Della Rose - Birth Story

I don't think anyone can fully put into words what it means to bring a child into this world.  It is a true miracle of God.  From conception, this little person is being nourished and loved through a mother's body. My body was being used to make a miracle - to make Della Rose Kerwin.

Michael and I were greatly surprised in November 2012 when we found out we would be having a baby!  From that time, to when Della was born. A great since of love was in our spirit for this little girl.  As first time parents, we wanted to bring our sweet baby into the world the best way possible.  With that, we choose the mid-wife route.  We decided to not have a baby in the hospital and to do a birthing center because we wanted an all natural birth.  We researched it and found that there are often unnecessary interventions at the hospital, and we didn't want that for our little Della. I prepared for the birth by taking all-natural supplements, eating well and exercising.  I drink Raspberry Leaf Tea for weeks, took Primrose, meditated and more all in preparation to bring our baby into the world.

I had a great pregnancy.  I was one of those women you hate.  I was nauseous for a few weeks, but other than that everything was fantastic.  Little Della was already head down by 31 weeks, and I just knew we were going to have a great natural birth.

Our due date was July 4th and I went into labor on July 5th around 2 am.  Contractions were about 8 to 9 minutes apart.  I waited till around mid-day on Friday to call the mid-wife and let her know that my contractions had gotten to the point were they were 4 to 5 minutes apart.  A mid-wife met us at the birth center around 7 pm that night only to find I was dilated to 3 cm.  I was given a shot to help me rest, and we were sent home because it looked like Saturday would be the day that our baby would come into this world.  We got home and the shot did not help me sleep.  The contractions were too strong.  I stayed up laboring through the night and called the mid-wife in the morning.  She brought us back in.  I had managed to only dilate to 4 cm by noon on Saturday.  Convinced I needed more rest to continue this laboring process, the mid-wife gave me a sleeping pill and sent me home. 

The sleeping pill was a weird experience because I was out for about 3 hours, but my body was still laboring.  My wonderful husband stayed up and held me down when my body would shake through each contraction.  My body worn and tired, started spacing out my contractions to 8 and 9 minutes apart again.  It was frustrating.

Finally on Saturday night, the contractions got to be 2 and 3 minutes apart!  We thought, this is it, we are having this baby.  We went back to the birth center where they checked me, and I was still 4cm.  They went ahead and let me stay since my contractions were so close together and the mid-wife and mid-wife student began laboring with us around 9:30 pm Saturday night.  We labored, and labored and labored some more.  Another lady came in early Sunday morning and had a baby while we still labored (I was really jealous).  I finally took the clock off the wall around 3 am Sunday tired and worn down with contraction still coming strong 2-3 minutes apart. At some point, I was checked early Sunday morning and was finally dilated to 6 cm.  At this point, talk of breaking my water was starting because I was not progressing.

The midwife made the call to break my water around 6 am on Sunday.  Once they did that - everyone knew Sunday had to be her birthday no matter what!  After breaking my water and laboring till 10 am I had finally dilated to 8 cm.  We had been at the birth center for so long the second on-call mid-wife had to come in.  I got the pleasure of laboring with two midwifes, a midwife student and a nurse.  At this point Michael and I had been in labor for 56 hours.  My body was worn out.  I was tired, and we were not progressing like we should after my water broke.  I stayed at 8 cm for several more hours. With the strong advise of our midwife, we were advised to go to the hospital and get an epidural so  my body would rest, and then we could deliver our baby girl.

It was such an emotional decision to go to the hospital.  It was something we had not planned.  We had this dream that we would deliver at the birth center. I felt like by going to the hospital, I had failed. I was admitting defeat.  With much support, from my husband and mid-wife.  We did decided it was in our best interest to let my body rest and go get the epidural.

Our midwife was amazing and they have full rights to the hospital.  She was with me the entire time at the hospital.  After I got the epidural, I got some rest. After about an hour, I got my husband to get the midwife because all though the pain wasn't there I had intense pressure and knew it had to be time.  The midwife came - I was complete.  However, by this time my cervix had swollen and Della's head had turned.  She was no longer face down, but she had turned and faced lateral. At this point, we had a choice to make.  One - they could put me in different positions to see if the swelling would reduce so we could deliver vaginally or I could go ahead and have a c-section.  My husband and I opted to wait an hour and have them put me in different positions to see if the swelling would reduce.  However, it did not and she was not coming out that way.  It was time to prep me for a c-section.  With emotions high, and tears rolling down my face.  I felt as if I failed at my first task of being a mother.  I could not give my child the best birth.  However, through this experience I feel like I was able to sacrifice my body in order to bring my baby in to the world the safest way possible - through a c-section. 

