Friday, October 24, 2008

The Reader's Digest Version...

Okay, in any story there are many details.  This will be the reader's digest version of Ezra's birth story:
At 4:30pm(ish) I had a contraction.  It was a good one.  But I had been having contractions, and they would get stronger and eventually go away.  Then I had another one.  I grabbed the phone and called Ben, crying.  I asked him to come home.  I told him that these contractions (all two of them!) were really strong, and I didn't know if they would stop or not, but I was alone and I needed help with the kids.  So, Ben started the process of getting off work in order to come home.  Then I called him back to say that I was just overreacting and he didn't need to come home.  (He declined and said that he was, in fact, coming home.)  I went to put a movie in for the kids, and felt a trickle that might be my water breaking??  But I wasn't sure.  Then I got in the shower, which is where I was when Ben got home.  I had stayed until there wasn't any more warm water. =(
As I was getting out, I told Ben that this would be the time we should go to the hospital.  But, I asked him to try and check me, since we had been through this on and off again with contractions and they hadn't been very productive.  So, Ben goes to check me and gets a very interesting look on his face.  I ask, "What is it??"  And he replies, "It's a head."  At this point, we pretty much realize that we are going to have the baby at home, unless something goes wrong.  I didn't quite feel ready to push just yet... But Ben threw down a shower curtain and an old comforter and some towels.   Then, I decide that laying on the bed on my back doesn't feel right, so I go into the bathroom where I am standing/squatting.  My legs got tired, so I sat down on the toilet to rest.  I had a contraction while sitting and told Ben, "The baby moved."  I knew he would be born with the next contraction.  The next one came and I said, "Ben!"  And he asked, "Is he coming?"  "Yes!!"  (Side note: I did have a bulb syringe and a pair of scissors that I had boiled just in case on one of my previous bouts of contractions).  Ben grabbed the bulb syringe, and ran back in the bathroom to see baby's head emerging.  He was trying to get me to move to the ground, but I ended up sort of squatting, and I couldn't move because the rest of baby was coming!!  Ben very calmly told me, "I have to get the cord off the baby's neck."  Then, he suctioned, and handed the baby to me to keep on my chest and get warm.  We made it to the bed and after a few minutes of letting him cry, the baby was nursing.  It took about an hour to deliver the placenta, during which time we called my OB/GYN who was going to have us meet her at the Ojai Emergency Room, but once the placenta delivered, we knew I was okay and baby was already doing great.  So we opted to stay home, and do doctor's visits the following day.  We had a couple of moments that were a little scary-the first being when we realized for sure that the baby would probably be born at home.  We stopped and prayed.  The second was during our wait for the placenta, and we stopped and prayed.  We felt God's presence so strongly, and are overwhelmed by the many ways he took care of us and provided for us.  Ben graciously did the clean-up and buried the placenta in our backyard.  And he even "punched me in the stomach" (this is always what I call the massaging of the uterus) and told me, "You can curse Eve, but I have to do this."
Ezra Lucas Knight Hester was born at 7:35pm at our house.  It was awesome, and we are praising God for His mercy, His grace, His wisdom, and His amazing creative ability.  I am in awe of how God made a woman's body to give birth, and a baby growing inside, and how they work together (like nursing, and how it ever-so painfully contracts a uterus!!) =)
Please continue to pray for us, as we embark on this adventure... It has been a little harder than we expected to get the care we need, and details like trying to get a birth certificate.  We're working on it.
Ezra means, "Jehovah helps"
"For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel."  Ezra 7:10
Lucas means "bringer of light"
Knight was chosen by big brother Caleb
We couldn't choose, so he gets them all!!

10 comments:

Jennifer said...

That is awesome. God made women so amazing. What a fantastic birth. Congrats again.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for sharing, Lisa. I was so curious how it came to be a home birth :) How did your other kids do--did they know what was going on? God--and your hubby--took good care of you.
Blessings,
Heather T

Courtney said...

WOW! What an awesome and amazing story! I am so glad everything worked out for good and congratulations again :)

frisky said...

I love it! I'm so glad Ben knew exactly what to do, too.
I've been checking Google Reader every day, ALL day long to see if you had posted your story yet! Thank you! (Like you don't have 10 million other things to do, huh?!)
I will be praying that things start working out in the "paperwork department" quickly. What a hassle.
Enjoy Ezra! I love just staring at newborns, they're so precious.
Congratulations to the whole family!

lnstryker said...

I am shivering and tearing.. can't wait to meet him!

sarahgrace said...

Oh, that is soooo awesome! I'm tearing up over here. God is great, and I'm so happy for you guys! Praise God! I will keep you all in my prayers.

ATSmith said...

Wow! I'm speechless!!

Christine H. said...

I am crying!

Thanks for the story.

Congrats!!!

heidibelle said...

You are so brave. I'm so glad you had this experience... just as God intended. How beatiful!!!

Anonymous said...

Great story!