Leaving a Legacy: Teaching our kids about Pregnancy and Childbirth

Leaving a Legacy: Teaching our kids about Pregnancy and Childbirth

AIO Cloth Diaper Contest

The AIO Cloth Diaper Challenge
Join the Cloth Diaper Challenge by leaving me a comment at the end of this post!
At the end of Next Week we will have a drawing!

After trying cloth diaper services with the first few babes and investing in prefolds and wraps with the 3rd... I finally decided to try the AIO (All In One) Diaper. I had used Fuzzy Bunz in the past a really liked them but the ones I had were not adjustable in size so you had to "invest" in all the sizes and store the diapers, etc... It seemed like a hassle in the long run. So I checked online during this pregnancy and to my surprise there they were... the All In One Cloth Diapers.

Unfortunately I got disenchanted when I began to realize that there were dozens of different companies out there selling all Size fits all diapers now and they all say they have the best diaper. I didn't have the money or the desire to try them all, but I did try a few and here is my choice picks for cloth diapers.

Runner Up is the Envibum Diaper...
made locally in Vancouver, Washington by a fellow Mommie!
Benefits:
one Size fits all, easy to wash (doesn't seem to stain), you can through in dryer,
made of unbleached cotton & plush Minkee... great added bonus: they have a fab guarantee!
You can try out there diaper (1) and if you don't like it send it back with your entire order for a reimbursement! Another cool thing about this company is they give $2 back to a different company based upon the color of diaper you choose! So for example... green diapers give $2 to Food for the Hungry & pink gives $2 to the Pregnancy Resource Center & so on... a different charity for each diaper-- I think that is makes it worth buying the diapers!
They also have a fabulous waterproof diaper that I have used in pools! Works great! Check them out at Envibum.com

Down side... A bit bulky on newborns (not my favorite fit); however they absorb a TON & they keep the moisture and poo off the baby's bum! Another downside is the cost... they are a bit spendy (compared to my #1 pick for diapers)
But not as expensive as most out there on the market
$21.99 per diaper
with discounts for packs

First Place: Favorite Diaper!
Kawaii Diapers
find them at LuvYourBabyCute Designs- cheap price $8.95 each
more luxurious ones 10.95 each
super fast service- received my order in a week!


And sooo many more designs! Go check them out!

Make Sure you leave a comment so I can enter you in a drawing for a free Kawaii Diaper compliments of LuvYourBaby.com










Benefits include:
Easy to Wash- No staining...
Good Price... Fits so well on newborns and toddlers
Buy with Velcro or snaps... I prefer snaps (I think they will last longer)
Come with cotton microfiber inserts that absorb a lot!
Plush Minkee Outer Shell w/Micro Fleece Inner: super soft and comfy for baby!
Very Easy to Use and Wash! They are Designer too!

New Eco Friendly! Minkee Bamboo Diaper are thinner and comfier... they are $10.50 ea
These are really nice too... we have tried out 3!
The Minkee Bamboo diapers come in cute solid colors like these:

Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!
Next Saturday I will announce the winner of the AIO Challenge!

Waterbirth: Why I love it!

I am a HUGE advocate for water birth!
After having 6 babies- 3 under water, my opinion is that if you can, it is the way to go. That is if you like water of course!
Why???
A few reasons, I believe, are that when you are in water, you are gravity free in a way. I have found when having back labor the weight of the baby can float off the spine making contractions easier to bare. Water is relaxing for most people and helps with dealing with the intensity of birth. Another reason is that I think that being in water for a long time during labor helps the perineum stay intact. I have never had a tear or rip with a water birth and all 3 babies were over 8.5 pounds, including my 9.9lb posterior birth.
I did however rip on 2 of the births that were out of the water!
You see why I like water birth!
Another benefit of the water is that it is seemingly a more gentle transition for the baby... being birthed from amniotic fluid to warm water, rather than from a cozy amnio sac into the hands of a stranger wearing gloves with bright lights glaring in their face.
I have seen awesome water birth videos where the baby is born in a river and allowed to swim around before they detach the baby from the umbilical cord. They have an instinct and can still get oxygen from the cord... they don't take their first breathe until they come up out of the water. Pretty Cool!
If you are considering waterbirth, you can get supplies from Radiant Belly a local midwifery supplier here in Portland with great prices. The owner was one of my midwives with my 5th baby and a great lady.
I would also highly recommend Andaluz Waterbirth Center. They have 2 locations, one in Portland and one in Tualatin. I have birthed in both locations and have no preference, they are both great locations, close to hospitals, in case of an emergency.

