Today, June 15th, marks my official due date. However, instead of waiting on pins and nettles for my little one to arrive, I am rejoicing in my precious daughter's tenth day of life outside the womb.
Our little Susan Elise Einwechter was born June 5th at 2:42pm.
Back in May, at 35 weeks gestation, I experienced an early labor scare that put me on bedrest for about a week. Several more times after that I had similiar experiences, but God was so gracious to hold our little girl in the womb until she had matured enough that she wouldn't have to spend time in the infant ICU.
In fact, with all the false labor alarms I told Jon I thought Elise would be late, just as a way for God to show that He was completely in control and we really had no idea what was going on. :)
Our wonderful midwife, Sheilagh, weighing Elise.
She was exactly 7 lbs and 20 inches long.
Edna, the birthing assitant, washing Elise's hair. The midwives did something I had not heard of before: instead of washing off the vernix (the white, cream cheese looking, water proof coating on the baby) they let the baby's skin absorb it.
Getting Elise's footprints
My labor lasted 9 hours with less than a 1/2 hour of pushing, according to my husband (at that point, time meant nothing to me!).
We were blessed with a home birth, which I highly recommend, there is nothing so wonderful as comfortable, familiar surroundings when you are in that kind of pain and there is nothing so peaceful afterwards as having your baby quickly cared for, yourself quickly cared for, and then having that baby placed in your arms without worrying about having her wisked away to the nursery while you're wheeled into recovery. I and my husband enjoyed the peaceful, quiet atmosphere and the time to immediately bond with our little girl.
Happily snuggled in her daddy's arms.
Daddy, Grandma Hoffman and Elise. My mom was present for the delivery which was wonderful. She also stayed with us during my time of bedrest and the week following Elise's birth. Mom was an incredible help and an encouragement to us during that time, though I know it was a huge sacrifice of her time. Mom, I know that Lord will richly bless you for all your labor of love (1 Cor. 3:13-14)!
Daddy, Uncle Ben and Aunt Ester.
Family Portrait. Elise was maybe 5 hours old at this point.
"And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meeet for him. And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brough her to the man. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful and mulitply and replenish the earth and subdue it: and have dominion . . . "
Genesis 2:18,22 & 1:28.
"Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord and the fruit of the womb is His reward."
Psalm 127:3
"Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee; and before thou camest out of the womb I sanctified (set apart) thee. . ."
Jeremiah 1:5
No comments:
Post a Comment