Brielle’s Pain Free Birth Story
On July 28, 2018 I experienced the most miraculous birth I ever thought possible. I’ve had 4 children with all very different experiences. My 1st, Nathan, I delivered in a hospital – very protocol and I did what just about every modern American woman does. We go in, get an epidural, have a baby & go home. Easy peasy, right? No, ask any mom. It’s still nerve racking and hard work. Our 2nd child, Amelia, I had at home with my husband and a midwife’s assistance. I thought I would die. It was like the movies: the woman is miserable, full of fear, screaming as the baby enters the world…it’s not a pretty picture.
Something deep inside me always knew this was not the way God intended for us to have babies. If we’re saved & redeemed, why does bringing forth new life into this world have to be so incredibly miserable & horrifying? And not only the delivery part but practically the whole process. It’s like once conception is over the party is over. Soon comes morning sickness, moodiness, swelling, possible random blood pressure or blood sugar issues, weird cravings at inopportune times, plus the fear of knowing you have to get that baby OUT of your body somehow. For many the worry & fear of birth lingers in our heads the whole 9 months.
I was just sure it was not supposed to be that way! With my 3rd child, Isaac, I wanted to take what the bible said and apply it to his birth. I knew where the curse came from – when Adam & Eve dropped the ball, got us all cursed and got kicked out of the Garden of Eden. But I also knew that God sent a Redeemer, who saved us from the curse of the Law by becoming a curse for us – therefore, no curse = no pain, right? Just by this thought alone Isaac came into this world far easier than with my other 2. I was much more relaxed but I still had pain. The contractions still increased to where I was moaning & groaning through them & when push time came, oh yes, much pain went on!
Something was wrong. Now I understand that just “knowing” what the bible says isn’t enough. I had to believe it.
When I conceived Brielle it was time to fight the good fight of faith (1 Tim 6:12) and contend for the faith (Jude 1:3). I didn’t have the faith before & I got a worldly delivery. I refused to accept that this time – I would deliver with joy, no fear and without pain the way God originally intended! I renewed my mind (Romans 12:2), rejected my previous experiences & what people thought was the only way to bring babies into this world and stood only on what God said & God said I’m redeemed from the curse!
On to the pain-free birth story…
I woke up at 1:15 on July 28th, 2018 with my abdomen involuntarily contracting. This was something that had been going on for weeks now so it wasn’t like this was out of the ordinary. The contractions weren’t any stronger than nights before but because it was my due date, and I was certain she would come that day, I got up and started walking around the house.
As I walked I danced and praised for what was happening and going to happen while excitement ran through my body. My contractions were roughly 4 mins apart. Stephen woke up to me moving around the house and asked if he should call the midwife. I told him no, but we also knew the delivery would be fast so we went ahead and called. The midwife was one of the few people who knew what we were believing for so she decided to come on over even though I was showing no positive signs of labor. I still thought it was silly the midwife come but I had prayed the baby would be born in the early morning so I figured she might as well head over.
When she & her team arrived at 3:15 I decided to rest in bed a bit. I only got 3 hours of sleep and I was beginning to get tired.
This whole time I could tell my body was working, I could feel her moving more downward but there was no pain – just strong muscle contractions. I could also feel mild stretching of my joints and ligaments but it didn’t hurt. Every time I would begin to feel my body contract I would close my eyes and tune in to what was happening inside. It was the coolest experience ever.
I had to ask my midwife what to expect since I could tell what my body was doing but wasn’t sure when I should get in to the bathtub or when to push. She told me what cues to go by and once I felt the 1st cue I told her I’d like to be checked. Later the midwife told me, at this point she wasn’t even sure I was in labor because I was so calm, my face never changed, she would never know I was having a contraction and I was walking around here and there, talking and having a good time with my husband & the midwifes.
She checked me.
I was completely ready – dilated at a 10! She was shocked. She later told me she was hoping I was at least a 6 but was thinking I was more around a 4 or so.
I then got up from the bed, and asked, “now what”? Ha! I seriously didn’t know. During time’s past I would have used pain as a gauge but since I didn’t have any I had to ask!
She said, “Well…when you have the desire to push, you’re ready.” (Her face still looking perplexed that I was a 10.)
At this point I asked Stephen to recite my favorite delivery Scriptures to me. Tiredness was really setting in, my whole body was very cold for some reason and I was needing a boost. I went to the bathroom, & quickly got up as I could tell her head was moving down fast. I didn’t want to have her on the toilet!
I had a couple more contractions, quickly got into my bathing suit top & got in the bathtub. This is where I could really tell God & I were a team.
I knew I wouldn’t have pain & up to this point everything was going just as I expected. It was everything I’d believed in. But 2 weeks before this, the Lord lead me to the story of the Battle of Jericho and highlighted to me, “Be strong and courageous”. My faith was complete that He’d do his part but He was telling me that I still have a part in it – I have to be strong and courageous to completely take the promise He wanted to give me. Just as Joshua was promised Jericho, he still had to be brave & courageous to go take it.
At the 1st desire to push I gave a super wimpy push. I don’t even classify it as a push because I was so hesitant. I felt the Lord remind me that this was the part where I had to be brave. I didn’t feel fear but I surely wasn’t brave & I definitely was hesitating. He also told me I was doing a kegel. Ha! I didn’t realize. So I let that go and told Stephen to recite the Jericho scriptures. With my next contraction I was brave. I gave a real push & my water broke. The Lord reminded me again, “this is your promise, now take it.” In the same contraction He strengthened me, reminded me that He was guiding her out but this part was up to me. I gave it my best push and out came her head, another push – her shoulders then out into her daddy’s arms.
No pain. No stitches. No complications. No nothing! –A full-term happy and healthy baby girl and an elated mama and daddy. The midwives were astonished about the delivery. They’d never had one “so peaceful” and one where they didn’t quite realize what was going on. Haha!
I know that God is always with us, but I’d never felt so in-line & in-tune with him or like I was working with him as a team…until these moments. It’s indescribable & I pray more people experience it.
This was no miracle. It’s written. I stood on God’s Word and did not budge from it. As a redeemed child of God I wanted (& got!) the promise He wrote for all of God’s girls to have. If you’re believing for a supernatural delivery, supernatural conception or pregnancy it’s totally possible! All things are possible with God. (Matt 19:26) And God’s Word never fails. (Joshua 21:45)
Stand on it. Don’t budge from it. God is faithful!!
He’ll do it for me and he’ll do it for you.