Once in the OR, it took them about 3 minutes to cut me open and pull Della out.  Her cry was beautiful. I was so blessed to have a wonderful OR nurse for Della.  As soon as they got her out and cleaned her off, they laid her on my chest for skin-to-skin time.  Her cry immediately stopped as she was laid on my chest.  I was able to have that skin-to-skin time while they stitched me back up.  Once they were done, Michael got to go with Della to the recovery room, and I was soon to follow.

Once to the recovery room - Della was laid on my chest again to do the breast crawl.  She was an absolute champ!  She latched on within 5 minutes of being laid on my chest.  She is such a smart little girl.  At this point, I was glad she did something quick, too!

I spent two days in the hospital, and even though it was not the birth my husband and I desired. I couldn't have asked for a better experience.  I am so thankful to the mid-wife's, OB and nurses that got to be a part of Della's birth. 

I'll continue on in another post - but before I round out this one.  I have to say I learned so much about myself, my husband and God through this experience.  God revealed himself so clearly in his people to bring our Della into the world!

6 months and counting...

I'm sitting in Starbucks in the perfect spot.  I'm in a comfortable chair, and the sun is hitting my side, but not my computer.  There is no glare.  The noise of the folks around me has turned to white noise, and I feel relaxed as I type on my computer.  I'm also sitting about 8 feet away from where my husband is working.  That in itself is very comforting--I know he is always with me.

We have been married for over half-a-year!  Can you believe it--it has already been half-a year!  It has gone by so fast, but at the same time it feels like it has been longer.  I love him more today than the day we married.  I know, that is super cliche, but it is true. 

It has been awesome to see God work in both of our lives.  God has answered prayers about jobs.  Something we really struggled over with for the first few months of marriage.  Michael now has a job he loves, and if you didn't know already, I work at the most adorable princess store.  I am loving what I am doing. 

As 2012 is getting into full swing, I can't wait to see where God takes us and how he grows us this year.  I'm really excited about where we live.  We have some awesome neighbors.  I am also excited to see where God sends us. 

Here is to being married for over 6 months-CHEERS!

2 Timothy

I haven't blogged in a while, and I never did a follow-up to my 1 Timothy Blog.  So in a nutshell...I'm going to sum up my thoughts.  Paul is Awesome!  I long for a relationship with a mentor like Timothy had with Paul, and the wisdom that Paul gives in this letter cuts to my heart. 

In the first chapter, Paul writes in Chapter 1 verses 11-12, "I was chosen to tell that Good News and to be an apostle and a teacher. I am suffering now because I tell the Good News, but I am not ashamed because I know Jesus, the One whom I believe..."

I can't believe God has chosen me to spread his Word.  Before I breathed my first breath, God chose to use me to further his Kingdom, and that responsibility is more than I can fathom.  As I move to Charleston, and live purposively in a specific apartment complex--I know that God will protect me.  I am in awe that how God cares for his people.  God cares for the people in this apartment complex so much, that he placed a burden on the hearts of not only me and my future husband, but of many other believers too.

I write this in reflection of re-reading 2 Timothy today.  I long to live out God's word, not just to say it.  I long to be a disciple and teacher of God's word, and I am so excited that God has chosen Michael and me to carry out his work as a team.

1 Timothy

I'm celebrating right now because it is the third day in a row I have woke up to spend time with Jesus!  I'm sipping on some delicious, warm carmel vanilla tea and reflecting on what I've read over the last few weeks.


I just finished journeying through 1 and 2 Timothy. I'm going to blog about 1 Timothy today, and hopefully get around to 2 Timothy by the end of the weekend.


One of my favorite verses of 1 Timothy is 1:16, "But I was given mercy so that in me, the worst of all sinners, Christ Jesus could show that he has patience without limit. His patience with me made me an example for those who would believe in him and have life forever." This is awesome!  I think about the patients God has with me, and how he took me a horrible sinner to do his work.  I know that God does not need me, but he chose me and gave me the opportunity to bring him glory.  My prayer always and through reading this is that I am truly an instrument of God.  I pray that I use my past and my screw ups to make His name great.


