Labor and Birth

We are so excited and grateful for the blessing of a new member of our family. We are also grateful for the Lord's guidance and protection through a long and difficult labor and recovery.

Labor began around midnight on Sunday. By Sunday morning when the midwife came I had dilated to 7 centimeters. But then I didn't really make any progress. Contractions would get harder for awhile then slow down. On Tuesday afternoon I thought my water broke and felt a little like pushing, so I tried for awhile but it turned out I still wasn't fully dilated. At 8:30 that evening my contractions really picked up and were quite hard and close all night. I think it was around 3 am that I really began pushing until he was finally born at 5:41 am. I was so relieve and exhausted to have it finally over after three nights and two days of hardly any sleeping or eating.
It soon turned out however that my placenta wouldn't deliver and I began seriously bleeding. It was decided that I needed to be rushed to the emergency room. On the way to the car I passed out once and seriously scared Andrew (and everyone). Andrew my mom and the midwife took me in. The baby stayed with Melissa at home. As soon as I arrived they hooked me up to all sorts of monitors and an IV. They also gave me a blood transfusion. I was barely conscious through the whole ordeal. When I was more stabilized the doctor had to go in a pull the placenta out, which was still partially attached. The bleeding was now under control and I was feeling much more alert.

I had to stay in the hospital overnight. Melissa and Andrew's mom brought the baby down. Andrew was able to stay in my room with me the whole time, I was so glad.

On Thursday evening we finally all came home. Since then I have been resting and recuperating. It is so wonderful to all be home together now enjoying our new baby.


Melissa's creative pictures of early labor in the tub.

Our just born little son... a memorable moment

Little David getting weighed and measured.