The Fifth Time in Seven Years

I'm now counting my calories again, for the 5th time in 6 and 1/2 years.  This method of dieting has historically been successful to the degree that I remain committed to exercise self-control.  Losing weight while nursing is very rapid after the birth, but after the first month, weight loss (for me) goes very slowly, if at all.  So I resort to calorie counting.  It is difficult to find the balance between eating enough to support the nursing while not eating too much so that weight loss occurs.  It is possible, but I usually get tired of the math involved before I finally reach my goal.

After Jeramy and I were engaged, I lost 35 lbs. by counting my calories in addition to exercising 6 times every week.  I had always been overweight my entire life and that was the first time I achieved a pant size in the single digits.  It was very thrilling.  And then . . . I got pregnant our first month of marriage.

After Moriah was born, as soon as I left the hospital, I attempted to resume regular exercise and calorie counting.  I had committed to have however many children God would give us and I was determined not to be 500 pounds because of all the pregnancies.  I knew that I needed to lose the weight before getting pregnant again, and based on how quickly we got pregnant the first time, I knew I didn't have long to wait before pregnancy #2.  I lost the weight really quickly, by the time Moriah was 3 months I lost 23 pounds, only 5 lbs. more than I was at our wedding.  Then . . . I got pregnant again when she was 4 months old.

After Lily was born, I waited a while longer before counting my calories.  But, likewise, I lost 45 pounds and achieved my pre-pregnancy weight.  I maintained this weight for a few months, and then I got pregnant again when Lily was 11 months old.

After Shiphrah was born, I think I lost most all the weight again, some 40 pounds or so, by counting my calories.  And now, 5 months after Joseph's birth, I'm at it again.  Since his birth I've lost 25 pounds.  The frustrating part for me, especially after being overweight my whole life, is that my size has gone from big to small to big to small so many times in the past 6.5 years.  It has literally been like a yo-yo.  However, when I consider that my married, child-bearing years are few in comparison to the total number of years of life I may have and the "reward, gift, blessing," etc of the children that it has produced, I am content.  I know that I'll be 50 before I know it and maintaining a healthy figure will no longer be such a battle because of pregnancy.

Birth @ Home vs. Hospital

Moriah, Lily and Shiphrah were all born in the hospital.  Each of their deliveries were different, but  my birth with Shiphrah was the complete opposite from what I was expecting and hoping.  Being in the hospital created more complications and stress than was needed and I felt that a lot of unnecessary medical intervention was pushed upon me.  As a result I felt like an object of labor and not an individual with thoughts, wishes and a free will.  So I considered other options and elected to give birth at home.  Here are the perks:

Personal Prenatal Care
I switched from an OB to a homebirth midwife.  Debbie Pulley and Kay Johnson at Atlanta Birth Care are excellent midwives with a combined 50+ years experience.  During my prenatal visits with them, I noticed that they were just as thorough as the doctor's staff, but much more personable towards me and individualistic in my care.  Each of my visits with them lasted at least an hour and they were excited about my pregnancy.  The OB doctor doesn't take too much interest in low-risk cases like mine and I felt like a number.

Doctors know about drugs and surgery.  The midwives know a lot of alternative, natural methods to aid your body to do what it's supposed to do.  They also administer drugs and do stitches too.  The home birth midwives in Britain can give intravenous drugs.  It seems to me as I research more and more, that midwives (being a traditional profession dating back to Moses and probably before) have a broader depth of knowledge than most doctors.  I have every reason to trust them with my gynecological care.

No Bureaucracy
I didn't have to worry about my pre-registration forms getting processed before I showed up in labor to the hospital.  Neither did I have to worry about signing legal waivers at 10 cm dilation.  A lot of the care received in the hospital is so they can cover their own rear ends from litigation.

