Scattered
Itinerant

Selah (Pause and think on the things of God) Raelle (Sees God, Princess of God)

8 lbs 14 0z

21" long

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

I woke up around 4:45 a.m. With the same contractions that I had been having for nearly two weeks. Of course I couldn't go back to sleep so I just sat around waiting for them to tinker out or pick up. By 6:30 a.m. The contractions started to pick up and I started to think that I could really be in labor. Brandon left for his second day at a new job at 6:45 a.m. With me telling him I would call if I thought there was anything to the contractions, and just as he was pulling into the parking lot of work I called to tell him that I was sure this was it.

Brandon came home, and got the boys ready to go to my friend Crissi's house. They were thrilled to go play with their friends, and when I told them their sister was coming it was a non-issue. It took about an hour to get the boys ready and out the door, and by that time my contractions tinkered. I paced in front of our house hoping to get contractions kick started again before my midwife showed up.

My midwife showed up around 10 a.m. And I was already in the tub. I got into the tub too early and stalled my contractions a bit. I was anxious to know that I was really in labor so I had Brandon help me get dressed and we went for a walk. The walk was all I needed. Contractions picked back up and we came home.

The next four hours were very calm and truly my dream labor. I was laughing with Brandon, my midwife, her daughter (assistant), and my friend Jenny between contractions. I used many coping techniques to get through the pain. Hypnobabies kept me focused on relaxing, worship music was so very comforting, and Brandon massaging me was the physical relief and intimacy that I needed.

At 1:30 p.m. I became very antsy about the way things were going. I thought because the contractions didn't hurt, they were more like pressure, that my body wasn't doing anything. I was ready to get things going and to have my baby.

By 2 p.m. The back labor started and I felt baby girl slide under my pubic bone. I started to have the feeling that I couldn't do it anymore, and my midwife suggested that if it felt better to push with the contractions to try pushing, but if not to wait. I tried, and it didn't feel better. I had a tiny cervical lip that was preventing her from coming down. I labored until approximately 2:45 p.m. With intense back pain, and trying to tell everyone I was ready for the hospital.

At 2:45 p.m. I started to push and our sweet baby girl was birthed into water at 2:59 p.m. I was in total shock that she was in my arms. I was instantly in love.

While everyone was admiring our daughter I started to feel pretty poorly. The last thing I remember is telling my midwife that my face was twitching. I started to have a mild seizure, they had to cut the cord and get me out of the tub. My blood pressure went too low, but I recovered quickly. I also had a significant amount of blood loss after I birthed the placenta. I had to take two rounds of methergine to get my uterus to contract faster and reduce the bleeding. Praise God all was well and I was in the hands of a wonderful midwife.

This was by far the most beautiful and intimate labor and birth I have had. I felt God's presence so strongly, and there was such a peace in our home. Brandon did an amazing job of supporting me in labor, and I really feel that we bonded on a whole new level.