Lilly's Birth Story

As many of you know, when I had Owen he was born via scheduled c-section at 36 & 1/2 weeks due to a complication. He was my miracle baby in many ways!! So when we found out we were pregnant with Lilly we wondered if I would have to have a c-section this time around or if I would be able to try a VBAC (Vaginal Birth After C-section). Upon discussing with my doctor at one of the first few prenatal visits we decided we would just schedule a c-section between 39 and 40 weeks due to the fact that I have a narrow pelvis and she didn't know if I would be able to have her vaginally. At around 30 weeks I started to second guess my decision to have her via scheduled c-section without even considering delivering her via VBAC. So, one night at bible study with the ladies, I asked them to pray for me in this decision and that God would make it very apparent as to which route she would be born. After all, I wanted this to be Gods plan and not mine in the end and wanted her to come when she was good and ready!! During the last few weeks of pregnancy I had a lot of prayer warriors lifting us up to the Lord and it became apparent when her birth day approached.

Starting the Saturday before she was born (she was scheduled to be born on that following friday) I started to have some bleeding and wondered if she would be born earlier than we had planned. I had Braxton Hicks contractions throughout most of my pregnancy and so I wondered if I would know the difference between them and labor contractions when the time came. I ended up being admitted to the hospital on tuesday since I had been having contractions quite frequently and was still bleeding pretty well (which ended up just being me losing my mucus plug and no big deal).

Then on thursday (1 day until the scheduled c-section) I woke up and got ready for work while having pretty consistent contractions. I timed them all day while at work (10 minutes apart and 15-20 seconds long), but they weren't increasing in intensity of frequency at all. That evening Kevin took me to Pita Pit (yummy, yummy) to eat my last meal before me c-section and we headed to Kevin's mom's house to drop Owen off for the next 2 nights. It was a relief to be able to drop him off just in case we had to go into the hospital that night. I really thought we would be in the hospital that evening as my contractions increased to every 8-9 minutes and around 30 seconds long. We got home, put the bags by the door and I told Kevin I was going to at least lay down for a little while in case we had to go in in the middle of the night. When I got into bed my contractions were still consistent, but when I woke up around midnight to go to the bathroom they had completely stopped and didn't start up again the rest of the night. I prayed again multiple times that day that God's plan would be made very clear to us and kept feeling as though it was clear as mud at this point. When the contractions stopped, I felt more convinced that c-section was His plan for Lilly's birth all along.......but still doubted his sovereign plan. I always wonder why as believers we second guess God all the time when he is so faithful to us!!

Then the morning of the c-section came and we got up and headed to the hospital. Was I bummed that I wouldn't have her via VBAC? Of course.......after all God intended for children to be born via the birth canal. I went in feeling as if I would never get to experience this aspect of having children......not even considering that there was a reason why God had planned it this way. Everything went as planned.......went to the OR on time, spinal in place (by the same anesthesiologist that I had with Owen......he is awesome and I got to request him this time around too!!), Kevin joined me and held me hand, and then the c-section started. And what do I hear from the other side of the curtain from my doctor?.........well, looks like she is breech!! When they cut in and went to get Lilly out, they came across her butt instead of her head which they didn't expect at all. And neither did we! And because of God's plan and not mine, I didn't have to go into intense labor which would have probably just ended in a c-section anyway. Praise the Lord!! She was born healthy as can be and we couldn't have been happier!

I am always amazed when I look back at different times in my life and see how God's plan was perfectly layed out to prosper me and not to harm me, to give me a hope and a future. Lilly's birth was just a perfect illustration of how God's plan may be different than ours, but that ultimately His plan is the BEST one! We are so blessed to have such an amazingly perfect little girl in our lives and we know she came into the world just how she should have!