Freedom to Labor
I didn't want to give birth on my back, pushing the baby uphill and be stitched up later because I couldn't push in a different position.  Being able to labor at home was such a HUGE benefit!  You are in a comfortable environment where you can do whatever you feel would help alleviate or distract you from the pain.  As a result of this, I never really felt like I was in labor until the last 5 minutes because everything I was doing, REALLY made all the progression bearable and the pain less severe.  When you're forced to lay in a bed without the ability to move the pain seems more intense.  At home I could participate in my labor, instead of letting labor happen to me.  I wasn't expecting that squatting in the shower or sitting on the toilet would effectively reduce my pain but it did, to the extent that my labor was more like an illusive hope rather than a stark reality. 

No Unnecessary Medical Interventions
I wanted to give birth naturally and vaginally.  I wanted to avoid a cesarean at all costs.  During my pitocin induced labor with Shiphrah, the OB threatened me with a Section, as I was not progressing.  As a result of the threat of C-section, I was coerced into receiving an epidural I didn't initially want.  A C-section is major abdominal surgery with serious risks involved, as with any major surgery, and I knew my body would never be the same afterwards.  The Doctors present C-section as though it were like cutting your nails, but it's not.  One in three births is now a c-section.  If your labor endures until 24 hours (which is typical for some, unfortunately) they will just cut you open to get the baby out, even if your water hasn't broken because, "It's time."  They are too impatient to let nature take it's God-ordained course.

If I did end up going to the hospital after attempting a home birth, it's because medical intervention was necessary because a complication arose during labor.  The hospital, doctors and nurses are there for emergency situations and women with real complications.  Preeclampsia, incompetent cervix, pre-term labor and other risky situations are why hospitals were originally created.  In 1900, 95% of all US births were delivered at home.  By 1955, 97% if all US births were delivered in the hospital.  Both of my parents have siblings born in the home and hospital. 

Better Bonding
In the hospital, they take the baby from you after the birth.  Some nursing staffs are more eager to take the baby than others, but they do this to perform a variety of tests and to bathe the baby.  After Moriah was born, I didn't get to hold her at all for several hours!  As soon as she came out of the birth canal, she was whisked by a nurse to the other side of the room where she remained until I had to ask to even see her.  They put her next to my head but not in my hands before taking her to the nursery.  After Lily and Shiphrah were born they placed them on my chest and cleaned them there and allowed me to nurse before taking them to the nursery.  Joseph and I have never been separated while he was awake which has allowed me to become better acquainted with my newborn and it has given us a stronger start at establishing his breastfeeding and sleeping patterns.

Real Rest and Recovery
I did NOT want to stay overnight in the hospital.  The nursing staff comes to take your vital signs at all hours of the day and night.  During the day, people want to visit you and during the night the nurses want to take all your vitals, so I never got any sleep.  I would come home from the hospital exhausted with baggy eyes.  I wanted to be able to rest and recover at home without the poking and prodding.  Real rest allows the body to recover much more rapidly.

No Worldview Confrontations
I hate how the nurses ask you, just hours after giving birth, about birth control methods.  "We don't want our babies too close together," a nurse said to me once.  "Fine.  These are not your babies!  This decision is between God, me and my husband."  


Safety
There are also so many safety reasons why I wanted to plan a home birth.  Occasionally you hear about babies being switched at birth or people trying to steal a newborn out of the hospital.  There are also many illnesses all nicely contained in the hospital. 

Self-Sufficiency

Also, giving birth at home is consistent with our efforts to live more self-sufficient lives.  The more you're "on the grid" (as Jeramy says) the easier it is to track you in the event that our country becomes more and more communistic.  Plus, if you're more self-sufficient, you're more prepared for missions in a lesser developed country.  You don't have to pay someone to do a skill that you are capable of doing yourself.

 

I commend you to watch the documentary by Ricki Lake, The Business of Being Born. It's filled with statistics, personal stories and birthing scenes.  They interview doctors, nurses, couples, and midwives.

Joseph's Birth Story

The due date was fast approaching and I was eagerly awaiting the arrival of our newest addition.  In the early morning hours on Tuesday the 19th (the due date) I had regular contractions and thought that I might be in labor.  However after several hours of clock watching and trips to the bathroom, the contractions were getting consistently farther apart and completely ceased after about 5 hours when I relieved myself.  That’s the last time I’ll eat two bowls of red chili and push a stroller uphill for a mile the day before I’m due! 

