Saturday, September 2nd, 1916: I awoke at three o’clock with pains in my back. I could not stay in bed so I arose, prepared breakfast washed my hair and took a bath. I seemed to know for sure this time, that it was the real, true time. George and Sister Rossiter didn’t want me to do so much, but I thought it would be the best plan. My pains kept getting harder, coming every 2 or 3 minutes. At 2 p.m. the pains were quite severe and George went for the doctor who examined me and found the baby too low. Sister Rossiter was surely good assisting me whenever my pains would come on. George also helped and as it was the first experience for both he and Sister Rossiter, they were not very accustomed to such happenings, but both did well. One of the native women, old Terai was there to help, and every once in a while she would rub my body and it sure helped out. By 7 o’clock I was suffering terribly and the doctor said the baby had stayed in one position for one hour and he thought perhaps it was dead. He asked if he might use instruments and we told him yes.
The doctor could only speak French, which I didn’t understand. The doctor would talk to Sister Rossiter, she would interpret what he said, and I would answer her, and she would tell him what I said in French. Now if that isn’t some situation to go through while you’re suffering in labor!
At 7:30 P.M. The baby was born--a fine nine and a half pound boy. Terai was in the hallway waiting. She was really anxious to be right there when the baby came. Sister Roster, who had never been around a little baby before, worked with the doctor. As soon as the baby was in Terai’s arms he started sucking his fist. The doctor was very skillful and after taking four stitches, he fixed my bed, changed my clothes, washed and dressed the baby and then left to take a dead unborn baby by means of incision. At eleven o’clock everything was quiet and we all tried to sleep. We had a fairly good night.
Margaret was almost 19 years old
They had funny customs. After Bud was born, the doctor tied my feet together and told me that I must stay on my back for several days. And, you know, in the tropics that was really hard to do, and I really suffered from that kind of treatment. The doctor charged us fifty dollars which we were mighty thankful to be able to pay.
Anyhow, I was so happy that in my girlhood, I had had an opportunity to be around children and take care of the new born babies and especially when my sister Blenche had her baby girl in Ogden. I helped the doctor deliver her baby, and learned every step of taking care of a new born baby. I really know that the Lord was preparing me for what I would have to do when I was on my mission, because otherwise, how would I have ever known how to take care of my baby or other babies that I was called on to take care of.
They kept me in bed for twelve long days. While I was in bed I got what they call maternity-fever or milk-fever whatever you might want to call it and I was quite ill. But finally I gained the strength.
George with his infant son, Papeete, Tahiti, September 1916
Sunday September 3rd, 1916 It seemed just like Christmas to me although I did not feel so very gay. Baby behaved all day. Poor Sister Rossiter and George had to fast after such strenuous happenings. Son cried all night. Sis. had to take him in her room so I could rest. Sister doing all the nursing, washing and George acting as cook, housekeeper, commisary and Jack-of-all-trades.
The Tahitian Princess Atwater called on me when Bud was 4 or 5 days old. She was a very lovely elderly lady-a large woman, but so sweet and nice looking--well dre ssed and refined. She asked us what we planned to name our baby, and we said we had thought of "Vaaro." She shuddered and said, "Oh, no--never. That is the name of the sea urchin, or octupus. She suggested that we name him "Marama," which was a royal Tahitian family name which meant "man of knowledge and enlightenment." That sounded good to us so we put my maiden name with it and called the baby Maramna Mattson Compton. [Tammy’s note: I believe Grandma told me that the elders nicknamed him "Bud" and he was always called Bud from them on.]
President Ernest Rossiter blessed our baby on Sunday, Sept. 24th, 1916 giving him his name. Everything went as usual--meetings, studying, tracting, house work and cooking at the mission home. Also setting type, printing and developing films and printing pictures.
