So for the last few weeks before the birth I was having signs of labor almost every night. I had never gone past the "due date" before so this was all new for us! I thought the children were going to lose their minds! And I had just about decided that my body was broken and clearly would not go into labor ever again! But I wasn't emotional or severely distressed, I knew logically that there had to be a good reason and that it's all right to not be in control of this. Because my Lord was in control. I remember crying just about everyday when I was pregnant with Hurricane because I hadn't gone into labor yet! And she was born a week before her "due date"! No more of that wasted stress!
Anyway, October 28th, I woke and started planning for preparation for the reformation day party at our church that night. I was hoping to spend some time with the girls making 1600s costumes for them to wear to it. The day before we had cancelled HS lessons in favor of doing a bunch of fun art stuff. Hulk even got to paint for the first time. I had been focusing on decreasing my stress and doing more fun stuff with the kids for about a week. Anyway, I took a shower and was shocked to have three real contractions during it. Keeping in mind all the practice labor action before had been at night with my feeling absolutely normal of a morning. As soon as I got out of the shower I started timing contractions, it was right around 8am and I called my midwife to let her know. I was really hoping she would get there in time for the birth so I risked calling her early! I had two more predictable contractions and confirmed for her to come now. I didn't know at the time that she was at another birth where the baby had already been born and because she was there instead of at home she was about 30 minutes closer to me! : ) The kids started running around helping and cleaning. I dumped a frozen venison stew into the crockpot to cook and then started focusing during contractions. Robert finished the birthing pool and our friend from church who enjoys photography arrived. I probably got in the pool around 9. Here is the big difference between this birth and my others. I typed up several bible verses and messages to myself ahead of time and prepared the girls to read them to me. So during contractions one of the girls (and later, Robert) sat with me, held my hand and read from the pages. It gave me something more to focus on then my own abilities (which are feeble at best). I focused on God's promises, His strength in my weakness, and the promise of the gospel. A woman in labor is used often in the Word as a picture of suffering through this world with the promise that there is an end! As a result I knew how far I was progressing by the intensity of the contractions but didn't get frantic or fight the pain. I just surrendered to it. The kids were impressed because "you only screamed twice!" It was my easiest labor and birth. It was the most peaceful and I'm very thankful for how it went. Afterward, I did hemorrhage some. It was noticed and gotten under control very quickly by my midwife. I didn't even require any meds. But as a result I have had to be on strict bed rest. For about the first week I tried to stay flat in bed and for the last couple of days I have been on the recliner during the day. It just takes time and rest, lots of healthy food and lots of water and iron supplements to get my blood volume back up. I'm definitely over a hump now and truly hoping to get to go to church Sunday! Meanwhile, Robert has been running everything! I have been doing homeschooling with Cal in bed but he takes care of everyone else and really Wild Man is the biggest, most involved job. And he has never done laundry and is totally in charge of that too! We've been giggling over how he has come realize it's never actually done! But he has struggled with figuring out when to do school work. We were blessed with a friend from church who came over to help while he went to classes on one day but he had to skip his classes on another day. I'm typically back up and running full steam within a day or two after a birth (this is not something any woman should do, it is to my shame) so we are not used to me being so worthless to the running of the house! But it will pass. I will likely be back to helping out some next week. It's sort of hard for me because I'm not in pain or weak or sleepy or anything. I hate sitting still. Anyway, that is where we are and how you can pray for us!
2 Comments
Melissa Barrett
11/6/2015 03:07:19 pm
Awwww....love the details and pictures. Brought back memories of the birth I was blessed to attend! Miss you guys. Continued prayers
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Tobie
11/6/2015 09:26:56 pm
Sweet pictures! I love seeing siblings love on each other....what a blessing! Enjoy the extra rest!!
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