The day after came . . .

. . . and went.

Apparently I have a hard time waiting.

Two days after the due date, Thursday, I try to continue business as usual and keep my mind off of the fact that the baby is late.  My last midwife appointment was that morning and I had to ask Debbie, “So, the baby is going to come out, right?!”  And I was totally serious and somewhat discouraged as I asked her that question.  She looked at me and said, “You know, of all the expectant mothers we’ve had . . . they ALL have their babies.”  I just needed to hear that.  This was the first time I’ve ever reached and exceeded my baby’s due date.

That afternoon, I begin making dinner and notice an uncomfortable contraction at 5:18.  We sit down to eat dinner and at 6:18 I start timing my contractions as they are regular and I’m not really interested in eating.

After dinner, about 6:45, dinner is over and we decide to go outside to walk around and see if I’m in labor.  The whole family comes to cheer me on.  The neighbors across the street are outside and they begin talking with Jeramy about building an entertainment center.  So, we all go in their house and I’m still having regular contractions.  I’m distracted by the conversation, but I’m still pretty uncomfortable and tired of walking around.

We got back to our house at 7:30p.m. and I continue pacing the floor for another 30 minutes to see if the contractions intensify.  I call the midwife at 8p.m. and tell her what’s going on.  She could hear the uncertainty in my voice as to whether or not I was in labor.  I wanted to be sure of my labor before I had her come. 

I laid down for 30 minutes and my contractions were very erratic in frequency and intensity and I was almost completely convinced that it was NOT labor.  Jeramy called my Mom to tell her that there was some “activity”.  Mom decided to come over and sit for a while to see if anything was going to happen.  But I thought it would be a waste of her time. 

I got up from the sofa and as I walked to the toilet, I could not walk through my contraction.  If we were planning a hospital birth, that was the indicator to begin packing up to leave.  But, I decided to sit on the toilet for 30 more minutes to determine if I was in labor and then I called the midwife again to give her an update.  It was now 9p.m.  She and I agreed that I would call around 10 or 10:30 to let her know if my contractions stop or if they continue and I want them to come. 

Every time I moved, the contractions would reset themselves and change character.  And because of this, I was thrown off, thinking it was just flatulence, as it was before.  I know the character of real labor contractions and what I was enduring was far from it, so I considered that it wasn’t yet that serious.

After another 10 minutes, I thought it would be nice to get in the shower.  After washing off, I just stood there letting the water massage my lower back.  It was very therapeutic.  During each contraction I would tilt my hips and squat slightly, hoping that if I was truly in labor, my water might break.  But that never happened.  While I was in the shower, Mom popped in to ask about the girls’ shoes and decided to take them to her house.  By God’s providence she arrived just in time. 

Ten minutes before 10p.m. I get out and put on my robe.  Jeramy was laying on the bed, staying awake to see what would happen.  I kneel down next to him on the floor.  Then I have two really painful contractions about 3 minutes apart, that I endure with moaning.  This is it!  Then I feel something really peculiar and rush to get to the toilet.  My water breaks with a little cupful into the toilet bowl.  I call the midwife at 10:15p.m. and tell her that the pain is getting more intense, my water broke and I want her to come now.  I told her I thought she might have 10 minutes to get dressed and get to the house.  I tell Jeramy to get the birthing pool ready.  And no sooner had I said these words with great difficulty, I felt the need to push!  I called the midwife back and said, “Debbie, the baby is coming NOW!!”  I screamed for Jeramy, who had just barely reached the kitchen with the pool, to come catch the baby!  I threw the phone onto the counter and stood up.  I couldn’t have the baby in the toilet!  I couldn’t stand up either, so I just instinctively got down on my knees leaning on the bathtub.  Then Jeramy ran into the bathroom and yelled, “NO!!  You can’t do this to me!  Don’t push!  You have to wait until the midwife gets here!  You have to wait 10 minutes!”  I told him that I couldn’t wait and he must get down on the floor and catch the baby! 

