03/06/2024
Birth story of baby Praise:
-38 weeks and 5 days
Upon reflecting on my birth to this new blessing....I've realized how utterly satisfied and supported I was for his birth. I have zero complaints and wouldn't have done this any other way.
My pregnancy with praise was very physically strenuous on my body. I battled with hypermesis and severe anemia thus making me nauseous and or throw up almost every day as well as extremely exhausted etc etc etc (I could go on for days).
I didn't know if I'd be forced to birth in hospital due to a few factors like my low anemia, however I did know what I wanted so badly (Another birth center birth).
Everything worked out and I was cleared to deliver at a birth center. I consented and was cleared to receive a membrane sweep and given ingredients for midwives brew. I drank the drink 9 am on 5/30/24...by that evening 9/10 pm I started to have what my contraction app considered practice contractions or false labor. My contractions were 2-3 hrs apart (enough to where I was still able to get a good amount of sleep and didn't need hip squeezes just yet). With every contraction that night, I simply got on my knees and rode that wave and then laid back down.
By the time the morning came around on 5/31 my contractions were an hour apart and then 20-30 mins apart. I started to request hip squeezes from dad and we decided to let the midwife know. The midwife suggested walking around to get them ten mins apart or less.
Dad and I decided to go to Walmart for some last minute needs and then walk the outlets. Once we got to Walmart, my contractions picked up to 8 mins and I needed dad to do hip squeezes almost every other aisle. Dad suggested we call the midwife again and I decided we definitely did not need to do the outlets.
The midwife told us to come on in. We somehow made it, started my Victor Thompson Spotify play list and ten mins after arriving my contractions went to 4 mins and then 1-2 mins apart. Thankfully Dad was there to give me hip squeezes for each one...these made such a huge difference...they brought my intense pain down by 30-50 percent with each squeeze.
The midwife was startled and surprised at how quickly I progressed...not knowing that honestly this had been my prayer for a quick and speedy birth (like the Hebrew women during the time of Moses) and that he would help me with the pain as I wasn't using any pain medicine or nitrous gas this time.
God did his part, he lifted some of the pain just enough for me to maneuver the birth exactly my way...I braced my body in the best position to handle each contraction, dad gave me hip squeezes and my midwife helped me with hydrotherapy in the birth tub as well as the most perfect words and the most perfect times to keep me going.
Often times, id stop to sing one of the praise and worship songs and just allow myself to go to a place with God...kind of climbing into his lap.
Finally, I could not stand the water anymore and began to feel pressure...I went to the bathroom and during a hip squeeze (my water broke with ferocity).
My midwife gently encouraged me to the bed to avoid having baby in the toilet. Once on the bed, her and dad helped to position me safely on my hands and knees whiles I pushed ....
3 pushes and on the third...I heard God say I want him to be born on this song....sure enough I bared down, breathed down and pushed with a decent amount of sound effects lol and baby Praise made it safely and healthily. Dad caught him and cut his cord.
Thankfully I did not have much bleeding as hemorrhaging is a concern when you are severely anemic. I did however have the shakes and was very cold. I asked for a heater and shocked everyone again lol as it was surely 89-90 degrees outside.
My midwife offered me a hot shower as the birth assistant made it in, they helped me in, turned the hot water on, got me out, towel dried me and dressed me.
I felt amazing after that. Baby and I made our health markers and were cleared to go home.
1 hour and 30 mins max of active labor in the birth center and one hour max postpartum before we arrived home.
I am definitely thankful for my wonderful midwife who came in on a day she wasn't even on call for just to attend my birth and dad for the strong and timely hip squeezes as well as God for hearing me, hearing my prayer requests and honoring them.
I couldn't eat my food before birthing because of how quickly the contractions picked up..it was as if my body was just waiting for me to make it safely to the birth center. After birth, I cleared my plate lol and the next day I enjoyed one of my favorite meals:
Fried Goat, hatian black rice with oxtail gravy, cabbage and picklez.
Thank you God 🙏
