Lyndon's Birth Story - Part 2

To Read Lyndon’s Birth Story Part One, click here.

8:05PM
We got checked in, made it to the room, and the nurse checked me: 7 centimeters!

I was pretty thrilled about that! I labored in the bed with the heart monitor strapped around my belly. Goodness labor was intense at this point. I remember feeling hot, and my prepared mama busted out her American flag fans and kept us all cool! I loved having her there. She knew just what to do to keep me calm and comfortable, just like moms do.

After about 40 minutes or so, I really felt like I needed to push and I asked the nurse to check me again. I KNEW I had made progress because things were picking up with such intensity.

7 centimeters.

Forreal? Listen, I know it’s only been 30 minutes, but things were DIFFERENT. Or so I thought. But I continued to labor and wait and take it one contraction at a time.

I had Sissy and Will trade off reading scripture over me. My two books I used over and over again: My Pregnancy Prayer Journal and Supernatural Childbirth. Both come equipped with labor verses, and Supernatural Childbirth has the most amazing delivery prayer in the back. I remember yelling “LOUDER” at one point because I couldn’t hear my sweet sister’s voice over my own moaning, haha! Bless my sweet sister’s heart. Best doula ever.

I decided to try to pee (sorry, but nothing is TMI in birth stories, so if weird lingo freaks you out you can stop reading now), knowing that it might relieve some bladder pressure and the vertical position helped the contractions intensify. I labored on the toilet for a while because my shaky legs just couldn’t hold me, and then I really started pushing without even trying. I told her nurse and she said, “Let’s not have a baby in the toilet! Come on – back to the bed!”

9:25PM
The midwife checked me, and told me the news:

7 centimeters.

I MEAN COME ON. I literally couldn’t believe it. I didn’t know how my body could do it much longer – they were just so, SO intense. Mentally, it was so hard to hear. Then the midwife said,

“What if I broke your water? There’s no pressure to do so, but it might progress things for you. And I might have to break it 2 hours from now, or I could just break it for you now.”

I looked at Will and my sister, asking them what they thought. We weren’t really sure what would be best.

2 contractions later, I looked at the midwife and said, “YES. Break my water.” I couldn’t stand the thought of doing that for 2 more hours.

9:32PM
I felt my water break between contractions and thought “let’s see how this goes!” And then the next contraction came like a tidal wave.

I started losing my mind, grabbing my sister around the neck, shoving Will away (I’m sorry and I love you). I yelled “Jesus HELP ME” and began to cry out loudly. Then I let everyone know… “THE BABY’S COMING! IT’S COMING RIGHT NOW!!!”

“Ok let me check you” said the midwife, immediately followed by “YES the baby’s coming!”

I immediately went from 7cm to transition (10cm) and the baby’s head crowning, all in a matter of seconds. It was INSANE.

No one was ready! The midwife grabbed the giant light and shoved on a hospital gown as best as she could! The nurses flew into action, shoving a giant pad under my bum, doing their best to get everything in order before this sweet baby came.

I wasn’t even pushing. My body was doing everything, and I felt like I was on a wild ride. After a couple of minutes, they said “Look down! Your baby’s head is out!” I tried but my belly was still quite big so I couldn’t see anything!

The midwife looked at me, “I need you to push one time – one big push – to deliver the baby’s body.”

So that’s what I did. I gave one big push, and she looked at me and said the same thing my first doctor said when I delivered Milly:

“Reach down and grab your baby.”

9:38PM
I reached down and took hold of the incredible, miraculous tiny hot body and pulled my sweet baby right onto my chest.

And then I started laughing. Such joyous laughter! Just so overwhelming. I didn’t even cry – I just laughed and laughed. Will was crying, I was so relieved. I was thankful it was all over. I felt victorious, like God Himself had held my hand through it all. Because He had. And I felt Him laughing right there with me.

I held that baby so close, and I couldn’t believe that from the time my midwife broke my water to the time I had my baby in my arms was just 6 MINUTES. (We asked because we wanted to know how fast it happened!) Craziest 6 minutes of my entire life.

Will checked to see if it was a boy or a girl, and after one look he laughed and said, “It’s another GIRL!” We both were cracking up! Another girl!! Will comes from a family of boys, we knew Milly was a boy, and I had so many signs that pointed to “boy” with this baby it was hilarious that I was holding another girl. I was absolutely thrilled! My sister is my dearest and closest friend, so for Milly to have a sister was the greatest gift.

I was nervous, but when I asked the midwife if I tore at all, she said only a little! I only needed 4 stitches – a 1st degree internal tear! My heart was so overwhelmingly thankful in this moment, as you can imagine.

I hugged my mama, my sister, and Elizabeth goodnight. Having them all in the delivery room with me was so, so special. I had my sister go get us Cook Out (because DUH, I just had a baby and a burger and milkshake sounded perfect), and she returned at about 1am. Never in the history of ever has a cookout tray tasted so dang good.

Will and I relished in this sweet new little girl, and debated on her name overnight. We weren’t 100% sure when she was born, but by the morning we were proudly introducing her to our family and friends:

Our beautiful daughter, Lyndon Whitfield Ray.

And introducing her to her sister was a moment I will treasure in my heart for the rest of her life. Milly has wanted to touch her, kiss her, hold her, and snuggle her from the moment she entered our lives. Their little relationship is already off to the sweetest start.

I still have to pinch myself. TWO GIRLS.

And if you’re reading this, feeling afraid about childbirth, feeling unsure about God in it all, I hope you can see these truths in this story:

If you ask God for help, He will swiftly come.
His Love is greater and more powerful than any fear.