Above Rubies Daily Encouragement Blogs
Through the weekly and daily devotionals you can be constantly encouraged in your great role of parenting, the highest career in the nation. You can also stay updated on what's happening with the Above Rubies ministry.
THE TRIUMPH OF BIRTH
In the relief of the dark, by myself, in the peace and quiet, I delivered my own baby, our fifth son. The only noise was snoring, the soporific sound of my husband asleep.Everything was OK with the world. I was opening. I was safe. I was relaxed. No glaring lights. No beeping machinery, no loud strangers pushing and shoving, grabbing my baby away from me.
The powerful intimacy of birth. This is something I won’t willingly give away. It’s deeply private and vulnerable.
“Why are you blowing on my face?” Hubby got there just in time. Just as Baby was born into my hands. No crying (he didn’t cry for four days). We turned the light on to check his breathing. Baby turned his eyes to look at us. Small and perfect. So we turned the light off again.
The warm bath was inviting. We hopped straight in. Baby was on my chest. A wet towel kept him warm. Comfy and cosy. Just us. The morning arrived, and the midwife too. She was happy to see everything had gone so well.
Window onto a summer night, I knew I was in labour in the night. I grabbed a drink and my worship music on the way to the bathroom. I found a couple of towels. I locked myself in with the comforting dark.
The window opened onto a summer night. My pillow was on the windowsill to lean on. I looked out into the tree in the quiet. At first, I stood holding onto towel racks. I was breathing quietly during the waves. I take it all inside and find strength there. Then a pause. I got down onto my hands and knees, opening my hips. I stood and lifted one knee to my chest, then the other. Then held the towel rack for another wave. Relaxing into it.
Further on, I was crouching. Just leaning against my pillow on the windowsill. Looking out into the leaves of the tree. Kneeling on the padded towels. It got more intense. I could feel I needed to push. Then came a few heavy-duty pushes. And Baby was crowning.
With my two hands and a towel I spoke to my husband, Jo, “The baby’s coming.” He heard me through the open window. He let himself in the door with the latch. He locked it behind him again. Hubby sat with me as Baby slipped into my hands. Warm and wet. I brought him out in front of me while crouching. Then I turned and sat on the towels.
Jo helped me hold him. We both looked at him. And he quietly looked at us. In the water we made sure Baby was snug and cosy with me. I had it ready and steaming in case I needed it. But I had felt more flexibility outside of the bath. Then as soon as Baby was born, it was so good to slip in. Warm and relaxed. I could feel his strong heartbeat against my chest. He was snuggling in, content.
Then Jo held Baby. The midwife sat quite happily nearby on the loo. She saw the placenta had come in the bath and stopped texting the back-up. I hopped out. I wrapped up in my dressing gown. Baby was against my chest as I sat on a towel on the loo. Now it was time to chat. The need for quiet and privacy was gone.
Now there was just the celebration. I think it was about two hours. But I don’t know. I wasn’t timing it. The midwife was so pleased for us. She knew that I probably wasn’t going to call her. That I needed to be by myself. But having her care and support was important to me. And especially afterwards. We knew everything was OK. She congratulated us. Placenta in a blue salad bowl I walked to our bed and Baby’s four brothers met him.
The midwife got a parking ticket. We sent a note to the council begging forgiveness. With Baby’s handprint!
KRISTIE BAYNE
New Zealand
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Picture: Johann and Kristi with their five boys, Enoch, Zion, Stefan, Noah, and Daniel.
P.S. As I read this beautiful account of Kristie’s birth, I thought of the question that so many liberal women today will not answer: “What is a Woman?” Yes, we know what a woman is. She can give birth. In triumph. In power. There is something so powerful about giving birth naturally. It does something to a woman. She knows she can accomplish anything. She understands the power and strength God has given to her. She does not need to vie for the man’s world. God has given her the privilege and strength to do what a man could never do. Conception, pregnancy, and birth are the glory of womanhood and the nation (Hosea 9:11).
~ Nancy
