My Husband, Kyle, and I got married back in May 2022, and that began the start of your family-- our Legacy. Fast forward to May 8th 2023, something told me to take a pregnancy test, with no speculations and zero symptoms! And it was positive!
Kyle and I had always wanted a baby since the day we got married, but we were strict about not getting pregnant for the first 2 years of our marriage minimum. God had other plans for us though. After taking that pregnancy test, I realized that this pregnancy was in God’s perfect timing.
That same week we found out I was pregnant, we moved quickly-- scheduling appointments, started researching, and started reading books to prepare for the blessing to come. I heard about The Birth Center from a mentor and good friend of mine and it peaked my interest to learn more about natural childbirth, water birth, and laboring unmedicated! To be honest, the thought of not going to a hospital or getting an epidural to deliver a baby was NEVER in my plans! But again, God’s plans are better than mine!
After touring The Birth Center in Newark Delaware, we choose the route of water birth. We read so many books and prepared mentally for it. Childbirth does not have to be fearful and it does not have to be traumatic … it can be beautiful! And that’s exactly what happened giving birth to my beautiful baby girl Gianni Rose Grant.
LABOR:
Sunday night on January 22, 2023 (the day after Gianni’s due date), I started feeling some pelvic pressure . This is something I was feeling the whole week prior but it was a bit stronger this night. I went to bed and I woke up around 3:00am from that same pressure. Next thing you know, it happened again and again, every 5-10 minutes or so. Eventually my husband started timing. After 2-3 hours of on and off sleeping and breathing through this pressure… I realized what I was feeling must be contractions! We called the Birth Center but of course it was still too early to come in. By 7:00am I ended up going to my living room to labor out there. I managed the pain with breathing exercises, physical exercises (like cat-cow), affirmations, etc. I labored the whole day mainly at home and watched movies with my husband. Late afternoon I ran a warm bath to manage the pain some more, and by 7:30/8pm the contractions started getting super intense and closer together. We called The Birth Center and it was time to come in!
BIRTH:
Got there around 9:00pm and the Midwife on duty was Sarah-Grace… the same exact midwife that I prayed to deliver my baby! She is heaven sent and so amazing at what she does! Sarah-Grace checked my cervix and I was 7cm dilated! I started off having the warm shower run on my back to help with the contractions that I felt in my lower back. I was the only one giving birth that night, so I even walked around the facility and up and down the stairs to move baby in position. Eventually I got in the tub. My water broke around 11:30pm, and I started pushing around 12:00 am. My baby started crowning at 12:40 and Gianni was born at 12:53 am weighing 7lbs and 3oz!
It was such a beautiful and spirit filled experience! Through the time of laboring I played affirmation tracks from the Christian Hypnobirthing program just reminding me that the strength from my Heavenly Father is greater than my fear! I was so excited to meet my baby and I knew that I was more than capable of giving birth with NO medication or intervention. There were several times I wanted to give up, and I even said “I CAN’T DO IT!!” But my amazing Husband coached me through it saying, “No, you CAN do this! You are strong! Every contraction is bringing you closer and closer to meet our baby!”.
My Midwife Sarah-Grace reassured me that I was doing an awesome job I was and how strong I was. And my amazing birth photographer, Ali, who didn’t even have to say anything but would sweetly and softly console me about how amazing I was handling things and early on even shared laughs with me between contractions!
This was my first baby and I wouldn’t have had it any differently. If I were to do it all over again, I would! That’s why the next baby will be delivered at The Birth Center and I would most definitely (if I could) choose Sarah- Grace as my midwife and Ali as my photographer because they made the experience so beautiful… I will cherish it forever!
Interested in having your Birth Center birth documented? Learn more about my birth photography and videography offerings HERE.
Comments