With my right elbow on the tub and my left hand reached down between my legs, I felt the head coming out and screamed again for Jeramy to catch the baby.  He got behind me and as I pushed the baby out, I guided the head back so he could catch him.

After the baby came out, I was in shock for a minute as I realized what had just happened.  The midwife was still on the phone and Jeramy was freaking out.  Debbie spend several minutes calming Jeramy down.  Then I realized that we had a boy!  Jeramy did not want me to move or push anymore, so we just hung out in the bathroom, all of us covered in water and blood until the midwives arrived about 20 minutes after the birth.  They cleaned all our mess up, did all their checks and left around 1 or 1:30a.m.

All in all, it was the best birth ever!  We named our baby Joseph Wade.  We’ve had his name picked out for the last 5 years.

Changes (Excuses, Really)

I have to apologize for my lack of activity on this blog.  Several factors have played into it and will probably change when the new baby comes, Lord willing.

Blogger has changed it's interface and it's much less user friendly.  I cannot write many posts at once and schedule them to appear every day, like I could before.

I have reached my limit on pictures and I must go back through and delete some if I'm to post any new ones.  Or I could pay to upgrade my subscription on Picasa web albums to include more storage.  I'm disinclined to pay for anything that I once had for free.  So I will have to be more selective about the pictures I post.

Coming to the end of this pregnancy, being so large and desiring more and more to lay down has made climbing stairs rather unappealing.  I've had plenty to say, but at the end of the day, I try to avoid climbing the stairs or staying awake another 20 minutes.  

Today, I'm 37 weeks exactly.  Only 3 more weeks to go until the due date, 19 June.  The girls all arrived on time: Moriah was 4 days early, Lily was one day early and Shiphrah was 15 minutes early.  My prayers concerning this baby are typical: a smooth labor and delivery, a baby that will nurse easily and sleep soundly.  The baby is moving all the time and I have Braxton-Hicks contractions very frequently too. 

Now that I don't have anything major between now and the delivery, I've begun to prepare for this next little person to enter our family.  I've started packing bags, organizing and washing things and I'll start baking additional bread loaves to store in the freezer as well as a few casserole meals.  I eagerly anticipate not walking around like a rhinoceros and meeting our new little baby.  Let the real countdown begin.

Alfalfa, For Balance

Medicago sativa

Active ingredients: iron, chlorophyll, Vitamins A, B6, E, D & K, beta-carotene, biotin, folic acid, pantothenic acid, fatty acids, saponins, copper

Actions: general tonic, alternative diuretic

Alfalfa has a history going back to ancient times, cherished for its nourishing abilities for people and their animals.  It has a deep tap root and grows in rich soils, making it very rich in trace minerals it that pulls up from deep below the surface.  It purifies the blood.  It balances the blood sugar, preventing the swings of hypoglycemia common in pregnancy.  It soothes the digestive tract and contains the enzyme betaine and the saponins balance the intestinal flora.

Compiled by Vickie Liguori, 2006

I was also told that Alfalfa can help increase platelet levels.

Red Raspberry Leaf, From of Old

Rubus idaeus

Active ingredients: volatile oils, pectin, citric acid, malic acid, tannin, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, Vitamins A, B, C & E.  It has the highest known herbal source of manganese.

Actions: Astringent, tonic, toning, pelvic & uterine relaxant.

Raspberry leaves have a long tradition of use in pregnancy to strengthen and tone the tissue of the womb, assisting contractions and preventing excessive bleeding.  Raspberry leaves also tone the mucous membranes through out the body and soothe the kidneys and urinary tract.  Raspberry works on the digestive tract to stabilize it.  It continues its good benefits after birth to aid in milk production and recovery.  The tonic and relaxant actions on the smooth muscles of the uterus act to reduce the pain of uterine contractions during childbirth and makes them more effective and productive, shortening the duration of labor.

