She's here!

Yes, I said "she". A sweet baby girl joined our family on September 12, 2009, at 3:01am. Rory Juliet Miriama weighed in at 7 lbs, 1 oz. and was 21 inches long. My longest and biggest!

And now for the story. On Friday night, the 11th, I spent the evening watching TV, as I usually do. I had quite a few Braxton Hicks contractions (or I thought they were BH) all evening. They were kind of getting uncomfortable, but not painful exactly. By about 10:30, I thought I'd go to bed, thinking, if they got more uncomfortable and turned into "something", I really wanted to sleep first.

So, I lay in bed. I dozed. And then woke with pain in my back. And then dozed, and then more pain. And again. And again. I could not fall asleep. I was annoyed. I really wanted to sleep! I finally thought I should look at the clock when I was feeling the pain. It felt a little too regular. So I looked. 11:20. 11:23. 11:27. 11:31. Oh, for pete's sake. I really wanted to sleep!

So then I lay in bed, in denial. Soon, I was on hands and knees, breathing through the pain. Which was all in my back. Again. Ah, 3 back labours. I'm so "lucky". And still desperately hoping they MIGHT go away so I could sleep. Did I mention how much I wanted to sleep!? Finally, at 12:30, I thought I should call my midwife, Linda. I did, and she told me to put something warm on my back, see if they intensify or go away, and call her back in half an hour. Well, intensify they did!! When I called her at 1:00, I was no longer able to stay in bed. And my breathing through the contractions had turned a little more vocal.

Linda arrived shortly after 1am and started setting up the pool. My midwife's "helper", Pat, (who was coming as extra emotional/physical support for me), arrived not too long after, and I immediately put her to work, putting counter-pressure on my back. She was fantastic. I watched the pool filling, and then we were out of hot water. There was only about a foot and a half of water in the pool. I knew, as we waited for the tank to fill and for pots to boil on the stove, that I was not going to make it in. I was not going to have another water birth. The contractions were so, so painful now, and I was getting very loud. I was sure Ethan and Silas would wake up.

Finally, I needed to get off my feet. I kneeled down beside the pool and leaned over the side. It was the same position I birthed Silas in, except this time, I was on the outside of the pool. Pat continued the pressure on my back, and I was getting close to feeling like I couldn't do it anymore. I was praying it would be a short labour like Silas' because it was just too intense.

Then I heard a little voice. Silas was up. It was about 2:30am. And at that moment, the second midwife, Anne, arrived. What a blessing! She entertained him for awhile in the bedroom, and then they came and sat in the kitchen, close to the doorway into the living room, where I was.

I still was not feeling an urge to push, but the contractions were crazy now. One on top of another and feeling like they were lasting forever. And then suddenly, a huge gush! My water broke! My water has never broken on its own before. With Ethan, my midwife broke it, with Silas, he was born in the caul. And man, as soon as it broke, I was pushing. And pushing hard! At one point, Linda told me to slow down. Slow down?! How do I do that?? I tried, though. And then the head was out. And then, again, unlike my other babies, I had to push another time to get her body out. My other babies just slid out after the head. My water broke at 3:00. Rory was born at 3:01. Two pushes. One for the head, one for the body. Unbelievable!! I leaned against the pool, feeling like I'd just run a marathon, panting for breath and had to be told to turn around and look at my baby.

And I did. The baby was wrapped in a warm towel and I looked to see if it was a boy or girl. And I saw boy! Another boy! I was thrilled. And then I thought I should look again. And it was definitely not a boy. And I was thrilled again! I really was equally thrilled either way. But I did have to keep looking just to make sure. After it stopped pulsating, Linda clamped the cord, and I cut it, the first of my babies' cords that I have cut myself.

I eventually moved over to the couch and Silas came to join me. He kept asking if the baby came out of me and if I pushed the baby out (he did see the whole thing). He was completely enamoured with his new sister.


We eventually woke Ethan, who was thrilled to have gotten his wish for a sister. We did all try and go back to bed around 5:30. I don't think anyone actually slept, though, the boys being too excited and me not being able to sleep through their noise. It was an amazing night. Even though I never did get my sleep.

I can't go into detail, but God's grace and strength and presence were SO evident in my house the night my daughter was born. She is a gift from him in such a unique way. She is a light in the midst of a storm my family is battling. For a long time before she was born, I thought that battle would cloud her birth, but God showed me it was just the opposite. She is his light. He shines through her and helps me see THROUGH the storm. Thank you God, for this perfect little treasure. She is amazing. She is fearfully and wonderfully made and I cannot believe how incredibly blessed I am. Thank you, God.




More pictures to come (including ones with Ethan!).