I am still processing God's goodness to us during labor and delivery. For weeks leading up to Jemma's birth Clay and I prayed specifically for a quick delivery, pure joy, and God to get the ultimate glory through the experience. And God answered ALL of these prayers in ways we couldn't have predicted.
We prepared for labor/delivery by taking birthing classes with First Birth Ministries, a Biblical approach to labor/delivery. This course was amazing and showed us through scripture how to rely on God throughout our experience and taught us all the facts about labor/delivery. To help us during labor/delivery we created a poster board with scriptures and compiled a selection of music I like to call my Labor Melodies (a compilation of worship music).
Clay hanging the scriptures.
For 6 weeks leading up to my due date I started having braxton-hicks contractions. I was instructed to stop working early and to rest, because she was showing signs that she would come early. At times they would regulate to every 3-5 minutes for hours and then would go away, it was annoying. Jemma was mispositioned in my pelvis, so she was probably engaging my pelvis but at the wrong angle, so it wasn't pushing me into labor. All in all, I was mentally ready for Jemma's arrival weeks before she arrived!
On September 21st, my due date, I had an "induction" massage and acupuncture done with my chiropractor in hopes that it would open up my pelvis and make room for Jemma to move down. Unfortunately I didn't walk out of there in labor, instead I went to my 40 week appointment with the midwives where I was diagnosed with high blood pressure and was put on bed rest. We patiently waited on God's perfect timing and knew that she had to come eventually..."But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently." Romans 8:25
On September 23rd I had another "induction" massage and acupuncture, and had another appointment with the midwives to put on some Prepedil gel to help "ripen" my cervix to prepare it for labor/delivery. At previous appointments I had been told that I was 30% effaced and 1cm dilated multiple times when read by different midwives. At this appointment I was told that I was 0% effaced and wasn't dilated! On the way home from the appointment I was beside myself with frustration and disbelief. How could I go backwards? Am I going to have to be induced!?! I prayed that God would bring Jemma specifically that night because I couldn't take the emotional ups and downs anymore (yes, this was a bit dramatic). Well, God answered my prayers, because about three hours later around 7:30pm my water broke!
Very few women have their water break before labor begins. This was problematic for me because I was Group Strep-B positive (meaning I had to be at the hospital to receive antibiotics once my water broke to keep a bacteria from getting to Jemma) and I was progressed 0/0, so labor was looking like it was going to be long!
8:45pm we arrived at the hospital. My contractions hadn't regulated into a pattern and the pain was meek compared to later. My blood pressure read high, I had a low-grade temperature, and Jemma wasn't responding to contractions. I was dehydrated. They immediately wanted to get fluids and antibiotics in me. This was my first test during labor since I am extremely needle-shy and have a lot of anxiety related to IVs.
For the next 35 minutes 3 nurses made 2 failed and 1 successful attempt to place an IV. During the first 2 attempts Clay stayed by my side and I zoned out to my Labor Melodies. We counted and breathed together. At the second failed attempt I was at my breaking point and started to shake uncontrollably in my legs and body. I asked for a bathroom break and broke down in the bathroom. Clay prayed over me. I came out of the bathroom with a renewed strength and peace in God's faithfulness. I read scripture aloud with the 3rd attempt..."But you are a shield around me, O Lord, you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. To the Lord I cry aloud, and he answers me from His holy hill...I lie down and sleep, I wake again, because the Lord sustains me." Psalms 3:3-5. The uncontrolled shaking stopped completely and the IV was placed. The medical staff in the room must have thought I definitely wasn't going to last through labor naturally after they saw me meltdown with the IV start! After fluids were in me, my blood pressure regulated, Jemma started to respond to contractions, and my temperature went down. However, my contractions still weren't regulating.
Getting the IV
Listening to music and focusing on Clay.
My motto throughout labor was to take it one step at a time. If I were to think about how long, how much harder it was going to get, or what could go wrong, I would succumb to fear and not to God. This was his delivery and I was his vessel, allowing him to work through me. I could rest knowing that he was in control and would show himself faithful. God used Clay to be my help during labor. You will notice a pattern in the pictures, Clay is in them all. He was incredible and never left my side and prayed over me continually. I always refer to this experience as our labor and delivery, because he was my support all 16 hours without a break! I tried to get him to eat and sleep, but he wouldn't leave my side! He prayed for weeks leading up to this that God would give him what he needed to anticipate my needs during labor, and God gave him everything he needed.
I tried to rest at the beginning of labor, but once the pain was too much to rest I started working hard to help Jemma move down. Using different positions (on the exercise ball, in the tub, on all fours, leaning on the back of the bed) to help open up my pelvis to help her move down. As soon as a contraction would hit, my body would reflexively tense up, so I would have to do what felt unnatural and relax all the muscles starting in my face and allowing them to relax all the way down through my legs. When I would relax the pelvic muscles it hurt more, but I knew that it was helping her move down. At this point I was able to talk between contractions. We kept the atmosphere light and peaceful with worship music and prayer. During each contraction I had all my supports (Clay, midwife, doula, and my mom) reminding me to breath deeply and to relax my pelvis so that Jemma could move down.
