Redemption: Evangeline’s Birth Story
Throughout Evangeline’s pregnancy, I continually asked God for a redemptive birth experience. After a traumatic first birth, I wanted so badly to experience something positive. Around the halfway mark, I began to experience debilitating pain. Most women feel their best during this part of the pregnancy, and naysayers told me it would only be downhill from there. I held onto hope and searched desperately for solutions. I found a Webster-certified chiropractor, who came highly recommended from several other moms. I also began seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist. I bought the Christian Hypnobirthing app and began practicing deep meditation and relaxation methods for labor. I read a book called Holy Labor, which highlighted the theology of childbirth and how wrong beliefs about it can negatively impact our experience.
With a lot of heavy stuff going on in my personal life, the past few years felt like one trial or tragedy after another. I have struggled deeply with depression and despair. This past year* especially I just felt like I couldn’t escape the dark cloud of grief hovering over so many areas in my life. I wanted my second birth to be free from that dark cloud. I craved peace and serenity, so I prepared for that. I drank the teas, took the tinctures, and ate dates. I prepared my body for a natural childbirth but held the option of an epidural with an open hand, knowing it was a blessing the first time. I didn’t want to get to the point of feeling like I was being tortured for the sake of “natural birth,” so it was certainly on the table.
Around 34 weeks, I had an early labor scare, checking in to the hospital briefly for monitoring and being sent home to rest after several hours of regular contractions. Because my first came a whopping month early, I was extremely grateful she stayed put until 38 weeks. On a Saturday morning just before 7 am, my water broke as I stood up out of bed. I felt excited and relieved - I woke Trey, got in the shower, and called my people: friends who watched Frank for us and my Mom who acted as my doula.
I showered and got ready, and we left for the hospital around 8:30. I know most moms who prefer the natural route like to labor at home as long as they can, but I prefer to check in to the hospital early and get settled before things get more intense. It didn’t take long for things to progress - I stuck to my birth plan, and everyone was amazingly helpful. I had my playlist of Scriptures and worship music, my Mom used a massage gun to help with the pressure of contractions, Trey was an incredible partner helping with counter pressure, etc. I labored naturally for several hours. It was hard work and definitely intense, but doable. The nursing staff at the hospital commented on how much they enjoyed the atmosphere of the room - they were so encouraging and affirming of my birth plan.
Eventually the intense pressure felt a lot more like agonizing pain, and I couldn’t handle it any longer. In hindsight, I wish I tried laboring in the shower and staying off my phone between contractions (I was texting updates here and there to loved ones). If those two things were different, I might have stuck it out. But I reached the point where the mental, emotional, and physical turmoil felt torturous, so I opted for the epidural. I was 7 cm dilated at 2 pm when I received it, so definitely in the home stretch, but so incredibly grateful for that good medicine. I was finally able to rest and relax while my body did the work without my feeling it.
When the time to push came near, the intensity of the pressure honestly scared me. I wished the epidural concealed that, but no. I felt every bit of pressure. With my first, I pushed for what felt like forever, and it was the worst part, so I was very nervous. But in God’s amazing grace, I only had to push three times before she exited my body and entered the world at 4:04 pm. It was such a beautiful moment with literal shouts of joy. I was overwhelmed by the goodness of God. I kept crying tears of joy and gratitude - He answered so many of my prayers. He gave me strength, peace, joy, and calm. It was absolutely a redemptive birth experience. My labor was only 9 hours (as opposed to 24), I felt loved and supported (as opposed to isolated during the COVID year), and God’s presence was keenly felt. He never left my side and gave me exactly what I needed.
She weighed 7 lbs 8 oz, and we enjoyed the most perfect golden hour of skin-to-skin and breastfeeding right away, with delayed cord clamping (as opposed to my first being rushed to NICU right away). I gave all my fear and anxiety surrounding birth to God, and He gave me His peace and serenity. It was truly a redemptive birth experience in every way.
Her name, Evangeline, shares the same root word as “gospel,” meaning messenger of good news. We pray she comes to know God at an early age, and finds joy in proclaiming the good news of Jesus.
*I wrote the majority of this in 2023, but am publishing only now in 2026.
