Baby Josiah Is Here!

On Monday of this week, we welcomed our fifth child into the world.  His conception was a complete surprise and miracle, which you can read about here.  In light of this, we chose to name him Josiah, which means "God has healed."  Josiah was born on Monday, March 25, 2013, at 1:04 pm weighing 9 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 21 inches long.  Certainly, he is the heavyweight of the Mobleys, weighing almost as much as Matthew and Jonathan combined at birth!

I always like to chronicle the birth of our children, so if you'd rather not read the gory details, you should stop reading this post now!  I was particularly excited about this birth experience because I was finally going to be able to deliver a baby at home!  I've always been a strong supporter of natural childbirth, simply because I believe God designed the birth process, and we don't ordinarily need to interfere with God's perfect design.  Women have been giving birth naturally for years, but the idea that birth is a medical emergency requiring medication and tools and monitors, etc. is a relatively recent concept.  These convictions are what led us to pursue a home birth.  (I will write another post at a later date about the benefits of a home birth from my perspective.)

And now for the gory details:
Palm Sunday marked the tenth day past my official due date, so many people at church wanted to know when, if ever, the baby would be evicted from the womb.  Good question.  At 42 weeks (Thursday), the midwives would have to try to induce labor, by breaking my water. On Sunday, I was content to wait a few more days.  Monday morning, I was not!  I woke up feeling incredibly uncomfortable after a not very restful night's sleep.  I think my first words to David that morning were, "I (sob) don't (sob) think (sob) I (sob) can (sob) make (sob) it (sob) until (sob) Thursday."  And, David, who knows me so well after almost twelve years of marriage said, "Well, let's just see what the midwife says at your appointment today, okay?"  We didn't even make it to that appointment.  I started to feel more pressure than normal just after breakfast, so I adjusted our schedule of Easter week activities and made resurrection rolls with Mary and Maggie, anticipating that I might be busy with a newborn later on.  By the time the rolls were out of the oven, I was sure that I was in real labor.  David's parents, who have been visiting for two and a half weeks eagerly waiting on this baby, arrived and took all the kids outside to pace up and down the cul-de-sac.  David paged the midwife on call and began to fill the birthing tub.

Mary and Josiah

The birth team arrived at about 10:30 am and found me already in the tub probably looking too comfortable.  The warm water had actually slowed down the contractions, so I got out and moved around a bit.  This got things moving again, and I really wanted to get back in the tub, but they encouraged me to keep moving and changing positions.  I walked.  I stood, leaning on the exercise ball.  I laid on my side.  I squatted.  I showered.  I vomited.  (I have to say that vomiting during labor is really unpleasant.  Your body is pushing up and down all at once!)  Finally, I got into the tub again with David sitting behind me.  Up until this point, I was apparently uncommunicative, so no one else even knew that I was continuing to have contractions.  I was praying a lot, silently, asking God to help me relax with each contraction and not to resist.  I was thanking him for the baby about to be born.  I was asking him for strength.  In the tub, I leaned against David and squeezed his hands every time I began to feel a contraction coming on.

Maggie and Josiah

I felt some really strong contractions, like I seriously thought my back was going to break.  I looked at the midwife and told her, "It feels like it's so out of control!"  She was so awesome and confidently assured me that I was safe and that I didn't need to be afraid.  Instantly, I knew it was time to push, so the labor assistant called for Mary and Maggie to come in.  They came in quickly, sat on our bed, and witnessed Josiah's birth.  I gave a really strong push (accompanied by really loud groans) and Josiah's head was out.  I rested.  I gave another really strong push (again accompanied by really loud groans) and he was born.  I cannot even describe the mixture of emotions at that point.  I was so happy to finally meet my baby boy.  I was thankful that God answered my prayers.  I also felt a big sense of relief that it was over and that my almost nine and a half baby was out of my body!

After spending a good bit of time cuddling with Josiah, who was not at all happy about being born, I moved from the tub to the bed and delivered the placenta.  Afterwards, the midwife quickly repaired two small tears and gave me a shot of pitocin in the leg because I had experienced excessive blood loss.
After cuddling with Josiah again for a good bit of time, the labor assistant helped me to take a shower, while the midwife examined Josiah and the placenta.  Josiah was born at 1:04 pm, and the birth team left our home around 2:30 pm.  We spent the rest of the day together as a family celebrating Josiah's birth in the comfort of our own home without the intrusion of  even well-meaning doctors and nurses.  And, my March goal is now complete!

Our midwife, Brooke, labor assistant, Ashlee, and Josiah