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| Cora Whitney Partington * 10/30/12 * 8:09 pm * 7 pounds 10.3 ounces * 20.5 inches |
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9
This scripture would be the focus of my birth plan as I sought strength to bring Cora into the world. AJ and I decided that we wanted something different for our birth of Cora; we don't view birth or labor as a medical event so we wanted it to be as natural as possible. With that statement, that is purely how we feel about birth and do not cast judgement on how others perceive labor/birth...every mother has a right to choose what kind of birth experience they desire.
During the 9 months that we prepared for Cora, we focused on scripture seeking strength and guidance from the Lord and we prayed for God's will to be done in the arrival of our daughter. I've always felt that my struggle with infertility was my testimony of how God continually works in our life through ups and downs whether we recognize it, or not. I also felt, that once God blessed me with this pregnancy, that the birth of our daughter would be a continuance of my testimony. The birth of Cora Whitney Partington was the most amazing experience that I've ever encountered. The presence of the Lord was undeniable during the 39 weeks and 5 days leading up to the arrival of Cora, and the 13 hours of labor it took to get her here. With that being said...the following is my birth story:
I started having contractions on the way to work that morning about 7:30; however, I wasn't sure it was labor. I believe I was in denial that it was really happening, especially because I hadn't ever experienced real contractions so I didn't know that's what they were. I taught my whole group reading lesson and decided about 9:00 that this possibly could be "it" since these pains were coming about every 4-5 minutes. I came home and called AJ on the way..to let him know this could be the real deal and I'd let him know if he needed to come home. Once I got home, I picked up our house (trying to ignore them as long as possible) and laid down for a bit, but these "pains" kept coming and I decided it was time for AJ to come home. When AJ arrived, I got in the bath to relax and we called our doula, Michelle Howell. I would highly recommend, if you desire a natural birth, to seek the help of a doula. Michelle taught us relaxation techniques and how to move the baby down using simple exercises. She also taught us the way God designed the labor process. She arrived about an hour later and I was continuing to relax and breathe through the contractions (which were about 3 minutes apart, lasting about 60 seconds). This was about 11:30-12:00ish. Contractions (which I was no longer in denial of now!) were getting more intense and we were managing them with massage, warm blankets, walking, kneeling, heat, etc. I got in the shower for about an hour and a half which provided the most relief. I tried to stay as relaxed as possible in between contractions and managed by breathing through one contraction at a time. It seemed like time flew by!
We transitioned to the hospital around 5:00ish. Being in the car was very uncomfortable and I called on the Lord for strength and recited Joshua 1:9 over and over. I also used Christian songs like How Deep the Father's Love for Us which has a line that says, "his dying breath has brought me life" and I tried to focus on Christ's love and sacrifice for me to remind me that I could bring this life into the world. Another song You're Not Alone which says "you are not alone, for I am here...let me wipe away every fear and, I've never left your side, I've seen you through the darkest night" reminded me of the journey I've been on and how God remains faithful. I listened to the words of these songs and several others to keep my focus and to continue to work through the transition stage of labor. Once at the hospital, after being checked, I thanked God that I was 8 cm...I didn't want to have a lot of work left to do at the hospital and I was afraid we might have gone too early..which was not the case. Contractions became manageable by vocalizing and pushing at that point. I couldn't get past 9 cm because my water was holding her back so we made the decision to have the doctor break it...however...during my last contraction (before real pushing) my water broke. I was checked again, and ready to go! I started pushing...pushed for about 20-30 minutes and my life changed forever as we welcomed Cora into the world at 8:09 pm! Upon holding my sweet girl for the first time, I was amazed at what God had just enabled me to do and the opportunity that had been given to me. The birth process is a perfect one, designed by God and is extraordinary that our bodies can do this amazing thing. I thanked God for the blessing of Cora and will continue to, for the rest of my life.
I've been asked, would you do it again...absolutely. I have no doubt in the Lord and His ability to provide for me when I need Him. Birth is a gift that women get to experience, and it's one I'm so grateful that I've been given.
