John Shrader 15: Welcome to Poisonwood, Caleb

[Curious]

I was a few days behind on this thread and after doing some research on Carri, Esther has been on my mind so much lately.   I'm glad to hear she is finally in labor.   I hope everything goes well and she and the baby have a safe delivery.

 

[Palimpsest]

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John Esther Shrader Just need the bag to break and this little one is right there. Please pray with us for a swift conclusion to this birth. Thanks friends. It's gone really well, we're at a 10, everything is ready, appreciate your prayers

And let us hope it continues to go well.

[ILoveJellybeans]

Im glad Esther is finally in labour. I was concerned by her going so far over her due date, especially with all the other stuff going on.

[anjulibai]

Her water hasn't broken? Yikes, that's not good. The midwife should break it. 

[Palimpsest]

6 minutes ago, anjulibai said:

Her water hasn't broken? Yikes, that's not good. The midwife should break it. 

I wondered about that too.  That comment from John was about an hour ago.  

[meee]

Pardon my ignorance, but why isn't it good that her water hasn't broken? I thought that could happen pretty much any time during labor?

[Gobsmacked]

The sac can be born with the baby still inside it. This is known as a caul. The midwife/ doctor will make a hole to ensue that baby can breathe then gently remove it. In fishing communities a caul has mystical properties. If given to a fisherman it is believed that the carrying the caul with him on his next voyage will keep him safe from drowning. 

The sac or caul can just be over the babies face at birth. If the amniotic fluid has already drained, the sac has to removed gently to prevent damage to the newborns skin. To be born with a caul is reasonably rare.  Years ago a baby born with a caul was thought to have mystical powers being able to see into the future. (in Scotland anyway!)

A full sac is called an en caul birth I seem to remember. 

[hasunah]

She's had a gazillion babies , shouldn't it be a faster birth ?  

[Palimpsest]

Yes.  It is highly unusual for a baby to be born en caul but it happens.  I don't know what the prevailing wisdom is these days about breaking the sac.  That's why I wondered.

Can you imagine how John would react to a baby with mystical powers?

[Curious]

13 minutes ago, Palimpsest said:

Yes.  It is highly unusual for a baby to be born en caul but it happens.  I don't know what the prevailing wisdom is these days about breaking the sac.  That's why I wondered.

Can you imagine how John would react to a baby with mystical powers?

I was just thinking about this.  I wonder if John has any idea about that belief.  I could see him being a dick and shunning that baby (more than he does the other kids) because it was sent by Satan to test him or some other weird bullshit

[EowynW]

Routinely "just because" breaking the sack isn't as big as it used. Atleast in my area. 

[anjulibai]

Breaking the sac can induce and further labor. The fluid itself can also be an indication whether or not the baby is in distress or there is something wrong with the placenta. 

Given Esther's history, and the fact that she has been laboring since yesterday, I would have expected the sac to be broken by now. 

[EowynW]

Just now, anjulibai said:

Breaking the sac can induce and further labor. The fluid itself can also be an indication whether or not the baby is in distress or there is something wrong with the placenta. 

Given Esther's history, and the fact that she has been laboring since yesterday, I would have expected the sac to be broken by now. 

I am new to this rabbit hole. So do these people not have a midwife or birth team? Has she had proper prenatal care and monitoring? 

[Palimpsest]

11 minutes ago, Curious said:

I was just thinking about this.  I wonder if John has any idea about that belief.  I could see him being a dick and shunning that baby (more than he does the other kids) because it was sent by Satan to test him or some other weird bullshit

I really hope he'd have no idea and wouldn't go the Satanic route.  Or perhaps he'd sell the caul to put wings on his plane!  They still go for good money in some areas.  Actually, babies can be born "with a caul" (just a membrane over the face) and en caul (fully enclosed in the sac.  Very rare in both cases.

5 minutes ago, EowynW said:

I am new to this rabbit hole. So do these people not have a midwife or birth team? Has she had proper prenatal care and monitoring? 

She has a midwife, who last we heard was in Lusaka without a reliable car.  We hope she got there.  Esther has had 2 ultrasounds and knows the baby's sex.  Proper prenatal care and monitoring?  Rufus knows.  Probably not.  They have weird beliefs.

[Curious]

5 minutes ago, EowynW said:

I am new to this rabbit hole. So do these people not have a midwife or birth team? Has she had proper prenatal care and monitoring? 

John is a known liar so whether anything he says is true or not is up for debate.   The last 3 (I think) kids have been born in Zambia and supposedly they have a local woman as a midwife.   Apparently, John said they have had 2 ultrasounds (which I'm not sure they have done in the past or not).  They know the baby is a boy.

When they were stateside, I don't think they had a midwife for at least the last baby before they went to Zambia.   She was in labor for DAYS, while John went on a juice cleanse, and we were all terribly worried.   That is the pregnancy that Esther said radiation from Japan attached to her electrolytes and slowed her labor.   I would assume a midwife would know better than that.

[Lifesjustbeachy]

Caleb was born an hour ago.

[Palimpsest]

The eaglet has landed:

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One hour ago Caleb Shrader was born. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for praying!

 

[Palimpsest]

Well, praise Rufus.  I was really worried.  I wonder how Esther is though.

 

[Granwych]

Caleb Shrader is here, according to John's Facebook page

 

 

Okay--never mind!! 

[Curious]

Welcome, Caleb.  Good Luck (you're going to need it).  I hope Esther is doing well after her long labor.

Maybe I can finally get something done today instead of obsessively refreshing this thread.

[BabyBottlePop]

The name surprises me. Seems very conventional considering his other kids names like Agape and Enoch.

[Palimpsest]

11 minutes ago, Curious said:

The last 3 (I think) kids have been born in Zambia and supposedly they have a local woman as a midwife. 

It is now 3 kids born in Zambia.  Stephen, Isaiah, and Caleb.  Mrs Phiri was the first midwife but she ran away from John with Mr. Phiri before Isaiah.  No idea who they have now.

[Lifesjustbeachy]

2 minutes ago, BabyBottlePop said:

The name surprises me. Seems very conventional considering his other kids names like Agape and Enoch.

Caleb served Moses, was faithful, rewarded with land for his descendants.  It's a biblical name. 

[Curious]

4 minutes ago, BabyBottlePop said:

The name surprises me. Seems very conventional considering his other kids names like Agape and Enoch.

Enoch makes me think of Land of the Lost.  Maybe John is a fan    How is Agape pronounced.  I am guessing it's not phonetic?

[laPapessaGiovanna]

My inner classicist shudders because the Greek pronunciation is quite different, but this is how it's pronounced in English.