Not history...her-story

Minutes after Eva was born...She's growing already...

Friday night I awoke several times with contractions. They weren't long and they weren't painful, but they were a sign that Eva was on her way. Around 4am, I woke Brandon up and told him they were consistently 10 minutes apart. He timed them for a bit and we decided to go back to bed. Around 9am, we woke up and decided to go on a long walk, first with the dogs and then on our own. We walked the dogs to the coffee shop across the street and enjoyed lattes and smoothies for the last time as just the 2 of us.

By noon, my contractions had increased to about 8 minutes apart. Again, they weren't long (1 minute max.) and they weren't painful, but they were a sign that Eva was on her way. Trying to keep myself busy, I spread a few handfuls of mulch around the deck in the back while Brandon worked in the basement. Contractions still steady, I came inside for lunch and a nap. The contractions increased to 4-6 minutes apart.

Every time I had a contraction, I practiced what we had learned in our 12 weeks of Bradley Classes. I relaxed completely, as if I were asleep. Though they were getting more intense, I knew that we had trained for this and that God was in complete control. All day long, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me," was running through my head and out of my mouth.

After a twist of events around our house, my brother came over to help Brandon move a couch. At this point my mood was changing and I had evidence that it was time to call the midwife and get the show on the road. At 7pm, Brandon called the midwife, we fed the dogs, put our bags in the car, and headed out our neighborhood for the last time with precious Eva in my belly.

A quick decision to grab fast food for Brandon (I wanted him to be strong and ready to go for me), landed us at BirthCare at 9pm. Our room was illuminated with candles, the jacuzzi brimming with warm jets, and the bed turned down. Wow. We just stood and took it in. Contractions were coming every 4 minutes like clockwork. When I felt the tightening I would stop and crouch down in a squat position, wait, relax, and resume what I was doing. God was and is so gracious! Brandon whispered words of encouragement to me and set the room with worship music, a playlist we had made.

Six centimeters dilated. The midwife, whom I was meeting for the first time (Ask me about this turn of events, again, God is so good.), left the room and told us to call if we needed her. Here we go, off to the jacuzzi. I spent about a half hour in the water as my contractions got closer and closer and more intense. I had to completely go into myself mentally and relax. Every thing in my body wanted to tense with the pain, but I knew that I had to be strong (how interesting that to be strong we need to be weak...).

I had to pee! What was my body thinking at a time like this?! Between a contraction I slipped into the bathroom and realized that there was no way I could get up. One after another, my body was being struck by these forces. Brandon, my coach, took control and helped me get to the bed to lay on my side (Our classes called this sleep position). "Brandon, I feel like I have to push." I will never forget that feeling or the transition that my body was about to take. Just as Brandon asked me if I wanted the midwife, she walked in the door.

"I feel like I need to push," I managed to squawk in between contractions. Lisa, the midwife kindly suggested that she see if I had dilated past 6cm in order for pushing to be beneficial. Within a few breaths time, Lisa whispered words I had been waiting 10 months to hear, "Go ahead and push your babe out."

Immediately my focus was on the actual delivery. I knew I didn't want to be laying on my side or on the bed so Brandon brought out the birthing chair. I know that gravity can only help with birthing, so I wanted to give myself all the advantages I could get! After relaxing through a few more contractions, Lisa reminded me that my water hadn't broken yet. She suggested that she break it to progress the labor, but Brandon and I really wanted every part of this birth to take place naturally. We stalled for a few moments while contractions continued until Lisa reassured me that the bag of waters was so low I could touch it! Without a risk of infection, Brandon and I had her break the bag and watch labor progress. Labor did progress!

Within minutes, the bathroom door cracked for a little glimpse of dim light, Lisa encouraged me to push with my contractions. After one push, Eva's head was delivered, and after two, she was in my arms. It was an unbelievable moment for us. Brandon held her for her first moments of life. He cut the umbilical cord and pulled her close to his chest. This is our baby?! A full head of dark hair! Ten fingers and toes. Brandon's lips and my fingers. It was overwhelming that this moment had finally come and with such peace and confidence that could only have come from the Father.

This is our story of her-story. We give all the credit and all the glory to Him because ...we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us.