A Birth Story

     The winters in Las Vegas are nothing in comparison to most of the United States, but early in my pregnancy, I remember worrying about giving birth in the winter and freezing while I’m in labor and on my way to the hospital (isn’t it funny the things you worry about during pregnancy BEFORE you go through a pregnancy?! To my pre-birth-giving self I say: HA!). The day I F.I.N.A.L.L.Y. went into labor, I bundled up (for the 45 degree day…can you tell I’m a west coast girl?) and headed out for a morning walk. This had become the norm starting around week 37 when I was finally feeling too huge to get in my regular workouts. It was chilly and windy and the clouds were rolling in. It was a less than ideal weather day, but when you’re nearly two weeks past your due date and 1 day away from your scheduled induction, there are very few things that will stop you from attempting to get labor going! So after my walk, a shower, lots of yoga ball exercises, I took the advice of my mom and got out of the house to take my mind off of labor…or lack thereof.

     I was 13 days past my expected due date. I went to bed and woke up everyday that last month of pregnancy thinking today would be the day labor would start. All those days had come and gone and I was so ready to not be pregnant anymore! Although I will admit, I was going to miss the shock factor that came with passing my due date. If you’ve gone more than 40 weeks of carrying your little bundle of love, you know what I’m talking about…

          “Oh! When are you due?!”

               “Actually, last Tuesday!”

          Insert jaw drop

     All joking aside, I was absolutely ready to get this baby out, both my husband and I were so anxious to meet our son! While I was out I started to feel a little…strange…I was crampy and a little nauseous. My first thought was honestly not even labor. I remember thinking “well you’re SUPER pregnant and have probably walked about 4 miles today so…yeah you should go home and rest.” So home I went. Once I got home, the symptoms only increased and I started to think something might actually be happening. I sent a heads up text to my husband just in case this was actually IT.

     By the time my husband got home from work that night, I was sure I was in the early stages of labor. We ate dinner and tried to just relax and enjoy the evening. At this point, I still hadn’t felt any “real” contractions (at least not in the way they are described online…thanks for nothing WebMD). I was mostly just feeling crampy and would occasionally have to stop what I was doing until the cramp passed. Based on what I know now…those WERE contractions. Small, mild, early labor contractions (oh, pre birth-giving self…). Around 7pm on Wednesday evening, labor was intensifying enough that my husband wanted to start timing contractions. He was truly a rock star the entire time we were home. I really wanted to deliver naturally, so we stayed home to labor as long as possible. My husband timed every contraction and did such a good job of reading how I was progressing and feeling. With his help, I was able to labor at home long enough to get to the hospital at 7 cm of Dilation, textbook for natural delivery!

     I was pretty nervous about the labor and delivery part of pregnancy for all of the time leading up to it, but when the time came for all of it I had such a sense of calm and peace. I can only attribute that to the grace of God! He certainly has made our bodies to do miraculous things! Contractions were nothing like what I expected them to be. I mean, they were definitely the most intense and worst pain I’ve ever dealt with (and I know pain people. My torn LCL can vouch for that!), but they were manageable. I took the advice of women before me and breathed through each one with slow, natural breaths. I kept all of the lights off or dim. I pictured each contraction like a wave. I prayed for peace and strength (praise God, He gave it in abundance!!). I tried to remember that contractions last for 120 seconds MAX, especially during the worst of them! And with all of that, I never screamed, never griped, never demanded an epidural. Looking back, labor was really a beautiful experience.

     All of a sudden, the contractions felt different. They weren’t necessarily painful anymore, but  my body was definitely doing some weird stuff. It was…pushing? on its own? We got a nurse. I told her that I thought I was really ready to push, but after checking my cervix, I wasn’t quite at a 10. So she worked with us for another 45 minutes to help me control my body until I was really ready. She called my doctor and let me do two small pushes, which resulted in the baby crowning! Within 20 minutes, my doctor was in my room and I was pushing. 30 minutes later, our little son was here!

     I remember feeling astonished. I didn’t even have words. I couldn’t believe the miracle that God had designed in birth, in life..it was amazing! I didn’t cry or shout or exclaim. I was shocked and in awe! When they laid him on my chest for the first time, all the emotions came. He was (and still is) just so precious, he was God’s gift specifically designed for us! I think I was running on sheer joy and adrenaline for the first few hours after Lukas’ arrival. I had been up all night, yet I felt like I had energy enough to get through another day! It was so great to have him with us, to watch my parents hold their very first grandbaby, to watch my husband love his son, to see some of my other family members enjoy their first visit with the baby. I am so thankful for the miraculous way God has made our bodies to go through hours of such intensity, and still be able to be fully coherent and present for all the beautiful moments that follow the work.

     As I look back on my experience in delivering our little guy, I am full of gratitude. I am grateful for an awesome staff of nurses who were nothing short of helpful and encouraging, I am thankful for my rock of a husband who stayed calm, cool, and collected and helped me to do the same, I am thankful for a healthy delivery and the ability to endure the difficulties to go through all of it without medication, I am thankful for the amazing work of a marvelous Creator who has authored life which is, in itself, a miracle. The two sentences I kept speaking that first day were, “I can’t believe I just did that! I can’t believe he’s here!” My husband and I were excited and anxious about the adventures that were ahead for us.

     Today, this little guy is ONE! A whole year has passed, but I am more in awe of who God has made him to be today, than I even was that very first day of seeing him. We named our son Lukas Michael. Lukas means “light-giving” and Michael means “Who is like God?” Never have I known someone who fits their name so perfectly. This kid is FULL of light: his smile brightens the darkest parts of your day, his laugh warms the coldest parts of your heart, his funny actions and expressions are the most delightful. Lukas Michael reminds us every single day, that there is no one like God; Who, in His great mercy and love, called us to such an awesome assignment in parenthood. A calling that is both incredibly challenging and equally the greatest thing ever. We are grateful.