Birth of Hannah Joy
A week before she came I caught a cold. I spent several nights coughing and sitting up to sleep. Since I was still pregnant there wasn’t much I could take to help with the cough. Besides, I don’t care to take medicines anyway. I did try herbal teas, Echinacea, goldenseal, wild cherry bark syrup, and a few other herbal and natural remedies. Nothing seemed to help. Usually when I get a cold I am over it within 2-3 days. This one wouldn’t go away no matter what I did.
On March 10th I went to sleep sitting in the living room. I woke up every half hour coughing and having a painful contraction. Around one o’clock I had enough of the pain and called the midwife. While on the phone with her I had a couple contractions. I am not very good at timing contractions and deciding if they are consistent and regular. Plus, this time I had been asleep, and only really painful contractions woke me up - and the coughing fits. The midwife came around two. When she checked me, I was already at eight centimeters.
I spent a couple of hours in the tub and then decided to get out and walk of sit up right. I was coughing too much in the tub, and the water no longer felt hot enough. Being upright and walking helped the coughing and the contractions seemed more consistent. I felt like things were progressing quickly. I decide to have her on the bed. Around five I heard Josiah wake up. I thought he would come find me but he chose a chair in the living room and went back to sleep. Shortly after six Beth came knocking at the door. That encouraged me to push a little harder and deliver the baby. Hannah was born around 6:35 am on March 11th. Beth was so happy to have a baby sister. She smothers her and begs to hold her all the time.
Gabe said she looks like Robert when he was a baby. She is much smaller than Josiah or Beth when they were born. I had to go buy some clothes for her since what I saved from Beth is still a bit too big.
I spent the next few days caring for Hannah and continuing to try to get rid of my cough. Once the cough was about gone then my muscles on my sides started hurting from all the coughing I had done. I hurt so much that the only thing I could do is sit and hold Hannah. Which is what the midwife wanted me to do, but I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t felt so bad. The kids were a great help around the house and Rueben drove me anywhere I needed to go. I was so short on good sleep I didn’t trust myself to drive anywhere.
In the week following her birth we celebrated Josiah’s forth birthday and Abigail’s and Robert’s sixth birthday. We now have four birthdays in March and they are each four days apart!
By the time Hannah was two weeks old the cold was gone and the pain in my sides was better. We are getting back into our daily routine. Hannah has been very patient and content baby. The kids all love and adore her. I never lack for someone to hold her, if I need it. However, I usually carry her in a sling or wrap which keeps her very happy, sleeping, and safe from Beth.
Once when I left Hannah sleeping on my bed while I was doing something, Beth scared me by bringing her to me! Beth has to know where baby is at all times. First thing in the morning she checks my bed, the playpen, the swing, me and so on until she finds where Hannah is.
Hannah shortly after birth
Beth seeing sister for first time. Can you see her excitement?
