Ernie's Birthday

Hello Friends,


It has taken me awhile to get around to posting pictures from Ernie's birthday.  Days are running into nights and life is one beautiful mess that I'm attempting to figure out right now.  I wanted to take this time (perhaps minutes?) while the little boy is napping to post the photographs my lovely sister took during my labor.  Let's be honest, it will take several nap times to complete this post :).  Josh has already shared a post on our birth story here.  With the help of these photographs It's now my turn to chime in! I hope sharing my experience with you will help me to remember the day our first child was born.


It was a typical day, but not too typical considering I was one day "overdue" and feeling it.  We had dinner with a friend and were chatting with her over tea in our living room when I started feeling uncomfortable; so much so that I couldn't sit any longer and had to walk around while talking.  Lisa (our dinner guest) caught on quickly that something was up.  She left our home around 9:00 with a big smile on her face in light of what was about to come.  Josh and I were trying to remain calm (it could have been false labor) but had a hunch this could be "it".  We stayed up extra late watching a few episodes of MasterChef on Hulu (a bad choice in hindsight...we should have slept while we still could!).  


1:30am- I couldn't lay any longer in bed.  Cramps wrapped around my abdomen and to my back.  I had maybe one more of those before I woke up Josh and told him that these contractions were "different"...no more sleeping.  Josh got out the exercise ball, a giant mug of ice water, and made me some oatmeal (my last meal before birth!).  The contractions were irregular at this point but continued steadily on.  I called my mom and sister (my birth team :) ) and told them to get ready!  

This photo was taken by Josh with my phone; surprisingly I was okay with him snapping this pic during a contraction :)

5:30am- We headed to the hospital after timing contractions 4 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute long and continuing for 1 hour.  

The good news: Things were progressing.  

The bad news: I was only 3cm dilated and had the option to either take pitocin or go back home to labor longer.  We chose to go home.  

here are photos from our first hospital visit

Josh was my hero.  During contractions I would feel enormous amounts of pain in my lower back; Josh applied counter-pressure during every contraction to help ease my discomfort.

Here's my sweet labor team (minus Josh).  
These ladies kept me hydrated, rubbed my back, breathed with me, put cool cloths on my forehead, prayed for me, and supported me in incredible ways during the entire process.

11:30-7:30- We labored at home.  I was given a minor sedative to try and "sleep through contractions".  That hardly happened.  I tried to lay down but every three minutes I arose to sharp pangs, which were coming on a lot stronger and more close together by the minute.  The Lord was my help.  He gave Scripture to my heart before each contraction to meditate on.  My dear friend Angela, who had given birth just a few weeks before me had also given me verses she held onto during her labor.  

Here are some of God's promises I clung to:  

God is my refuge and strength. (Psalm 46:1)

God's grace is sufficient for me and His power is made perfect in weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

When I am afraid I will trust in Him. (Psalm 56:3)

God is my help. (Psalm 54:4, Romans 8:26)

God is with me always and will never forsake me. (Joshua 1:9)

God intends good for me. (Romans 8:28)

                                                   

Josh was my help too; he encouraged me that I could do it and was doing it even when I doubted I could.  He held me and told me he loved countless times.  He prayed over me and over little Earnest and reassured me that God was with me, loved me, and would help me persevere.     

During active labor I was able to listen to music.  I had created a playlist of hymnals with rich words and soothing sounds.  Just recently I heard "Give Me Jesus" by Fernando Ortega (a song from my playlist) and was left sobbing as I was brought back to the day Ernie was born.  I recalled God's goodness and faithfulness to us in that time and how he used music and my family to remind me of His sweet promises.

7:30- I was having contractions 2-3 minutes apart and we decided to give the hospital another go.

8:00- I was now 5cm dilated.  We praised the Lord!  I was able to stay at the hospital and labor there.  By the time I was 6 cm dilated I decided to labor in the tub.  This was such a relief.  The warm water really was a comfort to me.  I really didn't want to get out but had to when the time came to start pushing.

1:00- The long hours of pushing began.  It's hard to describe these hours.  I had been laboring so long (24 hours); these moments blur together in mind.  Most memories I have are good: Josh whispering words of encouragement in my ear and holding my hands, sister praying for me, mom rooting for me from the sidelines; but unfortunately not all of my labor experience was this good.  My midwife was very disappointing; she even yelled at me during the pushing process.  She was rude to my family, discouraging to me, and altogether the worst part of the entire labor process.  I won't go into further detail because I want to remember the beautiful moments and not dwell on my (our) discontentment with this particular midwife.  I'm thankful she delivered my boy but beyond that I will never see her again nor recommend her to anyone.  Enough said about her...let's move on to the best part :)...  

4:10-4:22- This was it.  The last minutes before Earnest would make his way into the world.  By this point I was tuning out my midwife's voice, focusing on Josh's words and begging the Lord to help me get Ernie out.  I remember hearing a baby cry in an adjacent room and knew that was God giving me hope that soon our little boy would be out and with his new mama and papa.  After three hours of pushing I did it, all by God's grace and strength as I did not have single ounce of energy left to push.  The sound of Earnest's strong cry lifted my heart.  He was brought up to my chest and I weakly wept over the tiny miracle before me.  He was here; and looked just like his daddy.

proudest papa you will ever see

We are in love.

Thank you Justine for taking these beautiful photographs.  

We will always remember the day Earnest was born!