Responsive Breastfeeding & Fertility

Over the past 11 years I have read many on Breastfeeding & Fertility Signs in attempts to have a good split between being pregnant to give myself a break to recover from the tough pregnancies with nausea, vomiting, back issues and then nursing. Out of the numerous books that cover this issue, these two books are the two I have found most profound & would recommend to any first time mom as well as seasoned mother.

"Fertility Signs:

Using Them to Achieve or Avoid Pregnancy Naturally"

by Merryl Winstein

$13.45 on Amazon

Brief Overview:

This book is not a Christian book- disclaimer

It is very educational though... how our bodies work, explaining cycles & signals. How to read your fertility signs; the mucus signal, basal temperature signal, and your energy/mood signals. The book teaches on how stress effects ovulation, menopause, infertility and more.

I think every woman should read this book to understand more about how our creator made our bodies and how to read them. Understanding your sexual organs & fertility signals and how they function is key to family planning and understanding our own woman's health. This book can be empowering for women. If you have thyroid issues (which makes your basal temperature hard to chart) and are nursing with no "signals" I have not found any way of telling when or if you are ovulating. According to the following book I suggest... if you allow the baby to suckle enough your body will secrete enough progesterone that you won't ovulate. So just keep nursing with no supplements to prevent conception.

"Breastfeeding & Fertility"

by Jenny Silliman

$10 @ Above Rubies Bookstore

I just came across this book this summer and finished when Ethan was about 3 weeks old. What an encouragement for a mother no matter how many children she has.

This is a Christian author who encourages women as they give their fertility to the Lord, whether for a season or their lifetime.

The method she encourages is called Responsive Breastfeeding, which is similar to On Demand Feeding and opposes schedule feeding (known primarily from the book "Baby Wise").

As I read this book it really spoke to my heart bc I related to it as I have mainly "demand fed" most of my children. For me it was instinctual to demand feed. I tried to do the "Baby Wise" program that was so encouraged by women in the Christian community, but it broke my heart to let a baby cry and nearly hyperventilate all in the name of "training them to a schedule." I know many women who have done baby wise and their babies thrived! But for my household, it didn't feel right. I am a fairly schedule oriented person, generally speaking... we eat around the same time everyday for every meal... my kids take naps the same time every day... and yes even demand feeding allows you to get on some kind of regular schedule with naps. All my kids are "religious" with their naps and have always been. It is a "sacred" time for mommy as well. We all need a little quiet time/ rest time/ nap time!

This book made me feel more confident in following my instincts when it comes to mothering a newborn. You could label me a closet responsive breast feeder. While many moms I knew where doing baby wise, I was demand feeding through the night, through out the day. Yes, I was tired, but my milk would let down just before the baby awoke so it seemed natural to feed them. My body was in sinc with my baby and I didn't like the idea of a baby crying for hours, which would mean no sleep for mama anyway.

For a simple book review, Jenny encourages responsive (demand) breastfeeding in order to prevent ovulation. Now I know what you are thinking, Angie you are a perfect example of how breastfeeding isn't good birth control. However, I am actually the perfect example. In this book, Jenny says that the main difference between responsive breastfeeding and demand is that you don't just feed the baby whenever they cry, you know your baby and study your baby's cries and then soothe them by massage, diaper changing, burping, attention, cuddling, and nursing. However, you do not supplement the nipple with anything else...ever. No pacifiers, no bottles, no rice cereal before teeth.

