06/25/2024
I'm so excited to begin sharing some beautiful birth stories on my page! This one is near and dear to my heart. Being invited into any birth space is special, but something tugged on my heart strings different photographing my sister-in-law so courageously birth my niece while watching my sister support her as her doula! So I hope you enjoy this story, it's a good one!
Willa Claire’s Birth Story:
"I was 38 weeks on the dot and throwing my son's second birthday party—the whole time contracting. I knew she was probably coming soon, but it wasn’t unlike me to contract a lot prior to delivery. I had been contracting on and off for weeks. Two days later on a Monday night into the early morning I knew it was different. The contractions actually started to hurt. I told my husband it would be within the next day. All throughout the day (on Tuesday) I kept contracting, but they would space out to every thirty minutes. My sisters-in- law and mom came to clean my house and play with Eli while I went for a walk. It was around 5 o’clock Tuesday evening at this point. By the time I came back my contractions were every 5-7 minutes and I knew Willa would be coming that night. I said goodbye to everyone helping me out and sent Eli with my mom for the night (which was sad and hard for me), as my husband and I prepared for what we knew would be my first unmedicated labor. I got in the bath and he helped me into different positions, but nothing was that extreme yet. The Lord was so near to me through it all and I was still in a really good mental space. I had memorized Isaiah 26:3 for labor and I received a text from a friend (who did not know I was in labor) saying 'I was just praying for you today' and sent me that same verse. I knew God was with me and hearing our prayers. I still was contracting every 7 minutes and doing okay (I actually was sleeping in between them) until around 1:30 am. I used the restroom and then I knew my labor was starting to feel different. I told my husband he should just make me go to the hospital because every time the contraction went away I told him I was fine. And it’s a good thing I did because I got to the hospital at 2 am and was 7 cm. They took me to a room and I felt the urge to push (I actually reached down and broke my water 😂😂 because I wanted her out). By 2:32am she was here—only 30 minutes after getting to the hospital, 10 minutes after getting to our room. I had gotten advice that once it was unbearable I was pretty much done and that is so true. My body really just knew exactly what to do because God has designed it that way. I was so thankful for the prayers He had answered in my speedy labor and delivery and how He comforted me along the way. Willa Claire’s name means 'helmet of protection' and God really has been protecting me and her throughout her whole life in many different ways. I truly believe anyone can go unmedicated if that is a desire of yours, but if your story sounds different than mine I praise Him that we all have different stories and different testimonies that can edify the kingdom."
