18 Nov Welcoming baby Lillian!

We are so grateful to know this sweet family and to have had the honor to support them through all three of their births!  We so cherish our relationships we build with families. Thank you to this strong and loving mama for sharing sweet Lillian’s birth story with us and to Reanna Marchman Photography for capturing these special moments!

Lillian’s Birth Story

 
Oh, my sweet, sweet girl. Lillian Charlotte, you will never know just how special and treasured you are

What a surprise you were from the very beginning. Your daddy and I butted heads on whether or not we should have a third baby. He was so happy with just your two big brothers, and I knew deep in my heart that I would always want a third baby. So when we passed the date we had agreed on to “see if things happen”, I had to come to terms with the fact that our family was complete with just us four – me, Daddy, Paul and Henry. But God had other plans for us; in retrospect it almost seems like the joke was on us – God was just waiting for His perfect timing. One month after our “deadline”, I found out I was pregnant with you. And I was overjoyed. When I told Daddy, he said, “Oh no! We just got rid of all of our baby stuff!” We had a laugh about that but we were both a little shocked and very excited.

I was nauseous and so sick from about week 5 to week 18, and even knowing that the nausea and throwing up was a good thing, that you were growing, it was so tough on me. When I did feel better, my consistent cravings were very specifically three things – Burger King Whoppers, chocolate covered strawberries, and BLT sandwiches with a fried egg. I ate so many BLT sandwiches and it never got old!

Your due date was October 1 and I was scheduled to work the 3 days beforehand. I was convinced that you would come early. Your auntie Reanna flew into town on September 27 and for some reason I had it in my mind I would go into labor that night. Wishful thinking is what it was. On September 30 I had felt you move and your hiccups were on my upper right tummy, where normally I would feel them down by my right hip. I was concerned enough to call our sweet midwife Kate and ask to see her so she could determine what position you were in. Of course, by the time I arrived at my appointment you conveniently moved back down into your favorite position of head down, back on my right side, and kicking me on my left side. This was reassuring. Kate performed a membrane sweep the best she could because I was ready to get things rolling with labor.

The morning of your due date came around and by this time I had had two “false alarms” earlier in the week of stronger Braxton Hicks, but nothing ever happened. I was so frustrated that you were not even close to being born yet! You were my third baby for goodness sake, you were supposed to come out early! I prayed for God to remind me of his grace and peace, and that things happen in HIS perfect timing, not mine.

On the afternoon of your due date. October 1, I started feeling contractions that were a little different but still inconsistent. I sent a text message to Natalie, our doula, and Midwife Kate letting them know something was different but I was going to go about normal life and get as much rest as possible. Throughout the rest of the evening and the night, I would have contractions but they were fairly inconsistent in intensity and in timing. However, something must’ve changed at about 3:30 in the morning on October 2, because it felt a little bit different, and I got the feeling that things were going to become more consistent. I did go back to sleep after calling Kate and letting her know, and when I woke up in the morning I called Natalie to let her know something was different, and I’d like her to come over.

Natalie came over, and throughout the morning and early afternoon we went on two lengthy walks. That helped the contractions become just a little bit more intense and a little bit closer together, but then once we got home I would relax a little bit more and then things would peter out and become further apart. Natalie suggested that I take a bath, and from previous experience I knew that that was going to either really intensify things and move things along, or it would relax me enough to help me sleep. Well, it did the latter and I actually slept in the bathtub for about 45 minutes. However, as soon as I stood up from the tub I had a very intense contraction, and I thought to myself, “All right! If I have another one that is pretty soon then I know things have changed!” Not even four minutes later I had another contraction. I knew it was time to call Natalie and let her know to come over again, and to let Kate know. When I was on the phone with Kate I had two contractions within five minutes, and she was happy to let me know that she was going to come to us right away.

It’s amazing how fast my active labor started, and it was difficult to just breathe through them as I had done before. I did a lot of “lift and tuck” with my belly, as that helped me cope with the changing sensations a lot better. We headed upstairs, my mom brought me supper and I was able to eat.

Kate arrived at a little after 5:30 PM and I was unable to talk through the contractions any longer. Natalie was great at giving me counterpressure on my hips and she even gave me a massage with hot stones on my low back. I had gentle praise and worship music on, and I loved singing along to these great songs. The songs reminded me of God’s promises to me that He loves me and you, and the love I have for my children is not even close to how much God loves me as His child. It brought me to tears that God met me in that place, that moment. It was as if I could physically feel His presence and His arms around me.

We moved to the bathroom so I could sit on the toilet, and Natalie suggested I turn around and sit “backward”. This intensified things even more and I could feel my pelvis opening up more. I started vocalizing through each contraction. Kate and Natalie suggested that it would be a good idea to move to the bathtub (which they had refreshed with hot water) if I wanted to have another water birth. I had to “crab walk” my way over – I felt as if I couldn’t close my legs and I also remember thinking, “I don’t want to close my legs and undo any of all of this hard work!!”

It felt great to kneel in the water but it also intensified the contractions even more. I felt pushy and I distantly heard Kate say, “Now is a good time to get Brian in here.” Natalie was so great – saying right into my ear as I was pushing and breathing through these really difficult but great contractions that I was so strong, I can do this, my body was made for this, and I was so close to meeting my baby. It was exactly what I needed to hear in those moments.

Suddenly with one contraction I could feel it was way different – I could FEEL you moving down. I knew you were so close! I reached down and felt your head crown, and as I pushed and breathed down more I could feel your head was born! I could feel you had hair, but a distant part of my brain also thought, “Gosh it feels kind of strange over the baby’s head…I wonder why?” The amniotic sac had not ruptured yet, and that was what I was feeling over your perfect little head! I took a deep breath because I knew with one more push your body would be born, and as the rest of your body came out, my water finally broke. I was able to reach down with both hands and bring you into my arms.

You were perfect. You had a full head of dark hair, you were so calm and relaxed. When you opened your eyes and looked right at me, the world was right. I was so overcome with joy!

After a couple of minutes of just snuggling and hearing your first cries, it was time to check your gender. The moment we all had waited for! I looked down and the umbilical cord was still in the way, and I mistakenly thought that you were a boy. I said, “We have another boy!” But for some reason I thought I better check again, just to make sure, and I could not have been more shocked when I moved the umbilical cord and there was NO PENIS. I gasped and said, “It’s a girl! Brian, we have a girl!” Natalie was taking a video and got a PERFECT picture of my shocked face.

After delivering the placenta and daddy cutting your umbilical cord, we were tucked into bed and you were so ready to nurse. You latched on perfect right away.

You shocked and surprised us in so many ways. We are so blessed to have you as our daughter. Welcome sweet girl, and know that your birth story is one that we will be talking about for years to come. We love you.