Letting the baby suck even for comfort when there tummy hurts or if they are teething is good because every time the baby nurses it releases the hormone progesterone which prevents ovulation. Premature ovulation can occur when the baby is not suckling enough. This happened to me only once. With my second I tried using the Baby Wise schedule, the idea of having them sleep through the night early was so tempting. So I succumbed and gave Austin a pacifier and he slept through the night. Subsequently, I got pregnant with Megan just before Austin turned 9 months old, so they are 18 months apart. Austin was the only one of our children who had a pacifier and we weaned him at 16 months before baby sister came along. That was a challenge. Of all my children he is the only one who grinds his teeth , which he learned from biting and chewing on the pacifier. He is also the only one so far with an under bite (I don't know if the 2 are related...the orthodontist says probably so). In addition he was my most emotionally needy child...I believe because I failed to responsive breastfeed. I put him on a schedule, supplemented formula at night to get him to sleep, and gave him a pacifier. I have had to deal with the remorse of failing him in that way. I have also had to be very purposeful about building his self esteem over the years because he seemed less confident and timid. He is becoming such a confident, strong young boy now, but it has been years of purposefully trying to build up his self esteem.

We tried a pacifier with Megan, but she only took it for a couple weeks. I had decided I didn't want to go down that same road as Austin. Megan and Drew are 20 months apart and that is probably also because I had to wean her at 11 months old so I could have an urgent surgery. Austin and Kelsey are 33 months apart, Drew and Luke are 25 months apart, and Luke and Ethan are 25 months apart which is all really good spacing. When I read this book it made so much sense because my personal experience fit perfectly with all I read.

Now I understand that many women have many different experiences, after all God has a different journey for each of us. My personal story is just one that is completely free from hormones. I have not taken any birth control other than for a month at the beginning of my marriage. When I immediately had side effects I went off, and God started our family. Since then I have learned about the dangers of Birth Control. My favorite resource on this topic is:

This is $3.00 @ Eternal Perspective Ministries

More on Breastfeeding & Fertility:

"Responsive Breastfeeding is really training for Responsive Mothering!"

The richest part of this book was the study of Isaiah 66:10-13

"That ye may suck, and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations: that ye may milk out, and be delighted with the abundance of her glory. For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the Gentiles like a flowering stream: then ye shall suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees. As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; and ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem."

Did you notice the words satisfy, console, delight, comfort?

"We see here that nursing is not just an alternative way to feed a baby, eg bottle feeding vs breastfeeding. It is total mothering to meet the every need of the child. The breast is used, not just to satisfy hunger, but also to satisfy, delight, console, and comfort. When a mother nurses this way she will nurse many times a day and during the night. This amount of suckling will hold back ovulation and therefor she will not conceive...The average menstruation of these mothers is 14.6 months, which means they would have their babies about 2 years apart. In Hosea 1:8 it tells us that after Gomer weaned she conceived and bore a son." p.50

Breastfeeding in this way will nourish the baby, but also comfort, console, delight and satisfy the baby.

I was so richly encouraged and feel there is a huge population of women who need to feel it is ok to instinctually breastfeed and instinctually mother. There are two philosophies to scheduled breastfeeding.

Here they are:

1) Babies are sinful from the moment they are born(true)... they are demanding and if they had it their way they would always nurse... a families schedule shouldn't revolve around a baby's nursing demands. The baby shouldn't rule the home... that will make for a terrible toddler and a selfishly indulgent child- adult. Put them on a schedule, so you can keep your life predictable.

2)Yes, babies are sinful, but the only way they have to communicate is through crying and fussing. God gave mothers the job of nurturing and created our bodies to be able to meet there needs. Breastfeeding is for nourishment, comfort, satisfying the babe, protection, delight, & consoling. Scheduling a baby teaches the baby the world says schedules are more important than needs (for comfort as well as food). Here we are in a society consumed with schedules and business.

Postpartum Helps & Living Real

Healthy Foods that Help PostPartum:

Eggs & Avocado: High in Serotonin

Kelp/Seaweed/Dulce- Good for thyroid- very vulnerable postpartum

St. John Wart- Herb/Tincture

Sepia 30c- Homeopathy for Mood Swings(when your critical & snappy)

Natrum mur 30c-homeopathy for weepiness

Pulsatilla 30c- Homeopathy for women desiring sympathy and company

Platina 30c- Disappointed in everyone and seems aloof, also she feels like shes alone in the world, weepy

Cimicifuga 30c- Feels like she's in a black cloud

Anacardium 30c- Better while eating , but sad again soon after. Deep loss of confidence. easily angered and given to hatred. Failing memory.

For a guide on using Homeopathy... I would suggest:

"Homeopathy: An A to Z Home Handbook"
by Alan Schmukler

For a free copy online goggle him and go to first link.

