OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – An Oklahoma City mother gave birth to a healthy baby boy in her living room during a recent ice storm — and without electricity.
“Being a mom is life-changing already, as we are Day 1 in,” said first-time mother Morgan Espinoza.
Morgan Espinoza’s new baby boy, Ari, was born Wednesday and weighed 8 pounds, 5 ounces. At less than a few days old, he already has quite the life story.
“We made it work,” said dad Chris Espinoza. “It was a make-it-work moment.”
The Espinozas, who had already planned to have a home birth due to COVID-19, were riding out the ice storm when Morgan’s contractions became unbearable a week before her due date.
“I was so cold. I was shivering,” said Morgan Espinoza, who also had no pain medication. “It’s called labor for a reason.”
With no power and no heat, the inside temperature of their home was 48 degrees.
So the couple decided the living room would have to do.
“I was trying to massage her back and squeeze her hips, and then when she was taking a break, I was just running out there, just loading — as big a fire as I could get,” said Chris Espinoza, who was stacking firewood for the fire.
Neighbors were lending power from generators to boil water in a coffee pot for warm washcloths.
“It was a lot of answer to prayer, and we are in love,” Chris Espinoza said.
Twelve hours later, the couple became first-time parents.
“I am so proud of her,” Chris Espinoza said. “I could not have done that.”
Morgan and Chris Espinoza were still waiting for their electricity to come back on Friday, but now they have company.
“I would do a home birth again,” Morgan Espinoza said, “just with power.”