My other favorite part of 1 Timothy is when Paul warns Timothy of the false teachers and then goes on to tell him how to be a good servant of God in Chapter 4.   I love the bluntness of this chapter.  It is so easy for us in America to get wrapped up in false teaching about possession and stature, but if we are looking at the prize being God those thing do not matter.


I also love in Chapter 4 Paul tell's Timothy "Do not follow stories that disagree with God's truth, but train yourself to follow God."  I love the word train here. Honestly, it kinda makes me feel better too that Paul, one of the most respected Christians in history had to train himself to serve God, it did not just come naturally.


Thus, as I train to get in shape and as I train myself how to coupon.  I must remember the most important training is to train myself to serve God.  I hope I continue to wake early in the morning to give the best part of my day to my King. It's part of my training :-)

Come on New Year!

In just three more sleeps, I'll be bringing in the new year with my wonderful fiance!   I'm so excited about 2011.  I'm getting married! (If you didn't already know).  It's an exciting time in my life, and I do have a count down going till July 23rd!  Not much longer.....  

Christmas is now over, and I have lots of new stuff.  Which includes, but is not limited to, a Cricket Cutting Machine, Converse, PhotoShop and clothes.  Michael and I also received this super cool game ottoman that his Mom and Sister made (they are very crafty folks).  We also now have a beautiful bedspread, candles, candle stick holders and this really neat bathroom shelf thing. I can't wait till we can place all of these things in our new home in 2011.

However, besides being really excited about getting married in 2011.  I have also come up with some goals for the new year.  The first being to spend more time with God.  I think this is an ongoing "resolution" that most Christian struggle with.  I have found myself out of a routine, and longing for my relationship with God to become stronger.  I want to be a Godly Woman, one who is not complete in the gifts accumulated from Christmas or her future husband, but is complete through her relationship with Christ.  So that is number one.  Number two is to exercise. Not only do I have to look good in a wedding dress in less than 7 months, but I have found that working out clears my mind and allow me to focus on Gods Word better.  Number three is to eat better.  I'm cutting down on the caffeine and french fries.  Number four is to learn how to coupon!  

I know none of my resolutions are original, and I will struggle and fail at all of these at some point this year, but I will strive to improve myself.

Ohhhh.......and number five is to blog more about my readings.  So if you're a blog reader out there hold me accountable and ask me what I'm reading, and when I'm going to blog next.  It will help me tons!

Thanksgiving

It's funny, how I am so blessed, yet I forget to thank God for the things I have.  For instance, just this weekend I was able to wake up, put on nice clothes, drive a nice car over to my amazing friends house to indulge in some amazing cinnamon rolls for breakfast.  Then, I was able to drive in my air conditioned car to the outlets in Gaffney and meet my wonderful Mom.   While shopping, my Mom bought for me two new outfits and took me out to lunch and dinner.  During our shopping time, I walked around in good shoes and called and text a few of my friends on my "Smart" phone.  Sitting and contemplating on those things I have, makes me realize that I am so wealthy.

According to America, I may not be wealthy because I don't make tons of money.  However, in comparison to the rest of the world I am so rich in not only materialistic things, but in personal things as well.  I am thankful for these things.  I pray that I will honor God in the things that he has given to me.

In lue of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for God, friends, family and the fleeting possessions that God has given me to give away.

In the Beginning

In the beginning, God created the heavens, the earth, the water, the sky, the plants, the sun, the moon, the stars, the animals and then man.  Crazy huh?  I wonder what it was like breathing Earth into existence.    It's so beautiful that our creator created us.  Here I am, thousands of years latter typing on my Computer, and in the moment that God had created the heavens and the Earth, he had me in mind.  He had me in mind to complete part of his long story.  I know that God will never need me, but it's awesome to think that he wants me to be a part of the "bigger" story.


I hope to do crazy thing for God in my life.  I don't know what those things are, but I'm looking forward to completing those crazy thing with my soon to be partner in life aka crime, Michael!  However, as for right now, I'm in a pretty cool position as a unmarried woman to do some neat things for God in the city I am in.  I have a little over eight months in this city of Rock Hill, SC, and I can't wait to look back to see what God does.