After having five babies and never really experiencing postpartum depression or anxiety the way it is described, I used to think that it wasn't real and it was some woman's made up excuse for being mean, weepy, and full of worry ( along with a whole gamut of other emotions and challenges). I actually believed that if women were stronger with the Lord they could have self control over their thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc...

Well, after having Ethan I experienced the fears, the anxiety, the weepiness, the lack of control. Now that I am on the healing end of things, my heart has been convicted of how judgemental I was. I really never believed postpartum blues or depression was real. Now I have to admit that through out the time I was struggling I went in and out of being the Word of God. When I came home I was ill... trying to recover from my massive postpartum hemorrhage, which knocked me off my feet, I couldn't take care of my family or home. That depressed me. I couldn't stand hearing the boys arguing in the other room and being able to get up and help them. I really stressed out when the kids would get hurt, thinking if I was better that they wouldn't have gotten hurt. I felt like I was expecting too much from my older children because they were having to do sooo much more around the house, rather than just being kids. I didn't have thank fullness in my heart for the help God had provided in Keziah and Kirsten. Instead , needing their help made me feel less of a mom. All these thoughts contributed to me struggling with anxiety, stress, worry, and anger even.
I don't know where I would be today if I didn't have the Lord Jesus and the encouragement from my mom, and other christian mentors in my life reminding me this was just a season and that I was a good mom. I had such low self esteem and I allowed that to make me angry. I found myself apologizing all the time for my bad attitude, my whining, my crying, and yelling.
Wow, I am so glad we are out of that season! I am sure my husband & kids are as well.

What I learned from this?
That postpartum blues/ depression is real. That it is spiritual as well as hormonal and chemical. It is real and women who have it need other women in their life helping them. I pray for the moms I know that are having babies soon... pray for them for this tough season. I did enjoy Ethan tremendously, it was just overwhelming for a few weeks. Only the Lord and His Word can help you to see your own sin in a season like this.
Mark Hamby once said in one of his "Transforming Seminars" (by lamplighter), "I have seen a lot of people in pain and dying and they have a joyful attitude." Our true self can be revealed, our sin, selfishness, struggle with giving up control, what ever it is...
When I heard this is motivated me...
I realized I wasn't being the person I was meant to be in Christ. I needed Him to be my strength. I needed to give him the control. I needed Jesus to refresh the atmosphere of my home. I feel as though we are getting back on track, finally. Although not completely... home schooling is not in full force, but we will get there eventually. The Lord is teaching us all something through the process. Having people praying for me and being open and honest about my struggles allowed my brothers & sisters in Christ to be praying for me specifically. It was very humbling for me to show my weaknesses and be real. But that is what God wants from us. How else can the Body of Christ function the way it is meant to. We are supposed to carry each others burdens as well as lay them at the cross. How can the church do that when we are all putting on masks and pretending everything is okay? The reality is that even with Christ we still experience struggles in this life, we are not perfect because we are Christians! We are imperfect and fully aware of it, we are just able to receive God's grace and live in Joy & Freedom!

I hope if you are struggling with postpartum or have friends that are this gives you a little insight into what they might be dealing with. Let us lift one another up in prayer. We are all humans made by the same creator trying to live our best life here. Lets Love one another. We were created for love.

After Birth Care Products

Sitz Bath Iced Packs
First make the sitz bath herbs like you do tea... french press work the best with this bulk tea... but we boiled the tea...strained it with cheese cloth...then stored & poured from a mason jar.


Then you pour sitz bath into pads and freeze.









How to use a Sitz Bath:
Make a concentrated amount of the sitz bath tea, pour in tub hot and add water to tub until the desired depth. The more water you add the less concentrated the herbs obviously, so remember you want the bath to be as strong as possible for effectiveness.
You can also order sitz baths to use on your toilet so you dont have take a bath.
You can buy them online at Cascade Health Care located in Portland... heads up though... you can not purchase anything by dropping in on them, order only. Visit them at 1Cascade.com

Sitz Bath Herbs
are a great way to help with quick healing after childbirth!


After Birth Sitz bath
I learned a trick from my midwives...
soak the afterbirth pads in sitz bath and freeze...
then wear to bring down inflammation down prevent hemorrhoids.