Currently there is some controversy surrounding the use of Raspberry leaf during pregnancy, which is unfortunate since its use has been associated with pregnancy and birth since ancient times according to some writings.  The concern is early miscarriage.  For this reason, some midwives recommend use after 16 weeks gestation.  It also has been known to help with nausea during pregnancy.

Compiled by Vickie Liguori, 2006

Pregnancy Update: 21 Weeks

Today I had an appointment for an Ultrasound in addition to seeing the OB doctor. I brought the girls along and a friend to observe, leaving Jeramy at home to enjoy the peace and quiet of an empty house for a few hours.

The ultrasounds are always so much fun! You have real-time pictures of what's going on inside the womb. It's truly amazing. The baby is about the size of the palm of your hand and weighs a little less than one pound. We were able to see the baby move and observe his or her beating heart.

It's such a wonder to me how a human could be so small and still be so complete!

Pregnancy Update

Well, I've lost track of what week gestation I'm on, but I know that I'm somewhere in the half-way point. To me, that's very exciting! I feel movement every day. The baby is definitely getting bigger and stronger and excitement mounds for me because I know that the day is drawing near when I will get to hold another little baby! Jeramy thinks that I've been the most excited about this pregnancy than the others. I would agree, but I think my excitement is due to the lack of incessant nausea every waking hour and that we will not know the gender until the birth.

I like the uncertainty of not knowing until the birth. Even 30 years ago, couples could not know the gender until then. And it's been that way for the past 6,000 years of Creation history. The excitement of waiting is like Christmas. You know that Christmas is coming. You know that you will get a present. But you don't know what that present will be. We know we're having a baby. But we don't know if we'll have another girl or, finally, a son. Jeramy and I are content with either sex because we know that it's not up to us to decide and God is sovereign. I figure that if we continue to have children for the next 10 years or so, eventually a son will pop out. I just want to be surprised when that happens. I don't need to plan for it because I have green & yellow clothes up to 3 months and I know that Grandmothers will shower us with blue, brown, red and black when they hear the news. No worries, just excitement. :-)

Somewhat Aloof

A few months ago I could honestly say that I had taken a little break from regular blogging because I was so nauseous. I'm so thankful to say that it has officially subsided and I am experiencing more liberty with my food choices now. Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks gestation! I can't believe that I'm almost half-way already! It amazes me how fast it has past. One minute you find out your pregnant, the next you realize that you're half-way through! This is a definite sign that I'm getting older.

Well, since I cannot honestly say that my blogging absence the past 2 weeks is due to nausea, I can say that time on the computer has become more competitive. Jeramy has been working on launching a new website - one that he is building himself. He has no previous knowledge of web development or search engine optimization, but with some books, determined study and practice, he has now become a web developer in his spare time at home. If you click on his picture to the left it will take you to his site where he is religiously posting daily blogs.

In other events: I'm very excited to start a new sewing project - DIY cloth diapers! I spent almost an hour in JoAnn Fabrics finding everything I need to make 15 - 20 cloth diapers, including a DIY how-to book! The first All-in-One diapers (Osocozy) I purchased 2.5 years ago are looking really ratty. The velcro tugs at the cotton lining and it really looks bad. I bought more Osocozy AIO in a larger size for Moriah and Lily for their sleep times and in less than a year, they are looking pretty ratty too! The best AIO diapers I've bought have been the bumGenius AIO pocket diapers. These are awesome! They dry quickly. They have some absorbency already sewn in and the pocket allows you to add more for nighttime. The lining is super soft and doesn't fray, pill or catch on the velcro! This is the diaper I'm attempting to duplicate.

For Christmas I made an apron for my sister-friend Sherri. I know the picture isn't that great- the apron and the model look a lot better in person. :-D The neck strap is adjustable. I'm very pleased with how this project turned out. I'm considering making a few more in purple.

All that being said, I'm hoping to return to a regular blogging routine. Please accept my apologies.

