Raegan Jane

When I was a little girl people used to ask me what I wanted to be when I grew up . . . my answer, a mommy! Well, I am now doing what I have always wanted to do, being what I have always dreamed of being. I am a mommy, to the most amazing girl in the world. Raegan Jane, is a blessing, a gift and I am filled with utter joy!
When, I found out that I was pregnant, I was filled with emotions – fear, happiness, excitement, doubt – fill in the blank, I most likely felt it. During my pregnancy, Stephen and I would talk about our baby, we would plan and prepare. As my due date neared we would sit on the couch together and beg her to come out, mostly because we were bored and just wanted to meet her. That time finally arrived on Tuesday evening December 2^nd at around 4pm. I was laying on the couch and all of the sudden I had a wet feeling. I got up and went to the bathroom and it was like I was peeing without really trying haha! So I told Stephen “um, I think that my water just broke” after that I texted my Dr. and told him what was going on. We had an appointment scheduled for that evening at 7pm so I asked him if we should just wait till our appt. or if we should just come in. He told us to come as soon as we could. At this point I was having very mild contractions about 7 min. apart. So we got everything ready and one of the girls from school was gracious enough to give us a ride because our car has been out of commission for a few months, we need a part that is very difficult to find. So anyway, we got dropped off at the hospital and went up to my Doctors office and he was able to see us right away. 

When we got in his office he took one look at me and said “you don’t look like you’re in enough pain” my contractions sill were not very strong. So I changed and walked out of the bathroom so that he could check things out. During the 4ft. walk to the ultrasound bed my water continued to break then when I got on the bed it was still coming, needless to say I soaked the floor and the table and we were sure that my water had officially broken, there was no doubt. My Dr. checked me and I was 4 centimeters, but he was concerned that my contractions weren’t strong enough to continue helping me to dilate. He had one more patient to see, so he told us to walk around during his last appointment and then he would help us check in to the hospital. During the next 50 min. Stephen and I just walked around the hospital. It was about 9pm when we got checked in and settled in our room. The Dr. then told me that if my contractions were not getting any stronger by 11pm he would need to start me on Pitocin to speed up the process because my water had broken and the risk of infection was much higher. By 11 there was still no change, so He started me on Pitocin and by midnight it was definitely working. For the next 3 hours while watching Tom and Jerry on Cartoon Network, I moved from standing and swaying back and forth to bouncing on my exercise ball. Stephen was a great coach, he was so encouraging and helped me to stay strong and breath through each contraction. Side Note - We didn’t have any birthing classes so we were both relying on my studying and research of the Bradley Method. I would recommend it to anyone, it worked great for us. – So at about 1:30am the Dr. checked me again and I was at 6 centimeters, and he expected me to deliver between 3am and 4am. That was our target, I would ask Stephen for a time check every once in a while just to make sure that time had not stopped haha! At one point I told him that drugs would have been nice, knowing that I had chosen not to make them an option : ) it was about 45 min. after that comment that I was at 10 centimeters and ready to push. 

The nurse came in and brought an adjustable bed that I moved onto to go to the delivery room. At this time my contractions had slowed down and I was able to have about a 2 min. break between each one. I was very surprised at how aware I was of everything, I was having conversations with Stephen, and my Doctor. After I was adjusted and comfortable, I began pushing. At first I was pushing from my throat and not making very much progress but once the Doctor reminded me to push down, it took two pushes and Raegan had arrived. After the first push I was much more motivated because the Doctor said that he could see her hair. Mid contraction I said “okay good she has hair, I can do this” that was what got her out with the second push. I told Stephen later that was the most empowered I have ever felt, I honestly felt like super women. It was an amazing experience. Once she was out they laid her on me, despite being a little purple and somewhat slimy . . . she was beautiful, full head of hair and big bright beautiful eyes. The pediatrician then took her to clean her off, weigh, and measure her; she was 8 pounds 2 ounces and 21 inches. They dressed her and swaddled her then handed her to Stephen it was in that moment that we paused to pray and thank the Lord for our little miracle. 

I am still amazed that I was able to do what I did, the birth of a child is truly an act of God. Only HE could so intricately design our bodies to do what they do. I still look at my little Raegan Jane and stand in awe that God allowed us to create her. She is a blessing and a joy! After the Doctor was finished taking care of me they wheeled me back to our room and Stephen carried Raegan. We were then able to call family and rest, and by 4pm that afternoon we were headed home. We weren’t even at the hospital for 24 hrs. that still kind of amazes me but we were so happy to be home! Since then our lives have changed for the better, our sweet Raegan is a gift from God and we can’t imagine life without her.