Another way to prevent hemorrhoids during pregnancy and after birth...
www.wishgardenherbs.com sells bummeroid cream... it works great!

Postpartum Hemorrage

As I shared this birth was such an awesome experience. God was so clearly present and in control. There was a peace in the room that can only come from His presence. Now I want to share with you about a new experience I have been learning from. I experienced my first postpartum hemorrhage.
After Ethan was born, it took about 45 minutes for my placenta to detach and be birthed. Shortly after that I began to hemorrhage. We are not certain what prompted the hemorrhage, although we have our suspicions. For one thing I remained in the tub for a long time, rather than getting out... warmth of water may have triggered it, although that seems unlikely to me. The more likely culprit was no strong massage right after birth of placenta since I was still in the tub. Contrary to what many books say, I was not anemic. I had a hemoglobin level of around 14.4 throughout most of my pregnancy. I normally operate at a high level. To give you an idea of how much blood I lost; a week later my blood levels tested at 8.1... so I am certain I was in the 7s or lower directly after birth. What ever it was... it was low. The hospitals give transfusions in the 7s since a reading of 10 is considered anemic. If I would have been at the hospital I know they would have intervened and given me a transfusion, which has its own set of complications.

I don't remember much about the three hours after the placenta was birthed. It felt like 10 minutes to me. Apparently, I never lost consciousness, although I don't remember much. I remember my vision going in and out, losing eye sight in one eye completely (blacked out), feeling dizzy and sick to my stomach, but most of my focus was on the intense contractions or after birth cramps that were helping me birth huge clots. I know this is grouse, sorry. I just feel as though I wasn't prepared for this b/c most of the books I had read usually mention postpartum hemorrhage as being an issue if you are anemic, so I never was concerned. I am sharing so that people are aware that this can happen to anyone at any point. My midwives both assured me it was very random and that they see these kind of hemorrhages 20% of the time.

After I came home, things were a lot harder than I expected. And I have really struggled at times with this. I will share on this in a different post. I continued to have intense after birth cramps even though my uterus was back down and firm. The next weekend I ended up going to the hospital bc one lasted 38 minutes long and I had a fever. The did exams, ultrasounds, and blood work and wanted to give me antibiotics for the few clots that were still there, but my midwives convinced them they would work themselves out on there own and they sent me home. Relieved I didn't have a membrane from the placentas caught up in my uterus (that causes infection), we went home. A few hours later I did pass a big 1/4 cup clot. Aside from the cramps and clots, I was dizzy every time I stood up and my feet would swell if I sat up in a chair or stood for longer than five minutes. This was clearly going to be a longer recovery. =(

Here were some of my questions- My hope is that this can be educational for those of us still in our birthing years.

Does a postpartum hemorrhage mean you will stay anemic?

Ethan's Birth Song

Worship through Music is, for me, the most moving way to feel the presence of God and to experience Him speaking comfort and strength in times when I need Him most.
During the typical day, if I am feeling tired, cranky, unappreciated, or any of the other vast emotion of a woman and mother... if I put worship music on... it helps me to get the focus of myself and back where it should be... on the Lord, who He is, and what he has done.

Anticipating the most physically, emotionally, spiritually, and mentally challenging events a woman can ever experience in her lifetime, birth, I prepare music for the event.

Each of my children have special stories of their births, as every woman has.
My children's story of their birth and the few moments after can be characterized often by the song that randomly is chosen ( I believe by the Lord).
While I do pray about the songs I put on my ipod, there are about 150 songs and are set on shuffle. So it is very random how the song is selected.
In my last post I shared the songs that meant the most to me through the labor.
Here is the song that was playing when I delivered Ethan and the few minutes afterward.

"Depth of Mercy"
by Selah

Depth of mercy can there be

Mercy still reserved for me?

Can my God His wrath forbear,

Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

Heaven find me on my knees

Hear my soul's impassioned plea

Depth of mercy can there be

Mercy still reserved for me

Now incline me to repent,

Let me now my sins lament,

Deeply my revolt deplore,

Weep, believe, and sin no more.