Ultrasound in My Pocket

Last week I went in for an ultrasound to check on the baby after a little spotting over the weekend. There were only 2 days of spotting and I haven't had any since then. The baby was moving a lot and gave me a lot of relief from worry. I was 13 weeks at the time. I'm 14 weeks now and I've delayed on posting this. I can tell that by the shape of the baby's head, he or she will look more like Jeramy, like Lily does.

Presenting . . .

Baby #4!
Here are my first ultrasound pictures!
It's so awesome to see a fully formed baby that is only 1 inch long!
It's amazing!

Sorry For the Lag

I'm very sorry to all you who eagerly look to my blog for something new. Lately my fatigue and nausea have increased and getting the essential daily things done is more of a challenge.

I pray God's mercy that I will not endure fatigue and nausea the entire length of my pregnancy but that it will be over soon. I have many things to share, but I'll just have to eat some humble pie and learn some patience before I can do that.

Check back on occasion, I promise to return with more regular, predictable posts soon.

-Meggan

The Freedom to Choose What Is Right

Now the Lord is the Spirit,

and where the Spirit of the Lord is,

there is liberty.

2 Corinthians 3:17

Reflection by Fr. Frank Pavone

Norma McCorvey (the former Jane Roe of Roe v. Wade)

used to work at an abortion mill named "A Choice for

Women." She now realizes what a cruel irony that

title was.

She saw first hand, just as pregnancy resource center

counselors see, that women don't get abortions

because of freedom of choice, but rather because they

feel they have no freedom and no choice.

They feel trapped, abandoned, desperate and afraid,

and have been led to believe that abortion is their

only option.

As Frederica Mathewes-Green has written, no woman

wants an abortion like she wants a Porsche or an ice

cream; rather, she wants it like an animal caught in

a trap wants to gnaw off its own leg.

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."

That doesn't mean that the Spirit allows us to do

whatever we want or to decide for ourselves what's

right and wrong.

Rather, it means that the Spirit gives us the freedom

to do what is right, the power to choose what is

good, when we see it before us and yet feel pulled in

the opposite direction. Liberty means that we no

longer have to feel doomed to do what we know is

wrong.

We are the people of the Spirit of the Lord, and when

we take action on behalf of life, especially by being

present at abortion mills, we are acting on behalf of

true freedom, and imparting to those who are in

bondage the power to do what is right.

I'm Late

Two and a half weeks late, that is.

Baby #4 is at 6.5 weeks gestation and already has eyes, nose, fingers, toes and a beating heart! Completely human from start to finish! It's amazing!

For You formed my inward parts;

You wove me in my mother’s womb.

I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

Wonderful are Your works,

And my soul knows it very well.

Psalm 139:13-14

Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb,

"I, the LORD, and the maker of all things,

Stretching out the heavens by Myself

And spreading out the earth all alone . . .

Isaiah 44:24

Unplanned Pregnancy or Hurting After Abortion?

You can find local, confidential help by calling 1.800.395.HELP

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Pregnancy Resource Center of Gwinnett

is for women who are facing a crisis pregnancy, or suffering in the aftermath of an abortion. It is a non-profit, licensed medical clinic and pregnancy counseling center offering free pregnancy, STD and ultrasound tests. The professional staff at PRCG will assist you in getting the information you need to think through all of your options. The website is prcg.org and the telephone number is 770.338.1680.

Other Pregnancy Resource Centers & Pregnancy Care Centers

A Beacon of Hope

678.893.5290

2750 Old Alabama Road, Johns Creek

Athens Pregnancy Center

678.753.3180

767 Oglethorpe Avenue, Athens

Atlanta Care Center

404.262.2273

1720 Peachtree Street #496, Atlanta

Birthright of Atlanta

404.451.2273

3424 Hardee Avenue, Atlanta

Gainesville Care Center

770.535.1245

434 Green Street Place, Gainesville

Pregnancy Resource Center of Gwinnett

770.338.1680

501 Crown Pointe Way, Lawrenceville

Gwinnett Right to Life

www.abortionfactsstoriespictures.com

The Gwinnett County Chapter of Georgia Right to Life works to restore respect and effective legal protection for all persons from earliest biological beginning to natural death. Our purpose is to educate Gwinnett County residents on right-to-life issues, including abortion, euthanasia, infanticide and embryonic stem cell research. We train citizens to effectively articulate their pro-life beliefs.

