So if you are a women and you are reading this you may know what the process of giving birth is like. Each labor and birth can be completely different and memorable. I was pregnant with my second daughter I began having braxton hicks contractions in the beginning of my third trimester. They lasted up until my mom had the doctor induce me at 38 weeks.
Now, here is a not so known fact, but when you threatened to throw your mom off of a bridge, they tend to get a baby out of you. Now I preface this to say at 36 weeks pregnant and pretty much no sleep she told me "oh you will get through this and the baby will be here before you know it." we were walking on the bridge at that time and I looked at her and told her I would throw her off the bridge. She then had a conversation with my doctor about needing to get the baby out before 40 weeks. He agreed as I was a complete wreck emotionally due to a few hours of uncomfortable rest every night. My body wasn't finding rest at all, so he induced me. After my water broke, my contractions came quick and fast and my baby's heart rate was dropping very low. I had planned on an epidural before I went into intense labor but, I was placed on my side in full labor with no pain medication and had to breathe through every contraction, no medication, and pain. My mom went into super coach mode and was massaging my back frantically as my husband was in front of me having me focus on him and breathing. Oxygen was placed on me, and I was left on my side unable to move off of it in pain trying to relax my body, it consistently tensed up and it was so painful I whimpered and cried a little. I was terrified I kept telling Nic "It hurts" and my mom kept talking firmly in my ear "keep breathing" Nic and her both spoke with authority in that moment. My mom was a rock star and kept pushing me through. She would watch the monitor and her and Nic would talk me through and focus me for each contraction. Still the baby's heart rate didn't go back up, I am a nurse so I knew something was wrong, no one would say it, but still I knew something was wrong. Finally they got an epideral in my but I was fully dialted so when they placed me on my back I was ready to push. I pushed like their was no tomorrow and nature took over, I was pushing her out and the doctor yelled "stop pushing, just breath" I wanted to hit him and say "Seriously!" but I breathed in short pats and trusted him because my mom and husband were saying just breath don't push, then he told me to push again and out came my baby. What I didn't know during the process was my baby had an umbilical cord wrapped around her neck, so when she was in the birth canal her heart rate dropped. That moment he was telling me not to push was the moment they were unwrapping the cord from her little neck. Kincade is now 4 and she is my spitfire and I wouldn't trade her for anything.
With that I say this though, that cord was around her neck before she was in the canal, and if she would have been in the womb for several more weeks it could have led to her death. God knew and in my spirit it was uneasy and he used my emotions to push my mom towards getting her out much sooner. It was a painful labor but my mom and my husband became a unit of teamwork in that moment that I have never seen before in my life. Their goal was to get me through, never once did they tell me to quit complaining. They didn't say just give up, they didn't walk away and leave me to be in labor by myself, they were there to get me through. When the doctor told me to stop pushing the helped me through that so that my daughter wasn't choked by the umbilical cord.
Some times when you are in a season of discomfort , pain, and confusion you need to do several things: Know the baby is coming, have a team that will help you breath and coach you through the birth, and listen and trust those voices. I was in a very vulnerable position and in that moment and there was nothing I could do about it. I didn't care who saw me laying on my side with my bottom possibly hanging out of the gown. I didn't know who came in that room other than the doctor, I didn't know what time it was or what was going on around me. All I cared about was focusing on my mom and husband and making it through labor. I don't remember seeing much during that time other than my husbands face right in front of mine, and I hear my moms firm voice and felt her hands trying to massage my muscles into a relaxed state.
After my water broke I gave birth in an hour, I was in labor for 14 hours, and I pushed three times. But in that short time my body went from carrying a baby to being empty. When God is changing you and transitioning you through a birth period it may feel like time is standing still because it is so intense, but God is taking you quickly to another level. My mom and my husband are two people that I love dearly and in other moments we have had arguments I think I have threatened both their lives before. But in the moment of my vulnerability I trusted and relied on those two and they were my guides during the labor. Switch your focus from the pain that is going on in you to the one who is coaching you through each moment of pain. God is birthing something in each of us, you need to be prepared for the labor process, keep focused, keep breathing, and when it is time: PUSH!
