Child Birth: Nazareth to Bethlehem experience – 03

He giveth more grace as the burdens grow greater….. He sendeth more strength as the labour increase..! 
That was the word that encouraged me a day before my 3rd D- day (delivery date) or say it L day (Labour day) 
Imelda was named on the first month of her conception. Her name was confirmed even as I was battling different challenges the first 3 months of my pregnancy. I was extremely discouraged, anxious, weak – physically and mostly emotionally. I was battling a few exterior battles that were new to me. It was at this phase my husband would come and encourage me – I think the child in your womb is Imelda – as she looks like a warrior.. battling everything. 
The last month of this pregnancy was again a challenging one. While comparing it to my first two pregnancies, the developing contraction pain had lead us to the hospital even a month before my due date. I had seriously believed that the child would be delivered anytime by the last week of May as the contraction pains were so severe that had left me having sleepless nights most of the days. The 37th week scan which was considered the last scan for any pregnancy showed the baby to be comparatively small – 2.6kg and as for this pregnancy I wasn’t having GD (Gestational Diabetes) thank God for His provision – so I had begun to believe that my labour would be fast and easy this time. Somewhere after the first 2 pregnancy and vaginal births I had now developed fear towards enduring pain. True to what one of my friend – a mother of four beautiful daughters had mentioned… “It’s strange we never get used to one” This was regarding the labour and the pains that comes along with it. Since I had experienced two.. I knew what to expect – the pain that was unbearable..!! 
So days turned into weeks, and the Gynic who observed that the pains were real, wanted to know why I wasn’t progressing on that. It was then she asked us to take another scan in my 39th week as she had suspected a chord around the baby as the baby which was engaged earlier ( head set into the pelvic bone) had now moved upward and was moving freely. 
According to the scan, there was a chord around the neck of the baby and another development observed was that the baby was posterior-also known as sunshine facing. This meant baby was facing outward and not inward which should be the ideal position for any vaginal birth. 
The Gynic asked us to wait upto my scan date EDD and asked us to get admitted on the 18th. A day before my admission God did not leave us without a hope and He chose to give us more faith by making me loose my mucus plug ( which meant the baby was ready to be out) on the 17th and that also lead us to leave Oliver a day prior to my admission at Norah’s place. Another was the song sent as message to me by a dear Sister . He giveth more grace when the burdens grow greater…..! Truly every line of this song encouraged me a lot. 
I was admitted and induced on the 18th by mid noon and I should not be ashamed to state that I was scared to the core. I was completely trembling in pain by say 3 to 4 in the evening. The Gynic had come by 5 in the evening and checked me. She looked gently at me and said -Oh.. The baby is posterior!! I immediately asked her.. So how much am I dilated Doctor? Her reply was she could not reach the cervix as the baby was posterior! Is there any chance the baby would turn? We will wait.. This is what she said and left!! 
Wait again? And this time with pain. What if, the baby doesn’t turn at all and she goes ahead with a C section.. Why should I endure all this pain.. Lord!! I lost my faith..! I lost all hope! I wasn’t able to lie down, sit or even stand. I was just able to bend forward holding against the bed railing tightly as and when I was getting the pains..! My husband looked at me tenderly. He was there yet he could not ease my pain. He was praying for me… All I needed was grace! GRACE!!!! 
Thoughts begun to flood my mind.. Can I request for a C section.. Would that mean lack of faith? Would it? I was so drowsy.. So tired! Lord.. I just want to sleep Lord..! I wanted rest from this labour! 
By 9:30 pm, a duty doctor entered the room and she looked like a woman who wasn’t very experienced. She checked my dilation and said 2-3 cm good! She asked me what was my dilation when my Gynic had come.. I told her she could not as the baby was posterior!! Oh is it!! Can I check you again? And I was so upset with her. I thought she was an amateur doctor…!! Even as she left the room I was grumbling.. Why do they send inexperienced doctors..! Yet my husband told me.. What if she is right? (How wrong we could be in judging others!!) 
By 10:30pm, I was called into the labour room. I thought that the doctor was just going to check me again so I went into the labour room unprepared meanwhile my husband was trying to put Theodore to sleep. 
So my Gynic arrived all prepared to finish the task she had to. She asked me to lay down so that she could rupture my membrane.. That meant to cut/slit the amniotic sac!! This was to speeden the labour. Yet was I ready? 
She checked me again and to my surprise – the posterior Imelda – as she was for nearly 3-4 weeks had finally turned around and was now facing me. Oh.. Thank God!! Something close to impossible had happened and I marvelled at the Lord’s doing. I also thanked God for my Gynic who is a believer – who had faith in God and trusted God to take things into His control. By now I was 6-7 cm dilated. Was I ready? No? The nurses were asked to inject boosters to increase the pain and I began to be shivering even more. In midst of all of this, I noticed the same duty doctor whom I had misjudged earlier was standing besides me to comfort me in my pain. She was smiling at me and encouraging me throughout. Your contraction pains are really strong.. You are doing exceedingly well.. Just push!! She held a bottle of water and made me sip each time I pushed. 
I had zero strength and I am not pretending to be humble here. I did not have any strength!! I hadn’t slept properly for 2-3 nights and did not have any stamina to push. The Gynic encouraged me.. It’s 9 cm.. Just 1 more cm.. You can do it! I was in intense pain and I requested the Gynic.. Just cut the chord doctor…! As each time I was pushing and the baby was dropping.. Since the chord was around her neck.. She was getting pulled upward again! She just looked at me and smiled and smiled back to the nurses around and whispered.. We cannot do it. 
Doctor.. Please use a vaccum, I cannot push! She smiled again. 
They were continuously giving me water and at a point I refused..! The duty doctor tenderly asked me.. You want something? I told her… Yes.. Just get the baby out!!! 
By now I was 10 cm dilated. And the Gynic asked me to push hard. One more push… I pushed hard for more than a minute.. Lord let this be the final one.. And it wasn’t!! She asked me to push again.. And I pushed ( He pushed) for nearly 1 1/2 minutes and I heard a sound.. Sound of a innocent soul crying … Sound of Imelda.. Placed on my chest. I saw it was Imelda.. I couldn’t hold my tears! and finally she was there. I had a long chat with my Gynic even as she was stitching me up. My eyes were  following Imelda as she was getting cleaned and weighed. I enquired if they had informed my husband and what was his reaction. I was on C9, as it was done!! 
I was cleaned too and carried back to my room after 5-10 minutes in a wheelchair. As I was pulled out of the labour room, my eyes were filled with tears. Not because of my painful experience, not because Imelda was added to our family… I saw the mighty hand of God doing everything. I saw what it meant when we profess… By God’s grace..!! I understood the promise of God.. *His grace is sufficient for me.. His strength is manifested in my weakness*!! Without any strength of my own.. God bought forth Imelda into this earth! I acknowledge that it was the prayers of you all that we were able to make it through! We were by ourselves in the hospital room yet you upheld us! Your prayers were heard by God as the prayers of the righteous ones are answered by God. 
When I first entered the room.. My husband smiled at me.. He kissed me on my forehead and I wept again. We thanked God. I told him.. I did not do it and he admitted .. Yes I know!! I thanked God how I had witnessed His love that day.. I being the feablest of all creature! 
Imelda is yours as much as she is ours as it was your love and prayers that brought her forth safe into this earth! I am extremely thankful to you Dear Sisters to be with me throughout this journey and hope you would continue to be with us!! We are privileged to be part of this body of Christ. 
Truly truly how privileged we are to have experienced His promise the other day and every single day – that His grace is Suffiecient for us!!