Email us at gwinnettrighttolife@gmail.com, or call 770.339.6880, for our schedule of monthly chapter meetings, pro-life apologetics training, and events.

Please support the work of Gwinnett Right to Life by volunteering your time or contributing financially at www.abortionfactsstoriespictures.com or by mail c/o GRTL, 783 Holcomb Bridge Road, Norcross GA 30071.

Georgia Right to Life is a state affiliate of the National Right to Life Committee. GRTL has been organized for legal and peaceful activities in the areas of education, legislation and political action since 1971.

Ectopic Pregnancy? Don't panic!

I just recently read an interesting, informative blog post on ectopic pregnancy. Apparently it's more common than people think and it's not a death sentence to both baby and mom in every case! Oftentimes, when trying to balance a biblical worldview on the sanctity of life on this issue we opt to save the mom's life because the baby will die regardless. But that is not always true.

Head on over to Life in a Shoe and read Ectopic Pregnancy & the Sanctity of Life and her follow-up post, Ectopic Pregnancy Clarifications.

Is It Really Black & White?

In some ethical issues it can be tough to discern the best course of action that will glorify and please God.

The sanctity of life is taken from the Ten Commandments. Life is given by God and should only be taken by God, as a consequence of the Fall. The intent of the sanctity of life is to preserve it whenever possible. That's why abortion, euthanasia, etc. are so horrendously evil.

If in an attempt to create new life while putting that very life and the existing one to sustain and develop that life at greater risk, is it really preserving life?

Three For Three

Three pregnancies in three years of marriage since 3/3/2007.
Three deliveries for three baby girls.
Three children from three years to three months old.
Three heads of curly hair to comb.
Three kisses for three girls from Daddy before 3 p.m.
My third baby girl turned three months the third week of November.
And today Moriah (3 syllables) turns three years old! Happy Birthday!

Currently we are in Register/Statesboro visiting The Anderson's for Thanksgiving. Jeramy is on Stay-cation at home because he had to work. Pictures will follow some time after we get home tomorrow.

All Work & No Play Makes Moms Question Fertility

Since the birth of our third child under three years old, I've been debating what our next course of action would be concerning our fertility. This issue is such a sensitive one in our post-modern day after the rise of feminism and the birth control pill (and other reliable methods). Even in the Church the issue of fertility is treated as a private matter between each husband and wife and each couple is convinced of their individual position (which is necessary - I'm not here to point fingers or take sides). There is a delicate balance of obedience to "Be fruitful and multiply," and personal responsibility with a clean conscience.

When Jeramy and I were considering each other for marriage, he brought this issue to my attention and made his views known. At that time I reviewed the Biblical texts that discuss this, looked at all of the examples given to us in Scripture and decided to trust God that He opens and closes the womb as He sees fit and we would therefore not prevent conception.

Now that I have my work cut out for me, so to speak, I'm strongly reconsidering my previous decision. I want to continue to trust God with our fertility because I believe what God's Word says -- that He is good and He does good, and that He is trustworthy. The difficulty lies with the work and the stress involved in the discipline of my children. I'm an only child and I never had to deal with constantly fighting with a sibling for anything. Everything was either mine or my parents. There was no one else to blame when handprints in red paint ended up on the white walls. But with Moriah and Lily, both toddlers, it's almost like having twins. As soon as I discipline one for misbehaving, the other goes right behind and commits the same offense! They are always coveting the each other's toys and I am constantly acting as a referee. It's exhausting and it often makes me angry. I'm not the parent I envisioned when I was a single person and that makes me sad.

