Lincoln Hunter's Birth Story

So I don't forget my 2nd son's birth....

Lincoln's birth story starts out MONTHS before he was born. I get a phone call from my mom and she informed me she and my aunt had entered a song they wrote together and WON! The conversation went a bit like this.
"Rachel! We won! And winning means we get to attend National Quartet Convention in KY!"

"MOM! That's so awesome!!! When is it?"

"Thats the reason I'm calling. When's your duedate again?"

"September 17th. When's the Convention?"

"That day."
And, it's as if life paused for a moment and God spoke. Not aloud. But in my soul. Quietly. And with assurance this is what He said.
"Rachel, I have the PERFECT birthday for this child. Trust me. Let her go. You can ALWAYS trust me because I know when this baby is coming. Trust me. I already KNOW the date."

And so, I said without missing a beat, "MOM---you are going. No worries about me! You are going."
Her response, "We will play it by ear."

And we left it at that.

The end of Aug. comes. And I realize just how full September is for us. For one thing, my Mother-in-law was coming for a week...and coming the week BEFORE my due date. That same week we had our two day Gospel Sing that my parents were in charge of and ran from beginning to end. And then, my mom and her contest she won...which was 9+ hours away. I didn't panic. God told me HE knew when this baby would be born. And since I do like to be in control at the beginning of September I would tell God what days would be good days to have a baby. It just made sense...to have the baby the week my Mother in law was here so she could be here to see him. See? Not such a demand...but a little hint to God. My Mother in law came. The Gospel Sing came. I did everything to get the baby here...but the Gospel Sing was over and my Mother in law left and I was still pregnant. It was ok...because God TOLD me...ME, not anyone else that this baby already had the perfect birthday and althought I didn't know when it was, I was ok to sit and wait for my baby.
    
     Three days before my due date my mom was worried about leaving for her trip. I told her that I was OK she needed to GO. God promised me HE was in control and SHE was suppose to go. With no baby here, she was brave and started her trip. 4 hours into the trip I started having contractions. Every.10.minutes.apart. I didn't want to tell her. Didn't want her to turn around. So I kept quiet. My sister called me and we talked. My mom called and asked how many contractions I had had in the last hour. I told her to keep driving. See if anything changes. She told me to put my feet up...I went for a walk. :) For two hours I kept having them. And, then, in the 3rd hour they stopped.
     My mom made it to her reward. And I promised her if she'd get me a Gaither Vocal Band CD I would not go into labor while she was gone. My due date came...and went. But, I was holding on to the promise that this baby had a birthday. Was I tired? Yep. Fat? Yep. OVERLY emotional? Yep. Yep. Yep. Did I sit most of the day? Yep. But, God promised me...and I was determined that I would have this baby soon.
     My Dr. tried to talk to me about inducing 3 different times. He told me at 39 weeks he had to mention it because I had reached 39 weeks. I told him I wanted him to let me go as long as he would let me. At 40 weeks he brought it up again as an option. I don't mind that they bring it up...because I know he's doing his job. I just wasn't going to let him induce me unless I was past what I felt was safe for me. He told me he'd let me go a week past my due date and then we would need to talk. I made an appointment for Friday at 11am. That would be the day we would talk about and set a time to be induced for the following day. I'm gonna be really honest...I cried. And cried. And that's when I hit a low point. (Thursday afternoon) I had been induced with my 1st born and it was terrible. I hated every minute of it. It wasn't something I wanted to do again. My brain began to question...can I go into labor naturally and on my own? And I one of those women who can't?
     Thursday night my nightly contractions started up like normal. I didn't even need to time them. Each night the same. 7-8 mins apart for 2 hours. Then they stop. At 39 weeks I'd been dialated to a 4. Same at 40 weeks and 70% effaced. Do you know what that means???? NOTHING. It means nothing. And so, I went to bed. Slept all night. I woke up at 5am (another normal pregnant moment) and laid there. My contractions started up again. This time they were 5-7 mins apart. They didn't hurt at all. Again. Normal. Normal. Normal. I got up and decided to time them and practice breathing and rocking through them. So when the real thing happened I would be prepared.