Heaven find me on my knees

Hear my soul's impassioned plea

Depth of mercy can there be

Mercy still reserved for me

Heaven find me on my knees

Hear my soul's impassioned plea

Depth of mercy can there be

Mercy still reserved

Mercy still reserved

Mercy still reserved for me

There were moments I remember singing this song in labor and being deeply moved... and then moments when I was so focused I don't remember the words but I was at peace.

Then as Ethan was born, I was so moved by how the Lord spared me pain in my back... which is truly a miracle and testimony to his power, empathy to pain, and mercy. Being so thankful for His grace at that moment, I cried out ..."The Lord had mercy on your mother!"

My prayer is that as Ethan grows... like the lyrics in this song profess... Ethan would be "inclined to repent" and "weep, believe, and sin no more." That Ethan would have the kind of communion with the Lord I have been so grateful to experience. That the Lord would hear his "soul's impassioned plea."

Mercy was reserved for me and is for you as well!
Our God is a great God and has the power to heal, give mercy, and protect!

Upcoming Posts

My next Posts are going to be topics dealing with Birth & Postpartum.

I have learned much through my 6 postpartum experiences and feel the Lord asking me to be transparent and real about the struggles as well as the healing I have experienced.

Topics I plan on covering:

Ethan's Birth Story

Postpartum Hemorrhages- Experience & Care

Postpartum Homeopathy & Personal Care

Bonding, Breastfeeding & Fertility

Dealing with Hormones, Anxiety & Emotions

Spiritual Rest & Healing Postpartum

40 days of Healing

Adjusting- "Our New Normal"

Labor of Love

"A Labor of Love"

Ethan's Birth Story

After weeks of feeling like a "ticking time bomb" the day finally arrived. As the Sunday morning bustle commenced, I focused inward, trying to "read" my body. Was this the big day? Kids showering, getting all cleaned up for church, packing bags and all the usual details of the morning, but with added pleasure of Gramma's company. As Sarah & Isaac held down the fort I went for a little walk out in the Vineyard & around the property. It was a beautiful day and I seemed to noticed more of God's beauty than usual. Even the weeds looked extra healthy...and I didn't mind; instead I marveled. As I walked I would stop every few minutes to "focus." I still wasn't positive if I was going into labor. After all I had been dilated for weeks and for the first time, I was overdue. I was certain the baby was going to be huge. My last two were in the high 9 pounds and they were early and on time. A natural fear entered into me for an instant, what if this baby is 11 pounds and posterior again? Then as I kept walking, a song entered my heart ("Deliverer" by Vicky Beeching), the fear subsided and I felt strong. I had a confidence the Lord would be my strength, even if I had none.

I called my midwife and talked to her as Isaac was loading the kids to go to church. At that point I wasn't have regular contractions, instead I was just feeling pressure, but it was coming and going in waves like contractions. Adele was on her way to church so she told me to text her with updates. Just ten minutes later I was texting her, "This is the Real Deal, meet you at birth center." As the kids were riding bikes outside and enjoying time with Gramma before she was going to head back home... I felt like we should get to the Birth Center. Things began to progress quickly within the next 15 minutes. Isaac, Kelsey, and I headed for Andaluz Water Birth Center while Sarah waited for Keziah (our awesome helper through out the past 5 months) to stay with Luke & Drew. Then once Keziah arrived to take care of the little ones at home, Gramma Sarah brought Austin and Megan to the Birth Center.

Meanwhile, as we were driving to the Birth Center I could tell things were slowing down for me. As is usually the case when I get in the car to go. But I was ready to take this on, so I had Isaac pull over a couple times so I could get out and squat and use gravity to keep things moving along. We even managed to stop at Burgerville for Isaac to have a quick Burger! Kelsey was our contractions timer. She loved it, it was exciting!

Once we got to Andaluz things started to speed up fast. We had enough time to settle in and get my "birth music" playing. I always have a playlist of songs for labor and delivery that I pray over the weeks before. I go through the lyrics and meditate on them. Since birth is such a spiritual experience for me it is only natural that I would have worship music to meditate on & help me focus on the Lord while I am "bringing forth man."