But when we take the time to go out and do something fun, I have a lot of joy watching them have fun! I could have stayed with them in the Creation Museum for hours watching them marvel at the different sights to see. Tonight both Grandmas and I took them to a Reformation Party at church and they had a wonderful time. Anytime I've taken them to the park and they slide down the slide and swing and watch ducks, etc. it's great! Really! But when we're at home, all day, the work beckons me to get it done and it must get done. Laundry piles up. Floors get gross. Tables must be cleaned. Bathrooms must be sanitized. Babies must be nursed. Food must be cooked. Errands must get ran. And it's the same thing every week. Sometimes it feels like adding one more thing is almost an imposition on any time there would be just to relax. Time for reading, blogging, sewing and any other hobbies is reduced and must be stolen away from sleep. Oh, if there was more time to do fun things as a family, then maybe this issue of fertility wouldn't be such a hard one.

Shiphrah's Birth Story

A False Alarm

About two weeks before my third trimester began, Braxton-Hicks contractions had already started. Early Monday morning I began having different contractions. And because everyone (I felt that everyone) was nagging me about the possibility of having this child on the side of the road because of my previous rapid births, I decided that it would be better to be safe than sorry and head to the hospital. Jeramy and I spent about 4 hours in the hospital with no progression toward real labor. My cervix was very posterior and only about 2-3 cm dilated. We decided to go home instead of forcing labor with pitocin. After I got home and put my feet up, everything came to a halt and I slept fine that night with no interruptions.

Tuesday morning I decided to carry on with life as usual and get a few things done, like laundry and vacuuming. Once I finished with the vacuum, I didn't feel well at all. There was a dull pain in my low back and I just felt worn out. When I got into the recliner, I felt cold and started shaking with chills. Around lunchtime I had no appetite and noticed that I was having regular contractions about 3 min apart. I just felt really bad and considered that I would rather be at the hospital. I could barely get up out of the chair.

The Real Deal

When we arrived at 1 p.m., they confirmed that I had a fever and the baby's heart rate was spiking and decided to admit me. They began the antibiotics for my Group B Strep and gave me Tylenol to bring my fever down. Afterwards, the OB Dr ordered pitocin (3:30) since I was so close to the due date and I was already admitted. There was no change from the day before concerning my cervix. Even after 3 hours of pitocin, there was no change in my cervix, just more painful contractions, closer together. I considered that if labor was going to be long, I didn't want to endure this pain for 20-30 hours, especially if the baby is not any closer to coming out! Around this time (about 5 0r 6 p.m.) my OB came by and tried to convince me to get an epidural. He said something about the possibility of having a C-section. After that I more strongly considered that if it came to that, I would rather be awake for the birth than asleep under general anesthesia. Plus the anesthesiologist on-call at that time was highly recommended by my labor nurses.

The Drugs

After consenting to the epidural, I was first given a drug to help me relax, which also made me really looney. I remember having a crazy conversation with the anesthesiologist, after which he must have thought I missed the rocker by a mile. Having the epidural put in (7 p.m. or so) wasn't painful really and much less stressful than I thought it would be. All of my anxiety about getting an epidural really didn't amount to anything. Eventually the craziness of the first numbing drug wore off and my lower body was relaxed and I easily dozed in and out of sleep. Now I know why women get the epidural! It takes the Fall right out of childbirth! At 8:30 p.m. my water broke on it's own and when the nurse checked me I was already 4 cm with my cervix in the correct position! Each half hour my cervix progressed another cm and by 10:15 p.m. I was fully dilated and ready to push. The nurse called the doctor at about 10:30.

I could feel that I was having contractions by the pressure of the baby's head downward and tightness around my ribcage. It was definitely not painful at all, so I decided to wait for the OB Dr to arrive before pushing. Dr. Wiist came and shortly after 11 p.m. I pushed, without drama, and gave birth to a little piece of red velvet cake covered with white cream cheese frosting. Her skin was almost as red as a beet with black hair and eyebrows. She looks a lot like Moriah did when she was born, but her skin complexion is different.

Newborn Pictures: Our365 link