Erin's Birthing Story of Seth

Seth Benjamin Jordan was born on 15th March, one day past due date at 9.41pm. My husband Ben, 2 _ year old daughter Delta were also with me in the birthing pool when Seth was born.
My dear friend and midwife Myra from Australia was also present at the birth, having travelled over to be here for my labour and birth.
Since Myra was not legal to perform a birth here in the USA, we had Nicole Josselyn as our homebirth midwife.
It was a rewarding and gratifying experience to have Seth at home without any interference and in the privacy of our own home. I wouldn't have had it any other way! Having such incredible support from both midwives made everything just as good as a birthing experience could be!
“For I the Lord your God hold your right hand; I am the Lord, who says to you, Fear not; I will help you!” Isaiah 41: 13
This was the scripture my Mum had for me the morning of the birth, and I was encouraged that truly, the Lord my God was with me through this journey of labouring and birthing.

THE LABOUR & BIRTH
Small “Show” in the morning when I went to the bathroom at 7.30am.
Waters broke at 3.20pm, I was lying down and asleep for about _ hr, was woken by the warm gush of my water's breaking. I went back to bed hoping to go back to sleep for a bit, but got up about _ hr later since the cramping pains were getting quite bad, mildish contractions then starting around 4.15pm. By 5.30 I was feeling like the contractions were getting stronger and, so I called Ben to see where he was. Myra called Kathy to come and look after Delta (our 2 _ year old) and she arrived around 6.15pm.

When Ben got home I asked him to deal with filling the pool with water as I was keen to get in with the contractions getting stronger.

Having had all the time to prepare for this birth at home, with a decent birth plan, etc meant I had all things ready like music, candles, etc, but most of the time when I was in the pool I had my eyes closed. When Ben got into the pool with me, it was a good position for me with him sitting behind me as I found myself floating too much. I remember saying to Myra somewhere in the labour how much of a different experience this labour was in comparison to my first with Delta. (I had very spasmodic contractions).

The pain was quite intense with not much rest time between contractions at all. I was much more concentrating on the breathing and pushing once the 2nd stage kicked in. With my first pushing urge, it came at the end of a normal contraction, and I was taken my surprise but also delight……..thinking, yeah, 2nd stage! (This was a joy for me as for my first birth I didn't have a real change of contractions once I was in second stage).

We called Nicole - she was in a prayer meeting and didn't receive the message for about an hour, so she called once she had gotten it to say she was on her way about _ hr away. I was beginning to feel very tired. Ben did a great job of encouraging me verbally, and I felt like I needed it then. As soon as I put my lower back out of the water to get to the toilet, I could instantly feel the difference in pain. It was amazing, so I wasn't too keen to get out, but did. Myra and Ben had to help me a lot, I felt like I could hardly move. But on the toilet really did seem to make a difference to get the contractions moving along steadily again as Myra had hoped it would. Shortly after Nicole arrived and said she could see the baby's head crowning, and we were all very happy. Soon after that again, Myra said if I did want to birth in the pool I'd better get back in there pretty soon otherwise the baby would arrive. I stood up, hanging on to Ben and wondered how I'd get back to the pool, but thought no I don't want to deliver the baby here in the bathroom, so again, we got back to the pool. At this point I asked for Delta to come in, wanting her to be there when the baby arrived so she got in with Ben and me.

The contractions seemed to be widening again, Myra wanted to check the baby and found one of the shoulder's out but the other one still in, so she hooked the baby's shoulder out. Once the baby's head was out, Ben was ecstatic, I asked to see the bub with the mirror but in the water it didn't work, and with Myra's encouragement I felt the baby's head and it was a pretty amazing thing. Just personalising the baby actually right there. Nicole pointed out 3 mins were up with the bub's head in the water and Myra encouraged me to get the baby out with the next contraction. I remember feeling like someone was actually pulling the baby, that's exactly what it felt like, but no one was touching me. It was the baby moving, Ben said he could see the baby's head moving from side to side, like he was trying to help come out. Finally, with one last real scream from me with this awful sensation like someone was pulling the baby out, the baby came into the water.

I heard Myra telling Ben to catch the baby under the water and move him between my legs where I could pick him up. Once I had done that the baby let out a cry, and Delta started to cry too - getting a fright that the baby was crying. I held the bub at my chest.

Next I asked Myra to talk to Mum on the phone, she asked if the bub was a boy or a girl and I said “I don't know, I haven't looked yet”. It hadn't even entered my mind at that point amazingly enough. I think I was just revelling in the fact that it was done - here was the baby, - out! - we made it.

Thankyou Jesus for sending me another angel.
For blessed of all women am I.
I will bless the Lord!
I will bless the Lord!

Poems For Seth

5 April 2006
Our little treasure
You're literally an angel sent to us from heaven
Freshly baked
Fresh with the aroma of heaven's love
And the softness that nothing compares to
You are our heaven honey bun
We smell your sweetness
The aroma of heaven's sweet honey,
Wrapped up in you in God's love
Unbelievable, but true
We have a second child now
A precious, God gift
Our Seth - appointed one
Our Seth - Our Son

YOUR NAME 5 April 2006
Seth - appointed one
Benjamin - son of my right hand
Seth Benjamin - appointed son of my right hand
Always remember you are appointed
For a divine purpose
Not sent to earth for the world's work
But sent and appointed
For God's work, soul harvesting and eternal life focuser