We found out in late November that we were pregnant and due July 25. We were through-the-roof excited. There was also a cloud of worry that I had this whole pregnancy because we had lost a baby about a year and a half prior to finding out about this pregnancy. The Lord continued to show up and remind me that each day Vince was in my womb was another day I got to spend with him. It was a weird feeling to be so excited about bringing another child into the world and at the same time feeling so apprehensive to celebrate because of the loss we had experienced.
The small group at my church prayed over us continually and also encouraged me to think of ways to intentionally choose celebration and joy with this baby over worry and anxiety. With that encouragement, we decided to have a gender reveal party. While we were planning it I said, "I don't know why we're having this...I know it's a girl so it won't be a very big surprise!" Boy, was I wrong! We opened a box and out came BLUE balloons! Vinnie and I were floored to learn we were having a sweet baby boy!
It was getting easier and easier to choose joy and celebration with this pregnancy as July 25 came closer and closer. I was expecting him to come early or right on time so when July 25 came and went I started to feel more and more "over it" with being pregnant. There were 3 nights after July 25 that I was having consistent, mild contractions when I went to bed. I would fall asleep thinking, "Get some rest, this is it. We're having this baby today!" and then I would wake up the next morning with no contractions and a new day ahead of me.
I was having a really hard time, emotionally (and physically), with each day that passed without meeting our baby boy. Eleven days after July 25, I was scheduled to have an ultrasound to check on baby and make sure he had enough of what he needed to wait it out a few days longer. So, Vinnie and I head to the ultrasound appointment. There he was, sweet baby boy just hanging out and enjoying himself in the womb! The doctor said, "He looks really comfortable in there and has plenty of what he needs to ride this out for a few more days. I wish I could tell you he's coming today but I don't think that's the case." I wanted to cry but I was also relieved to know that he and I were healthy and strong.
We went home, ate some lunch, took a nap and I went to the birthing center to talk about our game plan. They gave me some herb concoction to take that was supposed to help encourage labor. Honestly, I didn't think it would work but paid the $20 to take the bottle home in the small case it could help. After taking 3 doses of the herbs, I started having cramps during Clara's bedtime routine but didn't think anything of it given what the doctor said and my previous 3 false starts.
Clara went to bed and around 7pm I was having consistent, but mild contractions. I sent a text to close friends and said, "Could you say a quick prayer? I'm having minor contractions. Pray this is it and that I go into labor!"
I went to bed around 8:45pm thinking I would wake up the next morning still pregnant. But, around 10pm I couldn't sleep through contractions anymore. They had picked up and I started using breathing exercises. For the next hour I would breathe through contractions and in between think, "That's it. I'm not in labor, that was the last contraction." My mind had just become so used to not being in labor that it didn't really dawn on me that I was in fact in labor! I woke Vinnie up around 11:30pm with my heavier breathing and he immediately got out of bed, got the living room set up with dim lighting, music, water, birthing ball, diffuser going with my favorite smells. He led me to the living room and I gave Vinnie my phone to start timing my contractions. To Vinnie's surprise my contractions were about 3 minutes apart! He told me he wanted to call the birthing center to let them know and I said, "No, I don't think this is it. Give it more time, I think they'll go away." Vinnie let me have 2 more contractions and then he made the call. The midwife on call told us to come in immediately. Vinnie called my Mom to come over to be with Clara and texted our best friend, Tricia, who would be our "doula" to meet us at the birthing center.
We get to the birthing center around 12:45am and I'm already feeling extremely tired and exhausted. I just wanted to go to sleep but there was no way I could with the amount of pain I was feeling. They filled up the tub soon after I got there and that's where I stayed. The contractions picked up in intensity almost the minute I got into the tub. Vinnie, Tricia, and the midwife continued to say things like, "You are strong. You can do this. Think 'down down down' when you are in the contraction." I loved it. They really empowered me and made me believe I can do this. At one point, Tricia looked me in the eye and said, "Hey, you can do this. Your body was made to do this. This pain is not bigger than you." Wow, I needed those words so desperately.
At one point, I needed to switch positions because my back was in so much pain. I leaned forward and at that moment felt like I wanted to push. I said quietly, "I want to push." The midwife said, "OK!"
Let's stop right here so I can explain something: this is significant because up until this point I still wasn't 100% convinced I was in labor. I know, it sounds illogical but I didn't really believe it until that point! The midwife never checked to see if I was dilated from the moment I got there until this point. I thought that was because she knew I was only at a 5 or 6 and she didn't want to discourage me. So, imagine my surprise when I said I wanted to push and they midwife said, "OK!" It felt like I jumped over what I thought would be several hours of labor in one moment! It was awesome.
After being "OK"ed to push, I said, "What do I need to do?" and they said, "Whatever you need to do to start pushing." I wanted to be leaning back so I just started falling straight back! Vinnie and Tricia had to leap over to catch me! Later Vinnie said he was pretty certain I was about to go under water but I didn't. Thanks, Tricia and Vinnie for catching me in my unforeseen trust fall!
I was leaning back and on came my next contraction. I pushed, pushed, pushed and could feel his head! The midwife said, "In this next contraction you could meet your baby." I pushed, pushed, pushed through my next contraction and out he came!! Vince was born at 3:43am on August 6, 2016 in his bags of water after only 5 minutes of pushing. "Praise Jesus!" was all I could say over and over.
I'm still amazed at how different and intense this labor was. God's handprints were all over this pregnancy and delivery. I am so proud of Vince and proud to be his Mommy. Praise Jesus for this beautiful life! I couldn't have done it without the team of people God put around us to bring Vince into the world.
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