Welcoming Oliver Grant into our world

This is the story of how we peacefully welcomed our son Oliver Grant after a long and painful labor. If you’d like to read a positive and powerful birth story even when things don’t go as planned, you’re in the right place.

The day before

Three days before my due date, I began having some cramping with a few mild contractions. I wondered “could this really be it? Could I really be in labor?” I was still having mild contractions after I arrived home for the day, so I figured I’d better keep moving. I thought that if this was the real deal, I wanted to do the best I can to keep things progressing. So, I began cleaning the house until my husband suggested we should try to get some sleep. I laid down trying to get some rest, but that was when the contractions got stronger. Doing my best to relax and sleep if I could, but after hours of not being able to sleep and the contractions only getting stronger, I decided I’d better get up, so I woke up my husband and told him I knew I was truly in labor.

Labor begins

The first few hours of labor went fantastic. My mother arrived and helped us set up. My first-born son even woke up to give me a big hug which I knew was the strength I needed for the long labor ahead of me.

Water labor

Once my midwife arrived, my contractions were more intense, and I needed to get into the water to help ease some of the discomfort. After an hour or so of being in the water, I was already dilated to a 6! I dilated fully only a few minutes after that, and it was time to get you here. Or so we thought.

Pushing began

I felt a strong urge to push, and I was doing my best to push with the strength that I had, but after what seemed like forever of pushing with no progress, I began to become frustrated. My midwife suggested we play tug of war to help me push. After a few hours, we knew there was something not quite right. The midwife checked on me and the baby and discovered that my cervix was coming down with the baby while it was also closing before our son was born. So, despite the hours of pushing, my cervix was holding my sweet baby in.

The waiting period

Waiting for my cervix to re-dilate was hard. I was in transition and had to resist the urge to push for hours. I was crying and sometimes even screaming, and I didn’t know if I would be able to keep going.

Heavens help

While I laid there laboring and in intense pain, I knew I would need extra strength. My husband lovingly prayed over me and asked God to give me the strength I would need to safely deliver this baby. I was praying for strength myself when I felt a strong feeling that my grandmother was there with me. I was able to take a deep breath and felt peace knowing that despite the circumstances, everything was going to be okay.

Go time

I got out of the birth tub and onto the birthing stool to sit and push for another couple of hours. This was intense and I don’t remember much except just being in pain. I could feel my body tearing and I was becoming so scared. I was afraid that my baby wasn’t going to be okay. But almost as soon as I felt that way, they could see the head. My mother and the midwife were right there helping the baby get out.

Meeting my baby

I had done it. Finally. Oliver had arrived. I remember saying “Thank you God” as I delivered him because I knew it was only with His help that he arrived safely. After Oliver was born, I was still in quite a bit of pain. I didn’t even have the strength to hold him just yet. All I could do was lay there, completely exhausted while my husband held me up. That hurt my mama heart so much. All I wanted to do was cuddle my new baby, but I knew I didn’t have the strength. They stitched me back up and then finally I was able to hold my sweet Oliver Grant. As soon as I had him in my arms, I drifted off to sleep, which was much needed after a long and painful labor.

The meaning of his name

Oliver has always been a special name to me and my family because it is my grandfather’s middle name. Oliver also means “a sign of hope” which is exactly what he is to our family and what I was clinging to the entire labor. We chose the middle name Grant because it means strength. He is the strongest baby. The entire pregnancy and labor and delivery Oliver Grant was stronger than me which made me not give up hope.

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