt!) So we got home at around 11:00pm. By this time, the pain has started, but still manageble, although I'm starting to realize the committment of having a baby at home with no epidural in sight, and mentally planning a route to the nearest hospital! At 12:00am we called Mickey, and my friend Brenda whom I had invited to watch. Mickey got here around 1:30am. By this time, I'm pacing frantically around my small house with Jim at my every step and Beverly and Brenda are setting up everything with Mom's help (who's upset that her "baby" is in pain---on the video, when we settle into the bedroom, you can catch glimpses of my Mom peeking into the room, very apprehensive-looking!). But Allison soon made her appearance, weighing in at 7lb 6oz. From the moment she was born, she's sported a fiery-red head. We laugh because Mimi's the brunette, Becca's the blonde, and Allison's the red-head!
My thoughts on home-birthing
For me, home-birthing worked out just fine. I had gone through two previous labors with no problems, so my track record was fine. I found that it was hard to bond to my obstetricians, who had a more cold, clinical bedside manner. My midwife, Mickey, was just wonderful, because her personality fit in perfectly with ours. She has a very subdued, quiet manner, and respected my need for unobtrusive talking and movement. I'm definitely not what you would refer to as an 'earth mother-type', but I do believe that the birth experience has an effect on the child's personality. So if you are contemplating having a baby, and have had no complications, I would definitely recommend it! Just make sure you are informed.
Raising children today
Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses, I truly feel that every aspect of my life reflects my devotion to Jehovah God. This definitely includes raising children. After all, doesn't the Bible say that children "...are an inheritance from Jehovah"? (Psalms 127:3) And since He has blessed us with our children, shouldn't He be the one to give us guidelines to raise them by? Isaiah 48:17 refers to Jehovah as being "the One teaching you to benefit [yourself], the One causing you to tread in the way in which you should walk." This tells us that we should pay attention to the counsel that the Bible offers us, because we will realize many benefits.
Living in today's world, however, presents many problems. There are many influences that try to break up the family unit. Some may be coping with divorce, or raising children in a one-parent household. Also, crime and drugs reach out to grab our children. The Bible foretold that "in the last days critical times hard to deal with will be here." (2 Timothy 3:1-5) But we are also promised that these things will soon be done away with. Psalms 37:10, 11, 29 promises that "just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more,...But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth,...And they will reside forever upon it." What a grand promise from Jehovah! At that time, no longer will we have to worry about bad influences ripping apart our family! But, in the meantime, how do we cope with life's problems today?
First and foremost, we need to use the Bible as our guide. 2 Timothy 3:16 says: "All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness." Remember Timothy, the Apostle Paul's traveling companion? The Bible tells of Timothy's mother Eunice and grandmother Lois who "from infancy" taught him "the holy writings". (2 Timothy 1:6, 3:15) We must never underestimate our children's learning capacity! Even in the womb they are learning about their surroundings. Of course, infants aren't expected to read or reason, but we can start out by teaching them to sit quietly and listening. Deuteronomy 6:6, 7 tells parents that they must, on every occasion, speaks Jehovah's words to their children--"when you sit in your house and when you walk on the road and when you lie down and when you get up." So take every opportunity to speak of God, perhaps when outside looking at flowers, or at nightime, at the stars and moon. We must also, with our example, teach our children. Do we have a violent temper? Do we make a habit of being dishonest? Are we disrespectful of authority? Don't be fooled, our children learn by our example more than by what we say.
Secondly, we must spend time with our children, listening to them and playing with them. It's very easy, especially when we are tired from a stressful day, to shoo our children away. But we need to follow Jesus' example at Matthew 19:13, 14. He welcomed them to come to him, even when his disciples tried to turn them away. It's very easy to let entertainment use up our time that we could spend with our children. But instead of spending all our time watching tv, or playing on the computer, why not spend a little time with our children? The rewards will far, far outweigh the inconvenience.
Thirdly, we must never forget discipline. Parents should take to heart the words at Proverbs 3:11, 12, where it says: "The discipline of Jehovah, O my son, do not reject; and do not abhor his reproof, because the one whom Jehovah loves he reproves, even as a father does a son in whom he finds pleasure." Many people see the word discipline in the Bible, and think it means beating the child. But is this true? Proverbs 8:33 says that we are to "listen to discipline and become wise". So, using the power of reasoning with our children is considered discipline. Of course, different children call for different means. Some of us may have more stubborn children, and have to take into account the words of Proverbs 23:13, 14. There it tells us that "in case you beat him with the rod, he will not die...that you may deliver his very soul from Sheol itself." But never does the Bible endorse angry whippings or severe beatings that may bruise or injure a child. Remember the scripture that states that children are an inheritance from Jehovah? We never should forget that, and we should realize that we are to be held accountable for how we raise our children. Unfortunately, many parents will be held accountable because they did not provide the proper discipline for their children. Therefore we see the problems with young people today. In fact, many turn to gangs because that's the only place they can get the 'love' and acceptance they so desperately need. Of course, we may do the best we can, and still our children rebel against us. But while we have the time and opportunity, let us work as hard as we can to keep the world from snatching up our children. 1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the Devil "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour [someone]." He especially targets our young people, because they are naive. They need our help to distinguish between right and wrong.
My children are still a work in progress. My oldest is 11, and just hitting adolescence. My other two are practically babies. So I can't say definitely that I'll be a success at parenting. But above all, I believe in the words at Proverbs 3:5, 6 where it tells us: "Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and do not lean upon your own understanding. In all your ways take notice of him, and he himself will make your paths straight."
Any questions?
Please write!
Leah LeCamus---Zenut@worldnet.att.net
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This page last updated on September 27, 1997