I have to blog this today or things will start to fade and I’ll never remember!

August 31 at about 9:18 the contractions began. They were about 20 mins apart and lasting on average about 40 seconds per contraction. Adam woke with “growing pains” at one point in the night. We had to get him a hot water bottle and get him tucked back in bed. I called mom to give her the heads up so she would know that I thought I was in labor. I called Robyn the midwife at 11:51 to let her know I was in labor. I started getting longer contractions and closer together around 2:30 am. Had some really painful ones and I kept having to go into the bathroom all through the night it seemed. I didn’t get any sleep through the night because contractions seemed so close all night and I didn’t have time to sleep in between. 

Close to 3:30 AM I Called Mom (who wanted me to keep her in the loop since she was going with us to the birth center) and she thought I needed to go ahead and call the midwife. My contractions at this time were staying close to 5 mins apart and lasting 1 1/2 minutes. Called Robyn and she wanted me to go ahead and head into the Birth Center. Viktor came over to sleep on the couch while our boys slept. 

Didn’t seem to take long to get to the Birth Center (30 mins) I was having consistent contractions the whole way there. Got in and got settled. Robyn & Renee checked me and I was 8 cm already. Decided to get into the tub to try laboring in the warm water. That really actually felt good and made the contractions somewhat easier for me. I’d say I was in there over an hour. When I got out I was a 10 CM and pretty much ready to go. My bag of water was still intact. They tried a couple times to break it but weren’t able to. Part of the membrane was very close to his little head. We found out later that they broke the first layer but not the second. At 10 cm he was still pretty high so it wasn’t like my pushing with the other boys. I actually had to work a little more to get him down and out! I’d guess I was pushing for 25-30 mins. I sat on the toilet for some of the pushing and then moved to the bed. Once I got him moved down, that last push was super fast and he came out right away. Brian was able to have a hand in catching him with Robyn (midwife). He came right up to my belly. 

Soon Brian cut the chord and I delivered the placenta. I really wonder if I had them pop my water when I was 8cm if it all would have happened a lot quicker (like my Luke Birth). I have a feeling it would have 🙂 

Gideon Josiah Kraft was born at 7:44 AM on September 1, 2011 (sharing his birthday with Grandpa Kevin Kraft, how special!) He’s a sweet little bundle of joy and we love him dearly. He weighed in at only 7 lbs 12 oz. 21 1/2 inches long. 

We got to cuddle him for a long while, then I got up to shower. Didn’t need stitches! No pain meds! Such a change from having a hospital birth. Brian went to a local place that serves breakfast to pick us all up something yummy. It was sooo good. I was starving! After that, we got ready to head out. After pictures, and gathering up our things we headed home by 11:00 Can you believe that? Heading home after giving birth only 3 hrs prior. 

It hadn’t even been a week since we looked into the Birth Center and the going the mid-wife route. We were very pleased and it all worked out so wonderfully! It was nice working with people who know and love the Lord as well. Makes a big difference for us. The whole experience was just so wonderful. It was a whirlwind to me just thinking how fast it all happened.