All of my births were amazing experiences, each one unique. This one I would characterize as blessed of the Lord of Mercy. The Almighty was gracious to me and had mercy on me. He heard the cries of my pregnancy & blessed me. He new the desire of my heart was to glorify Him in all things... in raising this child he choose me to mother and to glorify him in labor and delivery. That I would be able to pass on a strong legacy to my daughters and my son who were there. Kelsey and Megan were both in the room with us and got to participate in the labor and delivery. Austin was there for most of the time. He went out when I first got in the tub and then came in and met his new baby brother immediately after his birth. I can not tell you how special it was to have my daughters there with me. Megan (5 yrs) had her hand on my shoulder, Kelsey(10) still timing and offering homeopathy loved being a part of this. To have them singing and worshipping with me and witnessing the birth of Ethan was an experience I look back on with so much delight.

Raising hands to worship the Lord through a contraction, praying to the Lord when I came upon the self-denial stage, and experiencing all of this with my husband. He was my main coach. Isaac was a gentle but strong man during this birth. He got to be in the tub with me this time because I didn't have the desire to be on my knees. He came in and held me up so I could float. I am certain this added in relieving pain in my back, as well as speeding up the process of birth. Ethan descending so quickly and I can truthfully share it was one of the easiest births even though he was 9 lbs 1 oz. Isaac delivered Ethan... the first one he personally delivered and he did a great job. We enjoyed hanging out in the tub for about 40 minutes... just praying, and embarrassing the moment.

Ethan was born in a 1 hour and 45 minutes from the time we got to the Birth Center. His birth was the second fastest of all my births, but was the most enjoyable. After his birth the first thing I cried out was "The Lord had Mercy on your Mother!" I meant it. I was amazed... my back didn't hurt during the delivery at all. That was a new experience for me. In my mind it was my "perfect" birth. I praise God Almighty for his Strength, Nurturing, and Mercy.

I would like to share the lyrics to the song that Ethan was born to. Each of my children has birth songs. It is so special for me to remember their births when I hear these songs... it brings back the beautiful memories of these most spiritual times in a my life. In my mind, the birth experience is the only experience in a woman's life that can challenge her so deeply, physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. It affects the mind, body and soul in a way like no other. My heart has always been to purposefully dedicate this event in my life to Jesus and invite Him to be present and in charge.

Here are the Lyrics to a Song that means so much more to me now that it helped me stay focused on Christ during Transition.

"My Beloved"

by Kari Jobe

You're My Beloved

You're My Bride

To sing over you is My delight

Come away with Me My love

You're Beautiful to Me

So beautiful to Me

Under My mercy

Come and wait

Till we are standing face to face

I see no stain on you

My child

You're Beautiful to Me

So Beautiful to Me

I sing over you My song of peace

Cast all your care down at My feet

Come and find your rest in Me

I'll breathe My life inside of you

I'll bear you up on eagle's wings

And hide you in the shadow of My strength

I'll take you to My quiet waters

I'll restore your soul

Come rest in Me and be made whole

You're My beloved

You're My Bride

To sing over you is my delight

Come away with me my love

"Lord's Prayer Deliver Us"

by Selah

Our Father in Heaven hallowed be Thy name

Thy Kingdom come Thy will be done

On earth as it is in heav`n

For Thine is the Kingdom

Thine is the Power and Glory forever

Forever amen.

Give us Lord give us

This day our daily bread

And forgive us forgive us Lord

Forgive us of our debt

For Thine is the Kingdom

Thine is the Power and the Glory forever

Forever amen amen.

Lead us from temptation lead us from

Temptation but Deliver us Deliver us

From evil to thy salvation

For thine is the Kingdom

Thine is the Power and the Glory forever amen.

Thine is the Kingdom Thine is the Power

And the glory forever forever Amen Amen

These songs along with many others on my "birth play list" were such a comfort and made labor & delivery easier and I was able to focus on God and experience His strength in my life as I sang and worshipped Him through the contractions. Sometimes just being quiet and not singing, but listening and focusing on the words helped me to totally surrender to Christ being in control of Ethan's birth. I believe that when a woman can surrender to the process for which God created their body to function, birth is much easier, not easy by any means, but easier and more delightful. If you go into childbirth with the anticipation of meeting God there, it can be exciting and you can walk away feeling empowered. Empowered knowing you were created for this good work.

I will share Ethan's Song on my next post!

I hope you are blessed by the music playing...

I tried to put some songs that were mentioned in these posts and that were included in my birth music play list.