Here’s Judah and I at 39 weeks. He was born just days after this picture was taken!
I wanted to share Judah’s birth experience.
When I found out I was pregnant I didn’t have any other plans for birth other than what I knew to be typical – Induction, Doctor, Hospital, Lots of Meds! I began praying for this birth and God really opened my eyes to the options that are available. I realized as I began to study the bible that labor didn’t have to be traumatic and painful – that is why Jesus came: to free us from the curse that was put on Adam & Eve (painful birth). So I began to pray that I would have a great pregnancy and birth – no morning sickness, Judah would be in position, labor would start on it’s own and on time, it wouldn’t be unbearable for me (I mean there’s going to be some discomfort, I was giving birth to another person), I wouldn’t need interventions, Labor would run smoothly. I also began to research other options for birth (I considered homebirth but decided not to since Judah was our first), and did all I could to prepare myself for labor. I read all that I could on pregnancy and what happened step by step during labor and birth. Lack of knowledge is the reason for fear and the reason so many births don’t go smoothly. I ate well and stayed really really active (we remolded our house when I was 6-7mo.) during pregnancy. I hired a doula and had weekly labor coaching. With all that said here’s my (Judah’s) story…
On Wednesday, Sept. 24 I woke up in the early morning (around 5 or 6am) having contractions that were about 30 min. a part. I decided to go to the Dr.’s to get checked out around 9. He checked me and said that I was having early labor and that I probably wouldn’t be ready for a few more days. My cervix was still hard and I wasn’t at all dilated. So Aaron and I left and went and had breakfast and spent sometime with family (every one took the day off thinking that Judah was coming). We went home around noon and I took a nap. I was awoken around 1:30 with contractions again that were a bit stronger but still around 30-45 min. a part. I kept falling back asleep during the contractions and slept until 3pm. I got up at that point and did a little research on early labor and then ate some soup around 4:30pm. My contractions were still pretty spaced a part. After my soup, I watched some t.v. and my contractions started getting a little closer together 15-20 min. and a bit stronger. I decided to nap again but didn’t much sleep since my contractions started coming every 10 min. or so. I tried to time them but I didn’t do very good with that. Some were intense and some weren’t so I wasn’t sure if I should write certain ones, so my time sheet was very random and hard to follow. I didn’t really think I needed to time them since I was in early labor and they might stop all together. So I stopped timing them. By 7pm they were still coming and were anywhere fro 8-10 min. a part and getting more intense. By this time I would have to stop what I was doing to breathe through the contractions. My MIL and SIL stopped by and said they thought it was real labor by the way I looked during the contractions and that I should let the Dr. know and even go to the hospital just to get checked out. I said no. I had planned on laboring at home for as long as I could and the Dr. knew this ahead of time. So my SIL called the Dr. and he said that I could go to hospital if I thought I needed to. I still said no. I really didn’t think I was in active labor. Even though I had prayed for a great labor and birth and trusted God for one – I still thought it would more than what I was going through. So I stayed home and continued to move around and breathe through contractions. Around 8pm Aaron checked me (the best he could) and thought I was about 5cm. I still wasn’t going to go to the hospital until I had to. I decided to get into the tub and soak and did that until around 9pm. In the tub the contractions weren’t as strong and I felt really relaxed but eventually got out so that I wouldn’t turn into a raisin. Around 9:45 I got out and got some clothes on and rested on the bed. The contractions were coming closer and stronger. I even threw up my soup 3 times. At this point it was 10pm and Aaron checked me and said he felt something hard, to which I replied it was my cervix that the Dr. said was hard and not ready…hehehe. He didn’t listen to me and called my Doula and she came quickly over and they said I needed to go to the hospital. So at 10:00 or 10:15 pm we left for the hospital. When I get to the hospital I could hardly stand through the contractions. The nurses must have thought that I was just a panicky first time mom b/c they didn’t seem rushed or think I was about to deliver. They wanted me to change into a gown and give a urine sample…I never could get the sample and putting on the gown took forever literally. One nurse finally came in to help. They took me over to the triage room to get checked out and when they checked me I was 10cm!!!!! They freaked!!!!!! I had never nurses move so fast. They wanted to strap me down but I wouldn’t have it so I stayed squatting on the bed as they moved me into delivery. Once in the room I stayed upright over the back of the bed and kept breathing through contractions. As soon as the Dr. got there I said I needed to push. I turned over and pushed for about 10-15 min and out came Judah! Judah was born on Sept. 24 @ 11:30pm! I didn’t use any meds and didn’t get an episiotomy. The nurses kept asking in disbelief if this was my first labor. I don’t take the credit for myself alone. God gave me a great birth but I did all I could to see that I was prepared for the kind of birth I wanted.
Next time around I plan on doing a homebirth. I’m sure there is nothing like giving birth and being in the comfort of your own home for the recovery and first hours of your babies life outside the womb. How wonderful!
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