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The Unassisted Birth of Joshua F.
I had had some intense contractions on Sunday night that had stopped after a couple of hours... then nothing on Monday. Tuesday I spent the day relaxing in my room, napping and praying off and on. I started having contractions that seemed 'different' around 3:30, so called David to let him know. By the time he got home, they were a little stronger...and during dinner they got really intense. I went into the bathroom and started praying, and knew it was time to call a friend for prayer...and our pastors, who we had asked to be at the birth. Our pastors arrived around 8...and the contractions started to subside. They left around 9:30, and God blessed me with the peace to be able to go to bed and rest. I fell asleep immediately.
I woke up at midnight to go to the bathroom, and David was still awake, watching TV. He said he knew the baby would be born soon, so he was just waiting. I laughed, since I was having pathetic braxton hicks contractions once in a blue moon by that time! I rolled over to go to sleep and felt a little pop, thought 'oh, that was odd', then a bigger pop...and realized my water had broken. It was 12:20 AM. David brought me a towel, and we headed to the bathroom, where David started a bath. I'd had a contraction right after my water broke... then another on the toilet... but no water came out. I got in the bathtub and had another contractions or 2...then began to feel the need to push. I was on my knees leaning over the side of the tub, trying to keep my bottom in the water between contractions. I felt Joshua's head crown and pushed his head out. With the next contractions I pushed the rest of him out, into David's hands. It was 12:46 AM.
I turned around carefully so I could hold my baby. David went to get Kaelyn, our 12 year old. We waited for a bit for the placenta, but I was getting cold and uncomfortable, so David and Kaelyn helped us to our bed. Joshua nursed for the first time about 1 1/2 hours after he was born. A little while later I had to go to the bathroom, and since the placenta hadn't come yet, we cut the cord. The placenta came out about 2 1/2 hours after the birth. It was so awesome to climb into my own bed with my precious baby!
Kim
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