Shiloh

It's been a week- and I have written this blog about 100 times in my head, played over the details, trying to decide if I should let the pictures speak? Or spill every detail. So instead of planning- I will just write.

First let me say- the photo credit for the birth goes to Allison Corrin Photography. She did an incredible job-and if you at all are thinking about doing birth photography- I would highly encourage it and encourage you to use Allison. She did an incredible job! Check out her business page HERE. 

I had a hunch about 3pm that baby may make an appearance that night. I had publicly scolded my uterus on facebook earlier that day-and apparently it listened. I had a few errands to run and since neither Emmaus and I were able to nap- we went ahead and did those. I called my midwife to give her a heads up. When dan got off work I let him know I thought baby would arrive that night, we went on a walk when he got home and my contractions picked up. I made a call to the midwife again, saying yes, things were picking up. About 7pm I decided I wanted to go to the birth center to be evaluated. My mother in law arrived at our house about an hour later to watch Emmaus and Dan and I headed to the birth center. My cervix had changed, I was now 5cm dialated (I had been 4cm at my last appointment) and progress was being made so we stayed at the birth center to labor.

As the evening went on things progressed. 

Natural Birth is not about "staying in control" 

It is about letting go of it. 

About relaxing, about letting your body do what it is so incredibly capable of doing. 

It is about saying no to fear, and learning one contraction at a time to make peace with the journey you are on. 

I was surrounded by love. 

By my mom, and closest friend. 

By women who love birth, who daily help women become mothers in the most incredible setting. 

By my husband who never stopped praying, encouraging, or holding my hand. 

Who with me was most excited to meet our new little love. 

Many prayers escaped my lips. Pleading for help, giving thanks for the miracle of a healthy baby. I have learned in the last few months that choosing thankfulness even in the pain helps make the road more clear. 

(At one point I may have snapped and yelled about "people leaning on the bed"-just to show the other half of the picture)

And then very quickly -our little love arrived. 

8/7/13 12:26am

So anticipated. So wanted. Finally with us. 

And Born En Caul- Our Blessed, Lucky, baby.

(Although I think I am the lucky one)

Relieved to not be in labor anymore, and excited his baby was here....We both forgot- then after several minutes I remembered- We did not know if we had a daughter or a son. 

A little girl. Dan new it all along. I was surprised, and elated. 

A sister for our Emmaus. 

An unspoken desire of my heart. 

Two girls to giggle, to learn and grow together. 

Shiloh Elizabeth

8lbs 10oz

21 inches

And then when the sun came up, and the two year old with it- 

we headed home for the sweetest of meetings. 

Only gentle touches. And a couple un-captured smooches 

Sisters.

This labor was different than Emmaus'. It was faster, and harder, and while with her I had time to adjust to each new phase- this one quickly evolved-it was more intense. It was redemptive to have a birth were the NICU was uninvolved and fear of the unknown was absent. To get to completely celebrate a new baby and not have to celebrate a baby while mourning the presence of a disease.

She is loved & we are lucky she is ours.