God Heard Our Prayers

My dear sweet peaceful Samuel, this is how you were born:

With Mabel coming right before her due date and Theodore 10 days after, I kept telling people you’d probably come early!

You had “dropped” by 35 weeks, and from the 37 week appointment on, the doctor kept saying you could come any day. I had several false alarms and multiple nights where I was having consistent contractions and thought I was in labor. I was seriously concerned that you had “cried wolf” so many times that when I was really in labor I wouldn’t know it and we wouldn’t make it to the hospital in time for your birth. So, I had been praying that my water would break early in labor so there would be no guessing if it was real or not.

But your February 5 due date came and went. So, we called in reinforcements to help around the house and await your arrival.

We saw the doctor on February 10 and he suggested scheduling an induction for February 16th if you hadn’t arrived on your own before then. I did not want to be induced despite his reassurances.

So, on February 15, Nana arrived in the late afternoon to help anticipating the induction the next morning. Aunt Lydia had been here for the last week and we were all ready for you to be born. I had had a lot of contractions all day, but because you’d already given me so many false alarms, I didn’t think too much about it. After dinner, we loaded up Mabel and Teddy in the stroller and went for a long walk in the neighborhood. It felt great to walk and relax and get to talk to Daniel and try to think positive thoughts about the induction in the morning. We came back from the walk and did the bedtime routine with Mabel and Teddy. I wanted to be the one to sing them to sleep since I knew I would be gone early the next morning for the induction. I gave extra hugs and kisses to Mabel and Teddy and was pretty emotional thinking of your birth. I told Mabel in the morning she was going to meet her new baby brother. She was excited and so sweet. She is so thoughtful and such a good big sister. I cried a little when I kissed her goodnight and left the room, asking God to give me a safe delivery and more time to mother the sweet kids given to me.

I had been praying so hard that you would come on your own and I asked for the prayers of others, too. I know the ladies’ bible study group from church was praying for your natural arrival as were many family members. However, since it was getting so late I had come to contentment with the fact that the induction was imminent.

I made a few phone calls to Aunt Angie and then to Grandma. Suddenly at about 9:15 p.m. without any warning as I was talking to Grandma, I felt my water break. What an answer to prayer! What joy! I excitedly told Grandma and hung up. Aunt Lydia heard my excitement and called to Daniel, who was taking a shower, to get out and get ready to go to the hospital!

I hurriedly rinsed myself off in the shower and quickly got dressed and got the rest of our things together. We asked Aunt Lydia if she wanted to come with us, too.

After only 15 minutes since my water had broken, my contractions were about 2 minutes apart. I listened to the Hypnobabies mp3s as Daniel quickly drove us to the hospital. I called the hospital and told them we were coming and asked them to bring down a wheelchair since I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to walk by the time we arrived. They said no.

So we arrived at the hospital about 9:45 p.m. and I could still walk. I was having contractions one right after the other, but I could talk normally and was in almost no pain. We checked in to labor and delivery on the third floor very slowly it felt like. I kept telling the nurses that I was going to have a quick delivery and I needed antibiotics fast since I had tested positive for group B strep. They didn’t believe me, though, and kept asking me to verify things like my social security number, phone number, and address!

Finally, they put me in a little observation room to change into the hospital gown. I kept asking them to check me and told them I was going to have a fast labor. They still didn’t believe me and were kind of acting rude to me like I didn’t know what I was talking about. I was still talking normally and really calm.

The nurse left again and saw that I was scheduled for an induction the next morning anyway and finally reluctantly agreed to move me to a real labor room. I asked the nurse to check me at least two more times.

Finally in the labor room, she came back and checked me and what do you know I was dilated “a good 8/9 cm” she said really surprised and started calling for other people to get things going. Someone came in and gave me the strep B antibiotic. Someone came in and drew my blood. The nurse was on a cell phone trying to get a hold of the doctor on call to come to labor and delivery.

By this time, the contractions were getting stronger. I still wasn’t in a lot of pain. I knew what my body was doing and I knew you’d be arriving soon. I was trying to avoid laying on my back. I was up on my hands and knees on the bed for a few contractions. Then, I turned so I was holding on to the top of the bed and could rest my head on it.

Just a few minutes later, I was feeling the urge to push and told the solitary nurse that she needed to get someone else to help in the room. She was telling me not to push. My eyes were closed but I said a few more times, “I’m going to push. I’m pushing.” Lydia was giving me encouragement. I couldn’t see what was going on behind me, but Daniel told me the doctor had finally arrived. After just maybe two or three more pushes, we welcomed you to the world.

Love at first sight.

Daddy holding you.

After your birth, I was in shock about how amazing and easy everything went. God was so good and gracious to me. I kept telling Daniel and Aunt Lydia “I can’t believe I just had a baby!” and “That was awesome!” I was so thankful for all of the answered prayers for your beautiful delivery. The whole “labor” was from 9:15 when my water broke to 10:30 and you were born. It was amazing. It was peaceful. It was fast. It was natural and almost pain free. I still can’t believe how smooth everything went and how blessed we are to have you in our family. You are my sweet, peaceful Samuel. I am so thankful for you.

Welcome to the world! God created you to do good things!

Birth Stats:

Samuel Deacon Tignor Born February 15, 2016 at 10:30 p.m. at Mercy Hospital 8 lbs 0 oz 19 ½ in Blond hair and unknown eye-color (maybe green or hazel)

Mabel meeting you for the first time.

Teddy meeting you for the first time.

Teddy can’t stop kissing you.

Aunt Lydia loves you!

We love you!

Proud sister!