Tuesday, January 24, 2006
The couple's latest delivery was memorable.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- Columbiana County Commissioner Sean Logan is grateful for the birth of his third child.
Logan said Monday that he and his wife, Melissa, "Thank God for such a blessing and miracle in such a short time -- 20 minutes."
Matthew James Logan joined the family at home around 11:35 on Jan 17 at the family's home at Guilford Lake. Logan and his wife delivered the child in their bathroom.
The couple's first child, Jonathan, 6, -- normally a light sleeper -- snoozed through event. The couple's other child, Julianna, 21/2, wound up opening the doors for family, friends and ambulance crews who all got there a little too late. Mother and child and the rest of the family are all doing well, Logan said.
"Things happen in God's time. Not our time," Logan said during an interview at his office.
No warning
There was nothing to indicate that Melissa would give birth early, Logan said.
The contractions for their first two children lasted many hours.
Melissa, a kindergarten teacher in Wellsville, had been off work but was grading papers.
"It seemed [that] earlier in the day, nothing was out of the ordinary," Logan said.
Logan and his wife are well-educated about birth. They had attended Lamaze classes before the birth of their other children and had read a number of books on childbirth.
Melissa's contractions were about four minutes apart early in the day and then increased to 11 minutes apart. Logan said while the longer period indicated there was no rush, his wife had said the contractions were different.
Logan said he had called the couple's parents to baby-sit, assuming he and his wife would go to the hospital to await the birth. But late in the evening, Melissa went into labor.
Logan said he called for an ambulance and a neighbor, a nurse.
Of the ambulance crews, Logan said, "I thought they would be delivering the baby."
Too late
Melissa called from the upstairs of the home that she could feel the baby's head. Logan went upstairs. They rejected a bed and the bathroom floor in favor of the tub.
"It was just like God touched me," Logan said. "While it seemed the total universe was spinning around us, time slowed and I knew we had time to do what was needed."
In three contractions, Logan held their child. Logan helped the child begin breathing and helped tie the umbilical cord before the ambulance ride to Salem Community Hospital.
Matthew James weighed in at 91/2 pounds and measured 211/2 inches.
He was named in part named for Logan's stepfather, James Foutts, who died last February.
Logan thanked all the people who had helped.
When asked if he and Melissa plan to have more children, Logan said, "no."