What a precious birth?? Well that is not what I thought on Monday, September 24th or the rest of the week! My midwife, called me Monday morning to say she would be in town and she wanted to see me since I was about 3 weeks over due. I wasn't truly 3 weeks over due, I don't even know when I got pregnant. I was measuring weeks ahead for the majority of my pregnancy and that's why we came up with the due date of September 9th. When I had my ultrasound at 22 weeks the technician said "Are you sure of your due date/ Your baby looks more developed for yor dates." But at the end of my pregnancy I was measuring weeks behind so we were all just waiting.

Anyway back to Monday, September 24th. I saw my midwife at Kathleen's house she checked me, and still no progress. This SUCKS, I thought, then she stripped my membranes (ouch $#*@) to try and get things started. She said, "If you don't have this baby by Wednesday you need to take castor oil and blue cohosh" I really didn't want to do that. I did it with Lily and everything went fine but my butt was sore! You shouldn't have to start labor with a sore butt, since you end up with one at the end of the day anyway!Well after that I never felt the same. I was crampy but still no contractions. I had also found out that day that my midwife was leaving for vacation on Friday. Well it was Monday, people, and I was going have the baby before Friday! I needed to have her here for the birth of my baby! My mind was buzzing, what if something goes wrong? Can the other midwives handle a birth without her? Will they help me like she helps me? Can I do this without her? NO I CAN'T!

Well God had a different plan, fancy that. Later that night I started having contractions but nothing to fuss about so I went to bed. I slept terrible and felt awful. Tuesday I went about my day as usual but exhausted and crampy. I started having more contractions but still nothing consistent and they were not getting any stronger, bummer! So again I went to bed.Wednesday came and went with the same pathetic, annoying contractions that were doing nothing! I did end up taking castor oil and the blue cohosh and I'm sure you could guess what happened - a whole lot of poop and still no baby. My midwife was in town again so she came and checked me - pointless yet again, since there was NO PROGRESS! I was sooo frustrated and my butt hurt! The Lord was really working on my heart and giving me a peace about the possibility that my midwife may not be at the birth of this baby. I was thankful. I didn't want the added pressure of worrying about the birth, I just needed to get my baby here safely.

Thursday came. I went to let the dogs out and wouldn't you know it, MY WATER BROKE! This is it, I thought!!!!!!!!!! This must mean I am going to have the baby today!!!! So Paul ended up staying home from work to help with Lily while I labored, except, well there was no labor! I had a few contractions but still nothing to brag about. I called my midwife and she hooked me up with this homeopathic something that was supposed to bring on the contractions, well it didn't. Again it was time for bed, although this night the contractions completely stopped and I got the best night sleep I had had in weeks! Praise God! He knew what He was doing, let me tell you!

Friday came, and my midwife was going out of town at 10am and I still had not had the baby. I was okey with the fact that she wouldn't be around for the birth of this baby. I really trusted that God knew what He was doing. My biggest concern was that the baby was going to arrive safe and healthy, but I knew He had it all under control. So my midwife called to say goodbye, wished me luck, and reassure me that things would be fine. She also said that if God thought she needed to be here she would have been here. She told me to call the other midwives when I thought I was in labor.

Before I knew it the other midwife was calling to check up on me and make sure I was doing okay. I was really glad she called; she was so helpful and encouraging. She suggested I take more castor oil and blue cohosh since my water had broke and nothing was happening. So I did, yet again, although this time when I took it my contractions started almost immediately, so I knew that it wasn't castor oil that put me into labor. I was so disappointed that I couldn't wait a couple minutes longer before taking the castor oil because maybe labor would have really started on its own. Anyway I can't worry about that now. So contractions started to come consistently and they were slowly getting stronger, finally! So I called the midwives and kept them informed for a couple hours and finally it was time for them to come.

Now the castor oil started to kick in, oh man! I went to the bathroom and got up and my water had leaked a lot. I looked down and there was meconium everywhere. I was terrified. I jumped in the shower to clean up and I was sobbing and crying out to the Lord to protect my baby. I did not want this to be the reason of a hospital transfer. Again, I started to get frustrated with myself because I had really not wanted to take the castor oil and I know that is what made the baby pass meconium. While I was worrying and sobbing and praying as loud as possible, one of the midwives walked in and I told her that there was meconium. She told me in the most calm and assertive voice that it was fine and that when the baby's head comes out we will just make sure we suction him well and that it doesn't get into his lungs. My spirit was immediately calm and I was so ready to have my baby.

My contractions were getting stronger and the other midwife and assistants arrived, along with my best bud. I wasn't really sure I wanted everyone around me while I labored, but soon I realized that I did want them. Everyone was so in tune to any need I had, whether it was a sip of water, counter pressure, or just conversation. They were all so amazing. As hours went by I just breathed through each contraction, with Paul putting counter pressure on my back, and praying with each contraction that it would be the last one. I was exhausted. The midwives checked me every so often and I was progressing, just not as quickly as we all had hoped. They also were checking the baby heart rate and everything was great.

After awhile the midwives asked me to try a couple different positions to try to get things happening a little quicker. Well, that was not fun. I had a hard time moving from the birth ball. But I did try a couple different positions and it was really awful, for whatever reason I just couldn't handle the contractions any other way. I started to fell pressure like it was almost time to push, so I sat on the birth stool. Well the second I got to the birth stool everything stopped. I didn't have one strong contraction, it was so frustrating because I just wanted to be done.

So after a few minutes one of the midwife assistants told me to try the knee-chest position. She said it would help the baby come down and straighten out. I did not believe her, I really thought she was crazy because the position really doesn't seem that it would work with gravity. Well at this point I was desperate to try anything so I did. I got into the knee-chest position and almost immediately I felt the urge to push. One contraction came and went, another came and went, then finally the next contraction came and went and the baby's head was already coming out! Less than five more minutes of pushing and our baby was here! I heard our little man cry! Lily didn't cry immediately so it surprised me when I heard our precious Judah Paul's sweet little cry. I was so happy when he was out all I could do was thank my midwives. They all laughed at me and reminded me that I was the one doing all the work. Paul and I were in awe of our son. We cried, kissed, and thanked the Lord for such a sweet and precious birth.