There’s this book that we got from some of our sweet friends, Kyle + Joanna, called On the Night You Were Born. We read it to Aiden regularly before bed and I just love the theme of the book–that all the stars and creation celebrated on the night of baby’s birth.
A birth story is such a sweet one to tell. One that I hope Aiden will look back on and know how dearly loved he was on his birth-night. As the months go on, the story can get fuzzy, so I want to document it here so that when we’re old, I can still recount the special details to my babe.
Aiden, on the night you were born…
Mama and papa had worked a full day on campus. As we left GMU, I said to your dad and our friend Sarah that I thought you were going to push yourself right out of me by how hard you were pushing. That night, we ate dinner with your great-grandma. We had this wonderfully large, five course meal, which I now know was the Lord’s provision that He gave me great sustenance right before you made your entrance.
We got home and felt like our bathroom renovation needed to be closer to completion, so we painted the bathroom together and then vacuumed and mopped all the floors (mama’s nesting instinct was in full force). At 11:30pm, mama and papa laid down in bed. We were discussing whether we should drive to a team meeting in Richmond the next day, when all of a sudden my water broke.
To be honest, I was shocked. I didn’t expect you to come early and I didn’t expect my labor to begin with what felt like tons of gallons of warm water gushing out of me all over our bed. When it happened, I was scared and excited. “It’s really, happening,” we thought, and “I guess we’re not going to Richmond.” We called our Bradley teacher and asked her for advice. Mama began all the first-stage labor things like showering, drinking water, trying to rest and getting our last minute bag supplies ready. By 2:30am, my contractions were 60 seconds in length, every 3 minutes for an hour and we felt like it was time to go to the hospital.
An attendant at the desk said I may be sent home because women often are too early with their first pregnancy, but when mama was checked, she was at 5cm and half-way to meeting you. They set us up in a labor and delivery room and mama and papa labored together for the next 4 hours. We used different labor positions I had learned in our Bradley class and tried to relax and pray with every contraction. Transition was especially painful, but I knew that I wanted to have you naturally, if possible, without medication so that you and I both could be as alert as possible.
By around 7am, the pain began to lessen and I started to feel the need to push. I began pushing on contractions and soon after, a couple of nurses walked in. Matt said to them, “Just so you know, Renee has begun to push.” And one of the nurses yelped, “What? You’re supposed to tell us! We need to call the doctor and even check to see if you’re ready!” They checked and I was at 10cm and ready to meet you. Mama and papa both got onto the bed and within an hour of pushing, you were placed in my arms. As of 8:17am on October 17th, 2017, our lives were never the same. We were able to delay some of the usual shots and eye ointment so that the three of us could get some special bonding time. You tried breastfeeding for the first time and we were absolutely in love.
Getting used to being a family of 3 took us a little while, and I am so grateful for the nurses we had, the free food from the hospital (no but seriously), and a lactation consultant who was really amazing. God was so good to give us you, sweet boy. I’ll never forget the night you were born.
P.s. For other Mamas reading this, I understand that every mama and baby have their own birth story. Before I was pregnant, I didn’t know that I wanted to give birth naturally and I have no judgment whatsoever for mamas giving birth in other ways. I think what’s most important is that mama and baby are safe and healthy so whatever way that happens, you are a rockstar for bringing another human into the world!
Originally published on Where the Pineapple Grows back in 2018.
