Friday, February 13, 2015

Adelyn Grace

Well, I've always loved reading birth stories and its still very surreal to know I now have one to share :)!  Its been three weeks since the start of it all and the arrival of our precious daughter.  I want to remember her story for my own sake and for hers.  Only an awesome, living God could create such a beautiful perfect gift!

I'll start at the very beginning....we'd only been in our home 3 weeks when I had a suspicion that I was pregnant.  I told Dylan I thought I might be but it was too early to be sure.  He talked to his brother who gave us some pregnancy tests that his wife had on hand.  After a fun-filled evening over at the Wagner's we arrived home around 11:30pm.  I was so anxious to know if my feelings were right that I took a pregnancy test...not really expecting it to come back positive because I was so early.  Well, after waiting the 10 minutes I came back to check the test and was pleasantly surprised to see two pink lines!  I took another test in the morning just to be sure and that too came back positive; we were going to have a baby (an answer to my prayers)!!

The pregnancy was a breeze!  I had barely any morning sickness and once the first trimester was done I felt great!  I was able to help Dylan with the lawn business a little during the summer and fall as well as keep up an exercise routine.  I think staying active really kept me from becoming too uncomfortable...even the last few weeks.  We found a like minded Christian midwife (Sara) in KS, about 3 hours from our home, who had a beautiful birthing suite that we were told we could use (she does not deliver in our state due to the strict laws regarding midwives and home birth).

My family arrived on Friday, January 16th to visit and hopefully have a chance to see their new grandchild/niece!  I was having a good amount of Braxton Hicks that week but nothing painful or really noticeable.  I knew my body was prepping and I was excited!

Wednesday night, January 21st, Dylan arrived home late and was taking a shower while I was relaxing on the bed reading a good book.  I sat up to readjust my position and felt a squirt of fluid.  I thought I had accidentally gone to the bathroom on myself so I hurried to the restroom to change my underwear.  I waited a couple minutes but nothing really happened so I went to stand up when another squirt of fluid convinced me that I wasn't having problems "holding it" but rather was leaking amniotic fluid!  It was around 11PM Wednesday night.  I got myself situated with a towel between my legs and then let my mom know (as she was coming with us) and called the midwife.  She said we could come over right now or wait until contractions started.  Thinking I would be more comfortable at home, we opted to wait a little while.  Well, around midnight I started having some contractions on and off but nothing really consistent.  Around 3 am I decided I wanted to go ahead and go just in case.  After collecting all of our birthing supplies, pillows, and food we climbed into my dad's Chevy truck and headed down the road.  Fortunately we only had to turn around once to get the baby car seat we almost forgot :)!

On the way there my contractions were pretty consistent; every 6-8 minutes.  I breathed through them but they weren't hard.  Once we got there the midwife encouraged us to rest so we laid down for a few hours.  I didn't really sleep though.  I was just too excited and nervous.

The contractions really slowed while we were resting so Sara encouraged us to walk around, take an herbal concoction to help start labor, smell essential oils, etc.  Around 3 PM Dylan, Momma, Mom Wagner (she arrived while we were napping), and I decided to walk around the park in town (about 20 minutes away).  Almost as soon as we arrived back at the midwife's an hour or so later, the contractions really picked up and active labor began.  The toilet was a relaxing spot in early labor but soon I was pacing the rooms, stopping to lean on something during contractions, and moaning softly.  At 7:30PM Sara offered to check me and I was pleasantly surprised that I was already at 5 cm and 95% effaced!  Yay...halfway through!

Well, honestly after that details become really blurred in my memory.  I decided to get in the tub and things really picked up.  Unfortunately Adelyn's heart rate would drop pretty low through contractions but then would go back up to a normal range in between.  However it was low enough that I had to be on oxygen during contractions.  That wasn't fun...especially since I was feeling like I couldn't do it.  Dylan was a great help and support through the entire labor and stayed attentively by my side. What a great husband I have!  Sara checked me again at 10:45 PM and I was 7 1/2 cm with baby's head REALLY low.   I labored a little while longer in the tub but was really uncomfortable and having really bad back pain during contractions.  Because of Adelyn's fluctuating heart I had to stay in certain positions so she could get the most oxygen possible.  That really limited my maneuverability and I wish now that I could've moved around more.
Finally it was time to push but Sara moved me to the bed to deliver.  I laid on my left side and began pushing.  Only about 15 minutes of pushing (which actually didn't hurt as much as I thought) Adelyn Grace joined our little family!  I had one small tear above my perineum but other than that I was good!

Its been an amazing three weeks since I became a mommy!  God is so good and He has blessed me with the fulfillment of this my biggest dream...to be a wife and a mom!  I'm looking forward to the future and what He wants to do with this little life that He's given us for a time.  My prayer is that she would come to know Jesus at a young age and be used for His glory!

Hope to post again soon! :)
Learning more about Jesus every day!
Hannah 

3 comments:

  1. Wow!! Congratulations!!!
    Beautiful name! God bless you and your family :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Dear Hannah! I am SO SO happy to read this. And so very excited about little Adelyn Grace. WOW! What an incredible year for you. I have missed your letters a lot, but am so grateful to see windows into all God is doing there. Could you send me an address sometime? I have a little something to send you. Praising the Lord with you, Hannah! Love from Cassidy

    ReplyDelete
  3. What an amazing story. I love hearing the stories of birth as well. If people could understand the miracle in a human life being formed and then the process of the mother physically, they would be constantly reminded of how our big amazing God focuses so heavily on tiny details as well. What an Awesome God we serve. Praying for your journey.

    ReplyDelete