How I Almost Had a Baby in the Target Parking Lot

To better understand how much this story means to me, let me give you a quick history lesson. My last pregnancy was picture perfect. Seth and I had discussed how it was time to add to our family. Within 2 months, we were on our way to becoming a family of 4. I had decided that I wanted to experience a totally natural birth. I had an epidural with my first so a natural birth became my own personal dream/challenge. I wanted to see if I could do it. So I was led to a midwife practice who very much encouraged the natural experience. Seth and I began to study the Bradley Method of birthing. We made plans of renting a birthing pool for a waterbirth. I was healthy. I exercised regularly and ate my handful of almonds every day. One minute everything was fine, the next minute everything was not fine at all. At 34 weeks I began to experience a pain in my chest that would not go away. My body was uncomfortably swollen. So off to the hospital I went. It turned out that my body was very, very sick. I had HELLP syndrome, which finding out later, can be fatal. The only way for me to get better and the baby to be safe was to deliver. So I gave birth to a 4lb premature baby boy by cesarean section. None of it made sense until the doctor delivered my son. She came up to me right after the delivery and asked me if I believed in "Divine Intervention". I, of course, said yes. She then told me that when she pulled Josiah out, she found a true knot in his umbilical cord. The conclusion? If Josiah had grown any bigger or if there had been any tension on his cord, the oxygen would have been cut off to his body. The Lord had stepped in and saved my son's life.
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This last pregnancy came as a total surprise. I have joked that we were the .o1% that they warn you about on the box of birth control. I was excited but knew I needed to face all the fears that my last pregnancy had brought about. Everything was so planned the last time and now I didn't want to plan anything. All I knew was that I really wanted to try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean). I am thankful for science and medicine because it helped save my son's life, but if I had a choice, I would not choose another c-section. After praying over the many recommendations given to me by different friends, I chose a doctor who encouraged VBACs. It is an unusual thing to find these days in the medical world- an OB who is willing to risk the liability and deliver by VBAC. His practice is about 45 minutes away but I thought well worth it if all turned out the way I hoped.
Pregnancy was healthy and we found out that we were having a baby girl. The excitement began to mount but daily faced the fear that it could all change in the blink of an eye. I finally reached the "safe zone" of 37 weeks. And in stepped a new "dilemma", a new prayer request...I needed to deliver the baby soon. My mother-in-law, who I am very close with, had just been given a very short time to live. We were/are believing that the Lord will heal her of this wicked cancer but in case that didn't happen on this side of life, then I physically longed for her to be able to meet her new granddaughter. We began to pray. For perfect timing...

November 8, 2008 (38 weeks).
6:49pm. I began to experience very random "Braxton Hicks". I was used to that so I didn't pay any attention. But then they began to have a little "kick" to them. That got my attention. We began to see a rhythm as Seth wrote the times down. So we left the boys with our wonderful sister-in-law, Leya, packed our hospital bag at home and headed out for the 45 minute drive to the hospital.
8:39pm. On our way to the hospital. Contractions were coming pretty steadily but I was still in the mindset that they would probably monitor me for a little bit and then send me home. The contractions didn't seem strong enough for me to be in labor.
9:05pm. Began to get a little worried. The highway was down to 1 or 2 lanes due to the massive road construction. The traffic was moving but we were bumper to bumper. Finally broke free of the congestion.
9:19pm. About to pull off the exit when I realized we did not have a still camera. I had actually looked at our camera at home but decided it wasn't worth it because we didn't have any charged batteries to put in it. But, all of a sudden, we needed. a. camera. now. And wouldn't you know it? There was a Target right off of the exit. My dear, dear husband knew enough not to argue with a laboring woman so he very reluctantly pulled into the parking lot. In fact, I believe his very words were, "I am so mad at you right now. You could drop a baby on this car floor." I laughed and said "You're crazy." Leaving his stopwatch and notepad with me, he ran inside the store. Came out with an awesome new 8 pixel digital camera, fully charged and ready to go.
9:50pm. Checked into the Emergency Room. They sent us straight up to the maternity floor.
10:00pm. Nurse hooked me up to the monitor and began to ask me registration questions.
10:15pm. (Approximate time.) Nurse checked me and said "Oh wow, you're a 6." And I said, "WHAT?!!" I fully expected her to tell me that I was at a 2, possibly a 3.
10:44pm. (Approximate time.) Doctor on call came in, checked me and said, "She's at a 10! Don't push yet!" or something to that effect. I was a little busy at that point.
10:48pm. Baby Lyla arrived!!!!

It was amazing. The natural experience. It was everything I had dreamed it would be. Each of my children's birth stories are so unique and special. All pointing to the existence of a kind, loving Father who truly listens to the desires of our hearts.

the end. or the beginning. whatever way you want to look at it.