Inspirations for Faith and Family

After having three previous deliveries, everything went so different this time around. Our daughter was born on a Wednesday. Two days prior, I had thought I was going into labor. I had experienced small, yet consistent, contractions. So, that evening I quickly began packing my bag only to realize it was a false alarm. However, the false alarm prepared me for when the real contractions came! It was 12:45 am on Wednesday. I awoke to quickly discover my water had broken. It was just a slow small trickle. Later, I learned this happens sometimes if the bag breaks toward the top. I had never experienced this in my other three pregnancies. I came to find out later, that this labor and delivery proved to be a very new experience for me in many ways. After tending to the mess, I quickly sent a message to my doula, my parents, and called the birth center to report the update. I was told to call back when labor started and if it didn't start by morning, they wanted to perform a "stress t...

 My baby is now 9 months old. She is learning to crawl, standing up, and has grown two teeth. Finally, I am getting back to the post I started writing when I was 35 weeks pregnant. It's still worth posting. Someone needs to be encouraged. I think us mama's and mama's to be, need all the encouragement we can get. For, the job of Mom is very difficult, and yet, is of the upmost importance. April 2024 As I sit here and write this, I am currently about 35 weeks pregnant with my fourth baby. My mind and body have been pre-occupied with the upcoming change and new life that will soon enter my arms, our family, and the world. Even after having three pregnancies, labors, and deliveries my mind is just as vulnerable to the unsettling feeling of the unknown that labor and delivery can be. If I am not careful it can be easy to rehearse all the discomfort and the pain that was a part of my previous experiences and play them in my mind thus, producing fear and uncertainty. Recently, I a...