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Regnier baby can't wait for trip to Newton

Staff reporter

History has a tendency of repeating itself which was a concern of Michele and Doug Regnier of rural Marion.

As the couple anticipated the birth of their sixth child, chances were they would not have much time to get to the hospital between the first serious contraction and the birth.

You see, the Regniers had a baby at home 12 years ago when their third child, Eric, was born.

Michele recalled the event.

When it became apparent Michele was in serious labor, Adam, now 16, and Randy, now 14, were rounded up and waiting in the vehicle for their parents to come out and go to the hospital.

"My (embryonic) water broke and I could feel the crown of Eric's head," she said.

There wasn't much time to react.

Doug had a dispatcher from Marion County Emergency Communications on the telephone but everything happened very quickly.

"I didn't really deliver the baby," explained the proud father. "Eric delivered himself. I just had to catch him."

All went well until the older boys came into the house and realized the baby was born.

"They were disappointed because they wanted to go to their grandparents house (Jack and Marge Regnier's house located down the block from St. Luke Hospital)," Michele said. "When the ambulance arrived the boys were disappointed again when they were told it was for me and Eric and they couldn't ride in it."

All of their children were in a hurry to arrive. When hard labor began, the family knew it could be a foot race to drive 10 minutes to St. Luke Hospital in Marion.

Six-year-old daughter Michaela was in the biggest hurry — arriving only 15 minutes after Michele's water broke.

St. Luke Hospital discontinued obstetric services a couple of years ago, which included delivering babies. When the Regniers found out they were expecting this time, they were concerned.

"We were going to a doctor in Newton but we knew we might not make it," Michele said.

And sure enough, they didn't.

Michele was due Dec. 10 and usually delivered a week early.

On Dec. 6, Michele had a doctor's appointment in Newton. The doctor, heeding her concern about delivering early, had planned to induce Michele Dec. 8 if the baby wasn't born before then.

The contractions began at 10:30 p.m. that evening. They went from 15 minutes apart to five.

"We got the kids up (Adam, Randy, Eric, Devon, and Michaela) and headed for Marion to drop them off at their grandma's (Regnier)," Michele said.

After delivering the children to Marge's house, the couple decided to stop by St. Luke Hospital so Michele could get checked before making the 30-minute drive to Newton.

"We were relieved when we pulled in the parking lot and saw Stacey Pedersen's vehicle," Michele said. Since the first five Regnier children were born at the Marion hospital, the couple knew and trusted Stacey and the hospital staff.

Dr. Don Hodson was called and checked Michele who was dilated at five centimeters. Five minutes later when the doctor checked, she had dilated to seven centimeters. Ten centimeters is the optimum circumference for delivery.

Dr. Hodson gave Michele and Doug a choice — go to Newton by ambulance or have the baby at St. Luke.

"We figured by the time the ambulance got there and took us to Newton, the baby could be born," Doug said. He was right.

Within 30 minutes, daughter Erin Noel arrived at 1 a.m., two and one-half hours since the first serious contraction began.

Prior to the birth of Erin, the couple had checked with the local hospital just in case the baby came as quickly as the others. With Michele's history of having problem-free pregnancies and births, Dr. Hodson assured them they could be accommodated.

The family appreciates the fact the hospital was preparing for the delivery. The Regniers' name was on a bulletin board at the nurse's station with a due date — just as a reminder to hospital personnel that quite possibly St. Luke would be in the baby delivering business again — at least one more time.

"We would like to see OB and delivery services return to St. Luke," Doug said.

The couple acknowledged the visiting OB clinic from Moundridge but recognize, in their case, a drive to Moundridge would have been farther than Newton.

With complete confidence and trust in Dr. Hodson and his staff, all of the Regnier children, including Erin, see the Marion doctor.

Michele is a pre-school teacher and owner of Sunshine Country Kids in Marion. She returned to work Dec. 11.

"She recuperates fast," Doug said.

Doug is an owner of Marion Auto Supply, Marion.

Already keeping pace with the family and her brothers involved in school activities, the newborn already has been to wrestling meets and basketball games.

Grandparents of the children are Harriet and Laverne Bina and Marge Regnier of Marion, and the late Jack Regnier.

Great-grandparents are Irene Miller of Lincolnville and Agnes Bina of Marion.

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