In 2017, Jacee Dellapena was about to become a big sister for the first time. The problem? She was too short to see much and was upset that she would not be able to witness her baby brother being born. With her mother’s blessing, the doctor had young Jacee put on scrubs and give him a hand.
12-Year-Old Helps Deliver Her Baby Brother
Kids are often capable of more than we give them credit for, and few exemplify this than 12-year-old Jacee Dellapena from Mississippi. Nothing was going to stop her from witnessing the birth of her baby brother, even if that meant that she had to suit up and lend the doctor a hand. (1)
“I was nervous I was going to mess up… but it was the best moment of my life.” she recalls. “He let me actually push down and pull the baby out… I was like, wow, like I’ve played fake doctor before, but this is, like, the real thing, this is is the real deal,” (1)
The doctor even helped her to cut the umbilical cord. Her little brother Cayson Carraway was born at 7 lbs 6 oz. (1)
A Memory Captured Forever
Family friend Nikki Smith captured the emotional moment on camera and shared the photos on Facebook. At the time, they were shared 170,000 times, but that has ballooned to over 330,000 since (1)
While many of the responses were positive, there were also many people who questioned the doctor’s decision to allow Jacee to participate. Many were concerned about both the safety of the baby and the potential mental or emotional harm witnessing something like that could have on her. (1)
Nikki, however, is adamant that this was a special moment between her and her baby brother, and for the whole family. (1)
“There is absolutely nothing wrong with allowing her daughter to witness this beautiful moment. It’s not for everyone but Jacee was a rockstar and helped deliver a newborn!” she said in response. (1)
One thing is for certain, Jacee’s baby brother has a pretty incredible birth story that the whole family will remember forever. (1)
Read More: Surrogate Mom Becomes Pregnant With Own Child While Carrying Couple’s Baby
Birthing Stories from Around the World
Giving birth is an amazing thing and there is no shortage of awe-inspiring birth stories. These are just a few stories from women around the world that will
Sima, 42, from London
Sima wanted a cesarean section. Her midwife and consultant were not happy with that decision and tried their best to change her mind. No matter what they said, she was determined to make her own decisions about her body. (2)
Her choice was based on the traumatic birthing experience she went through with her first child three years prior. Two weeks past her due date, she was induced, however, her baby reacted poorly to the drugs. Her daughter’s heart rate crashed three times and eventually, she had to have an emergency cesarean. (2)
For this reason, she booked her cesarean for her second child five weeks in advance. On the way to the hospital, she was completely relaxed and even a bit excited. (2)
In the operating room, she was allowed to choose what music she wanted to listen to. Fifteen minutes into the procedure, her baby girl was pulled out to the song Tears Dry on Their Own by Amy Winehouse. No stress, no trauma, just pure joy. (2)
Anita, 38, from Ghana
Anita’s mother used to be a midwife, so when she was getting ready to give birth to her second child, she went to be with her mother. When the time came to deliver, her mother took her to the hospital, left her with the midwife, and went back to collect some things for her. (2)
Before the pushing began, the midwife suddenly told Anita to cross her legs because she had to go somewhere, with no explanation. Anita held as long as she could, but finally, she had to scream to the janitor outside to get the midwife because she could not wait any longer. (2)
The midwife came back, Anita opened her legs, her water broke, she pushed hard, and her daughter was born. (2)
Sophie, 31, from London
At twenty years old, Sophie was working as a receptionist while saving money for university. Having a baby was not in her plan when she found out that she was six months pregnant. (2)
Without much support from her or her husband’s families, she really wasn’t prepared for the experience. Her boss told her to just relax and breathe and she would be okay. (2)
When her contractions first started, she thought it might just be a false alarm. She soon realized it wasn’t and went to the birthing center. At first, the midwife said that she wasn’t dilated enough and was going to send her home. Things escalated quickly however and before they could leave her contractions began coming every three minutes. (2)
Her husband went to get them kebabs, and shortly after eating it, she felt like she needed to use the bathroom. As it turns out her baby was ready to come out and after 27 minutes of pushing she gave birth to a baby girl. (2)
Leslie, 29, from America
Leslie did not have a great family life. At 14, she wanted to find a committed relationship so she could get out of her family home, so she got pregnant. Homeless at the time, she was put in a maternity home when the courts found out what was going on. (2)
She figured out she was in labor at her cousin’s softball game. When she got to the hospital her doctors told her that she had actually been in labor for up to three days already. She didn’t want to have an epidural, however, the nurses and doctors insisted and gave her one anyway.
Her aunt ended up adopting the baby after it was born. (2)
Her next two births she felt equally as out of control, so for her fourth child, she decided to give birth at home with her husband. They were prepared and had done all the research. Despite this, just like they had with her second and third children, the government took the baby away after it was born. (2)
Her fifth child she gave birth to in a tent in a park in Texas. Despite the unusual contractions, she and her husband were afraid to call an ambulance because they didn’t want the child to be taken away. Leslie’s husband helped her give birth right there, by themselves, in the park. (2)
Read More: Woman Asks If She Was Wrong To ‘Emergency’ Breastfeed Her Friend’s Baby
Nimishi, 30, from Mumbai
Using a midwife wasn’t an option in Mumbai at the time, and Nimishi wanted a natural birth. At 36 weeks, she and her husband flew 800 miles to a natural birthing center in Kerala. (2)
Their second day there, however, she was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. She tried desperately to get her insulin levels in check, but nothing helped. Defeated, she knew she would most likely have to give birth in a hospital after all. (2)
When her water broke, she was in labor for three days when the meconium in her discharge became quite green. She was told she would need a cesarean section. After a painful hour-long drive to the hospital, she laid on the operating table while 30 to 40 students watched. (2)
Nimishi gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and insists that for her next child she will still try to go to give birth at a birthing center again. (2)
The Beauty of Childbirth
Giving birth is difficult, scary, and certainly not for the faint of heart. This is why the story of Jacee Dellapena, her baby brother, and of course, their mother, is so incredible. That being said, the joy of bringing a child into the world is unparalleled for most mothers and is worth the hours of labor, the pain, and the fear. Whether easy or difficult, every birth story is beautiful and should be shared proudly.
Keep Reading: Woman gave birth to a baby the size of a ‘toddler’
Sources:
- ‘Mississippi 12-year-old delivers her own baby brother’ BBC. Published June 6, 2017.
- ‘Pushed to the limit: six birth stories from around the world’ The Guardian Candice Pires. Published November 24, 2019