Between contractions, Clay helping to relax the muscles in my back.
After laboring for almost 12 hours it was apparent that my labor wasn't progressing. I was dehydrated again, most likely from being in the bath tub and from vomiting. I was still at 4cm. I was having some back labor up until this point and my midwife and doula could see that Jemma was mispositioned in my pelvis, facing out and sideways. They had me lay in bed and alternate sides every 30-45 minutes to help move her into the right position. If my waters hadn't broke earlier it would have been easier for Jemma to move, but there was nothing cushioning her. I really wanted to be out of bed laboring in different positions where I could have more control. I was tiring out and I needed something to take the edge off for a little bit and to give me rest so I asked for nubane. The midwife administered the nubane to me at around 7 or 8 a.m. She told me after delivery that she gave me a “Barbie Doll” amount of nubane and it wasn’t necessary to tell people considering the dose she gave me. Another midwife later told us that my labor midwife is incredibly stingy with drugs and said she probably gave me about 5 mg. However, I was able to sleep between contractions and relax; it was amazing!
Unfortunately, the nubane slowed my contractions and made Jemma non-responsive to contractions. So the midwife suggested Pitocin to help speed things up. She administered small doses and built it up from there. At the time they started Pitocin, I was 4 cm dilated. This is when back labor began to hit an all time high. The baby was facing out causing the hard part of her head to press against my spinal nerves during the contractions. The pain was not only in my back but was radiating down both legs, which we later learned is incredibly rare. Clay spent the whole time trying to block the nerve pain and alleviate the pain down my sciatic nerve. He tried squeezing my lower back together with all his strength during contractions. Nothing was helping at all. After a few hours I had reached my breaking point and the contractions were intensifying as the dose of Pitocin was increasing.
At this point they still thought I was only 4cm dilated (once your water breaks they don't check dilation very often because of the risk of infection). Because of the unbearable pain and thought of having to labor like this for who knows how many more hours, I started to consider an epideral. The muscles in my back and pelvis were so tense and were spasiming uncontrollably. I had heard that in a situation like this that an epidural would help relax the muscles so the baby can move down and in the right position. I had a peace about getting the epideral and felt like it was my key to a vaginal delivery. The anesthesiologist was called. A few minutes later I had a contraction with involuntary pushing, which happens in the last stage of labor. The midwife checked my cervix immediately and read me at 8cm, she was in disbelief. I was dilating quickly and had entered into the transition stage of labor when we thought that labor had stalled. God is so faithful! I immediately told the midwife “I can do this.” The midwife called for a baby cart and cancelled the anesthesiologist who was seconds from entering the room. The midwife helped manipulate Jemma into the right position, since she was still facing out. But once Jemma was in a more favorable position, the pain was a lot more bearable and she dropped down and I flew into the pushing stage! 20-30 minutes later Jemma arrived! I couldn't have done this without God's perfectly timed deliverance!
Looking back I can see God's hand in all of it. I would have been an easy C-section with some doctors because of my unpredictable labor and Jemma's position. And thanks to his quick deliverance when I was at my breaking point, I didn't have to get an epidural. I feel so blessed by this experience and by God's faithfulness throughout. There was so much pain, but in the end there was pure joy. Throughout the most painful times in my life, God has always turned my pain into pure joy. Right when I start losing faith, he shows me how faithful he is. I can look back on experiences that could have left me bitter and resentful for the rest of my life, but as soon as I cried out to Christ for answers and strength he showed me how much he loves me and drew me closer to him. I know that God allowed things to happen in my life so that he could be glorified in the joy and strength he has given me. When I am weak, he is strong as I am pushed to rely upon him more and more.
Jemma, Daddy, & the Bjorn...that thing is amazing. I love that I can do work around the house and she is quite content.
Love from Granmommy
Our pumpkins from left to right: Jeff, Debby, Clay, Jody, & Kat.
Meeting the Pierson's, Sarah, my BFF's family! I had heard that Mr. Pierson was always a baby-hog and he hardly let her go when we were with them. Jemma and him hit it off right away!
Sarah Craig's husband & Clay. They walked around together like this, two men & a baby, makes you think....
Frango, Granmommy's puppy, dressed up like a shark. She didn't like it too much and wouldn't move an inch in the costume.
Under Jemma's gloworm costume was her kitty onesie.
2 days
1 Week
3 Weeks
Showing off some rolls
Jemma has excellent head control. From day one she would lift up her head and now she will hold it up. In this picture she was trying to eat her play mat! This is typically the case when she is on her tummy.
I tried to give Jemma a ride on Wrigley's back, but it freaked him out a bit.
Aunt Norma
Daddy feeding Jemma
She loves this, and it helps with tummy discomfort!
My dad has an ongoing joke with Clay that he is "Number One." They have both agreed that they are "Number One" in their categories, but still kid eachother.
Jan and Eryn, Clay's sister and brother-in-law.