     Around 6:30am my husband woke up and I told him that my contractions were 4-6 mins apart and although they don't hurt I didn't know if he was going to go to work right away. I made breakfast and we ate together. Around 8pm I told him that at the peek of the contraction they were starting to hurt and that this was it...no work for him. I also called my mom.
     I then started packing my bag. Yep. My bag. I got into the shower and took a 45 mins shower. Relaxed and letting the hot water hit my stomach as contractions came. The contractions were starting to hurt when I stood up, but not when I bent over. I got out of the shower and got ready for the day. Everyone was telling me to get to the hospital but I wanted to be sure it was REALLY the real thing. And I wanted to stay at home for as LONG as possible. Plus, I was hardly in ANY pain. Why go? Finally around 10am I knew it was time...something had changed and my contractions were 2-3 mins apart. Still...no pain. Just longer and stronger.
     We dropped Easton off at my sister's house and off we went. The 30 min drive seemed to take longer. Sitting made my contractions hurt. I remember closing my eyes and breathing through them and saying in my head, "You were made to birth. You were made to birth. This is your time. You were made to do this." I also remember turning up the Gaither music and focusing on my contraction while the music played in my heart, knowing that God was with me. 
     We arrived at the hospital and I walked in and told them I was in labor. They wheeled me up to the birth center and I was put in a birthing room. They said I needed to be monitored for 20 mins to make sure this was real labor and then I was free to move around once that was done. I just sat there and breathed with my eyes closed and saying over and over and over, "I was made to birth. I was made to birth." My Dr. wasn't on call that day so another Dr. (Who was great also!) was there. The Dr came in to check me and told me I was between a 7-8. I nearly fell OFF the bed. Where was the PAIN? I honestly thought that...the dr asked me if I wanted an epidural. I almost laughed in his face. I wasn't in hardly any pain. Yes, the peek of the contraction was painful but that lasted 10 secs. I was fine. I told him no and he said, "Oh good because you are almost too late for it."
     At 11am (when I was suppose to be in my dr's appointment signing up for an induction) I was well on my way to having a baby. My parents got there and because I was already dialated to almost an 8 the room was filling up with baby beds and scales and all sorts of things. My parents and husband were talking and I went and hid in the bathroom. All morning I had been alone doing all by myself so the idea of people was something I didn't want to deal with at the moment. I do remember standing in the bathroom and thinking, "This is all about me and this baby. Those people out there are a support but it's up to me to do this. I was made for this time. This child. This moment. And noise, people, and distractions are not going to get to me. I can do this."
Finally, around 12:15pm I was getting tired of standing and rocking. The birthing ball made the contractions worse, and I knew my time to push was coming. I needed to rest between contractions and standing during and sitting and resting wasn't working. So, I sat in the bed. Rested my back. Most people are worried about the contractions, I was worried about making sure I was resting BETWEEN contractions. The contractions were starting to hurt but still they were NOTHING and I do mean NOTHING like being induced.
At 12:30, I was dialated to a 9. The dr. said he was going to break my water. That next contraction I WISHED my water would have never of been broken. That's when I leaned on my husband and mom to get me through. They each had a hand of mine and were telling me I could do this. Around 12:45 I felt like pushing at the peek of the contraction. But when the dr. came in he said push...and I couldn't. At 12:55 he came back and told me to push. I did. I pushed 3 times and at 1:00pm on September 23, 2011 my Lincoln Hunter was born. He was placed on my chest and he was perfect. The love that came over me is something you never forget. The nurse was right there and all of a sudden he started turning blue. We all could see it. She asked to see him for a minute and she took him over to the warming bed. He wasn't crying...but all of a sudden, he was. AND loud. She brought him right back and I held my baby and just looked at him.
     Finally, they went to weigh him and I hear the nurse proclaim, "9lbs 15.2 oz!" Everyone in the room cheered. And all came over to tell me what a good job I did.
     Within an hour Easton came up to meet his new baby brother and it was love at 1st sight. We settled in our room and just fell in love with our little Lincoln.
     Every nurse came in and said, "So you are the one who gave birth to a 10lb baby naturally!"
     I had done it. On my own. Without meds, or being induced. It was the greatest feeling ever. Honestly. Ever.
     God did know about Lincoln's birthday! It was better than I could have ever imagined! Even if he was 6 days late...He was right on time!

Look at all his hair!!!! :)

Lincoln Hunter Nolt 9lb 15.20z 22.5 inches long