Adam Craig's Birth Story

Adam Craig Letvin. Born March 2, 2017 at 7:43am at home

Giving Adam his first bath

March 3, 2017.  David and Jonah hold Adam for first time.

Kate holds Adam for the first time.

Evelyn becomes a big sister and holds Adam for first time

Our new family of seven!  David-9; Jonah-6; Kate-4; Evelyn-2; Adam-4 days


   
Adam Craig made his way into this world in a rush!  I had been wanting a home birth all along, and in the end, that's just what happened. As a good friend of mine said, the Lord answers prayers in mysterious ways.

As with Evelyn's birth, I was really afraid to give birth to Adam.  I longed to hold my little baby but I feared transition and the intensity of birth, even though I knew it'd all be worth it.  So, I collected verses about not fearing to meditate on.  So many sweet friends and family shared with me randomly in the last week of pregnancy that they were praying for me.  My sister-in-law called to share Isaiah 41:10. "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, surely I will help you.  Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."

My parents arrived from Texas at our home in the country on Wednesday night, March 1.  They had planned to come prior to the birth so they could watch the kids while we left for the hospital.  We had supper together and read books to Evelyn and put her to bed.  The older 3 kiddos and Peter came home from Awana before 9pm. We visited with my parents and hit the sack ourselves. 

 Pregnancy insomnia had been plaguing me so I didn't fall asleep until around 3am.  I awoke about 5:20am to use the bathroom, where I started having strong, somewhat painful contractions and I instantly knew "today is the day!"  I went back to bed and worked through a few contractions.  They were eratic in timing, strength and duration. Sometimes, I waited for what seemed like a while wondering if contractions would continue or quit.  

I got up to use the bathroom again about 6am.  When I got back to our bedroom, Peter was getting up and I said, "We're gonna have a baby today!  I'm kind of puttering along so you can probably go take a shower and eat breakfast and then we'll leave for the hospital.  I'm going to lie down and relax."  That's what I did.  Except then I had four HUGE contractions.  The last two squeezed in right on top of each other. On the last one, my water broke, and not wanting to mess up our bed, I quickly hurried to the bathroom. 

All of a sudden, I felt so so SO sick!  I was sweating profusely, drips falling from my nose.  My vision was tunneling and nausea hit in waves.  I started dry heaving.  None of these things (including my water breaking on it's own) had ever happened during my three previous labors.  I started to question whether something was wrong.  I saw a small amount of blood in the toilet.  I called for Peter and my dad replied that he had gone outside for chores.  At first, I was praying through Isaiah 41:10.  Then, I was simply praying, "Lord, help me!"  Next, it was, "Lord, please slow this down!"  The urge to push started coming with contractions, except I couldn't feel any pressure or what felt like a head.  Again, all sensations were so magnified and intense compared to other of my labors that I started wondering if baby was in a correct position.  By now,  it was about 7:15 and I called for Peter again.  He thought I was still lying in bed "puttering along."  I told him I thought something was wrong and if we wanted help delivering this baby, help needed to come to us.  There was no getting in the van and driving to town for 30 minutes!  At first, he wanted to help me into the van but then he saw that I was pushing with contractions.  I asked him to call 911.  He called and ran downstairs to tell my parents and ask them to keep kids downstairs.

Next comes the part where the woman in labor feels completely inert, even if she knows she needs to move!  That would be me, inert labor woman!  Peter was such a solid rock.  Calm, firm, insistent.  We had practiced on our bed together the position I wanted to use for pushing. So, between commanding that I need to move off the toilet, he quickly set up our bed with loads of swim towels and propped pillows at a 45 degree angle for me, as we had practiced.  He insisted that I move to the bed and I could hear the 911 responder concurring.  So, right after a contraction, Peter helped me down the hall into the bed.  It was perfect and (surprisingly!) beat the comfort of the toilet;)!  As we were moving down the hall, the first responders, three rural volunteer firefighters, arrived.  They got up to our room as I had my first pushing contraction where I actually felt the pressure of a head.  One of the firefighters said, "I think that's the umbilical cord!"  To which I thought, "oh no, that's NOT GOOD!"  Another pushing contraction was coming so I set up to work with it.  A couple of deep breaths, hard bearing down and WHOOSH, there was my baby boy's entire body there on the bed!  And then his cry!  Praise the Lord, he was healthy and it was over!  Baby boy, at the time without a name, was born at 7:43am.  

As the firefighters were wiping him down and helping to hand him to me, the paramedics arrived.  We really didn't want to go to the hospital so we called my OB/GYN to ask her opinion, but she was unavailable.  Since I hadn't delivered the placenta and baby hadn't been evaluated by experienced nurses/physicians, we decided to go in.  So, Peter helped me nurse baby boy in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.  All was well with me and baby.  We are so thankful the Lord answered our prayers and that the delivery went smoothly without complications, especially since we were at home.  

About 5pm at the hospital, we decided to name our boy Adam Craig.  Adam after my Grandpa, Michael Adam Sperle, and Craig after Peter's Dad.  He is a perfect delight and joy!  The world's easiest baby and so so sweet!  We LOVE him!