I woke up Saturday morning and could feel I was having contractions. I figured they were probably just braxton hicks though since I had had some a few other days of that week. They did seem to be coming more regularly though. Pascal thought that we should start timing them. So, around 9 in the morning, I started writing down every contraction. I used Pascal's stop watch which really helped. The contractions were sometimes 4 minutes apart, sometimes 10 minutes apart. They really were not very painful though. Pascal went on to the UPS store to get some boxes (I told him I was fine) and I continued reading my book and writing down contractions... I took a shower, and still felt OK. By 12:30, Pascal suggested that we call the doctor and let them know that I had been having at least 10 contractions per hour that were more than 30 seconds. My doctor was not on call, so I spoke with another doctor. The doctor on call thought it was probably braxton hicks contractions as well after I described how I was feeling. About an hour or two later, the contractions were still coming very regularly, and they were somewhat painful. I was not sure that I wanted to call the doctor again, but Pascal thought it would be a good idea to do so. So I called again. I explained to him that the pain had increased somewhat, although the contractions were still manageable. The doctor recommended that I go to the hospital to get checked out. Part of me did not want to go because I really did not want to be sent home. Pascal really thought at this point though that we would not be coming home without our baby... We finally decided to go to the hospital so that they could check and see if I was in labor. We arrived around 3:00 pm. As Pascal started filling out a few papers, a nurse directed me to a back room. We found out that I was indeed in labor, and was already 6 cm dilated! She looked at me and told me I was not going home that day, and that I would have the baby that very day! Wow! I was not expecting that!!! I was so happy to not be going home and excited to meet our precious little one. I was taken to one of the labor and delivery rooms, and very soon afterwards, my labor and delivery nurse arrived. God had another surprise in store for me... my labor and delivery nurse would be Bonnie. Bonnie had given us the tour of the hospital a few months previous, and she had been so kind and helpful. She also had had her babies naturally, which is what I was hoping for. She was so helpful and encouraged me to relax and stay calm. I found very soon that rocking through my contractions was what was helping me best. I also had some soft music playing in the background called Scripture Lullabies. I had been listening to this music for several months to help prepare myself for labor and delivery. It was very calming to me to hear Scripture being sung. (Thanks, Bethany, for giving me that CD as a gift!). I ate a few popsicles and a few ice chips, but I mainly just rocked back and forth. I almost fell asleep a few times, which I was very surprised at. Pascal was so helpful in just being there. I appreciated how calm he stayed throughout the whole time... this really helped me to stay calm as well. I really needed to stay quiet to keep my focus so that I could work through the contractions. Bonnie came back a couple of hours later, and I told her I had had the urge to push a few times. She called in an intern doctor who checked me again. The intern gave me the go ahead to push, and broke my water. Things started speeding up at that point.
I got a new nurse named Ashley around 7pm as it was the end of Bonnie's shift. Ashley was great as well. She kept telling me what a great job I was doing. She and Pascal were both so encouraging! I started pushing just about the time that Ashley came in. At about 8pm, my doctor, Dr. Stacy Boyd, came in as well as several other nurses. It felt like the whole room was full of hospital personnel. I was glad as I realized that I was very close to pushing this baby out. I found out later that Pascal felt a little faint at this point, and one of the nurses got him a coke. He only sat down for a minute though (which I was unaware of) and then was there right by my side again. Our beautiful baby was born at 8:35 pm on Saturday October, 20th. We found out at that moment that God had given us a son! Liam Paul Grenade weighed 6 lb. 11 oz. and measured 19 1/2 inches long. He did not cry (that I can remember) when he was born, and was so alert. They wrapped him in a blanket and laid him on my chest. What a beautiful moment that was to cuddle my son in my arms! I was so happy... and so exhausted. Having a baby is hard work!
God was so gracious to us in all aspects of my pregnancy and delivery. We cannot thank Him enough for the gift of Liam . Our little boy has brightened our lives so much. We indeed are "fearfully and wonderfully made." (Psalm 139)
"For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them."
Psalm 139: 13-16
